Thank you MC. There is always the possibility that Merrick--because their business was private and they ran it for several generations--that they stipulated certain standards in their contract with Nestle. This would not be unusual for a business that still carries their name. So let's hope that is the case. Yes, I realize Whole Earth was/is a Merrick product but our Cats are super big on variety.
Sure, they all do that. But not for more than a year or two. By the third year the quality drops.
Like you say, the more variety the better.
The New Merrick Limited Ingredient Chicken and Turkey are truly excellent products. Having said that, you are right about Agar-Agar. I learned it is in Halo's Impulse and popular Vigor brands but is not in the Stews. I looked into Agar Agar and it contains pink seaweed although it is not all pink seaweed. I found that very annoying but one must press on, especially because clinically, all signs are very good and so much improved. Wish our baby Ragdoll would eat more wet food though as do our Adults. He is 14 months and likes to be fed wet food from the tin with a fork---yes, you heard right, with a fork! It takes 20 minutes and he eats it all up. It gives Rick and I sore feet standing there feeding him with a fork! Hope that brought on a chuckle or two!
If he likes being fork fed, I'm glad you will feed him like that.
I hand feed or "spatula" feed cats sometimes, usually if they aren't feeling well or seem to need extra special attention.
If you stop feeding kibble, he will no longer be able to eat it.
Just get it out of the house.