Parenting-Furkids
Cats => Cat Food And Nutrition => Discussion Of Brands And Ingredients => Topic started by: Middle Child on March 26, 2012, 01:33:26 PM
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ALWAYS read labels. This info can change at any time. Also labels can be used for 6 months... AFTER product has changed.
Please note that this is NOT a "list of recommended foods" in any way. The only purpose of this list is to provide quick resource to carrageenan free foods.
This is an ongoing list. Any info, from anyone else, would also be appreciated.
More info about carrageenan here: http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?topic=4083.msg29589;topicseen#msg29589
Addiction - Grain Free formulas are carrageenan free, the others are not.
Against the Grain - Chicken and Pumpkin Samba and Carribean Club are carrageenan free, some of the fish flavors aren’t.
Applaws (not a complete food, for supplemental feeding only)
Blue Buffalo: Wild Delights and Blue Bistro are carageenan free (UPDATE: April 2014 - Blue Buffalo added Carrageenan.)
By Nature - The Organic line is carrageenan free, and some (maybe all) of the "stew" line. Update7/10/15 By Nature has discontinued the Organic line
By Nature Active Defense Grain Free
Castor & Pollux
Cornucopia
Evangers - Read this FIRST! http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?topic=5167.msg38600;topicseen#msg38600
FirstMate (Canada)
Fromm Four Star (fish heavy)
Fussie Cat - Chicken w/Vegetables and Chicken w/Sweet Potato
Go!
Great Life Essentials Discontinued canned foods.
Halo Impulse contains agar-agar
Halo - Spots Stew varieties are carrageenan free, pates are not.
Halo Vigor contains agar-agar
Health Extension Turkey & Chicken Entree
Holistic Select
Hound and Gatos
KOHA -note: the pates contain agar-agar
Life’s Abundance Instinctive Choice
Lotus
Merrick Limited Ingredient (note: Merrick is owned by Purina 7/2015)
Murr
Natural balance - platefulls (pouches) and delectable delights (tubs, the only non-fish one is Catatoullie Stew)
Nature's Logic - not sure about the "porcine plasma" ingredient, which my brain roughly translates to pig blood, but I haven't looked it up yet.
Nature’s Variety Instinct
Newman’s Organic Grain Free
Nulo (Petsmart brand) cotians agar-agar. All have some fish.
Nutrience
Nutrisource
Nutro - some do, some don't, be sure to read the ingredient list.
Party Animal (organic)
Pure Vita
Red Barn (check labels some formulas contain agar-agar)
Soulistic: Good Karma and Harvest sunrise do not have carageenan (there are other carageenan-free flavors but those contain menadione)
Taste Of The Wild (full of fish)
Thrive (based in UK)
Tiki Cat: Koolina Luau and Puka-puka Luau don't have carageenan (neither do the other flavors, but they are fish based).
Tiki Gourmet Line
Wellness: Healthy Indulgence pouches - Chicken and Chicken Liver, Turkey and Chicken, Chicken and Duck. Signature Selects - CHUNKY varieties do not contain carageenan.
The Chunky Turkey in White Meat Chicken and Sauce is the only one that also does not contain fish
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The SHREDDED signature selects DO have carageenan, so be careful.
All canned versions contain Carrageenan.
Weruva
Wild Calling
Whole Earth (owned by Purina)
ZiwiPeak Cuisine
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I haven't looked at Blue in a long time, I know they've recently changed some of their formulas.....
Probably shouldn't waste your time :( (They're probably too "mainstream by now to ever get it right.)
Here's their new Blue Freedom: Because some cats just do better on a diet without grains, we’ve introduced new BLUE Freedom. It’s a grain-free food made with the finest natural ingredients. No grains, no glutens, nothing artificial.
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bangshead bangshead bangshead bangshead bangshead
• • Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Natural Flavor, Ground Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Cellulose, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Carrageenan, Guar Gum, Cassia Gum, Taurine, Cranberries, Blueberries, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Salt
• http://bluebuffalo.com/cat-food/freedom-indoor-chicken-can
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One of their Feline Feasts -- don't see the carrageenan in this one -
• Chicken, Chicken Broth, Water, Salmon, Chicken Liver, Egg Whites, Peas, Potato Starch, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Blueberries, Guar Gum, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Ground Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide, Choline Chloride, Taurine
http://bluebuffalo.com/cat-food/feline-feast-chicken-salmon
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Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Natural Flavor, Ground Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Cellulose, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Carrageenan, Guar Gum, Cassia Gum, Taurine, Cranberries, Blueberries, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Salt
And right off the bat: sweet potatoes, "natural flavor" (um, shouldn't it "taste like chicken?"), ground flaxseed, CELLULOSE :o :o
The second one had sweet potatoes and potato starch . . . *sigh* :-\
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I have been searching for info on this topic for a few days now. I have learned that the carageenan that is used in pet food comes from Asia, either the Phillipines/Indonesia.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y4765e/y4765e0a.htm
Snippet The above process is summarized in Figure 46 (seaweed flour branch).
However, the seaweed flour is coloured, often has a high bacterial count and is not suitable for human consumption. Nevertheless it immediately found a large market in canned pet food because it is a good gelling agent and was so much cheaper than refined carrageenan. The temperatures used in the canning process destroy any bacteria so the high bacterial count in the SRC is not a problem. Sometimes the dried product is just chopped into pieces, not milled, and sold as a raw material to refined carrageenan processors. It is called alkali treated cottonii (ATC) or alkali treated cottonii chips (ATCC), or even simply cottonii chips. If this treatment is done in the country of origin of the seaweed, such as the Philippines or Indonesia, this means processors in Europe and United States of America have cheaper transport costs per tonne of carrageenan, compared with shipping dried seaweed. They have also left behind some waste products, which reduces their waste treatment costs
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-Taste of the Wild
-Newman's Organic Grain Free
-Nature's Variety Instinct
-Life's Abundance Instictive Choice
I found those on http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/ which has a list of the BPA/carrageenan free cat food.
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And right off the bat: sweet potatoes, "natural flavor" (um, shouldn't it "taste like chicken?"), ground flaxseed, CELLULOSE :o :o
The second one had sweet potatoes and potato starch . . . *sigh* :-\
I caught that cellulose too. Cellulose is a deal breaker for me.
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-Taste of the Wild
-Newman's Organic Grain Free
-Nature's Variety Instinct
-Life's Abundance Instictive Choice
I found those on http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/ which has a list of the BPA/carrageenan free cat food.
Thanks Mo! TOTW, those are all fishy, aren't they? Life's Abundance, eh? I need to check that one out.
Oh yes, now I remember, it's got fish in it (shrimp)
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Food that is carrageenan free today, may not be tomorrow. bangshead
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Food that is carrageenan free today, may not be tomorrow. bangshead
Sadly, that is too true. I've got the two cats who have exhibited digestive and/or intestinal problems (struvite and regurgitation for the one, diarrhea and mal-absorption for the other) completely off any foods containing carrageenan. Which is good, but what isn't good is it means they are eating only two foods. Castor & Pollux chicken vegetable casserole (which contains spinach and other fruits and veggies) and By Nature Organic Turkey&Chicken, which contains menadione Bisulfates (as the last ingredient). I HOPE I can feel happy (nut never complacent) about this now and stop stressing so much. The other kitty is still eating foods with carrageenan. I may, eventually switch her to the foods the other two are eating, but she seems to need more variety.
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Add Lotus to the list of being carrageenan free, but...
Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Ocean Fish, Dried Peas, Natural Chicken Liver Flavor, Agar-Agar, Carrots, Asparagus, Cranberries, Blueberries, Ground Whole Flaxseed, New Zealand Green Mussel, Eggs, Clams, Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Dried Kelp, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Betaine, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
http://www.lotuspetfoods.com/pate-cat.php
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Blue Wilderness wild delights. (chunks in gravy) The only one that doesn't contain fish:
Wild Delights™ Chicken & Turkey Recipe
for Adult Cats
Ingredients
Chicken,
Chicken Broth,
Water,
Turkey,
Chicken Liver,
Egg Whites,
Potato Starch,
Natural Flavor,
Guar Gum,
Sodium Phosphate,
Dried Egg,
Potassium Chloride,
Salt,
Vitamin A Supplement,
Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1),
Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2),
Niacin (Vitamin B3),
d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5),
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6),
Biotin (Vitamin B7),
Folic Acid (Vitamin B9),
Vitamin B12 Supplement,
Vitamin D3 Supplement,
Vitamin E Supplement,
Iron Amino Acid Chelate,
Zinc Amino Acid Chelate,
Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate,
Copper Amino Acid Chelate,
Manganese Amino Acid Chelate,
Sodium Selenite,
Potassium Iodide,
Taurine,
Choline Chloride,
Calcium Carbonate
http://www.bluebuffalo.com/cat-food/wild-delights-chicken-turkey
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Add Lotus to the list.
http://www.lotuspetfoods.com/pate-cat.php
Both flavors contain fish bangshead bangshead bangshead bangshead bangshead bangshead
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Blue Bistro (Chunks in gravy style)
(no fish, but carrots and spinach)
http://www.bluebuffalo.com/bistros
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Taste of the Wild
They ALL contain fish
http://staging.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/mobile/products.php
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Hounds and Gatos (never heard of it before) priced about the same as the others. Some are fish free. High in calories though.
http://houndgatos.com/cat-products.aspx
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I'm planning to keep an updated list stickied in this sub forum. Please feel free to add any foods you come across to this thread and I will add it to this list in the first post, for easy access.
What I hope to to do with this thread is provide a cross reference link in this thread to the food being discussed in our discussion of brands forum, whenever available. But it will be slow work.
I will be keeping them in alphabetical order. Since some brands have different lines, some with, some without carrageenan I will of course be only listing formulas that do NOT.
NOTE: These are not foods I am specifically recommending, I may or may not feed them to my own cats. These are just foods that, at last ingredient check, do not contain carrageenan.
(the list is short this morning, just want to get things started)
By Nature Organic
chicken
turkey & Chicken
turkey
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Nature's Variety Instinct:
chicken
rabbit
duck
(those are the only ones I feed, so the lamb, beef, etc. may also be carageenan-free, but I don't know off-hand)
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All of the Nature's Variety canned cat products seem to be carageenan free.
Tiki Cat: Koolina Luau and Puka-puka Luau don't have carageenan (neither do the other flavors, but they are fish based).
Hound and Gatos
Pure Vita
Addiction: Duck, Venison, Buffalo, Rabbit, and Turkey formulas do not have carageenan.
Soulistic: Good Karma and Harvest sunrise do not have carageenan (there are other carageenan-free flavors but those contain menadione)
Great Life Essentials
Life's Abundance Instinctive Choice Canned
Blue Buffalo: Wild Delights and Blue Bistro are carageenan free
Wellness: Healthy Indulgence pouches - Chicken and Chicken Liver, Turkey and Chicken, Chicken and Duck. Signature Selects - CHUNKY varieties do not contain carageenan. The Chunky Turkey in White Meat Chicken and Sauce is the only one that also does not contain fish. The SHREDDED signature selects DO have carageenan, so be careful.
Fromm: Duck & Chicken Pate is carageenan free. So are the 3 other flavors, but those contain fish.
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Weruva also appears to be free of carrageenan. The fish and seafood flavors have menadione, but the chicken and beef flavors do not.
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You can add Weruva Super Luxe as being carregeenan free.
Weruva is officially launching new flavors! We proudly introduce - TruLuxe! First things first - Mediterranean Harvest will have a new label! Stores will be able to order them as early as next week! And, it will be available both with and without veggies! More flavor reveals coming soon!
(https://parenting-furkids.com/gallery/1_06_02_14_5_14_35.jpeg)
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There were two Carrageenan Free lists going. Merged them. MC, you may want to edit your first post.. for simplicity. If you want. :)
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I haven't even begun to work on that list really. I want to keep an updated list in the first post, then anyone wanting further info can read on in the thread for opinions on the various foods listed if they want. I'm sorry it's taking so long. I just don't have much energy for the computer at night after being on it all day long at work, it's tax season and the mail with tax payments is overwhelming. Sorry you guys.
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Noooooooooo worries. You can update the list (original post) if and when you WANT to. I just added a new food, and noticed there were two threads going... so I merged them.
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Addiction - Grain Free formulas are carrageenan free, the others are not.
Against the Grain - Chicken and Pumpkin Samba and Carribean Club are carrageenan free, some of the fish flavors aren't.
Fussie Cat - Chicken w/Vegetables and Chicken w/Sweet Potato
Go!
Halo - Spots Stew varieties are carrageenan free, pates are not.
Health Extension Turkey & Chicken Entree
Lotus
Nature's Logic - not sure about the "porcine plasma" ingredient, which my brain roughly translates to pig blood, but I haven't looked it up yet.
Nutrisource
Natural balance - platefulls (pouches) and delectable delights (tubs, the only non-fish one is Catatoullie Stew)
Murr
Castor & Pollux
Evangers
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Addiction - Grain Free formulas are carrageenan free, the others are not.
Against the Grain - Chicken and Pumpkin Samba and Carribean Club are carrageenan free, some of the fish flavors aren't.
Castor & Pollux
Evangers
Fussie Cat - Chicken w/Vegetables and Chicken w/Sweet Potato
Go!
Halo - Spots Stew varieties are carrageenan free, pates are not.
Health Extension Turkey & Chicken Entree
Lotus
Murr
Nature's Logic - not sure about the "porcine plasma" ingredient, which my brain roughly translates to pig blood, but I haven't looked it up yet.
Nutrisource
Natural balance - platefulls (pouches) and delectable delights (tubs, the only non-fish one is Catatoullie Stew)
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Thanks, Amber.
Had to put them in alphabetical order. I tend to be OCD-ish. :)
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Addiction - Grain Free formulas are carrageenan free, the others are not.
Against the Grain - Chicken and Pumpkin Samba and Carribean Club are carrageenan free, some of the fish flavors aren't.
Castor & Pollux
Evangers
Fussie Cat - Chicken w/Vegetables and Chicken w/Sweet Potato
Go!
Halo - Spots Stew varieties are carrageenan free, pates are not.
Health Extension Turkey & Chicken Entree
Lotus
Murr
Nature's Logic - not sure about the "porcine plasma" ingredient, which my brain roughly translates to pig blood, but I haven't looked it up yet.
Nutrisource
Natural balance - platefulls (pouches) and delectable delights (tubs, the only non-fish one is Catatoullie Stew)
Party Animal Organic - All flavors
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Blue Wilderness wild delights. (chunks in gravy) The only one that doesn't contain fish:
Wild Delights™ Chicken & Turkey Recipe
for Adult Cats
http://www.bluebuffalo.com/cat-food/wild-delights-chicken-turkey
April 2014 - Blue Buffalo Wild Delights added carrageenan.
http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/
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I just don't understand why companies change formulas. It's like something doesn't have soy in it one day, and the next thing it does. Why do they do this to pet owners who probably don't read the labels again after they've deemed a food to be safe for their pet, so they don't know it's been changed. Big companies suck!
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MC,
This is what I have so far. You are a mod, so you can edit, add info, add comments, etc... whatever you want to do. :)
Any info, from anyone else, would also be appreciated.
Addiction - Grain Free formulas are carrageenan free, the others are not.
Against the Grain - Chicken and Pumpkin Samba and Carribean Club are carrageenan free, some of the fish flavors aren’t.
Blue Buffalo: Wild Delights and Blue Bistro are carageenan free (UPDATE: April 2014 - Blue Buffalo added Carrageenan.)
By Nature - Only the Organic line is carrageenan free.
Castor & Pollux
Evangers
Fromm: Duck & Chicken Pate is carageenan free. So are the 3 other flavors, but those contain fish.
Fussie Cat - Chicken w/Vegetables and Chicken w/Sweet Potato
Go!
Great Life Essentials
Halo - Spots Stew varieties are carrageenan free, pates are not.
Health Extension Turkey & Chicken Entree
Hound and Gatos
Life’s Abundance Instinctive Choice
Lotus
Murr
Nature's Logic - not sure about the "porcine plasma" ingredient, which my brain roughly translates to pig blood, but I haven't looked it up yet.
Nature’s Variety Instinct - However, the rabbit is sourced from China.
Newman’s Organic Grain Free
Nutrisource
Natural balance - platefulls (pouches) and delectable delights (tubs, the only non-fish one is Catatoullie Stew)
Pure Vita
Soulistic: Good Karma and Harvest sunrise do not have carageenan (there are other carageenan-free flavors but those contain menadione)
Taste Of The Wild
Tiki Cat: Koolina Luau and Puka-puka Luau don't have carageenan (neither do the other flavors, but they are fish based).
Wellness: Healthy Indulgence pouches - Chicken and Chicken Liver, Turkey and Chicken, Chicken and Duck. Signature Selects - CHUNKY varieties do not contain carageenan.
The Chunky Turkey in White Meat Chicken and Sauce is the only one that also does not contain fish.
The SHREDDED signature selects DO have carageenan, so be careful.
All canned versions contain Carrageenan.
Weruva
ZiwiPeak Cuisine
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The new line of Tiki Gourmet is carrageenan free.
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One of the holistic vet's staff mentioned this product: http://www.lotuspetfoods.com/for-cats/
It is grain-free, carageenan-free and guar gum-free. They all have at least 1 or 2 fish ingredients, though (e.g. ocean fish, clams, New Zealand green mussel, salmon oil).
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Surprised to see that By Nature Venison Stew is carrageenan free. Used to be just their organic line was carrageenan free. Hmmm
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Nutrience canned cat food is carrageenan free, however it does contain guar gum but no fish or grains.
The 95% Turkey, Chicken & Liver Pâté is suitable for all ages and there is also a Chicken flavor for adults
and another for kittens. This is available from homesalive.com. I can't comment on how well our threesome like
this food as it hasn't arrived yet but a note to Middle Child to add it to the carageenan, grain free list for canned cat foods.
We just tried Ziwipeak's canned Venison--we have never tried any Venison products before---I can't believe that all 3 of our furkids loved it and no digestive problems whatsoever. It is a pate.
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Thank you very much Joy!
<edit> I searched for Nutrience but did not find a canned food, only dry. Do you have a link?
Thanks.
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Thanks for the info, joy!
Looks like Nutrience wet is only available in Canada. :(
http://www.nutrience.ca/cat-food/nutrience-natural/wet-food/
Turkey and chicken pate:
Turkey, turkey broth, chicken, chicken liver, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, quinoa, natural flavors, guar gum, choline chloride, potassium chloride, salt, salmon oil, coconut oil, taurine, pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots, spinach, broccoli, apples, pears, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranate, juniper berry extract, ginger, fennel, green tea extract, peppermint leaf, licorice root, turmeric, yucca schidigera extract, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, magnesium proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, vitamin E supplement, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid.
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Lola re Nutrience---Sorry about that Lola. It took what seemed to be ages to finally be able to import Nature's Logic and a few other brands, so I know how you feel. :-[
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Thanks for the info, joy!
Looks like Nutrience wet is only available in Canada. :(
http://www.nutrience.ca/cat-food/nutrience-natural/wet-food/
Thanks Lola. It's too bad they add all that filler.
sweet potatoes, chickpeas, quinoa, natural flavors, guar gum, choline chloride, potassium chloride, salt, salmon oil, coconut oil, taurine, pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots, spinach, broccoli, apples, pears, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranate, juniper berry extract, ginger, fennel, green tea extract,
Of course, any canned is better than none! And no carrageenan is a big selling point. Hope they bring it to the USA in time, for people looking for carrageenan free foods..
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To Middle Child---I would like to clarify a few details regarding our conversation re Sydney a few days ago. Sydney is not a Ragdoll. He is a Balinese--blue and lynx pointed. HE IS 14.5 years of age. We do have a Ragdoll who is a kitten, 8 months of age and another Bali, Ashley who just turned 14. The best article that I have read to date on Cat Nutrition is the following, a blog by a vet who is not promoting any brands.
https://weethnutrition.wordpress.com/2015/07/14/i-love-cats-and-cat-nutrition/
thumbsup1
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The best article that I have read to date on Cat Nutrition is the following, a blog by a vet who is not promoting any brands.
I really encourage you to read Dr. Pierson's site, www.catinfo.org. She's not promoting any brands, either, and she does an excellent job explaining feline nutrition. :)
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To Middle Child---I would like to clarify a few details regarding our conversation re Sydney a few days ago. Sydney is not a Ragdoll. He is a Balinese--blue and lynx pointed. HE IS 14.5 years of age. We do have a Ragdoll who is a kitten, 8 months of age and another Bali, Ashley who just turned 14. The best article that I have read to date on Cat Nutrition is the following, a blog by a vet who is not promoting any brands.
https://weethnutrition.wordpress.com/2015/07/14/i-love-cats-and-cat-nutrition/
thumbsup1
Hi Joy, thanks for your reply! hellowave I wasn't talking about Syndey though. You said you were feeding Ben a "special dry" food because he was a ragdoll. I said ragdolls are just like other obligate carnivores, they do best on a more species appropriate diet, and those RC "breed specific" diets are not only poor quality, they are a marketing scam.
Thanks for the link! I'll have a longer look when I have more time, I've only browsed it briefly but this quote from the article is very old thinking and no longer thought to be true:
While this may be ok for a young healthy individual, animals with specific medical conditions such as liver or kidney disease can become very ill when fed a high protein diet.
In fact, cats who have health problems need a high MEAT protein diet high in moisture, just like any other cat. Limiting the protein a cat gets leads to muscle wasting. Those "kidney diets" are very bad for cats. A cat already sick, needs all the species appropriate nutrition she can get. Meat is high in phosphorus, so the cat may need a phos binder or blocker, but she does still need high quality meat protein.
Now, you don't want to give a sick cat a "high protein" diet where the protein comes from corn and other grains. But then, no cat should have that kind of diet, anyway.
This is just not a comment that instills confidence in someone's knowledge of feline nutrition
wet food is also more expensive than dry kibble.
Cats can be fed fairly cheaply on canned foods, one just has to learn to read labels and shop sales. And when the vet bills get high, from all that cheap dry kibble, the savings is gone, plus.
Anyway I will spend some more time reading the article more closely, I'm sure I will find it interesting, there is always something new to be learned. I do hope that you will spend time with Dr Pierson's site. She gives a lot of information, and is very wordy, it canbe very overwhelming.
How I manage her site is, I started just going in, reading a little from one page or another, give that some thought, go in, read a little more and so on. Some parts I have more interest in than others, at different times. There is such a wealth of information there.
There are also a number of other sites with terrific information on feline nutriton in this seciton of our forum.
Pet Care Websites
http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?board=94.0
:)
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Hi Middle Child --Where I do agree with the article is this: each cat must be treated as an individual and to be perfectly clear, I don't care about the cost of a tin of cat food as long as they don't start charging ten dollars for a 5 oz can! I do care about Sydney's stress levels . Our cats love variety in wet foods and there is probably only one almost perfect cat food in the world---Nature's Logic Chicken and even that is not perfect but it's close. I am proceeding slowly and Sydney is eating more and more wet food. I should also mention that all three of our cats are in excellent weight---neither overweight nor underweight although Ashley could gain an ounce or two.
Now here's the thing that is most important--Sydney's Creatinine levels are now normal and his blood pressure is once again normal. With all due respect, we must be doing something right. What I do well is researching and then synthesizing what I learn through that research and through experience. I believe that in solving any problem, that method delivers the best result.
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I am glad Syndey is doing so well. I certainly didn't intend to cast any doubt on your care or devotion to him, I do not doubt it at all. It's wonderful he is eating more wet food.
My opinions on the article were not directed to you, they were directed to the quotes I had included. :) I agree that each case should be taken individually, but I disagree with a number of other things in the article, and find it somewhat contradictory. Again, I am disagreeing with the author of the article, I am not criticizing you or your care of your cats.
My comments about the "ragdoll" food were also not about Syndey or your care of your cats. My opinions are based on my own research, knowledge, and understanding, and personal experience with these types of pet feed. I always hope, by sharing my opinions, to spare other people what I and my Mazy cat suffer daily from those kinds of "diets".
I used to think those kinds of foods were okay too. Having experienced the terrible long term detrimental effects ofdry diets, and specifically "special" dry diets, I no longer think that and cannot keep quiet about it. HeadButt
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Hi Middle Child....I take no offece. May I ask about Mazy? What is her condition? You know our Vet was quite right when she said the subject of nutrition for cats is a touchy subject and she is always saying to me, "Joy, just do your best". I believe that you and I have that in common---we are doing our best because our Furry-Kids mean the world to us. Thanks so much for your lovely post. ;) HeadButt
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Since Nature's Variety changed their vitamins and minerals to extend the shelf life to 3 years instead of 2 (info I received directly from Nature's Variety via email) our boys won't eat it anymore, it was their favorite until then.
I found another brand of food to try, it is First Mate http://www.firstmate.com/ . The boys Love It so far.
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Thanks for the tip on First Mate---am definitely going to search out that one!!!
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Since Nature's Variety changed their vitamins and minerals to extend the shelf life to 3 years instead of 2 (info I received directly from Nature's Variety via email) our boys won't eat it anymore, it was their favorite until then.
I found another brand of food to try, it is First Mate http://www.firstmate.com/ . The boys Love It so far.
Thanks for the info! I'll add it to the first post.
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Thanks for the tip on First Mate---am definitely going to search out that one!!!
Is Made in Canada :)
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Thanks for the info! I'll add it to the first post.
You are very welcome! I am happy to be able to share some information since I have received So much information here!
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The First Mate seems to have a lot of salt in it...my cats will drink water when eating this wet food, which is rare for them since they get all wet food. Also their poops became lighter in color and softer..which means there is not as much protein in this as it seems, maybe too much potato? The web site does state that it is only 3% potato..weird!
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MM--re First Mate...that's interesting. I haven't tried it and I don't intend to. I am bringing in some Fromm wet food--it is very expensive up here but I figure that a company that's been in business for all those years--one that has maintained a very good reputation--has to have something going for it.
Also, for those who have not tried the Halo Impulse line, the veggies are really mixed in well, unlike with the Halo Stew. We went through like-it--don't like it--stages and we're back on the 'like it' by all 3 of our Kits.
Also, quite impressed with the "GO" line----especially the Fit & Free Chicken/Turkey/Duck combo, the Daily Defence Turkey as well. Petcureans' last recall was 2003---pretty good if you ask me.
Cheers and thanks for the head's up on First Mate.
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Hey Joy...I am in Canada too (West Coast). So yes I know how expensive the canned food is here :( We also do not have as much variety as the USA :(
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Hey Shadow---I have found some Canadian websites that contain more variety of Carageenan-free foods which you can purchase by singles. There is Champlaine Pets in Vancouver as well as Tim's Pets in Vancouver---two different sites with different products owned by the same people. There is also Homealive.ca and Naturalpet.ca, both Canadian sites which do not sell only by the case.
Also, Petonly.ca and Ren's depot are Canadian sites which do sell by the case of 24 or 12 for items like Fromm. Using these Canadian sites and Amazon.ca for Nature's Logic, I have been able to have 16 different variety of foods----now ALL carageenen free, since we dropped Innova and Merrick has a new line which is carrageenan-free. Only 2 of the foods we have contain fish but not as a first ingredient---in one the fish is ingredient #7 and in the other the fish is ingredient #5. All the rest are poultry products.
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Thanks for those links Joy...although I don't see anything that I cannot get here except for Wysong. Just wish there were cheaper wet foods, its hard feeding two cats an all wet diet :(
I do feed my one cat some raw, and I am pretty picky when it comes to commercial canned pet food. I only feed fish flavor once a week.
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Shadow...I hear you! I've learned that if the fish is deboned and if it's wild salmon as opposed to words like 'ocean fish', then there is much less risk as long as there is no menadione (unsure of sp on that one). In any case, it sounds as if you are extremely conscientious and knowledgeable. You must have a very happy twosome there! thumbsup1
The expense I understand as well--we have 3--are we crazy or what! :)
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The First Mate seems to have a lot of salt in it...my cats will drink water when eating this wet food, which is rare for them since they get all wet food. Also their poops became lighter in color and softer..which means there is not as much protein in this as it seems, maybe too much potato? The web site does state that it is only 3% potato..weird!
I have not noticed the boys drinking any more water with this food, but after reading this post decided to email FirstMate and ask them. They were very fast to reply and very helpful. I also asked them about the protein. I only asked about the 2 types I am currently using, but I am sure if anyone has any further questions they would be happy to answer them. I will continue to feed the boys the FirstMate brand.
Here is a copy of the email I received:
Thank you for your inquiry and your interest in FirstMate products.
It is important to first note that our company does not manufacture medically specific diets. Although our products have been successfully used to treat a range of nutritional health concerns, it is important to consult with your veterinarian before making any nutritional changes in respect to health conditions.
We have included the nutrient information that you requested for our Wild Salmon and Free Run Turkey canned cat formulas below. The dry matter value eliminates the moisture content of the food to allow for easier comparison between different formulas with different moisture contents.
Wild Salmon Formula
Sodium 0.9%
Protein 62%
Free Run Turkey Formula
Sodium 0.9%
Protein 53%
Please keep in mind that because we do not manufacture medically specific formulas there will be some natural variation in the nutrient content of our formulas. Although this variation is minimal, it is likely more than seen in medically formulated diets for pets.
These are some additional features of FirstMate canned cat formulas that may be of interest to you.
• Free Run B.C. Chicken
• Free Run B.C. Turkey
• Wild Pacific Salmon From Sustainable Sources
• Wild Pacific Tuna From Sustainable Sources
• Ethoxyquin Free Meats
• No Thickeners, Such as Carrageenan or Guar Gum
• Pâté Style
• BPA Free Cans
We hope that this information helps you to find a suitable diet for your cat.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly should you have any additional questions.
Kind Regards,
Jessica Donegan, B.Sc.
Technical Associate
jessicad@firstmate.com
Tel: (604) 250-9736 | www.firstmate.com
Celebrating Over 25 Years of Quality Pet Food Manufacturing
Find us on Twitter: @firstmatepet
I also found some info from another website with very helpful numbers regarding sodium, protein, etc. on a LOT of canned food. Very good info. Im not sure if its ok if I post the link to another website here or not, but if not ok, let me know and I will remove it. Here it is: http://www.felinecrf.org/canned_food_usa.htm
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Thanks for the info, deuce! The more info the better. People can read and learn and then make decisions that work for them and their furkids.
Yes, it is MORE than okay to post links. Especially that one! :)
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Inquiry I made to Fromm
Today I phoned Fromm headquarters in Wisconsin to ask specifically about the "Salmon" and "Ocean Fish" in their products.
They verified that the salmon is "Wild Salmon" which is a good thing as I'm sure most of you know. I asked them if the Ocean fish was tile fish and they said 'NO', that they never use bottom-feeding fish in any of their canned food--but rather it is fish such as haddock or halibut and that it is a secondary product---they consider the first 3 ingredients to be the majority and they debone any fish they use and always have done so. I received two types of Fromm today----Chicken/Turkey/Duck and Chicken & Salmon---I will feed these as a treat once a week.
.As a matter of interest I have also order the new PRIDE Cheshire Chicken by Nature's Variety from Only Natural Pet. I'm very happy to say that this household is now carrageenan-free---one big hurdle. Since our Threesome love variety in their canned foods (and they don't like pouch or raw food at all or anything that is not a pate or minced), it has not been easy collecting 16 different foods---12 of which they really like and 4 that they tolerate. However, it's a labour of love for
3 wonderful Felines who always scratch on their scratching posts and who are so kind and generous with their affection.
Since no cat food is perfect, we have chosen to have a large variety of poultry-based foods because that is what our Babies like best. They will eat lamb, duck and rabbit occasionally--no tummy troubles, no stool problems---all fingers and toes are crossed.
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I'm going through this list looking for new cat foods. I'm only about halfway done, but I wanted to let you know that all of the Newman's own I looked at on their website had carrageenan, and Great Life Essentials says they don't make canned food anymore. HeadButt
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I'm going through this list looking for new cat foods. I'm only about halfway done, but I wanted to let you know that all of the Newman's own I looked at on their website had carrageenan, and Great Life Essentials says they don't make canned food anymore. HeadButt
Thank YOU! I updated the list. It sure is getting shorter and shorter. :(
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welcome5 to PF! Your "official" welcome is here: http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?topic=757.msg27513;topicseen#msg27513 ;D
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MM...
1.Halo has 3 product lines which are Carageenan free:
Spot Stew (ours eat it all except the carrots)
Impulse (our cats love it)
Vigor (haven't tried it)
2. I really would add FROMM even though it contains Salmon and "Ocean Fish" --
I phoned them to confirm that they debone all their fish, do not use any bottom-feeding
fish and their Salmon is "Wild Salmon" which is quite different from regular salmon. Wild
Salmon has many benefits and theirsis deboned. YOu don't see that often.
3. Also, as I wrote somewhere in here, the new Instinct PRIDE minced line (also a
flaked line) is outstanding in ingredients and taste. (Cheshire Chicken is outstanding)
4. Nature's Logic's Chicken, Rabbit & other flavors are also now available---I can't remember
if this is on your list but it's a great food.
We must not get discouraged. The foods are out there---we just have to find them! ;)
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The Rabbit in Instinct is now sourced from the U.S. as reported in several reviews on Amazon.
Also, Nutrience hard food is now available in the US and the canned food will be soon as well.
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I'm not certain why Wild Calling has been completely erased from the list. I have read some of the posts but I think too there is a
misunderstanding. We've been serving the Wildcalling "Cabin Fever" which is the chicken flavor for the past 10 months. Of course we've
been feeding other brands as well. However, we have served about 40 tins of the Cabin Fever and have never seen or had any type of
problem with any of our 3 cats.
Wildcalling is not a pate. It is like a mousse, much like Halo Stew and therefore the formation is not tight but rather mousse or soufle like. We did try the rabbit but
could not stand looking at the red gravy. However, I can vouch for the Chicken for sure.
Furthermore, after 2 checkups, each 6 months apart, Sydney's kidney disease has NOT progressed an iota after our Vet did many tests. We must be doing something right and even more importantly, Sydney is Sydney again---active, speaking and all functions are normal.
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It appears Wild Calling has never been on the list. I have added it. I would call it a pate, though the chicken is mooshy.
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It's mushy because there's not a lot of gunk to make it stick together. Our cats love it....I agree the rabbit looks gross although it did not cause any tummy upsets but I couldn't look at it. And we need to stick with poultry but Nature's Logic Rabbit is very nice although you need to add a bit of water to the tin to make it juicier.
Also Halo Impulse Rabbit & Garden Greens is a favorite around here. I haven't tried the Vigor line of Halo but filler or no filler, the meat in the Chicken Stew and the meat in the Impulse are excellent.
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MM--Consider this---Although FRomm uses fish in their formulas, the Salmon is WILD Salmon and iti s deboned. They do not use tile fish in their "ocean fish" --they use herring, haddock and halibut but no bottom feeders and these too are deboned. My point is this: we have to broaden our outlook somewhat. Wild Salmon is the only type of salmon that is safe now, for humans too. Very few companies use "Wild" Salmon--Fromm is a small business and I just wish they made more flavors.
Also, I have learned that kidney disease is not a death sentence. Our vet had a 12 year old female in stage 3. She is now 18 and still truckin along in stage 3 or 4!
With proper medication and diet and checkups every 6 months, a cat can live an otherwise normal quality long life. The trick is to catch it before it reaches stage 3 which makes it much easier. However, a cat with a certain disposition---say depressed---can pass away in stage 1, if the proper meds are not given to increase appetite. It's one pill or liquid every 3 days does the trick. The med is called Mirtzapine and it goes very well with Calcitriol. I take more meds than my cats do and so does my husband for his kidney disease and my daughter.
Also, Nutrience has a grain-free canned cat food---yes, at this point it is only available in Canada but the dry food is already available in the US and the wet food will be also, very soon FYI. It's not my favorite but it belongs on the list with (Canadian beside it). To be honest, it is not one of the favorites in our home but it does fit the requirements (white tin only)
Like you, I am not cynical about this situation. Sure, there are some bad companies out there. But there are also some great companies out there who care about their reputations. I know as a business person myself, it's not all about the money because without a great reputation, clientele diminishes, so it is in a company's best interest to maintain a great repuation. For example, we can complain about filler in Halo's Spot Stews but what about the fact that (ours & Others) cats love it, except for the peas and carrots. The meat in Halo is excellent quality and it's mushy but we're not eating it---our cats are the ones who need to enjoy the texture. I am happy to share my research with anyone who is interested, having spoken to two Nutritionists--the one from Petcurean was even complimenting other pet food companies---a true sign that what she cared about was the nutrition of our beloved Furkids.
Sorry to have written a book here! ;) rainbow3 But no doubt our Furkids mean the world to the majority of us.
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Joy,
I know you weren't addressing me, but... :)
A fish topic was started here: http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?topic=3114.0
You certainly can still chat in this thread about whatever. Your post just reminded me to update the fish one. :)
I don't feed any fish. For ME... why take the chance? I did feed a little bit of fish, when I was transitioning my gang from dry to wet. Dry food addicts sometimes need a bit of enticing. Not only is the texture change a biggie for many cats, but kibble karp is VERY addictive.
As far as kidney disease and cats. MOST kidney disease is caused by a species inappropriate diet of dry food. A cat can't make up the moisture deficit at the water bowl. Not to mention they aren't cows... they can't even chew it. The best they can do is break a piece into a smaller piece... and wait for the swelling to begin in their tummies.
There isn't a cat in a zoo that is fed kibble! Vets should take note.
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PS
I added Nutrience to the list. Thank you.
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Our Vet pushes wet food all the time and suppliers like Petcurean and Fromm explained (to me on a telephone call) that generally people become very defensive
about feeding wet food which is why more is not manufactured. If nothing else, I found that both interesting and sad.
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There is also a MUCH higher profit margin in kibble. Waste turned into "food." Can't get more profitable than that!
People tend to not believe kibble is karp, BECAUSE of most vets. Just look at the ingredients in many of the "Prescription" foods. GAG!
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Joy,
You may find the following of interest. Or not. Petcurean Pet Foods wouldn't provide their Pledge to Quality and Origin.
The Truth About Pet Food pledge that you mentioned below required Petcurean to disclose information that we are not willing to share...
http://truthaboutpetfood.com/response-from-petcurean-pet-foods-to-the-pledge/
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Halo's Impulse line is carageenan free as is their Vigor line.
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Taste of the Wild is on the carageenan-free list but Fromm is not on the list. I assume that
is because Fromm contains fish but so does Taste of the Wild contain fish. :-\
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Joy, the list is an on going work in progress. Foods are added or removed as we learn about them or as they change their formulas or disappear. I have added a comment about fish to the TOTW. I dislike that company really a lot. Way over rated, LOL
The fish added comments are for people (like myself) who do not feed fish to their cats. I will check into the Fromm. Thank you.
By the way the TOTW and the Fromm are extremely high in carbs. I can tell just by looking at the "guaranteed analysis" The protein and fat are both pretty low, so that meas the bulk of the food is carbohydrates. That is the other reason I dislike these foods.
But since they are carrageenan free they can be on the list, thanks for the info!. :)
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I second what MC said... the list is on going. The only criteria is that the food be carrageenan free.
As far as company reputations, other ingredients, etc... it is up to the furkid parent to make a decision.
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PS :)
When I fed canned, I often had one brand that contained carrageenan in our rotation. (No, I am not recommending others do the same.) There isn't a pet food company that manufactures the "perfect" canned food. Even if there was, I would not have fed one brand only. Rotating brands was THE most important criteria... for me.
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Re the hole in the middle of First Mate, Nature's Logic Rabbit has the same thing. I think
it's to facilitate letting the gravy out of the can.
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I don't think Nature's Variety Rabbit is sourced from China any longer based on
the reply of one of their company reps on Amazon which states that they now
source their rabbit from the U.S. Our Furkids do not like rabbit but for those
who do, I thought this was an important note.
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I couldn't find any "reps" making comments about Nature's Variety Rabbit, just reviewers, and they're giving conflicting information. Answers were too wishy-washy.
I don't think I'd trust it b/c getting it from France doesn't mean that France didn't import it from China and then export it to Nature's Variety. I've heard some information out there that countries are now doing this.
Now I always go for the "bad" reviews and ignore the good ones until later if the bad doesn't run me off first. Too many cases of companies posting false good reviews. I've seen people Tweet that they actually make a living off of doing reviews for things they've never seen in their lives.
They'd like to sell me 10,000 followers for $25 too. pullingouthair
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Some time ago, someone from here contacted them. They said their rabbit is no longer sourced from China. It is sourced from France. Made in the US and SOURCED in the US... two different things.
Anyway, I removed the comment "sourced from China" from the original page of this thread. Thanks for the reminder!
Our cats LOVE rabbit. They loved canned rabbit, when I fed canned. They now love raw rabbit even more so!
I don't think Nature's Variety Rabbit is sourced from China any longer based on
the reply of one of their company reps on Amazon which states that they now
source their rabbit from the U.S. Our Furkids do not like rabbit but for those
who do, I thought this was an important note.
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Lola....I agree, rotation is the key. We rotate 8 different canned foods for breakfast and 8 different foods for dinner---all carageenan free...all fish-free except for the one type of Fromm. So we have 16 different types of foods....mostly chicken, a few turkey and 1 duck. It took a great deal of trial & error and money to find the right mix----to find foods they like, produce great stools, silky coats and happy cats.....carageenan and fish free.....well, as you said, you either end up with one food with carageenan or one food with fish! I'm always on the lookout for another great canned food. Boy, have we ever donated a lot of food to our local humane society. :-[
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Lola....I agree, rotation is the key. We rotate 8 different canned foods for breakfast and 8 different foods for dinner---all carageenan free...all fish-free except for the one type of Fromm. So we have 16 different types of foods....mostly chicken, a few turkey and 1 duck. It took a great deal of trial & error and money to find the right mix----to find foods they like, produce great stools, silky coats and happy cats.....carageenan and fish free.....well, as you said, you either end up with one food with carageenan or one food with fish! I'm always on the lookout for another great canned food. Boy, have we ever donated a lot of food to our local humane society. :-[
WOW.... good for you! The more I learned about different ingredients and/or companies, the less options I had available. Plus, we also have 6 (7 at one point) cats. If anyone had an issue with a brand or protein, it was taken out of rotation for everyone. I think I ended up with 3 (maybe 4) different brands in our rotation, before I stopped feeding canned.
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Thanks Lola. :)
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I was surprised to say the least, that Nutro's Natural Choice line has several canned cat foods which are Carageenan and fish free,
especially the 'soft loaves'. There are about half a dozen poulty types which contain no Carageenan or Xanthum gum or fish.
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Further re Nutro....I should add that in 2007 Nutro had some major recalls. Secondly, they do not put any probiotics in their food---personally probiotics of some type is something I like to see in canned foods. Nevertheless they do have a selection of carageenan foods, however, due to Nutro's history I would be reticient to try this food, especially on my Seniors.
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Thank you Joy! I see that some do and some don't, so one has to be careful to read labels before purchasing. I''ve added Nutro to the list, with that clarification until I have more time to sort through what does and what doesn't. Thank you!
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Ask Shadow about Nutro. She LOVES Nutro Associates!!! >:D
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No Carageenan in Whole Earth Farms canned foods. Holistic Select also does not contain Carageenan but it does contain Xantham Gum. Our cats really do like it so I serve the chicken pate. insofar as Whole Earth is concerned, I have never tried it....has anyone?
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Two more foods without Carageenan:
Holistic Select
Party Animal
rainbow3
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Ask Shadow about Nutro. She LOVES Nutro Associates!!! >:D
LOL Lola I just saw this....don't even go there with that food. ;)
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I can't find the thread with the on-going list of carageenan-free foods, so if someone could please add this to the list, that would be wonderful:
http://nulo.com/
They carry dog and cat food. It would be nice if the canned cat foods didn't contain any kind of fish product, but at least they don't have carageenan.
I hope this helps!
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You found it. I'll add it to the list, thanks. One note, agar-agar is also a seaweed product and I am not sure it is any better than carrageenan.
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Two more foods without Carageenan:
Holistic Select
Party Animal
rainbow3
Added. Thank you Joy
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You found it. I'll add it to the list, thanks. One note, agar-agar is also a seaweed product and I am not sure it is any better than carrageenan.
Wow, somebody must have moved my post, cuz I had started a new thread since I couldn't find this one. So whoever did that: THANK YOU! :-* :-* :-*
Yeah, I wasn't sure about the agar-agar. Bummer. :(
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I was planning to move it (I saw the original first) but when I came to this thread I found it already here! Must be elves!
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The Non-Fish Formulas of Nutro which do not contain Carageenan (or anything else nasty)
are the "Natural Choice Grain Free Adult Chunky Loaf Chicken and the Grain Free Minced Chicken.
Years ago, before we knew anything at all about cat foods, we tried Nutro but our Cats did
not like it at all...not any of it. HOWEVER, they all love the above-mentioned Natural Choice
Grain Free Chunky Loaf Chicken. We haven't tried the minced chicken yet.
The other grain free Nutro products do contain fish as far as I can see from those listed by one supplier.
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and here is the letter I recieved from Wellness when I asked them to remove the carageenan from their food bangshead I gave them Rodney Habibs link about Carageenan. bangshead
At WellPet, we are committed to the highest standards of pet food safety. Our highest priority is providing you and your animal companions with consistently safe, premium-quality natural food and treats for pets. Recently carrageenan, a long-time ingredient used in pet food as well as in human food has been in the news. We’d like to share with you some important information about this ingredient.
• Carrageenan is a natural carbohydrate that has been extracted from a variety of red seaweed
• There are two types of Carrageenan: Food-Grade and Non Food-Grade
• Food-Grade Carrageenan is all that is used in WellPet products
• Carrageenan is used to help prevent separation of liquids, improve loaf structure and add texture that pets love
• Food-Grade Carrageenan is quite expensive and is used in very small amounts
• Food-Grade Carrageenan has been used on a large scale in worldwide food production since the early 1930’s
• Food-Grade Carrageenan’s safety has been assured by the FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status
• Both the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization consider this sea vegetable non-toxic, non-teratogenic and non-carcinogenic
• Some recent research actually shows that Food-Grade Carrageenan resists degradation in the digestive tract and is therefore unlikely to even be absorbed
We are staying on top of the latest research regarding carrageenan and will continue to evaluate alternative ingredients. On behalf of our team here at WellPet, we value your patronage and thank you for your continued support of our products. We look forward to continuing to provide you and your pet with only the best in animal nutrition.
Thanks again for contacting us.
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Several months ago I received a similar response from Natural Balance, as a matter of interest.
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Yep, standard propaganda. Infuriating.
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‘Animal studies have repeatedly shown that food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation and cancer at lower doses than the average daily intake. Given the high rates of colon cancer in both dogs and cats, I highly recommend removing carrageenan from your pet’s diet,’ stated Dr. Michael Dym, DVM.
Also, a LOT of people food manufactures are removing it... sooooo plenty of people and/or companies don't believe the food grade version is any less risky.
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bangshead bangshead so infuriating!!!
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Does anyone else think that some of the replies you all get sound like politicians? You know, the, "We know what's best for you, so just follow along," kind of politicians?
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For sure Dee Dee--in fact, I think they believe their own BS. When one has towed the
line in a corporation, the tendency is to be invested and to truly believe what your
company is telling you. They're not bad people but they are uninformed by choice.
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I hate to rub it in, but I am SO relieved I don't have to mess around with the evils of canned food ingredients anymore!!! It was a looooooong road.
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More Wellness Carageenan Free Canned Cat Foods:
Wellness Divine Duo's---these have been reformulated and there are 3 flavors with zero fish.
Wellness Trufood---Also Carageenan free--3 flavors also fish free
I tried the Wellness Signature Selects Chicken & Turkey--it is a beautiful food. I say that
because our cats will not eat anything but pate--HOWEVER, the shredded portion
was so tender that it split apart with only the slightest touch of a fork. It is half
pate and half shredded. Also, the meat is white--white chicken!
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Whole Earth has an entire line of Carageenan free food of various textures, including pate. rainbow3
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Thanks Joy. I'll add them to the list. As noted previously people should always read labels because carrageenan free doesn't mean the food doesn't contain other equally undesirable gums.
Also I feel it is important for people to know that Whole Earth Farms is owned by Merrick, and Merrick is owned by Purina-Nestle. So while these foods look good now, keep watch on the labels and quality because they are likely to change in the next year or so..
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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.
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! funny2
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Also, isn't Merrick the company that owns the rendering plant pretty much next door?
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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! funny2
If he likes being fork fed, I'm glad you will feed him like that. HeadButt
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.
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Also, isn't Merrick the company that owns the rendering plant pretty much next door?
You are correct Lola.
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If you stop feeding kibble, he will no longer be able to eat it. :) Just get it out of the house.
I always knew kibble was highly addictive. Bit I really got it when my Roxy went INSANE when I brought an unopened box of canned food (an order from PetFoodDirect) into the house. They included a free sample bag of kibble with my order. *sigh*
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You are correct Lola.
Most have "access" to rendering plants, but having one right next door.... just a little toooo convenient. BUT we all have to pick our battles....
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but do all the pet food companies own rendering plants?
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Hi there---Not all businesses are out to only make a profit, unless they have shareholders. I've been a businesswoman
since 1986 when we were McDonald's Franchisees. I saw the plant where they made the hamburger patties and it was not a tour. We just popped in. I was totally impressed.
Ladies...it is my view in life to always look at the glass half full---cynicism doesn't work for me since I am a teacher of Problem-Solving to business people and employees. Just had to get that off my chest.
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but do all the pet food companies own rendering plants?
No, I don't believe all pet food companies own their own rendering plant. There are rendering plants that supply "products" to several companies.
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Hi there---Not all businesses are out to only make a profit, unless they have shareholders. I've been a businesswoman
since 1986 when we were McDonald's Franchisees. I saw the plant where they made the hamburger patties and it was not a tour. We just popped in. I was totally impressed.
Ladies...it is my view in life to always look at the glass half full---cynicism doesn't work for me since I am a teacher of Problem-Solving to business people and employees. Just had to get that off my chest.
I don't think there is anything wrong with learning the facts concerning the pet food industry. Education is power. IMHO
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I agree Lola. However, I feel a balanced approach is more helpful if I may say so. By the way, there is a UK wet food that sells on
Amazon.com called "Thrive"---it is not a pate. It sells for 6 for $19.99 US and the shipping is reasonable. Perhaps MC could add Thrive to the list. I've checked it out and it is a great food.
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I agree Lola. However, I feel a balanced approach is more helpful if I may say so.
All members can always say, believe, share, etc ANYTHING! There are very few rules here. :)
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By the way, there is a UK wet food that sells on
Amazon.com called "Thrive"---it is not a pate. It sells for 6 for $19.99 US and the shipping is reasonable. Perhaps MC could add Thrive to the list. I've checked it out and it is a great food.
Looks like they have their own website as well. www.thrivepetfoods.com
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They've got a Twitter account, but haven't updated it since August, 2015, so I can't ask any questions for you there. :-\
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All members can always say, believe, share, etc ANYTHING! There are very few rules here. :)
Very nicely put and appreciated Lola. rainbow3
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Thrive added to the list. The organic line would look great except it contains other things that I wouldn't feed to a cat, and they have canned (not organic) formulas that look okay too. Thanks Joy.
all businesses are out to only make a profit, unless they have shareholders.
Hmm, yes. And once they sell out, that's what happens. I've seen it time and again over the years, small companies in it for the quality of the product for the animals, as soon as they sell out, that's the end of the quality..well it may take a few years, but it's all the same. I dread the day Rad Cat (and Stella&Chewy's and those types) are forced to sell out to Purina or some other horrible company. Hope it doesn't happen during Mazy cat's remaining life at least. Because when that happens I will have to go all home prepared or Hare Today and The only thing I have found that Mazy cat can eat is Rad cat.
Even Rad Cat has already compromised themselves on ingredients. Not all ingredients are organic any more, and they no longer use organic egg yolk, they are using some "egg yolk powder" *and their egg shell calcium is also no longer organic.
*Egg yolk is back on the ingredients list, but not organic.
And I suspect that is part of the reason Mazy cat's issues have increased.
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Excellent Find for Canned Carageenan-Free Food:
Red Barn canned cat food----Available from Entirely Pets US--ships to Canada & International as well. rainbow3
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Red Barn is at Chewy and Petflow, so it might be available at some of your other favorite sites.
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It contains agar-agar, which is basically the same thing as carrageenan. It's too bad, it does look like a relatively decent food.
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No MC, it does not, at least not the one I've ordered which is called Red Barn Tricky Chicken--I did not check them all because I was more interested in the chicken. Here are the ingredients. Perhaps some of the flavors you were looking at contain Agar-Agar but the Tricky Chicken does not:
Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Whites, Natural Flavors, Potato Starch, Calcium Carbonate, Flaxseed, Dicalcium Carbonate, Carrots, Guar Gum, Lecithin, Cranberries, Parsley, Salt, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D2 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9).
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Perhaps they've removed it. The ingredients list I read was from Chewy.com. I've found the website now and agar-agar is not listed on the same food that it IS listed, on chewy.
I don't see Tricky Chicken anywhere?
I will write to them and see why the discrepancy. I'd like to know what their "lecithin" is too. It's not listed in their ingredient glossary. When I hear from them I'll report back. :)
http://www.redbarninc.com/grain-free-cat-food
http://www.redbarninc.com/grain-free-cat-food/chicken-stew-5-5oz
https://www.chewy.com/cat/redbarn-naturals-chicken-stew-grain/dp/48019
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This is the ingredients list from EntirelyPets.com for the Red Barn Tricky Chicky:
Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Whites, Natural Flavors, Potato Starch, Calcium Carbonate, Flaxseed, Dicalcium Carbonate, Carrots, Guar Gum, Lecithin, Cranberries, Parsley, Salt, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D2 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9).
http://www.entirelypets.com/redbarn-cat-food-tricky-chicky-3-oz.html#sect5
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"Lecithin is a fat that is essential in the cells of the body. It can be found in many foods, including soybeans and egg yolks. Lecithin is taken as a medicine and is also used in the manufacturing of medicines. Lecithin is used for treating memory disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease."
MC--hope that helps.
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Thanks Joy, I do know what lecithin is. My cats take egg yolk lecithin for hairball control. I want to know what it is sourced from. Cats should not have soy.
It's odd that the Tricky Chicky isn't on their website. The pates listed on the website are listed as containing agar-agar. The "stews" do not have it listed. The "naturals" on Chewy.com does list agar-agar.
I'm going to write to them to clear up these questions.
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What I ordered is a chicken stew. Sorry, it's called Tricky Chicky or Tricky Chicki----it says "Naturals" but it also says
"Chicken Stew". I would post the link if you permitted me to do so.
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No animal should have soy. It's all GMO--plus you're messing with their hormones when you give it to them.
With too much estrogen, you risk binding thyroid hormones and messing up their digestive system all around. That's in that book that Pookie recommended to me.
Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Pets-Risk-Allergies-Remedies-Unsuspected/dp/0939165481/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452653240&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=dr+plechner
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What I ordered is a chicken stew. Sorry, it's called Tricky Chicky or Tricky Chicki----it says "Naturals" but it also says
"Chicken Stew". I would post the link if you permitted me to do so.
I saw your link from entirelypets. It's odd though that their own website doesn't have it listed.
No animal should have soy. It's all GMO--plus you're messing with their hormones when you give it to them.
With too much estrogen, you risk binding thyroid hormones and messing up their digestive system all around. That's in that book that Pookie recommended to me.
Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Pets-Risk-Allergies-Remedies-Unsuspected/dp/0939165481/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452653240&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=dr+plechner
I agree Dee, but sadly it is in many pet foods.
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It's interesting because I was speaking to our YP Rep last night and she was saying that very few companies keep their websites up to date. Just because it's not on the website does not mean anything except that it may be a newer product or one that has been given a new name. Until MC hears from the company, we don't really know. I may call the company to find out.
Please read my findings in my post below.
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The Natural Grain Free Red Barn Stew which I ordered is on the Red Barn Website.
It is the one in the orange can----on the Red Barn site it is called Grain Free Stew and they show three of
them, with the orange can on top which is the Chicken. The ingredients listed are exactly the same
as the ingredients listed on the Entirely Pets Website. Perhaps the Entirely Pets Website used the
Tricky Chicky name to attract attention. Otherwise everything else is the same...."Natural Grain Free Stews"
is what it's under on the Red Barn website.
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We have now served the Red Barn Chicken Stew twice to our 3 Felines. All 3 LOVE it.
Another winner for us are the Carageenan Free Wellness Signature Selects----they gobble it up.
We have ordered the "Thrive" chicken and it arrived today. Will let y'all know the results.
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Thanks for the follow up Joy.
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MC--You are Welcome. Also, The Wellness Wet Trufood is a winner. However the
Wellness Divine Duo's only passed the test with one of our Cats---it's kind of
more like a snack, whereas the Trufood has more substance.
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Hi MC---Please note that Halo Impulse and Vigor both contain Agar-Agar and since learning about this ingredient (from you),
I have stopped serving it. Perhaps you could note this fact on the list. Also, there is another brand of Cat food which has some Carageenan free recipes and that is Petguard although I haven't tried it yet. We are impressed with the Thrive--it is shredded and our cats normally dislike shredded anything but they all eat the Thrive. It is impressive.
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NEW FOOD FROM APPLEPAWS----Chicken breast and many choices---carageenan free----contains only 3 ingredients. This food
does not contain Taurine so I will be trying it as a late night treat since we serve wet food 3 x daily.
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Thanks Joy. I thought Applaws was only available in the UK?
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Thanks Joy. I thought Applaws was only available in the UK?
Applaws US: http://applawspetfood.com
Just an FYI:
Applaws is a complementary pet food for adult cats, feed alongside a complete wet...
Hope people don't assume it is okay to feed alone.
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Applaws US: http://applawspetfood.com
Just an FYI:
Hope people don't assume it is okay to feed alone.
Didn't I add that it was not complete on the list? I could have sworn I did. I knew it's not complete from my reading in UK forums.
I've never seen any point in "complementary" pet foods.
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Didn't I add that it was not complete on the list? I could have sworn I did. I knew it's not complete from my reading in UK forums.
You did. I was just yapping.
I've never seen any point in "complementary" pet foods.
I was kinda wondering what the reason would be for complimentary foods.
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I was kinda wondering what the reason would be for complimentary foods.
A treat, maybe? :-\
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You did. I was just yapping.
I was kinda wondering what the reason would be for complimentary foods.
A treat, maybe? :-\
$$$$$$$$$
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Chicken and other flavors by SCHESIR---made in Italy---only carried by some Pet Stores like Petland. However
the Schesir website shows other suppliers. Just ordered some and will let you know our threesome's opinion.
Carageenan Free---no Gums or junk----just the essentials including vitamins & taurine.
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Here's a link to Schesir: http://schesir.com/en/products/cat
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Browsing through the varieties on chewy this morning as I like to change it up to keep a variety for the boys and came across Spring Naturals Grain-Free 95% Chicken & Liver Dinner with a Medley of Garden Greens & Berries. Seems like a decent food?
I think I will give this a try since it has no carrageenan or gums.
The one ingredient that I am not sure on though is the agar agar, it seems some opinions are it's almost the same as carrageenan?
Hopefully it's ok to post a link to the spring naturals website...
http://www.springnaturals.com/blog/post/spring-naturals-goes-carrageenan-and-guar-gum-free-/
http://www.springnaturals.com/products/grain_free_cats/canned_dinners/chicken-and-liver-cat-food/20/
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Hopefully it's ok to post a link to the spring naturals website...
http://www.springnaturals.com/blog/post/spring-naturals-goes-carrageenan-and-guar-gum-free-/
http://www.springnaturals.com/products/grain_free_cats/canned_dinners/chicken-and-liver-cat-food/20/
Everyone here is all about links. It's a big part of how everyone here learns. Nice to meet you! Someone with cats will get back to you soon.
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Browsing through the varieties on chewy this morning as I like to change it up to keep a variety for the boys and came across Spring Naturals Grain-Free 95% Chicken & Liver Dinner with a Medley of Garden Greens & Berries. Seems like a decent food?
I think I will give this a try since it has no carrageenan or gums.
The one ingredient that I am not sure on though is the agar agar, it seems some opinions are it's almost the same as carrageenan?
Hopefully it's ok to post a link to the spring naturals website...
http://www.springnaturals.com/blog/post/spring-naturals-goes-carrageenan-and-guar-gum-free-/
http://www.springnaturals.com/products/grain_free_cats/canned_dinners/chicken-and-liver-cat-food/20/
Thank you! Yes, agar agar is the the way pet food makers are getting around the consumer now learning about how bad carrageenan is. It is similar, in a way, to pet food manufacturers listing "maize" as in ingredient to hide the fact that they are using corn.
Not exactly the same as maize is another word for corn, but agar agar and carrageenan are both seaweed.
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agar agar is the the way pet food makers are getting around the consumer now learning about how bad carrageenan is.
Should we change our list to read "Carrageenan AND Agar Agar free," since pet food manufactures are getting sneakier and sneakier?
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Deuce,
Is dehydrated foods doable for you?
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Should we change our list to read "Carrageenan AND Agar Agar free," since pet food manufactures are getting sneakier and sneakier?
We could. It would mean checking each food on the list. I should do that anyway soon to check on changes. now that the over time is finally over maybe my wrists will stop hurting so much and I can spend more time on the computer at home.
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https://www.cornucopiapetfoods.com/collections/cats
Cornucopia
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https://www.cornucopiapetfoods.com/collections/cats
Cornucopia
Is this one you are considering for Mazy?
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Sadly no because of the rice. bangshead
Organic Turkey, Organic Turkey Liver, Organic Rice Bran (Source of Prebiotics), Organic Brown Rice (Source of Fiber), Organic Stahlbush Island Farms Pumpkin (Source of Color, Fiber and Beta Carotene), Organic Turkey Bone Broth, Gelatin, Himalayan Mountain Crystal Salt, Organic Guar Gum, Organic Nutritional Yeast, Taurine.
I am still looking for a canned food for her to replace the By Nature Organic. She is all raw now has been for almost a year, but I do still give her a little canned each week, usually with her egg yolk.
And when she is feeling really urpy I turn to the canned too. But the By Nature will be gone in May. So I need something before then.
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The rice caught my eye too, but... I wasn't going to judge. ;)