Author Topic: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown  (Read 6883 times)

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Offline Lola

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #15 on: September 12, 2011, 11:34:53 AM »
For ME...dry is not an option... for all the reasons the others stated.  

Also, I have already been down the road of feeding "quality" dry.  The daily barfing didn't give me a clue, but blockage issues with our #1 male did!  PLUS allllll the other issues related to dry fed felines I've read about since.  

One trip to the ER cost me $1000.00.  That could have paid for a lot of wet food!  

We also had a fountain to encourage water intake.   ::)  We had, and currently have, water bowls alllll over the house. Water is changed daily.  Some kitties drink running water from the faucets.  My point is, I couldn't have done anything more to "encourage" water intake.    

Some kitties never show obvious signs of the evils of dry...but try to remember the HUGE changes you saw in your kitties, when you switched from dry to wet.   The difference from just surviving to thriving.

I hate to put this in writing  Bumpurr1 but did you read the thread where I was asked what I was feeding my felines?  I listed what was in my cupboard at that moment.  SOMETIMES circumstances happen...and Friskies Mixed Grill is put into the rotation.  How do I deal with it?  I compare it to how I fed my human kids...MOST days nutritious meals were cooked and served.  But...a Happy Meal, once in a while, was a"treat."   ;D  

Bottom line:  Dry is NOT a species appropriate diet in ANY way.  

PS  Although I haven't gotten there...I'd vote for raw also.

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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #16 on: September 13, 2011, 07:46:07 AM »
Thank you so much everyone.  Reading these posts brought tears to my eyes.  What you've witnessed, in that first post, was the tail end of a very bad anxiety attack. Alternating between crappy foods and good foods may be an answer I can live with, though I always have the worry that they will only want the crappy foods, if once I let them taste them.

Raw is not something I am willing to do right now. I'm too afraid I'd mess it up, and I am lazy and hate messing around in the kitchen, and my freezer is an ice box (a little box inside the refrigerator) My vet would help me if I decided to go that route, we've discussed it before but....it's not for me, at least not now.

I've fed a canned diet for 26 years,  the difference I was talking about in one post was about going from grocery store food full of dye and artificial crap to foods that don't contain that kind of junk.

My senior boy who has liver disease from phenobarbital is the one I am most concerned with, I don't want his liver to have to deal with all that horrible junk.  But the kitten has a nutrient absorption issue, and I don't want her eating all that horrible stuff either. My FLUTD kitty of course will continue on with the c/d as always (which I hate), and my other girl has constipation issues unless I pay very careful attention to her diet.

Oh boy here I go again.  Well I am not to that point yet, and maybe never will be so I will try to stop fretting over it for now.  You all have been a great help.

Offline Lola

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #17 on: September 13, 2011, 11:06:26 AM »
Glad you are feeling better....until the next time.  ;)  I can soooooo relate.   :-*
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Offline Pookie

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #18 on: September 13, 2011, 02:30:10 PM »
Would purchasing their food online be an option for you?  Lola just posted that Petco has a deal going with free shipping over purchases of (I think) $50.  So if you're comfortable shopping online, you may be able to buy the good-quality foods you want but at lower cost.  It might be worth looking into.

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Offline Shadow

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #19 on: September 13, 2011, 03:48:45 PM »
Glad you are feeling better....until the next time.  ;)  I can soooooo relate.   :-*
I second what Lola said!!
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #20 on: September 14, 2011, 07:04:35 AM »
Would purchasing their food online be an option for you?  Lola just posted that Petco has a deal going with free shipping over purchases of (I think) $50.  So if you're comfortable shopping online, you may be able to buy the good-quality foods you want but at lower cost.  It might be worth looking into.

((((((HUGS)))))

Thank you Pookie (and hugs back!)  I buy all my cat food online. I never pay shipping!  Most from Petco using their free shipping promos (I hope they never stop that!), and I get the Caster&Pollux from Amazon, under the subscription program, that too is free shipping.

I actually haven't had to buy most cat food since April, because I stocked up back then, but supplies will be running low soon.  I worked it out that I would not need to purchase the BG again until mid-October. Except the Castor&Pollux.  That only comes in 3 oz cans and I have two eating it, so I have 3 cases delivered monthly.

There aren't any pet supply stores here, except a feed store, and they do not carry a very wide variety.  Heavy on the Wellness and Nutro, but that's about it.

I appreciate all the support from all of you!  grouphug

Offline Gump and Co

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #21 on: September 29, 2011, 11:10:22 PM »
Dr. Hodgkins used to recommend Fancy Feast (the gluten-free ones) on her diabetes site. I personally also don't like the sodium nitrite and artificial flavors (I don't think they all have colorings - some do, though), and I like higher quality canned foods, but I know cats (one is 18 years old) who are doing well on Fancy Feast.

Another issue with dry food is that it has to have some sort of preservative in order for the food to remain fresh in a bag for months and months. Even the "higher quality" dry foods need preservatives. There are now more natural preservatives, but what also happens is that some ingredients have preservatives added before they get to the manufacturer and go into the dry food. Canning in itself is a preserving process.

From bornfreeusa.org/what's really in petfood, http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359:

"All commercial pet foods must be preserved so they stay fresh and appealing to our animal companions. Canning is itself a preserving process, so canned foods need little or no additional help. Some preservatives are added to ingredients or raw materials by the suppliers, and others may be added by the manufacturer. The U.S. Coast Guard, for instance, requires fish meal to be heavily preserved with ethoxyquin or equivalent antioxidant. Evidently, spoiling fish meal creates such intense heat that ship explosions and fires resulted...."

Another concern with dry food is that when starch (like potato or other starches found in "grain-free" dry food) is heated and cooked at high temps it creates acrylamide, which is a known carcinogen. While it probably takes a lot of it to become harmful, it's just another concerning issue to be aware of.

Then there are the concerns with lack of moisture and being over-processed that were already discussed.





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