Author Topic: New Kitten, food suggestions?  (Read 2901 times)

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Offline Amber

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New Kitten, food suggestions?
« on: November 02, 2012, 02:31:00 AM »
My mom has a new kitten. She has had him for a couple of months now but I did not want to post about it because she was (and still kinda is, but by now I know better) adamant that she was not going to keep him. I would take him home with me but 1. Amber does not tolerate other cats, period. I have had a couple of rescues in my house for very short periods of time and she freaks out, and with her health issues she does not need added stress and 2. Hissyfluff still claws the walls up (and we cut down a bloody tree for her to use as a post) and the other member of my house is understandably not happy and will not put up with the edition of another cat. Thank goodness I convinced him she is too old to declaw (a lie, but justified, as I am sure you will all agree). The kitten does not have an official name, my mom calls him the kitten or bad cat, my niece calls him kitty kitty (she's 2) and I just shorten that to Kit. My sister rescued him from a pizza joint parking lot when he was between 4-5 weeks old. He had runny eyes and was starved nearly to death. I have been buying the food (which honestly stresses my budget quite a bit, but I can't stand what my parents could afford to feed him) and supervising his care and he is now a healthy, mischievious 3ish month old. We have to get him snipped soon.

Now that the back story is out of the way (sorry) I can commence with the questions. I have honestly been out of the commercial food loop for a while and I am trying to figure out what to consistenly feed this little guy. Latest purchase was 60 cans of food from petfooddirect.com that I got for $50 and some change with free shipping (which is basically what I can afford to spend, I am pushing back (not cancelling, I just have to save up) vet visits for Hissyfluff as it is). He has 24 cans of by Nature 95% turkey and turkey liver, 24 cans of BG quail and chicken, and 12 cans of by Nature 95% Salmon, Mackerel & Sardines (I know, but he only gets it once every five days and my mom is old school so it was the only way I could get her to stop giving him tuna, plus it was on sale).

The by Nature Salmon is the old cans and contains carageenan.
The by Nature Turkey & Turkey Liver is the new stuff, and contains carageenan and alfalfa meal (which is fourth on the list, and salt is sixth).
The BG quail and chicken contains carageenan and glycine, and also has salt pretty far up the list.

It bothers me, though it beats the hell out of twinpet (think dollar general Ol' Roy, but worse). I swear this is such a headache. If Evo hadn't sold out he would be getting that b/c of (supposed) ingredients and canned size. I can't do raw with this boy because my niece likes to feed him and my mom is dodgy about her handling raw meat (which I get). Are there ***ANY*** canned brands out there that don't contain some kind of junk in them? Also, I have a new respect for those that can't feed raw food for whatever reason. I don't know how you guys keep your sanity. I am losing my mind and this isn't even my cat!


Offline Middle Child

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2012, 08:23:15 AM »
Any canned is better than none.  Those are good foods, and since some of them don't have carrageenan, he is at least getting some foods without it. Fancy Feast classics, while containing artificial stuff and sodium nitrites and sodium nitrates do not have carrageenan, so to save a little money and expand the rotation you could add in some of those.

yes feeding canned can make you crazy.  By Nature does have some new lines of canned that are carrageenan free but have grains and/or fruits and veggies.  There just is no 'perfect' commercial canned food. Tiki Cat, the chicken, is pretty close but the cheapest price I found for that food was $2.75 for a six ounce can.  I refuse to be gouged like that, they are cashing in on pet owner desperation,  so I will not buy it.

 I'm sure Kit with thrive on the menu you have purchased for him.

PS as for the fishy foods, if you can keep them few and far between, Kit should be okay, but you might mention to your mother that fish can cause blockages in male cats, which means expensive vet bills.

Offline Lola

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2012, 11:39:14 PM »
Sounds, to me, that you are doing a GREAT job!!!!!    thumbsup1 thumbsup1
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Offline Amber

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2012, 01:33:41 PM »
Thanks guys. I know that I knew how hard this is at one point, but I haven't had to do it in so long that I guess I forgot.

Has anyone used hound & gatos? Is there anywhere to find it on sale?

Offline Lola

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2012, 11:13:58 PM »
First I have ever heard of hound & gatos.  

The ingredients for rabbit...Easter4

Quote
Price: $35.99
Manufacturer: Hound & Gatos Pet Foods
Rabbit, Water, (Sufficient For Processing), Guar Gum, Liver,Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C], Thiamine Mononitrate [Source of Vitamin B1], Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Source of Vitamin B6], Riboflavin Supplement [Source of Vitamin B2], Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D2 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferros Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide).

Guaranteed analysis: (cat food only)
Crude Protein Min............................................10.0%
Crude Fat Min..................................................5.0%
Moisture Max....................................................78%
Phosphorus Min...............................................0.25%
Calorie Content: (ME, Calculated)
1400 kcal/kg. 218 kcal/5.05oz can
 

Minimum, one pack per order (one pack = 24 cans)

http://houndgatos.com/rabbit-catfood.aspx
« Last Edit: November 03, 2012, 11:16:05 PM by Lola »
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2012, 06:43:10 AM »
Hmm that looks okay and not a bad price.  Seems like there was a reason I decided not to try that food, but I don't remember what it was.  I think there is a thread in the food brand section, maybe I said why there. Well, I won't feed rabbit, because most are sourced from China.  But..I think I better have another look at their other foods.

(edit) nope, no thread on it. Must have been somewhere else I was discussing it.

After looking at the site:

First, they call it American rabbit, but they don't specifically SAY that the rabbit is sourced from the USA.  And the chicken looks okay too.  The only thing I can think of that I might have decided against it is because of the calorie count.  It's very high in calories.  Let me check Dr Pierson's site for carb info.

Not too bad, chicken is 3% on a dry matter basis, rabbit is 6%.

Hmmmmmm......

Offline Amber

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2013, 04:37:14 AM »
Just a quick update before I crawl into bed (It is 4:30AM). Ninja is now the kitten's official name. He is still eating the by Nature canned food. He no longer gets fish flavors but NOW my parents demand that dry food be a part of his diet because otherwise he constantly begs for food like he is starving  groangif but at least it makes up less than 1/4 of his diet... he gets a can a day with extra water added and the dry is just for his midday snack... I rotate between small bags of whatever grain-free "quality" kibble is on sale at petco. Its either that or my dad gets him meow mix.

He was pronounced healthy at his vet visit, was given a kitten booster that will not be repeated, and I had to argue down the receptionist about him not getting his rabies shot at the same time. Oh, and his boys are gone now, but I don't think he really knows it.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2013, 06:54:17 AM »
Thanks for the update! Glad he's neutered and likes his canned food. Too bad about the dry, seems they could just feed him more canned if he is still hungry, but what can you do, but at least provide something besides meow mix.

Offline Lola

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Re: New Kitten, food suggestions?
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2013, 05:00:21 PM »
Is Ninja under a year old?  If so, maybe he wasn't being fed enough wet.  Don't kittens have to eat a bazillion times a day or something? 


PS  Pictures are ALWAYS a good thing.  :)
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