Author Topic: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown  (Read 6886 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« on: September 11, 2011, 06:00:14 PM »
I've been a "any canned is better than dry" advocate for some years now.  However the canned I feed contains no disgusting dyes, no artificial flavors no artificial preservatives and no menadione sodium bisulfate, and no wheat or wheat gluten.

If I ever get to a place in my life where I can't afford to feed the canned foods I feed them, I just do not think I can bring myself to feed those canned foods that contain these things. If to cut costs I had to change their diet, as much as I would hate to do it, I think I would rather feed them a grain free "all natural" kibble, one that contains identified meats as the main ingredients, no by products and none of the other junk already mentioned.

How can a canned food that contains all those horrible things be better for them that a dry food that contains only meat, pea protein and a few (albeit useless) fruits or veggies?

I understand the need for moisture in the diet, truly I do.  But have you opened a can of say...fancy feast gourmet beef or salmon? Those are on the feline diabetes diet approval list, but my gosh, they are disgusting, with their dyes and artificial crap.

Surely it has to be better for my cats to eat a dry food that does not contain those things, and hope they will drink enough, rather than feed them such horrible things that can poison their livers?

I had an anxiety attack in the grocery store today.  We've had some devastating flooding here, my county and four others were made federal disaster areas, and though that happened less than a week a go, grocery prices have already doubled.  I bought milk, cheese, chicken, dried cranberries, and granola.  My bill was $59.  My cats' food bill is over $200 a month.  If groceries continue to rise, I am not going to be able to afford that much longer.  My senior cat is starting to have (expected) health issues and the vet bills are going to be very high.  I am going to have to cut back somewhere.

How can I feed them those canned foods full of dye and crap?  How?  Surely the kibble, that doesn't contain ANY of those disgusting liver killing things, has got to be better for them than dye, menadione sodium bisulfate and artificial flavors and preservatives.

The anxiety attack was real.   It took most of the drive home to get control of myself.  I was hysterical. I mean.  Having hysterics.

I feel a little better now, (I had to take an ativan) but I have a very big pit of dread in my stomach.  I don't know how much longer I can continue to spend $250 a month on canned cat food. I can cut back by feeding more dry such as the Evo ancestral diet brand and less canned.  Surely that's better than putting all those harmful things into my cats' bodies with the cheap canned foods.

Isn't it?

Offline The Kittens

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2011, 06:09:45 PM »
This is just me, and not at all critical, of any, who do not do this.   :-*

I buy their food first. Whatever is left over, after bills, is what I spend, on me. If I have to eat oddles of noodles and kraft macaroni and cheese, then thats what I eat.   I know the issues I had, when I fed the lesser quality food, and what happened when I fed FF. But thats just me, they come first.  :-*

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2011, 06:19:57 PM »
My cats come first too.  But my work is very hard.  If I don't eat right, I get sick. and when I get sick, I can't work.    And if I don't work, nobody eats. So I can only cut back on my own food by so much.  I can't eat foods full of preservatives and dyes and junk any more than they can.

But that's not what I'm asking here.  I want to know how can it be better for a cat to eat a can full of dyes, wheat gluten, powdered cellulose, and artificial things rather than a dry food that contains only wholesome things. How can that can of crap be better than that bag of kibble? How can it?

Offline The Kittens

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2011, 06:51:18 PM »
If I understood it, this time, ah.....where is Lola, who sometimes, has to put it in big print, mol, for me to understand, mol.  :P

The anser, its not.  >:(

Wet is better than dry, but crappy wet, is worse, than better dry. I know this for a fact, tried FF to cut back on expenses. The kittens and Prowler and Smokey, all, threw it up, back to BW they went, and me on oddles of noodles.  So they get wet in the morn and dry at night.  Can't afford to feed wet, twice a day.

Bump won't eat wet. He gets his dry, mixed with 1 teaspoon baby foodies, and mixed with water, so its like a broth, twice a day, this is per my vet, so he gets the added water, to keep him flushed out.

Did I get it right this time???   :P

p.s. Bump gots a lear jet, he has to fly up to New York City tonight, Dallas Cowboys are playing the NY Jets, he does has time to detour to Canada, but he needs a place to landy his jetty, to pick up Shadow, who is going to the game with Bump, then to Bump's vetty, in the morning, mol, mol, mol.  TexasFlag bumpgif

RESPECT THE STAR

   

Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2011, 06:55:03 PM »

But that's not what I'm asking here.  I want to know how can it be better for a cat to eat a can full of dyes, wheat gluten, powdered cellulose, and artificial things rather than a dry food that contains only wholesome things. How can that can of crap be better than that bag of kibble? How can it?

The only answer I can offer, MC, is that a cat can't even chew the kibble. Can't grind. Lack the amylase enzymes...
Couldn't imagine trying to process cereal if I had those teeth, and jaws. Gum & mouth issues...  can only shatter it, so most swallow it whole. It will expand in the stomach when wet ...

How kibble can, legally, remain an option for this species (consumer deceit and fraud, for starters) is beyond me, honestly. But the vast majority of folks aren't even aware, thus not enough demand for appropriate options.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2011, 07:00:46 PM by CarnivorousCritter »

Offline The Kittens

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2011, 07:06:39 PM »
Bump is the proff, it does work, he won't eat wet, at all, period, he only gets BW dry. He is bright, alert, very active, runs and plays with the kittens, and his fur is soft and shiney.  thumbsup1 Bumpurr1 cat4 TexasFlag bumpgif

 

Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2011, 07:18:47 PM »
He's exception to the rule because there's nobody or nothing messing with Bump! thumbsup1 football1 football2 TexasFlag  

(happy season opener!)

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2011, 07:44:27 PM »
I know all the arguments against dry food. :) I've used them myself, thousands of times.   I haven't fed a dry diet (with the one exception) to any cat since 1985. But up until 2007 I was feeding fancy feast and nine lives, (no fish foods) not realizing there were better foods out there. Once I switched to higher quality foods, the idea of going back to all those dyes and junk just turns my stomach. Especially after seeing the difference in my cats. Oh they were "fine" on fancy feast and nine lives.  But they are way way beyond "fine" on the things I feed now.

Maybe I won't need to, but I'm getting worried.  I don't spend money on myself.  My clothes are rags, basically, I haven't bought new clothes in 15 years.  Well, maybe I replace the jeans when the knees give out. And I buy decent foot wear because I have trouble feet and have to wear custom orthotic insoles. I am on my feet all day long. I don't go out, I don't drink or smoke, I don't go to the movies or eat in restaurants or fast food.  I perk my coffee twice, one morning it's fresh, the next morning I add water and perk it again.

Yes I have internet, but it's a requirement for my job, so I won't be giving that up.  My car, also is required, as I am itinerant and I drive  other people in it. I have a few dvd sets I've bought in better times, but I don't buy them any more.  I use the library for books.

I've tried taking on more work, but you know what happens?  I get over worked, and then I get sick, and then I can't work at all.  So that back fires.

Well I've gone off topic.

I get that dry food is not good for cats, in general. I've known it for 26 years.  But HOW can it be that a canned food full of crap would be preferable to a dry food full of wholesome things? This is what I am trying to understand, if I ever get to the point where I have to make such a choice.

Offline Shadow

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2011, 08:51:17 PM »
Just remember this...no pet food is perfect!!
though you have to think about how dry food is made. It is extruded, and heated at veryhigh temperatures.
Then all the vitamins/nutrients that had been lost in the cooking process is added again on top, then sprayed with animal digest, or whatever else is enticing to the cat. If it was not sprayed, then our cats would not be so addicted to it.
Alot of these so called "high protein quality dry foods" are not to quality once the process is complete.
This is my opinion, though it is fact on how dry pet food is made. Wet food is cooked at high temps too, but not as high, and I think the contents, and amounts can be more acurate than dry.  Plus of course cats need the moisture, and a cat on an all dry diet will never drink enough water to be totally hydrated.  Have you read the site blackkatz?
[urlhttp://www.blakkatz.com/dryfood.html][/url]
 I knew a cat when I was young and he lasted until he was 25 on an all wet 9lives, and whatever wet grocery store brand that my next door neighbour bought. :O
If it came down to me choosing between the two because I was not making enough money, I'd go with the friskies and whatever else that is on Tracie Hotchners list of grocery store brands.

P.S...Bumpurr Im waiting for you to pick me up..your jet will fit on my property, Im on 5 acres...so no problem!!
« Last Edit: September 11, 2011, 08:53:09 PM by Shadow »
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2011, 09:08:30 PM »
Thanks Shadow.  You've given me more to think about anyway. I just cannot see myself putting that kind of garbage, dyes, artifical things, wheat gluten, Menadione, any of it, in my cats' little bodies. May it never come to me having to make this choice, I sure wish I could stop the worry.  It seems to be taking over my life lately, worry.

But living to age 25 on 9-lives...there's living, and then there's thriving, we here all know the difference. A cat can't say hey mom I feel like crap can you stop feeding me that food that has red and yellow dye in it?  I don't care what color my food is.

 I'm less about the quantity and more about the quality of life, you know? Sure I want them with me as long as possible.  But I want them happy and lively and energetic.  I wonder how many couch potato cats are couch potatoes because they feel like crap all the time because they eat crap.  I wouldn't want my cat to have to feel like crap for 25 years.

Offline Shadow

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2011, 09:14:34 PM »
Ah yes but there are foods out there that do not contain that stuff and are cheaper.
You will have to ask my cats right now how crappy they feel, and I feed them the highest quality wet I can find!! Go figure!!  Can we say Raw really is the way to go!!
:)
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Offline FurMonster Mom

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2011, 10:09:16 PM »
Can we say Raw really is the way to go!!
:)
 2cents
yep yep

Considering that I can get 3 days worth of meals for 5 animals (that's 30 meals) out of one $5 chicken fryer...
Even if that is not including the organ/heart meats, that's still pretty darn cheap.

I think I averaged it out at one point on "that other" site, and even factoring in the expensive meats, the cost per animal was still cheaper than some of the higher quality canned foods.

Nevertheless, I do understand the financial concerns... those thoughts have crossed my mind too... wondering what I'd do if meat prices suddenly skyrocketed.  I think I would find a way to make something work, even temporarily, until I could get back to the "regular program".

As for the good dry vs crappy wet question... I was actually thinking along the same lines as Shadow...  Dry food is processed so much more than wet.  The extreme heat that dry food has to go through is detrimental to the vitamins, minerals, and even the protein strands.  I also have my own little theory about how water fits into the structure of proteins and how it makes those proteins more bio-available.... but that's just me mulling stuff over.  I'd feed "crappy" wet food over "high quality" dry any day.  
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Offline Auntie Crazy

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2011, 02:52:09 AM »
As has been mentioned, kibble is cooked to the point of basically containing zero nutritional value. The only "nutrition" cats are able to derive from kibble is from the synthetic vitamins that are added in... and if these are added to the mix before cooking, you can't even be sure if the balance is "optimal" (not that I consider anything about kibble optimal) because even synthetic supplements are degraded by the cooking process. To compensate, manufacturing companies add two, three times (their best guess) the target amount of supplements in the hopes that what's left after cooking is approximately around their target values.  Doh1

In addition, the dry kibble is so far away from what the cat is designed to eat that the very act of eating it - aside from any nutritional questions - is damaging. Even more so than occasionally having to eat a cheaper canned food.

Middle Child, have you thought about going raw? I have six cats and feed raw - my cat food budget was literally cut in half when I switched from canned to raw. In HALF. I couldn't afford to go back to canned even if I wanted to!

Going even half raw would still benefit your budget and your cats, while letting you keep one foot in the commercial world. A win-win!

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Offline Pookie

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2011, 10:16:51 AM »
Ok, first of all:   grouphug grouphug grouphug

For me, it's all about the moisture.  A cat just isn't going to drink enough while eating dry to make up the moisture they would get in wet/raw.  Now, here are some ideas:  if you're comfortable buying food online (personally, I'm not, but then apparently I'm archaic), you might find it's cheaper to buy what you're already feeding them by purchasing their food online.  I've heard there are some good deals to be had that way, including free shipping in some instances.

If that's not an option, then you may want to compromise and feed wet once a day (with additional water mixed in) and the good quality kibble as a second meal, until things improve and you can go back to all canned.  This doesn't have to be an either/or situation.  If you can feed all raw, or 1 raw meal and 1 canned, even better!

As for feeding the lesser-quality canned, I think cats are a lot more resilient that we think (just look at how many diabetic cats go "off the juice" when their diet is changed!), and that if you temporarily feed them the lesser-quality stuff, they'll be fine, esp. if you go back to feeding the good-quality foods when you can.  Or even feed a good-quality food once a day and the lesser-quality as a second meal.

I know this is hard to do (because I'm the same way), but try not to worry.  It's not good for your health and at some point your kitties will pick up on it, too.  You have friends here, and we're happy to help you in any way we can.  It's going to be okay.   grouphug grouphug grouphug
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Offline Mo

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Re: Absolutely freaking out nervous breakdown
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2011, 11:24:42 AM »
I've gotten much better deals by buying Nightmare's food online, than I can in a store.  I typically order it from Petco - right now they do have free shipping on orders of $49 or more...but I don't think they have much of their canned foods on sale. 

Authority canned (Petsmart brand) is not bad food at least for the price.  I think it is $0.80 (or around there) for a 6 ounce can.  http://authoritypetnutrition.com/cat-products/adult/canned-food.php

I agree with the feeding raw suggestion.  Nightmare is my one cat eating all canned food - which costs $30-$35 a month.  My cats that eat raw cost ~10.00 a month.  I do feed a variety of meat: beef, pork, turkey, chicken, chicken/beef hearts, chicken/turkey gizzards, chicken/beef/pork liver, and beef/pork kidney.  However, I only buy things when they are on sale, and won't pay more than $2.25 per lb for meat. 

I don't know if you would be interested in trying to feed some raw or not, if you are, I can see if there are any raw feeders that I know of in your area.  It is a great help to talk with someone who lives locally about feeding raw, they know all the best places to buy meat!  Finding good but cheap sources is half the battle.

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