I took Hobber, the eldercat, to his annual checkup last week during our bleezard and learned:
1) a limited diet for cats is NOT good
2) having them eat the same thing all the time is NOT good
3) cats are one of the purest carnivores and we are making them eat food with grains and veggies in it
4) eating fish has not been scientifically shown to cause the crystals in cat bladders
5) kittens should be given a wide variety of different kinds of wet foods so they learn to tolerate eating most anything which will come in very handy when a cat gets sick n' picky
6) stick to the bigger better known brand names
7) and it's okay for Moomin to have any kind of wet food coz it adds much needed H2o to his body (I still don't ever catch him drinking water).
So, on Dr. H's recommendation, I have purchased a gazillon (well, not really a gazillon, but a lot) cans of catfood.
We've got turkey, chicken, and beef in a variety of different preparations, like:
"meaty bits"
"savory shreds"
"prime filets"
"feast"
"gravy"
"grilled"
"gourmet"
"chunky"
"with cheese"
and finally "bite-sized marinated morsels".
And the feline herd is LOVING it. No picky eaters in this bunch. They have joined the "Clean Plate Club" with huge enthusiasm. In fact, I was practically hijacked when I said, "treats dinner!"
I have a ratings system set up so I will know which ones are the all time favorites, but if things continue the way they are, I will end up just getting all of the flavors I bought with some new ones added in to keep the "novelty factor" in play.
I have them pick the flavors they want. Well, I array the cans in a line and open whichever they sniff/touch first (yes I know they can't smell thru the can, but I believe in giving power of choice when appropriate, after all, I've been forcing them to eat the same bland guggy Science Diet Mature Cats Savory Chicken paste). Moomin picked beef but he picked that for breakfast so I took Doodle's choice of turkey in gravy. Hobbes isn't choosing, he's staying on the Hoosier waiting with baited breath.
The kittos also seem happier around meal times. More relaxed. I know I am. Keep you all posted.
1 comment:
Interesting. We just inherited a cat from our corgi breeder (she's downsizing and was giving away her cats-----we took one------all spayed, etc.) She's a dear, and I never thought I'd get another cat because of all the cat runs outside going missing or worse, getting killed, but.....well.....I'm a sucker for a feline. You know the type!
I've always limited food comsumption and given mostly dry food. I'm intrigued by your doc's thoughts on wet food. Is this all you're feeding, now, or do you have some dry, too? If you wouldn't mind sharing your procedure, I'd appreciate it.
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