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catstuff/foods
Jun. 30th, 2007 12:18 pmBilly picked me up so we could go to PetSmart. This is an occasional weekend thing, when Charlotte needs cat litter and cat food, and usually by that point I do too. Billy will carry the heavy stuff for me into my house. Three 20-pound bags of ExquisiCat litter at just over three bucks each, plus a bag of Blue Spa Select cat food, and I spent less than twenty dollars.
Since adopting Luna, I have been feeding the cats high-quality, premium, organic dry food. No fillers, no by-products. My favorite brands are Blue Spa Select and Castor & Pollux. They may be twice as expensive as Meow Mix, Friskies, or Purina, but I honestly notice a major difference when Luna, Jupiter, and Puff eat them. The cats don't eat a whole lot at a time, rather grazing throughout the day. Their fur is shiny and unbelievably soft -- Luna feels like a rabbit. Their weight gain and maintenance has been steady and healthy. And the litter boxes rarely stink (of course I scoop every day or every two days). A couple of people have told me that when you feed cats low-quality foods with lots of filler, they eat more of it at a time to try and feel full, that it's similar to fast food and junk food. And their feces reflect the quality of their food. But with high quality foods, they feel full on less food, and their waste matter has less of a smell.
I've been observing this since March, and I'd say it's true in my case at least. While I have never had a cat that had any problems eating low-quality foods high in fillers (like Meow Mix), I did notice that when they ate cheaper food, their coats were not as shiny, the litter box smelled stronger, etc. I do not think low-quality foods are bad or disgusting, because obviously many housecats live off them and are fine. And if I did not have the money to afford the more expensive stuff, I'd certainly buy Purina from grocery stores instead of Blue Spa Select from PetSmart and Castor & Pollux from Petco. Tuesday lived very well off of Purina One and Friskies. And the canned food I buy now is usually Friskies or Nine Lives.
I don't want this post to be preachy or know-it-all, because I am very lucky I can actually afford to buy my cats this kind of organic good-quality food. It does kind of pay for itself, since they eat less of it than they would other brands, so a small bag of Castor & Pollux lasts as long as a large bag of Friskies. But for me, personally, if I have the money and the chance to buy the cats certain brands, I will.
What I don't agree with is when people who live organically/naturally try to preach and tell everyone that the only absolute way to feed their pets is certain organic natural foods and diets, and nothing else will do. I don't think that's fair. Yes, in America store shelves are filled with kibble that may or may not be completely perfectly healthy -- but I have yet to see a cat or dog that suffered truly ill fatal health from eating cheaper food.
Just a thought and an observation.
Since adopting Luna, I have been feeding the cats high-quality, premium, organic dry food. No fillers, no by-products. My favorite brands are Blue Spa Select and Castor & Pollux. They may be twice as expensive as Meow Mix, Friskies, or Purina, but I honestly notice a major difference when Luna, Jupiter, and Puff eat them. The cats don't eat a whole lot at a time, rather grazing throughout the day. Their fur is shiny and unbelievably soft -- Luna feels like a rabbit. Their weight gain and maintenance has been steady and healthy. And the litter boxes rarely stink (of course I scoop every day or every two days). A couple of people have told me that when you feed cats low-quality foods with lots of filler, they eat more of it at a time to try and feel full, that it's similar to fast food and junk food. And their feces reflect the quality of their food. But with high quality foods, they feel full on less food, and their waste matter has less of a smell.
I've been observing this since March, and I'd say it's true in my case at least. While I have never had a cat that had any problems eating low-quality foods high in fillers (like Meow Mix), I did notice that when they ate cheaper food, their coats were not as shiny, the litter box smelled stronger, etc. I do not think low-quality foods are bad or disgusting, because obviously many housecats live off them and are fine. And if I did not have the money to afford the more expensive stuff, I'd certainly buy Purina from grocery stores instead of Blue Spa Select from PetSmart and Castor & Pollux from Petco. Tuesday lived very well off of Purina One and Friskies. And the canned food I buy now is usually Friskies or Nine Lives.
I don't want this post to be preachy or know-it-all, because I am very lucky I can actually afford to buy my cats this kind of organic good-quality food. It does kind of pay for itself, since they eat less of it than they would other brands, so a small bag of Castor & Pollux lasts as long as a large bag of Friskies. But for me, personally, if I have the money and the chance to buy the cats certain brands, I will.
What I don't agree with is when people who live organically/naturally try to preach and tell everyone that the only absolute way to feed their pets is certain organic natural foods and diets, and nothing else will do. I don't think that's fair. Yes, in America store shelves are filled with kibble that may or may not be completely perfectly healthy -- but I have yet to see a cat or dog that suffered truly ill fatal health from eating cheaper food.
Just a thought and an observation.
