Jennifer --

It really is a personal choice. I have always fed dry food, my cats don't like wet and I've never really gotten into it. I've had them 11 years now (they will be 12 next week) and I too have done a lot of reading, research, questioning, etc., thru the years on premium vs. grocery. I've had 4 or 5 vets tell me to feed them whatever I want, as long as it is a known brand (grocery or premium). I've also read many times on vet stites, etc., that as long as it has the AAFCO feeding statement, it is 100% sound nutrition. I've never seen a food that doesn't have that on it, grocery or premium. I suppose there may be an "Uncle Buck's Discount Cat Food" out there somewhere that doesn't. It is best for the AAFCO statement to say "feeding tests" vs. just meets the standard. Feeding tests indicate they fed it to cats to cats in a controlled environment to see long term results, etc... Most major brands, grocery or premium, so so.

I am a fan of premium, although with that said, in the long run, I know just as many premium as grocery cats that live very long lives. My aunt's cat lived to 24 on grocery brands. My parents and two friends' cats recently passed away at ages 16-17 on grocery brands.

I like premium because they seem to do a better job monitoring nutritional needs. For example, many cats are prone to urinary tract infections/urinary probems w/high magnesium in foods. A food should have less than .1% magnesium. Premium foods know this. I have found very few that aren't under .1%. Purina and other grocery brands know this, but in their standards foods, Cat Chow, Purina One, etc., it is at .13%, much too high for my cats and many others. You have to spend more on their food designed for "urinary tract health" to get the lower magnesium levels. Premium foods automatically are formulated for the overall best nutritional breakdown, no matter what formula you get. They all know lower magnesium is better, premium are the only ones that use it for all their formulas. This is just one example.

I also like premium because they eat less food because there are less fillers in it. So, in the long run, it costs about the same for premium as grocery from what I've noticed thru the years. The cats' stools are much less loose and smelly, too.

Feed whatever you choose. It is a personal choice. I currently feed the Nutro line of foods, but am thinking of mixing in some of the new Purina Cat Chow Indoor Formula as it has Protein and phosphorous levels I like. They didn't list their magnesium level, I had to call the hotline for it. They know it, but they don't list it if it isn't under .1%. It is at .11% and I am debating mixing it in. Most grocery brands that don't list are at .13% or higher. Too high for my neutered males.

You are going to find many varied opinions. My final conclusion for me is that they will do about as well on grocery as premium (unless you are trying to do preventive maintenance as I did for urinary tract infections). The 4-5 vets I've asked say to feed whatever I want, wet or dry, as long as it is a recognized brand (meaning meets AAFCO standards).
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

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