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Do you guys like that there is any problem with feeding purely canned food IF the cat gets her teeth brushed every day? Does moistening the dry, either with water or by mixing it with canned pretty much nullify it's tooth cleaning ability anyway? Is canned food just as good nutritionally as dry food? Also, could someone explain to me what the real difference is between premium and grociery brands (canned and dry). I've been doing alot of research and the biggest difference I've come up with is whether they use real meat or whether they use animal bi products. I also read that as unsavory as that may sound to us, biproducts often have the most nutrition. I've also read that one of the other things that make premium what it is, is that there is little waste and therefor they don't need to eat as much of it. I did not see ANYTHING that said it made them less HUNGRY. I'm wondering if the poor kitties are hungry all the time because they are getting very little food, because thatis all that's needed nuritionally. Also, no matter what brand you buy there seems to be 15 websites tellng everthing that's wrong with it and promoting THEIR product. I'm getting frustrated. Maybe it's all a scam meant to prey on the kingdom of fear.-- Jennifer
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And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful ANNABEL LEE

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

Correction, end of first paragraph,

Most major brands, grocery or premium, DO so.
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

I feed mine a variety of foods. They are free fed dry foods in a variety (kitten chow, Iams, Science Senior, and Friskies) they also get canned Friskies 1/3 of a can per cat twice a day. I am sure that canned is ok, as long as you brush their teeth but I would check with your Vet. Mine all do well on this variety. Some prefer one or the other but all seem to like the Friskies a lot. All of the dry flavors are available 24/7 for them. You are right, every place you go you get a different answer. In my experience the best food is the one that the kitty will actually eat on a daily basis
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PHWildCat
Cat Board Monitor and Chat Host
Pet Hobbyist
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

Thanks for the input. She just loves the canned stuff so much, I feel compelled to give it to her. The only reason, I'm kind of feeling anti-premium right now is because it's really a major project for us to get to the pet store to get it. I was thinking about ordering it online, but the shippng on cases of catfood is ridiculous! Since we ran out of canned Nutro, we've just been picking up 9 Lives and canned Friskies at the grociery store. I'm having horrible guilt that I'm giving her something "bad". Truth is I like the grociery canned foods better for look, texture, smell etc. and Annabel likes them better too I think. I've been mixing in the dry Nutro I have (guilt again), but if anything it makes her enjoy it less. I'm sort of thinking of putting out a dish of dry all the time and feeding her pretty much canned grociery exclusivly. That way I can kill off the dry Nutro and she will get a bit of teeth cleaning. Aah, the agony of loving a pet! -- Jennifer
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And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful ANNABEL LEE