Reptile & Amphibian Forums

"I've always bought my cat food at the supermarket.

However my friend
who has a dog says she never does that because the

food isn't good
enough quality. Is that the same for cats? Should I

buy food at only pet
stores?"

Hi There,

It's true that there is a huge difference in the quality of "grocery store" pet foods when compared to "pet store only" foods. If you compare labels, the differences will become clear.

You want to see more protein than grains in any cat food. Corn is often added to cat food because it is a cheap filler. But it isn't good for them and often causes cats to become overweight, which can lead to additional problems.

Look at the first 5 ingredients on any cat food label. If they are grains only, skip that food. Look for some kind of real meat and very few carbs. Meat-by-products can be any part of an animal, from skin and hair to internal organs. I am one of the few that is not totally against by-products in cat food because if a cat were to kill their own meal, it would eat some of those parts that we find so objectionable. Even stomach and intestinal contents.

If you are going to switch your cat over to another food, please remember to make all changes slow and gradual. Mix the 2 foods, decreasing the old one, while steadily increasing the new one. Hopefully, this will avoid gastrointestinal disturbances.

Regards,
AshleyElla

Once again Ashley Ella has the best possible answer. The only thing I can add is to watch what you buy in the pet store! Many of the grocery store brands are also carried by pet stores! Watch the label as suggested!
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Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!

I have mixed thoughts on this. I personally feed premium foods, particularly as my cats get older. I don't feel right saying it is the only way, the best way, and that brands sold in grocery stores are bad... I feed premium foods so I can better watch and control ingredients that may cause them problems as their bodies age in the premium foods. However, most of my family and friends' cats eat widely recognized brands sold in grocery stores, in particular, Purina Cat Chow, and have done exceptionally well. They live into their late teens and my Aunt's cat lived to be 24 on Cat Chow! They live just as long and do just as well overall as pets I know on premium foods.

My vet is a geriatric cat specialist and is a huge fan of Purina products. She has 11 cats, all in their late teens and twenties, that do very well and primarily eat Purina products -- unless they have specific medical problems.

I think the key is feeding something that is recognized by the AAFCO. You'll see that marking somewhere on bags of most brands of food. If you don't find it, don't feed it. It means it meets standards set by the AAFCO. Best to find ones that were used in feeding trials (many are). All the recognized brands (Purina, Friskies, etc... are AAFCO certified).

I wouldn't recommend feeding any generic brands -- I would stick to reputable pet food companies like Purina, etc. Or go to the premium brands.

I have thought about this long and hard for many years and, based on family and friends' pets, as well as my vet's advice, it doesn't make that much difference -- unless your cat has a medical problem. I just feel better feeding a premium brand with my boys older and their system more delicate...
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey