Cat Food/Kitty Litter

[Catherine]

she has to eat Purina Pro Plan . . . very good stuff (and expensive)

Contrary to what Purina wants you to think, Pro Plan is not a good food. These are the first ingredients: Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, wheat flour, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), whole grain corn

Chicken is 70% water, so there are actually more useless fillers (brewers rice and corn gluten meal) in the food than there is meat. Poultry by-product meal is also a very inconsistent ingredient - it varies from batch to batch. You have no way of knowing what parts of what birds are in it.

You say your cat has gas issues - what foods was she gassy on? I'm guessing grocery store foods. Any premium food with no byproducts or cheap fillers should not give your cat gas, unless it contains a specific ingredient that irritates them, such as herring does with one of my cats.

Have you tried Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul? It's an excellent food, and very economical - I'm betting it costs less than Pro Plan.

[christa]

Contrary to what Purina wants you to think, Pro Plan is not a good food.

OK, first of all, Purina didn't suggest me feeding my cat Pro Plan, my VET did. I'm guessing you have no idea the problems I've had with my kitten. (you may want to read my previous posts, you'll see what I mean) After months of problems with worms, bloody feces, and intestinal parasites, she's finally better, and I give credit to her new diet. IT WORKED FOR JOSIE.

You say your cat has gas issues - what foods was she gassy on? I'm guessing grocery store foods. Any premium food with no byproducts or cheap fillers should not give your cat gas, unless it contains a specific ingredient that irritates them, such as herring does with one of my cats.

She was gassy in part because of her intestinal parasite and her obvious gastrointestinal condition. And for this she also eats "Purina" EN (GastroEnteric). And yes, part of the gas problem come from the fact that at first we were feeding her "grocery store" Kitten Chow, which is loaded with fillers . . . more so than my dreaded Pro Plan.

Have you tried Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul? It's an excellent food, and very economical - I'm betting it costs less than Pro Plan.

I'm sure it's great . . . I think I'll stick with WHAT WORKS FOR JOSIE.

[Traci]

Nutrition topics are easily debatable and tend to get heated. Opinions welcomed, but let's try to keep them from too personal.

FWIW, in my opinion, Purina One is one of the better commercial foods available, and many cats can tolerate it over other brands or off-brands.

[littlefriend]

Just an update on the Fred's Dollar Store scoopable kitty litter. I have been using it ever since my March 19th post and I am very pleased.

At only $3 a jug it is a better value for me.

[Mona]

Well I have two kitties, Chloe eats Science Diet Natural Chicken Dry and wellness canned. Honeybun eats "Royal Canin" Special Dry formula for senstive stomachs.

I have tried several litters, but like the Tidy Cat Crystal Blend for multi cats the best!!! I used to use Scoop Away, but now I prefer Tidy Cat due ot the fact it clumps good and smells better, and no dust at all. The other says no dust but is very dusty, and with allergies it is so much better.

Mona

[Bluburd]

My eight cats eat only dry Hill's c/d.

As for kitty litter, I fill both X-tra large hooded cat pans with half Fresh Step Scoopable, and Fresh Step Clay Litter.

I swear by that stuff, too. It may be a tat expensive, but there's not one person who's walked into my house and was able to believe that eight cats lived inside - and, all of the time!

[Raina]

Oh - you have a very good idea. Mixing it with non-scoop would be cheaper. Does it still clump just as good?

[Bluburd]

Yup! The scoopable is great for clumping up urine, and the clay is great for the really smelly stuff. Plus, it also gives the cat the satisfaction of covering up their do completely.

Like I said, they both are a tat more expensive, but you couldn't pay me to try anything else!