I can't get my cat to eat Science Diet, he turns his nose up at it. I also can't get him to eat ANY wet food, he just refuses it. I feed him "Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul" light food right now, but I'm currently switching him over to Royal Canin light. He also loves Wellness food, but it was a bit pricey.
Cute kitty... judging by the fact that hes in your house laying on a pillow I'd say you've already adopted it! Take him to the vet to get him checked for worms & fleas. Make sure he gets some good meals too. Since he's been a stray you may want to let him remain an outside cat and look into putting in a pet door of some kind. But do not declaw him.
Chicken soup is pretty good quality. My cats don't like wellness dry either, but they do like chicken soup and wellness canned.
Science Diet is probably the best widely available food unless you want to either go to some of the holistic/organic cat foods, or make your own (which many people do, incl most breeders).
My cat was fed Science Diet hard foods his entire life and we had him put to sleep this past Nov 1st at the old age of 18 1/2 years. He wasn't fat and had a very soft coat. He never liked soft food much from day one. My cat.
Our previous cat had urinary crystals until we put him on Science Diet, because of SD's low ash content. He lived to be 16 (cancer). He was on regular cheap stuff like Meow Mix and such for probably half his life though.
If I get another cat, I might feed it one of the holistic cat foods.
OP: Don't feed your cat milk, or processed food meant for humans, or table scraps.
Don't just go get it treated for worms or fleas unless you know or the vet says it needs it. Best to avoid any chemicals you can. Some people dont even refuse to get their pets vaccinated, though I'm not condoning that.
You should try at least to find it's owner by putting up a couple signs in the area and maybe an ad in the newspaper. If no one claims it, it looks like it would be a very good pet for you. Considering how he's cleaning himself and relaxing, he's happy to be there.
If by widely available you mean at major chain stores like petsmart, I agree. Almost all the other stuff is even lower grade junk. Although some of them sell that nutro natural stuff which is pretty good in some cases. Most of the local-owned pet stores here carry better stuff, though. Hill's and Royal Canin are still the only choice for many prescription diets. Some of the natural brands can be good for cats with food allergies too because they reduce the number of common allergens in their food. Most are added for flavor which otherwise is lacking due to excessive corn.
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
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The Purina foods have greatly improved since 10 years ago.
My cats have gotten a mix of Science Diet and Cat Chow (formerly Kitten chow as kittens) since kittens. Their original owner started them on Kitten Chow only.
All of my cats will leave some of the science diet uneaten in their dishes. They do eat alot of it though.
The main advantage to science diet is the food texture and taste stays consistant should they ever need a special diet.
My cats have gotten a mix of Science Diet and Cat Chow (formerly Kitten chow as kittens) since kittens. Their original owner started them on Kitten Chow only.
All of my cats will leave some of the science diet uneaten in their dishes. They do eat alot of it though.
The main advantage to science diet is the food texture and taste stays consistant should they ever need a special diet.
Duuuuude.
/puff
That's so totally gnarly for your karma, man.
/puff
You need to, y'know, like, mellow out, man. Center yourself.
/pass
- M4H
shortylickens
No Lifer
- Jul 15, 2003
- 80,287
- 17,081
- 136
Yeah, obviously cats.about.com, catinfo.org, catnutrition.org, and the american veterinary medical association are all a bunch of hippies that eat granola and tree bark all day.
Longevity of your cats is not proof. How does that prove anything? Nice science there. George Burns smoked every day of his life, does that mean smoking is good for you, since he lived so long? According to you, that's proof that smoking is good for you.
Here's one written by a DVM that was published in the AVMA journal. Note that I can't link directly to it on avma since it is a pay per article site. See the part about water, diabetes, and high protein.
http://www.catinfo.org/zorans_article.pdf
Amused
Elite Member
- Apr 14, 2001
- 57,355
- 19,536
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My 5 cats over 40 years have never had diabetes, kidney failure, IBD, been obese, liver disease, signifigant dental disease, or any other problem that site crows about.
Meanwhile, the AVMA has a lot of respect for Hills:
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan07/070101l.asp
Surprisingly, that was the only relevant article that came up when I searched the site for "dry food."
catnutrition.org is a site with a bias, run by a non-vet trying to infuence vets to further her cause. It is invalid.
catinfo.org is basically the same. It is a single issue site run by an activist.
About.com? Are you serious?
Funny how the one valid reference you give supports Hill's and has nothing negative to say about dry food.
Are you really as dense as you appear to be? Your cat not having an issue does not mean you are not putting your cat at risk. You repeatedly state it as if you think it does. Did you choose to ignore the george burns analogy because you can't come up with a legitimate response? Do this... ask anyone whose cat had CRF or IBD what they feed their cat. I would be very surprised if you found a single person who said they feed all canned.
Secondly, the article above that I posted was in the AVMA's journal. You can find a summary of it on the AVMA web site.
Third, any site that recommends a canned food is invalid by your definition, because it is an "activist" site, "holistic" site (because by definition anyone recommending natural is holistic or a hippie) or invalid in some other way that makes your opinion even less valid if using the same logic. For example, the article above is invalid because it advocates hill's.
Fourth, you have yet to provide any reasoned argument why feeding a cat something to help with their teeth is useful if vets recommend brushing teeth and getting teeth scaled yearly anyway. It's like saying a human should eat only pretzels to prevent tartar build up.
Amused
Elite Member
- Apr 14, 2001
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Torpid, this is very simple.
Come up with a valid link showing a consensus among vets. Not single issue activist sites, not holistic hippie sites, and not single articles written to the AVMA by the former.
My vet's advice has kept 5 cats over 40 years perfectly healthy. That's quite a track record. It's not one cat, but 5 over 40 years. ALL have been perfectly healthy on dry food and ALL have lived very long lives... longer than the average.
As for your fourth point, it's kinda silly, isn't it? We brush and floss daily. Cats do not.
Meanwhile this article blows away your catnutrition.org activist article:
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan05/050115ww.asp
Funny how it was the only relevant article I could find when I searched for "canned food" on the AVMA website.
Yes, it is simple. Your arguments for dry food are bunk and you can't back them up with any logical statement or ANY site at all.
We brush daily, so should yout cats. Congratulations, you have finally started to get it. Apparently some new ideas can make it into your brain, albeit extremely slowly.
You are calling that PDF article written by an activist site? You're joking, right?
Can you provide me a single link anywhere on the internet which demonstrates that there is a health benefit to cats who eat dry food other than dental benefit? I find it unlikely. You can find thousands that list benefits of wet food. Whether or not you agree with them, at least admit that the ONLY benefit to dry food is some potential dental improvements, and even then, by your own article posted above, only when feeding hill's DENTAL diet and not any other diet (such as the ones recommended here like hairball control).
So, to summarize:
1. There is some benefit to feeding hill's dental diet to cats to their teeth, but none proven to feeding non dental diet (see your own link above)
2. Brushing your cat's teeth will offer significantly more benefit than any form of food
3. There may be some benefit to feeding wet food as it relates to bladder, kidney, and bowel disorders.
4. Your sample of 5 cats is scientifically inconclusive, just as my sample of 6 cats owned by various members of my family is.
Do you disagree with any of these 4 points? I assume not, unless you have some serious problems with rational arguments.
Regardless, it's preposterous to say what you wrote on this issue initially, that canned food stinks and makes a mess of teeth. Assuming you were referring to that being a RULE and not a generality, it is demonstrably false. My cats' teeth are fine, and they do not stink. At best, you can say it makes a mess of SOME cats' teeth and causes SOME Cats to stink.
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
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Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Originally posted by: jinduy
if it's stray i'm pretty certain it has fleas and worms. i'd take it to the vet, get it dewormed (tapeworms, roundworms etc) and treated for fleas (frontline or advantage brand). shouldnt cost you more than 40 bucks. you can also ask your vet to give it a nice bath too for extra $
if u turn this cat into the shelter, there's a very good chance he or she will die.
i wouldn't be worried about rabies.
i read that cow milk isn't so good for cats but im not sure. just make sure it has a bowl of water and some dry food. wet food might give it an upset stomach and diarrea until its been dewormed and cleansed out.
cats are relatively cheap and low maintenance and loads of fun to hang out with. you will not regret it if you take it into your home.
Or a flea bath if you don't want to risk killing it with the chemicals in that flea stuff. A friend of mine used some of that stuff on her young cat, and it started acting a bit loopy, and foamed at the mouth. We got the stuff washed off right away, and it seemed fine. She did take it to the vet then, and what I found online says that some of that stuff can cause neurological damage. Apparently that's what it's supposed to do - in fleas. But toxins like that apparently aren't very species-specific.
Advantage didn't do that to your friend's cat. It may have been a cheap grocery store knock-off but it DEFINATELY was not Advantage.
Advantage is perfectly safe, and a lifesaver. Going the flea bath route takes many weeks and many baths, and even then you're lucky if you stop the cycle.
I've had 5 cats in my 40 years of life, I know a thing or two about flea control.
Since you spew you are ALL ABOUT SCIENCE...you realize tylenol kills a lot of people right?
Both you and torpid really know nothing.
I am siding with you knowing more than he does though.
I have had more cats than you and I am not even 40 yet. They have lived to 16-18 years old...plus all except my last three littermates were strays and adoptions at 1year or so.
I feed dry daily and split a can of wet between the three every other day.
dry food does go a long way in cat dental health. Scaling your cat yearly involves a risky dose of anesthesia.
I'm guessing purebred mutt.
Most strays are pretty starved for attention so once they trust you they love to hang out with you.
Most strays are pretty starved for attention so once they trust you they love to hang out with you.
Amused
Elite Member
- Apr 14, 2001
- 57,355
- 19,536
- 146
Originally posted by: alkemyst
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Originally posted by: jinduy
if it's stray i'm pretty certain it has fleas and worms. i'd take it to the vet, get it dewormed (tapeworms, roundworms etc) and treated for fleas (frontline or advantage brand). shouldnt cost you more than 40 bucks. you can also ask your vet to give it a nice bath too for extra $
if u turn this cat into the shelter, there's a very good chance he or she will die.
i wouldn't be worried about rabies.
i read that cow milk isn't so good for cats but im not sure. just make sure it has a bowl of water and some dry food. wet food might give it an upset stomach and diarrea until its been dewormed and cleansed out.
cats are relatively cheap and low maintenance and loads of fun to hang out with
Or a flea bath if you don't want to risk killing it with the chemicals in that flea stuff. A friend of mine used some of that stuff on her young cat, and it started acting a bit loopy, and foamed at the mouth. We got the stuff washed off right away, and it seemed fine. She did take it to the vet then, and what I found online says that some of that stuff can cause neurological damage. Apparently that's what it's supposed to do - in fleas. But toxins like that apparently aren't very species-specific.
Advantage didn't do that to your friend's cat. It may have been a cheap grocery store knock-off but it DEFINATELY was not Advantage.
Advantage is perfectly safe, and a lifesaver. Going the flea bath route takes many weeks and many baths, and even then you're lucky if you stop the cycle.
I've had 5 cats in my 40 years of life, I know a thing or two about flea control.
Since you spew you are ALL ABOUT SCIENCE...you realize tylenol kills a lot of people right?
Both you and torpid really know nothing.
I am siding with you knowing more than he does though.
I have had more cats than you and I am not even 40 yet. They have lived to 16-18 years old...plus all except my last three littermates were strays and adoptions at 1year or so.
I feed dry daily and split a can of wet between the three every other day.
dry food does go a long way in cat dental health. Scaling your cat yearly involves a risky dose of anesthesia.
WTF???
Yes, Tylenol kills people through overdose.
Advantage doesn't kill anyone or any cats if used as directed, and I haven't heard of any valid stories of poisoning by the stuff.
Advantage uses a special insecticide (imidacloprid) that is far less harmless to mammals than any previous insecticide.
Even enviro-holitic nutcases grudgingly suggest Advantage, Topspot and Frontline over any other chemical treatment and admit there are no reported cases of harm from the stuff.
thanks OT. I really wanted to keep it as a pet, but I have to go off to school soon. A neighbor ended up taking the cat in. Oh well. But it sure was interesting having the cat company. I'll probably have one as a pet later in the future. Thanks again OT.
Awww! Keep it, keep it! Maybe guys here with chip in via paypal to help you pay the initial vet visit.
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