I usually insist on higher brand foods for my pets, my cats eat Iams and he wants to switch to a cheap brand, and I am not sure. Pip will eat Science Diet small bites, and I know eventually, hubby will want to change again. Any suggestions on a good cheaper brand, for the cats as well as the Chi (will small enough bites)?
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we don't change often. The kittens have been on the same brand for nine months, but now he wants to change them over, and I am sure he will want the same when Pip reaches adult hood. I don't know if they will like it, I am more concerned about all of them getting good nutrition and not getting sick off it. Of course, if we changed, it wouldn't be cold turkey. We'd introduce the new food with the current food and then taper off the current food. I don't know, it is all about money with my hubby. Always has been, and it doesn't stop with our pets.
This is just my opinion.
I would insist they stay on the better food. It's not like they eat that much.
I have 4 cats and they go through a 20 lb. bag a month.
My first chi, Sandy, went through about a 5 lb. bag of food a month.
With the better food they usually don't eat as much so it lasts longer.
So it cost me about $35 to $40 a month to feed them.
Compare that to what you spend on yourself for a week.
Better food will mean better health in the long run. Not as many vet bills!
When I had my big dogs I occaisionally had to feed them lower priced food because I was raising 3 kids by myself and didn't have enough money to get the better food. Every time I did the poop got bigger and stinkyer.
As time went on I made sure I had enough money to get the better food.
I would insist they stay on the better food. It's not like they eat that much.
I have 4 cats and they go through a 20 lb. bag a month.
My first chi, Sandy, went through about a 5 lb. bag of food a month.
With the better food they usually don't eat as much so it lasts longer.
So it cost me about $35 to $40 a month to feed them.
Compare that to what you spend on yourself for a week.
Better food will mean better health in the long run. Not as many vet bills!
When I had my big dogs I occaisionally had to feed them lower priced food because I was raising 3 kids by myself and didn't have enough money to get the better food. Every time I did the poop got bigger and stinkyer.
As time went on I made sure I had enough money to get the better food.
you know? I feel the same way!! I think I will fenagle my vet to say in passing that the higher quality food is better! My husband is weird when it comes to money-he always has been. But, I haven't been paid in a month either cause I am on Short term dis, so that doesn't help. But, found out today my check will be mailed Friday. We are also waiting on some inheritance money, so that will really help. With luck, I will win this battle!!
My vet said something that made sense..."its like with humans eating McDonalds all the time and eating healthy all the time...pretty soon eating McDonalds will catch up to you" when I was talking about brands of dog food. I am a poor college student :wink: but spend more money on quality dog food (wysong) ((I swear my dogs eat better then I do... :lol: ). Since I have switched from Science Diet to Wysong I have noticed my dogs, especially Kylie, have more energy and poop less often. Was told that is because they are getting more quality nutrients and less filler. I know how hard it can be when you are strapped for cash. Good luck!
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A differing opinion....
I used to feed all my pets more "wholesome" food (Nutro) and I didn't think it was all that fabulous. Daisy has anal sac problems, and one of the things I've read is that food (like Nutro) that claims it is better because it "reduces the amount of waste" really just exacerbates the problem. Fillers get a bad wrap. I switched her to Eukenuba (diet food because it is higher in fiber) and it helped tremendously. (So much that I'm tempted to pick fights with the Nutro sales rep at Petsmart every time I see her.)
Also, my cat developed FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract D-something) while she was on Nutro. She had to be switched to prescription food. (Now I make her food myself.) Maybe she would have developed the problem on "regular" food also, but it frustrated me to the point where I decided to feed my other cats (the ones who don't have FLUTD) Purina Cat Chow. Every cat I ever had before my cat who died of leukemia (which is what started me on the "better" food kick) has eaten Purina Cat Chow and Nine Lives canned food and they lived to be like 16 years old. The 2 cats that are eating the Purina Cat Chow are healthy and trim. The cat on "special" food is a pudgy little thing (but has started losing weight since I started making her food myself).
My parents' dog ate Whiskas cat food most of her life and lived to be 15+ years (she was pretty fat, though).
ANYWAY, sorry to ramble. I'm not saying you shouldn't feed your dog the more expensive food. I just think most of it is over-rated. All foods have to meet specific nutritional requirements. I know that the argument is that the more expensive foods are made with better quality ingredients, but in my opinion, it doesn't make much of a difference (if any).[/i]
I used to feed all my pets more "wholesome" food (Nutro) and I didn't think it was all that fabulous. Daisy has anal sac problems, and one of the things I've read is that food (like Nutro) that claims it is better because it "reduces the amount of waste" really just exacerbates the problem. Fillers get a bad wrap. I switched her to Eukenuba (diet food because it is higher in fiber) and it helped tremendously. (So much that I'm tempted to pick fights with the Nutro sales rep at Petsmart every time I see her.)
Also, my cat developed FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract D-something) while she was on Nutro. She had to be switched to prescription food. (Now I make her food myself.) Maybe she would have developed the problem on "regular" food also, but it frustrated me to the point where I decided to feed my other cats (the ones who don't have FLUTD) Purina Cat Chow. Every cat I ever had before my cat who died of leukemia (which is what started me on the "better" food kick) has eaten Purina Cat Chow and Nine Lives canned food and they lived to be like 16 years old. The 2 cats that are eating the Purina Cat Chow are healthy and trim. The cat on "special" food is a pudgy little thing (but has started losing weight since I started making her food myself).
My parents' dog ate Whiskas cat food most of her life and lived to be 15+ years (she was pretty fat, though).
ANYWAY, sorry to ramble. I'm not saying you shouldn't feed your dog the more expensive food. I just think most of it is over-rated. All foods have to meet specific nutritional requirements. I know that the argument is that the more expensive foods are made with better quality ingredients, but in my opinion, it doesn't make much of a difference (if any).[/i]
A couple of my sisters cats developed that feline urinary problem and they ate mostly cat chow. She ended up switching to Giant brand because it has a high ash content or something like that. Any way they are fine now.
The specific nutritional requirements you are talking about are called "minimal" requirements. That is the minimum that the law allows.
I don't want to feed my pets the minimum nutritional standards. I would rather have them get the best food for the greatest chance at a healthy life.
I know not everyone can afford to feed the more expensive food, I was in that postition myself at one time. But from my own experience, I do see an improvement in the dogs over all health feeding them better food.
If your dogs are doing well on the cheaper food, that's good. I hope it will continue.
This is just my opion of coarse.
The specific nutritional requirements you are talking about are called "minimal" requirements. That is the minimum that the law allows.
I don't want to feed my pets the minimum nutritional standards. I would rather have them get the best food for the greatest chance at a healthy life.
I know not everyone can afford to feed the more expensive food, I was in that postition myself at one time. But from my own experience, I do see an improvement in the dogs over all health feeding them better food.
If your dogs are doing well on the cheaper food, that's good. I hope it will continue.
This is just my opion of coarse.
well, I really don't know. My mom also always fed our cats cat chow or something similar, as well as all our dogs, and they never had problems, except are all getting old. BUT, I think the difference for me is that our babies started on the higher brand stuff, and I am weary about changing them to a cheaper brand. I don't really care what we feed them, but don't like to change them around. I don't want them to start getting sick. The only cat we had to feed expensive food was our one indoor cat, the rest were all outdoors. We have not had an ounce of health issues other than old age with any of our pets. So I have no thought that one kind is actually better (unless problems arise like being overweight). I just don't want to keep changing them when they have been used to one brand for almost a year, and Pip has had his food for four months. I AM SO CONFUSED!
My vet said this...that what ever you can get your dog to eat, stick to that. You are right in saying that all the dog foods meet a certain nutritional requierment, but most store brands only meet the minimal requierment. I took a class on nutrition and they taught us the tricks that comanies use and that even though the lable says its all nartural and meets 'such and such' standards, you must read between the lines.
I work at a place where we have a lot of clients who are nutritional experts when it comes to pets. Even though they say that Iams and Science Diet and Purina wont make a dog horribly sick, they are not good to feed as a staple diet.
Again, different people have different opinions based on experience. I tend to buy more expensive food because that is what a nutritionalist told me to do and I dont want to be feeding my dogs the "McDonalds" of dog food all their life.
This topic is very confusing and doent have a definate 'answer'. It all has to do with what your dog reacts best too and what you can afford. I have had people curse me for not feeding my dogs a raw diet....common! I am a college student who can bairly afford to buy myself decient food, what makes this lady think I can afford a raw diet for my dogs. She is right though in saying that a raw diet is best, but for me it doesnt work. She views me as feeding my dogs garbage because it comes from a bag.
I know this probably didnt help much, but really there is no right answer for this topic.
Good luck!
Jessica
I work at a place where we have a lot of clients who are nutritional experts when it comes to pets. Even though they say that Iams and Science Diet and Purina wont make a dog horribly sick, they are not good to feed as a staple diet.
Again, different people have different opinions based on experience. I tend to buy more expensive food because that is what a nutritionalist told me to do and I dont want to be feeding my dogs the "McDonalds" of dog food all their life.
This topic is very confusing and doent have a definate 'answer'. It all has to do with what your dog reacts best too and what you can afford. I have had people curse me for not feeding my dogs a raw diet....common! I am a college student who can bairly afford to buy myself decient food, what makes this lady think I can afford a raw diet for my dogs. She is right though in saying that a raw diet is best, but for me it doesnt work. She views me as feeding my dogs garbage because it comes from a bag.
I know this probably didnt help much, but really there is no right answer for this topic.
Good luck!
Jessica
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