Innova vs Science Diet (c/d prescription)

[Nikki28]

It's the DL-Methionine level in the C/D that is supposed to help with the crystals. If you check the ingredients on the Innova you should see a it in there also. The Innova Evo is comparable to C/D in DL-Methionine. Personaly I strongly dislike Science Diet. I have seen some of the vets talk Owners that had been feeding raw diets to change to Science Diet and the decline in health was unbelievable.

Also check out Origen dog and cat food. They started selling it in America a couple years ago. It is made in Canada. I knew one of the vets that formulated it. It by far is the most impressive dry foods I've seen. My dog is on a raw diet but I have used Origen at times with no problem (she normally can't handle any kind of dry food.)

Unfortunately it is hard to find unless your in Florida or California
Here is the website. http://www.championpetfoods.com/

 

[Wifezilla]

You have gotten some excellent advice. Iam is CRAPPP! Expensive crappp at that.

If you can't get your cat to eat raw (mine wont, they had been on cheap crappp for too long) Innova EVO or Wellness Core are great alternatives. One step down from those (in price...and does have brown rice as the 3rd ingredient) is One Earth Naturals. I found some at King Soopers (Kroger) the other day. A 4.4 lb bag was around $9.

With a high quality, high protein food, your cat WILL eat less because it is actually getting its nutritional needs met on a lower volume of intake. They will also poop less. Less garbage in = less garbage out.

 

[Nikki28]

The way I look at it: the better the commercial the worse the food is.

 

[Wifezilla]

(It's funny because it's TRUE!)

 

[freemotion]

Yup, I agree with all! I spent this snowy New England day making and canning my own catfood, I will give you instructions if you are bold and and idiot like me.

One of my cats was put on Waltham's cd about 6 years ago and it made no difference. Many vet visits later and lots of pee everywhere, including boxes and suitcases in the process of being unpacked, he was no better. He had a strange habit of laying on his back with his back end east and his front end west, just outside the bathroom door, when he was about to have a bad episode. When he was in the worst pain, he would pee bloody spots in the bathtub. Finally, after many treatments, we decided to have him put down.

Fortunately, we decided to take him to yet one more vet, a wholistic one, so our consciences would be clear. He is still with us, and a little terror (in a good way!)

She had us do several things right away: Change his diet.....VERY slowly. Always use the same dish and always exactly in the same spot. These cats get stressed over the slightest change. So I bought a dozen white bowls so I could always have a clean one, we use 8 per day for the two cats with four feedings.

Second, the great litterbox test. Put several litterbox choices out in different locations with different brands of unscented, scoopable litter and see which one he likes, and NEVER change brands, box style, or location. Of course, he clearly chose the "World's Most Expensive Cat Litter" and the gigantic box (large storage tote...my cats are huge) in the DINING room!!! Aaarrrgh! We stash the box and the cats in a spare room when we have guests for dinner. They do ok for a few hours, no episodes, so I guess they can take a little stress now.

Innova and Wellness are two foods that were recommended, but homemade was recommended more highly. My cats were older and would not do raw, I tried valiantly. Next ones will be introduced the moment they come through my door. I make my own at a fraction of the price of the commercial brands, I used to freeze it, but the freezer got so full and I couldn't get ahead if a trip was coming or if there was a family emergency. So the pressure canner was purchased and they love the home-canned stuff even more.....I don't like the fact that it is so cooked, but they are doing great, so.....I also add supplements when I open each jar, as heat destroys a lot of stuff.

The dog gets raw, it is a wonderful way to feed.

I will give you my catfood instructions if you want, and if you can devote the time and energy. I spend about a day (I do laundry and a few quick chores in between canning tasks) once a month to feed two extremely huge (not fat, just big) cats. It takes a pint a day for the two.

Thank goodness we went to one more vet. You can improve your cat's health, you go girl!

Oh, and thanks, wifezilla, for showing me how to get the word crapppp past the automatic filters....tee hee....

 

[jakmallex]

Science Diet is one of the worst foods you can feed. Be very careful with the Innova...it's been known to cause crystals and a high Ph in some dogs and cats.

 

[spook]

Quote:
Eeek, that is the last thing we want. I read that Evo (??) prevents stirate (spelling) crystals. Perhaps that can be better.
I liked the fact that the Innova has cranberries in it...if its good for our UTI's, then it should be good for pussy cats...right?

Either way, I really appreciate all of your suggestions and yes, I'd love to have your recipe for cat food! I'm no stranger to the canning process. Also, will begin giving the cats more raw meat. They love it when I cut up raw beef for them.
With the brine they soak the poultry in, doesn't this cause problems in the animals?

You know, last night I had to laugh, we all were laughing at the cats. Both had wet cold noses, alert and ready to take off on screach!

I left my mad bomber hat in the kitchen, yes for those of you that hate fur..it has bunny fur in the differnt areas, Teddy was running, pouncing, tossing and all of a sudden you'd hear Row Row Row, lol, then the hat would go up, hit on a paper grocery bag (hope I redemed myself- paper bag) and he would run. I don't think I have ever seen him play like that. Came in the living room and asked for some fresh catnip (yes, in a pot in the window- bad stoners those cats), munched that down and went back to having a ball!
Now to me, that is how cats should be. He has limited outside access in winter, to one pen. But he seems to be more active and that is super, loving life! (glad one of us is...dang snow)
So recipes, yes, I can't say I can do it, but I'd like to try, I have a few hunks of meat from our own birds, that would be most excellent for them.
Thank you guys for all of your opinions, its great. Also, I have never been a fan of science diet, but not knowing anything else, you get left with dealing with that.
Oh, Teddy is one of THOSE cats. The vet thought he had major heart issues one day, I happened to have been stressed and he picks up on quickly- his heart is fine as long as I'm fine. He also will sleep with my mother, regardless to sleeping with her or in the chair, if her blood sugar gets low, he will wake her up.
Animals are amazing aren't they!
Guess its time to get back to bed, again, thanks for the replies!!
Kel

 

[Wifezilla]

Make sure your cat gets some red organ meat too. They need taurine and beef liver is a good source.

http://www.vetlord.org/taurine-is-essential-for-cats/

 

[Katy]

Does anyone feed Taste of the Wild? That's the only "good" brand I can easily get.

 

[freemotion]

OK, here is how I make my catfood. This makes enough for two huge cats for a month, no other food given. We feed them 3-4 times a day, if we are going to be out all day, we freeze a couple chunks and put that out as well in the morning and hope for the best....(one cat is a pig!)

I am of the thought that a little vegetable material is necessary, emphasis on a little, and nothing starchy like potatoes or dry beans.

I usually choose whole chickens, then we take some of the breast meat for ourselves for chicken sandwiches and some for supper the day I make the catfood. Leg quarters are often $.59/lb if bought in 10 lb bags. Compare that to Innova!

6 whole chickens or 20 lbs leg quarters
6 lbs chicken livers
1.5 lbs Yellow veggies (carrots, pumpkin)
1.5 lbs Green veggies (green beans, zuchini, collards)

The evening before: Bake chicken at 350 for 2 hours, cover or lower temp halfway. Cool quickly on cold porch or on dinner plates. Use heavy rubber gloves and strip meat from bones as soon as you can handle it, skin and all. It is quick when you are not picky! I put my stand mixer in the sink with the grinder attachment and strip it right into the grinder, and into two of the biggest mixing bowls you've ever seen. A couple big plastic pails would work, too. Run the livers through the grinder, too, raw (yuk!)

Put all bones in a large stock pot, cover with filtered water or well water, and simmer overnight. No onions or garlic or salt.

Next day: Strain broth, use a bit to run the veggies through the blender, or run them through the food processor w/o broth. Add veggies to ground meat, and add enough broth to moisten the meat, the more the better. Let them have some of the fat, too, adjust according to their weight. Don't make it fat-free, they need some fat.

Pressure can it at 11 lbs in pint jars for 75 minutes, cold pack method.

The recipe makes about 30 pints. I started with about a half recipe, then I decided I would rather do this only once a month. Recently I decided it is a big pain in the butt in the summer, when fridge space is at a premium, so I am canning ahead during the winter when I can use my porch as a fridge to cool the chicken and store it overnight.

I may just have to get another canner so I can have two going at once!

Oh, and I mash the bones and little scraps from the stock pot and give them to my hens. They go nuts. I also take the wings off the whole chickens while raw for my dog, they are cheaper this way. I also always have some very nice broth left over for us, and will have soup that week, too. Or can that up, too. So along with the catfood, we get several meals out of it, too.

I also made a file with my labels, so I can just print out a page of 80 catfood labels. I also have another file with just the date, and can print out a page of date labels, too. It is much quicker that way, and then I just hand-print the miscellaneous labels, like the pork loin I threw in the canner with a batch of catfood yesterday, and three pints of pork stew. I guess that is even more meals I got out of the project!

Another edit: When opening a jar, I add two supplements, both by Pet Health. The multi for cats and the OPC's with glucosamine. Both cats perked up after adding those supplements, and for one, the change was dramatic. They are powdered and easy to introduce gradually for the picky eaters, and very cost effective. Especially since you can adjust how much you give if you are running out and need to stretch it out a bit. www.marketamerica.com/dickandmarge and look for the featured products banner or do a search for Pet Health.