Best mid-range wet cat food

bluecherry74

Yes, another cat food thread but I thought I might get more replies to a few specific questions on a new thread.

I'm currently feeding my cats dry food exclusively - James Wellbeloved. They've been on it for a few years and it suits them, but one of them is getting a bit... er, hefty... so I want to put them on something better. I've settled on Taste Of The Wild, but Applaws is a strong second place (if anyone wants to do a comparison).

I also want to introduce wet food into their diet. I can't afford the premium wet foods that have been recommended here so often so I'm looking at some of the mid range options, and I'd just like some opinions. I've narrowed it down to these but I don't know any of the brands, so any feedback on ingredients and company reputation would be great!

This one *appears* to be raw or am I just reading it that way?
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/bozita/bozita_canned_cat_food/127069

Ingredients sound good, but it doesn't have any added taurine and I've never heard of the company:
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/anomonda_carny/127131

This one is good value but the ingredients seem a bit vague:
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/smilla/smilla_poultry_pot/130710

If anyone has any other personal recommendations that price range Id be glad to consider them.

Nody

Bozita is not 100% raw but it's definitly an good mid range (the best of the three you've listed I'd say personally even though I know Animonda is listed as better ). You can also look at Grau (similar price) and Cosma (slightly more expensive).

Personally I prefer Bozita in tetra containers (easier to serve and store) but that's more expensive and purely a personal preference (I'm rotating my kittens on Bozita, Cosma, Applaws, Almo Natural label (Green), Grau, Feringa and Royal Canin (only at the start due to previous feeding) as reference) and the fact it's Swedish gives me some confidence on the quality of the stuff put in it.

Cosma & Feringa are Zooplus own brands (only limit the fish based once) so tend to be slightly cheaper then the normal counterpart (Cosma aimed for middle/high quality, Feringa being the high/very high quality range) and (at least Cosma) are produced in Thailand (but our kitties love it, esp. chicken with quail eggs, talk about eating better then us :P ). Also check weekly on their special deals on soft food; for example I was stocking up Cosma cans at 6.5 EUR per kilo a while back that way vs. normal 9 eur per kilo etc.

Also have a look at the last post in this thread; I've found it very helpful in comparing the brand qualities.

SillyMangoX

I was just wondering are any of these foods in pouches as opposed to tins? My cats are weirdly fussy and won't eat food from tins, I don't know does the metal leave a taste or are they just too used to pouches!

Nody

SillyMangoX wrote: »

I was just wondering are any of these foods in pouches as opposed to tins? My cats are weirdly fussy and won't eat food from tins, I don't know does the metal leave a taste or are they just too used to pouches!

Bozita do tetra packs of 190g which could work; Cosma also do pouches (but more limited in selection) and I know Almo Natural does pouches (I don't think they even do cans to be honest). Grau is can only; I think Animonda has some pouches but I could be wrong on that and Applaws is also can only (but I think they might eat them anyway due to the strong smell of the food would overcome any potential smell of the can).

bluecherry74

Thanks a mil Nody, I was leaning towards Bozita alright and I think I'll give it a try. I'll also look into some of the other brands you mentioned. I plan to rotate like you do so it's good to have plenty of choices.

Nody

bluecherry74 wrote: »

I'm currently feeding my cats dry food exclusively - James Wellbeloved. They've been on it for a few years and it suits them, but one of them is getting a bit... er, hefty... so I want to put them on something better. I've settled on Taste Of The Wild, but Applaws is a strong second place (if anyone wants to do a comparison).

Sorry I missed this part earlier; both are top of the line for dry stuff along with Acana so which ever your cats prefer basically.

How ever if they are getting hefty I'd recommend trying to activate them rather then going for a different food to lose weight (don't get me wrong changing to better quality food never hurts either but if you're on a budget it may be worth holding back on it). This can be done by da bird (don't get a cheap copy as they are dirt cheap anyway but there's something special with them vs. others!), laser dot pen (dealextreme do them for like 3 USD inc. shipping and make sure to go for red with max 5mW strength) and get them used to a routine of hunt, kill, eat, groom, sleep (cats love routine and that's their natural routine). That tends to have a bigger impact then changing the dry stuff only

Themadhouse

If you are trying to drop weight on them I would stick to the high quality dry food. You mention applaws which in my house has helped to pull down weights big time. You need to feed lower amounts with the applaws.

Do you free feed or give meals?

Someone mentioned the Da bird. Brilliant for exercise also a Laser.

If you want to introduce a wet food along with the dry food but not gain more weight its going to be hard and pricey. Would you consider mince or chicken wings along side the dry? You can get wings in tesco for 4euro and feeding one wing to a cat each day will last nearly 2 weeks. Good for teeth too!

I havent tried Bozita but a friend uses it and it goes down a treat with most of hers. She also feeds a raw diet along side.

As a cat ages it will put on weight, so feeding routines do need to be altered.

bluecherry74

Themadhouse wrote: »

Do you free feed or give meals?

I've been free feeding which has worked fine until recently when he started to put on weight. He's just turned 4 and is neutered, so it's not a huge surprise that he'd start to get chunky!

The problem is that neither cat will eat 2 proper meals a day of dry food. They'll eat a few mouthfuls and wander off, then cry for ages until I feed them again. I can't just leave down 2 measured portions of dry because chubby cat will end up eating part of skinny cat's allowance. Mixing in a bit of wet seems to do the trick and they'll clean their plates.

I've tried raw chicken wings but one of them isn't interested, and throws up if I give her raw mince. :rolleyes: I'm definitely going to persevere with the wings, they're much better value and so good for them. I just need to get them into a 2 meal a day routine for the time being.

Oh and I don't have a Da Bird but I do have one of these which has lasted several years and they go nuts for it:

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/cat_toys/cat_dangler/127465

Themadhouse

Just make sure you freeze the wings or mince first for 48hrs and then thaw fully!:)

looking_around

My cat was putting on weight, so I decided to try a food ball when feeding her. This forces her to eat slower and to work(a lil) for the food. As she has to hit the ball for food to fall out. I also encourage ther o move more, by getting her to follow me around with a piece of raw meat( this drives her nuts, but it's working XD.. )
She's a really lazy cat, who prefers to sleep near birds than stalk them. Well she is about 5/6 years old.

Also the food ball allows me to give my cat food "when she wants". Its there all day. It took her two days to give up asking and start using the ball. But now she doesn't moan about not having food there.

I fill the ball daily (purposely got a size that would allow for the recommended daily amount + plus a wing/raw meat).
This has worked brilliantly. And she's finally reaching a healthy weight.

Pumpkinseeds

I got a trial pack of Feringa yesterday and so far my chaps are loving it. They've only had 2 of the flavours so far but if they enjoy the rest of the flavours I'd be buying the 18 can mixed pack from now on. I like them to have a variety of flavours so they don't get bored. I was worried that my cat Jasper might not be able to eat it, he had a couple of teeth out last Thursday and I've been feeding him very soft food since for the next week or so.

The strong aroma is great for hiding the metacam in each morning. Up until yesterday I was hiding it in tinned salmon for breakfast and he was getting bored with it. He can sniff out a pill or medication in pretty much anything:rolleyes:

Nody

Pumpkin I've found two things that has worked for us so far; liver pate (or any type of relatively cheap pate really) and hairball paste (one cat refuses to have the paste, the other the pate go figure) if you need more to try. The problem is they need to eat it as a whole (one of our cats figured out she could lick up the paste and not have to eat the pill the cheeky git).

Pumpkinseeds

Nody wrote: »

Pumpkin I've found two things that has worked for us so far; liver pate (or any type of relatively cheap pate really) and hairball paste (one cat refuses to have the paste, the other the pate go figure) if you need more to try. The problem is they need to eat it as a whole (one of our cats figured out she could lick up the paste and not have to eat the pill the cheeky git).

Felix loves the defurrum paste, Jasper won't touch it. We used to get pills into him in primula cheese spread from a tube and garlic and herb philadelphia but he wised up to those. I got some jars of paste from Tesco to try him with. I want to wait til he's off the metacam as I need to find something he's not suspicious of,to hide things in for future sneakiness. He's thrown up twice today, not sure if he's eating too quick or if its the Feringa so I'm keeping an eye on him. I'm always anxious of the covona/covenia antibiotic injection and he had the 2 week one last week.

bluecherry74

Just thought I'd update this - The cats have been on their new diet for about 3 weeks now. I got 6 cans of the Bozita and 6 of the Animonda. In terms of quality, I would say that the Bozita is definitely the better of the two. The cats certainly seem to prefer it. The Animonda looks a bit fatty - you can see flecks of fat right through it as well as a layer at the bottom of the tin.

They're getting 1/6 of a tin each as their evening meal with a portion of dry Taste of the Wild for breakfast and at bedtime. It's too soon to see any difference in Freddie's weight, but his fur is shinier than I've ever seen it.