off the canned cat food
Question:
When I got a new kitten last September, I wanted to start him on dry food (Iams). My five year old had been getting canned food plus dry food all her life. I couldn’t continue the canned food for her because the kitten would scarf it all right away. The problem was, the older cat got constipated (maybe she didn’t drink enough water} and didn’t poop for almost a week. The Vet gave her an enema which cleaned her out. I went back to feeding the canned food twice a day for both of them while making sure the kitten didn’t steal Amber’s share. The constipation problem did not re-occur. Now, the "kitten" is fully grown and rarely tries to steal Amber’s food any more.
Response:
Actually the use of canned or moist food does not increase the deposition of plaque and tartar. While it does affect dogs this way, the same is not true in cats. The critical factor in plaque and tartar in cats is the total amount of calcium in the diet. The advantage of canned diets in cats is the increase in the amount of water that is excreted in the urine versus in the feces. Cats which ingest the same amount of total water while eating a dry food versus a wet food excrete vastly more water in the urine when ingesting a canned food. This bodes well for cats with urinary stone problems and may mean that we should be feeding our cats a canned food instead of a dry version. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then > great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to > give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned > food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a > much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as > dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes > build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, > and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine > having the canned food. > Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
I disagree. All vets I’ve spoke with say that it does increase debris on teeth. Go ask alt.med.veterinary. Can’t argue with the professionals. Well…. sometimes…. <G>
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Actually the use of canned or moist food does not increase the deposition > of plaque and tartar. While it does affect dogs this way, the same is not > true in cats. The critical factor in plaque and tartar in cats is the total > amount of calcium in the diet. > The advantage of canned diets in cats is the increase in the amount > of water that is excreted in the urine versus in the feces. Cats which ingest > the > same amount of total water while eating a dry food versus a wet food excrete > vastly more water in the urine when ingesting a canned food. This bodes well > for cats with urinary stone problems and may mean that we should be feeding > our cats a canned food instead of a dry version. > I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then > great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to > give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned > food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a > much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as > dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes > build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, > and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine > having the canned food. > > Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > > questions: > > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > > What is the best way to do this? > > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > > eat when he wants? > > Thanks, > > PWB
Response:
Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 questions: Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? What is the best way to do this? IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to eat when he wants? Thanks, PWB
Response:
Hi, To offer any advice, it would be useful to know the following: Is your cat overweight? Is your cat healthy? Are you feeding complete high-quality foods? Why would you want to get him off canned food? Why would you want to change his diet at this stage? Do you clean his food bowl daily and does he get fresh food regularly as opposed to leaving the dry out until the bowl is empty and then replenishing the bowl? Do you provide him with fresh water? Some thoughts: Canned food has more moisture content than dry and can help prevent your cat from urinary tract problems. If "free-feeding" is not a problem for your cat in terms of being overweight and sluggish, it shouldn’t be a problem. Some cats do not self-regulate well and become overweight with free-feeding. For them it’s best to have scheduled and measured meals. Hope some of the above helps, M.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine having the canned food.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
When I got a new kitten last September, I wanted to start him on dry food (Iams). My five year old had been getting canned food plus dry food all her life. I couldn’t continue the canned food for her because the kitten would scarf it all right away. The problem was, the older cat got constipated (maybe she didn’t drink enough water} and didn’t poop for almost a week. The Vet gave her an enema which cleaned her out. I went back to feeding the canned food twice a day for both of them while making sure the kitten didn’t steal Amber’s share. The constipation problem did not re-occur. Now, the "kitten" is fully grown and rarely tries to steal Amber’s food any more.
Response:
Actually the use of canned or moist food does not increase the deposition of plaque and tartar. While it does affect dogs this way, the same is not true in cats. The critical factor in plaque and tartar in cats is the total amount of calcium in the diet. The advantage of canned diets in cats is the increase in the amount of water that is excreted in the urine versus in the feces. Cats which ingest the same amount of total water while eating a dry food versus a wet food excrete vastly more water in the urine when ingesting a canned food. This bodes well for cats with urinary stone problems and may mean that we should be feeding our cats a canned food instead of a dry version. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then > great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to > give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned > food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a > much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as > dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes > build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, > and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine > having the canned food. > Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
I disagree. All vets I’ve spoke with say that it does increase debris on teeth. Go ask alt.med.veterinary. Can’t argue with the professionals. Well…. sometimes…. <G>
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Actually the use of canned or moist food does not increase the deposition > of plaque and tartar. While it does affect dogs this way, the same is not > true in cats. The critical factor in plaque and tartar in cats is the total > amount of calcium in the diet. > The advantage of canned diets in cats is the increase in the amount > of water that is excreted in the urine versus in the feces. Cats which ingest > the > same amount of total water while eating a dry food versus a wet food excrete > vastly more water in the urine when ingesting a canned food. This bodes well > for cats with urinary stone problems and may mean that we should be feeding > our cats a canned food instead of a dry version. > I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then > great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to > give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned > food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a > much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as > dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes > build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, > and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine > having the canned food. > > Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > > questions: > > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > > What is the best way to do this? > > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > > eat when he wants? > > Thanks, > > PWB
Response:
Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 questions: Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? What is the best way to do this? IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to eat when he wants? Thanks, PWB
Response:
Hi, To offer any advice, it would be useful to know the following: Is your cat overweight? Is your cat healthy? Are you feeding complete high-quality foods? Why would you want to get him off canned food? Why would you want to change his diet at this stage? Do you clean his food bowl daily and does he get fresh food regularly as opposed to leaving the dry out until the bowl is empty and then replenishing the bowl? Do you provide him with fresh water? Some thoughts: Canned food has more moisture content than dry and can help prevent your cat from urinary tract problems. If "free-feeding" is not a problem for your cat in terms of being overweight and sluggish, it shouldn’t be a problem. Some cats do not self-regulate well and become overweight with free-feeding. For them it’s best to have scheduled and measured meals. Hope some of the above helps, M.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine having the canned food.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
When I got a new kitten last September, I wanted to start him on dry food (Iams). My five year old had been getting canned food plus dry food all her life. I couldn’t continue the canned food for her because the kitten would scarf it all right away. The problem was, the older cat got constipated (maybe she didn’t drink enough water} and didn’t poop for almost a week. The Vet gave her an enema which cleaned her out. I went back to feeding the canned food twice a day for both of them while making sure the kitten didn’t steal Amber’s share. The constipation problem did not re-occur. Now, the "kitten" is fully grown and rarely tries to steal Amber’s food any more.
Response:
Actually the use of canned or moist food does not increase the deposition of plaque and tartar. While it does affect dogs this way, the same is not true in cats. The critical factor in plaque and tartar in cats is the total amount of calcium in the diet. The advantage of canned diets in cats is the increase in the amount of water that is excreted in the urine versus in the feces. Cats which ingest the same amount of total water while eating a dry food versus a wet food excrete vastly more water in the urine when ingesting a canned food. This bodes well for cats with urinary stone problems and may mean that we should be feeding our cats a canned food instead of a dry version. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then > great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to > give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned > food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a > much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as > dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes > build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, > and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine > having the canned food. > Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
I disagree. All vets I’ve spoke with say that it does increase debris on teeth. Go ask alt.med.veterinary. Can’t argue with the professionals. Well…. sometimes…. <G>
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Actually the use of canned or moist food does not increase the deposition > of plaque and tartar. While it does affect dogs this way, the same is not > true in cats. The critical factor in plaque and tartar in cats is the total > amount of calcium in the diet. > The advantage of canned diets in cats is the increase in the amount > of water that is excreted in the urine versus in the feces. Cats which ingest > the > same amount of total water while eating a dry food versus a wet food excrete > vastly more water in the urine when ingesting a canned food. This bodes well > for cats with urinary stone problems and may mean that we should be feeding > our cats a canned food instead of a dry version. > I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then > great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to > give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned > food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a > much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as > dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes > build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, > and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine > having the canned food. > > Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > > questions: > > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > > What is the best way to do this? > > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > > eat when he wants? > > Thanks, > > PWB
Response:
Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 questions: Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? What is the best way to do this? IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to eat when he wants? Thanks, PWB
Response:
Hi, To offer any advice, it would be useful to know the following: Is your cat overweight? Is your cat healthy? Are you feeding complete high-quality foods? Why would you want to get him off canned food? Why would you want to change his diet at this stage? Do you clean his food bowl daily and does he get fresh food regularly as opposed to leaving the dry out until the bowl is empty and then replenishing the bowl? Do you provide him with fresh water? Some thoughts: Canned food has more moisture content than dry and can help prevent your cat from urinary tract problems. If "free-feeding" is not a problem for your cat in terms of being overweight and sluggish, it shouldn’t be a problem. Some cats do not self-regulate well and become overweight with free-feeding. For them it’s best to have scheduled and measured meals. Hope some of the above helps, M.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
I wouldn’t worry TOO much about the canned food. If he likes it, then great! If you think he enjoys the dry food enough that you don’t have to give him canned food, then go for it. There’s nothing "bad" about canned food. It’s just 75% water and a lot less dense than dry food, so it takes a much larger amount of canned food to supply the same amount of nutrients as dry food. The only negative thing I can really think of is that is causes build up on the cats teeth. But as long as you practice proper dental care, and have his teeth cleaned by your vet once a year, he should be just fine having the canned food.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have an 8-yr old indoor cat. Feed him canned food once a day. He has a > dry food container which he eats from often. There are also many cat > scratchers in the house. I’m sure most of the people in this newsgroup > would reccommend getting him off the canned cat food. I have 3 > questions: > Is he too old to change his diet (no more canned cat food)? > What is the best way to do this? > IS it a good idea to have his dry food container always there for him to > eat when he wants? > Thanks, > PWB
Response:
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