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31/05/2024 1:14 pm
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We have a couple cats. We are trying to transition them to / incorporate raw food. Canned or raw is problematic when we travel.
We will have people come in twice a day to put out wet food while gone. Previously, with our prior cats, we’ve had people have accidents and not be able to make it over, sitters who have skipped, etc, and we worried, but always had plenty of kibble and water out. That was before we understood the kibble wasn’t great for them.
Does the freeze dried expand and soak up the moisture in their guts, possibly creating a problem? - we use freeze dried as training treats so very limited.
We need kibble out. So what type is “healthy” and can stand to be out long term ( we have a gravity feeder)?
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@gigiohara I should have also mentioned that with dry food feeding the correct amounts for their target weight is important. A common mistake with dry food is free feeding, which bumps up the caloric intake. Fortunately that does not seem like your issue.
Thanks, that is good advice and relieves my mind. As long as someone feeds them wet food they don’t have a lot of interest in kibble. Fortunately, they do enjoy their water fountains.
@gigiohara Any food from the major manufacturers, such as Science Diet, Purina and Royal Canin, are balanced and healthy. They have veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists on staff and have done decades of feeding trials to ensure that their products are safe and effective, and properly formulated to deliver your cat's needed nutrients. I would stay away from the boutique foods that have popped up over the last few years with attractive and well-marketed ingredient lists, that have no professional veterinarians on staff and have never conducted a feeding trial. They may have "consultants," who have little or nothing at stake in the final product. Your animals are their feeding trials. A cat's nutritional needs are complex. The ingredient lists are less important than how the food is formulated, and you have no idea whether the boutique foods have been properly formulated. As with any dry food, however, hydration is the key, and you have to make sure that your cat has available, and actually drinks, plenty of fresh water.