The foods I choose for our cats and kittens depend on a number of things. First, am I working with a line that seems prone to a specific food allergy? (Right now, two of the six lines I am working with can produce kittens that are sensitive to fish.) Next, have the cats come as adults from another cattery with food preferences? Thirdly, are we managing any health concerns? (Our stud, Stirling, and our pet Riply do best on a higher fibre diet.) Fourth, do the cats seem to enjoy what they are eating? Finally, do they look good and are they healthy? So what we are feeding and recommending today may differ from what we suggest months or years down the road if we have different cats or if the formulas we feed change. (For example, we fed Iams, Eukaneuba and Acana brands until they started adding fish oil and some of our cats became ill.)
Today the kibble mix for adults is:
2/3 Precise, Foundation Formula
Our cats love this, it is fish-free, and coats have really improved since using this brand, however if fed exclusively, almost all of them have had loose stools.
http://www.precisepet.com/catprod.asp
1/3 Nutrition 1st Hairball (for fibre)
Interestingly, although this food does contain fish, our cats have not had a negative reaction to it. I cannot explain why, other than to wonder if it is a different kind of fish in this than Iams Hairball which we cannot feed anymore.
Kibble for Kittens and Nursing Moms:
Precise Growth
Canned (1 tablespoon each per meal), One of:
Presidents Choice, Premium Beef (large red can ONLY)
This food is high in meat protein at 11% (vs grain glutens which cats cannot digest) and low in fillers. I chose it to feed all our cats and kittens because it is low in possible allergens and is widely available to all of our pet owners in Canada. I cannot recommend the other Presidents Choice canned foods because they either contain fish or have too many filler grains in them. Only the cuts with gravy in small tins are made by Menu Foods and are included in the recall.
Precise, chicken, turkey or triple delight formulas (ONLY)
10% protein
Eagle Pack, Turkey and Barley
9% protein
Nutrience, Duck and Rabbit
10% protein
...Pam
