What dry food do you feed your cats?

Mine have been on James Wellbeloved ever since we've had them (Mitch is 9 years old now). I noticed a few weeks ago that all three of my cats have had really hard poos and last week poor Ally ended up really constipated and I had to take him to the vets for an enema to get him moving. Even after that his poo was rock hard. I can only assume that as all three cats are affected that JWB have changed the recipe for their biscuits. I'm obviously going to have to change their food so that tolieting is normal. What does everybody else feed? Also if any of you do feed JWB have you had the same problem?

Thanks

Jo

I can't give specific advice regarding maine coons, as we only got our first at christmas and 2 more this week, but I have had cats all my adult life so this is a general advice. All our animals, dogs, moggies and coonies are on Hills Science plan, though we are about to see whether weaning the cats over on Royal Canin maine coon kibble agrees with them. However the HSP has always been excellent and caused no problems with any of them [they just don't have a large kibble version for large jawed coonies]. We also give them tuna [tins in spring water] and good quality cat meat as a treat a couple of times a week which they all enjoy [ok, the dogs get dog meat ;-) ]

I know there are many that recommend RAW feeding, but it really isn't a route I want to go down when the animals are so obviously happy and healthy on kibble diets, but I can see an argument for it.


However, I guess the main bit of advice is to make sure it is the food causing him problems and not an underlying problem [or a change in type needed, to a senior food perhaps] and if you do change, introduce it gently, mixed with current food initially to reduce the risk of any tummy upsets.

The only experience I have had with JW food was we were given a bag with one of the dogs as part of some promotion, and even a vacuum cleaner of a jack russell wasn't particularly fond of it, but like anything, its horses for courses.

Good luck and I hope Mitch feels better, or rather 'relieved' soon!

Mine are mostly wet food fed but for their bikkie allowance I use the Hills natures best & the RC dental or Hairball & have found they suit them well,the RC Mainecoon bikkie upset their tums which ain't good with flowing trousers,having said that I have just got some Sanabelle to try as some forum members have mentioned it so will see how things go with that as they also do a dental one too....x

I feed all mine various flavours of royal canin, a mixture of fit 32 and dental usually. My coonies get the odd bits of coonie biccie but I have smaller moggies so dont freely feed it. Most people I know with coonies (and that seems to be quite a lot lol) feed royal canin.

To be honest if their food has changed they may adapt over a couple of weeks, it could be they need extra water with it and they will up their intake themselves. I do hate it when they change the recipes!!!!

I hope they are ok. xx

Thanks for your replies. It has to be something to do with the food as they've all been affected and poor Ally the worst. I did speak to the vet about it and asked what she thought about introducing some wet food and she agreed that as long as it was good quality it should help, so we're trying that at the moment and giving them all some seperately so we know they've all had a bit. Will have to do changes a bit at a time or we could end up with the opposite problem. I do occassionally feed them the Royal Canin Maine Coon.

For now the boys have settled on Sanabelle Grande. While not grain free, it seems to agree wth them and they like it. If you read the ingredients list/analysis on JWB and RC (they are the same company, same factory) it's mostly rice or wheat or similar. Not great for cats who are obligate carnivores and normally carbohydtrates and starches just rot on their way through and stink. If you want to try grain gree then go for either Orijen or Applaws - I have tried both b the boys prefer the large kibble of the Sanabelle and the RC MC gives at least two of them the runs. On the other hand, without knowing how long they may have had Giardisis this could change the food profile big time. I am going to test them on Applaws (I have an unopened bag) later in the year.

I've just had a look at the Sanabelle as Jackie had mentioned it. They do a sensitive specifically for long haired cats so think I'll give it a try. If it's a large kibble then that's a bonus as the crunching on the larger kibble helps keep teeth in good condition. Thanks everyone for replying I do appreciate it and so do the boys. I'd better get on with some work now as this isn't getting Carol's cat finished.

Ours also love the Sanabelle Grande, Hills Natures Best and Hills Dental Care - I tried them on Applelaws some while ago and they sort of liked it, but not really keen. Orijen they will eat sometimes, but without a doubt the Sanabelle Grande is their favourite. They also get the runs with RC Maine Coon ... so now they get about 5 kibbles each per week - if that. It's purely to get them interested in what's underneath when they're being picky! I've tried all kinds of wet food (some rather expensive too!) and the only one they will clear their plates with is the Sheba pouches - sadly not the best I know, but at least they are eating it. When they were babies they loved the Schesir Kitten Tuna, but now they turn their noses up at the adult version. Good luck with it all Jo.

All 3 free feed on Hill's ID and have varying amounts of James Wellbeloved Kitten (wet) each day. Once or twice a week they have a Vitakraft Cat Stick Mini. The slightest deviation gives them tummy wobbles. Arnold generally has poo like silverback gorilla fingers but he doesn't drink as much as the other two.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Caternity Leave

All 3 free feed on Hill's ID and have varying amounts of James Wellbeloved Kitten (wet) each day. Once or twice a week they have a Vitakraft Cat Stick Mini. The slightest deviation gives them tummy wobbles. Arnold generally has poo like silverback gorilla fingers but he doesn't drink as much as the other two.

---

So glad I wasn't eating when I read that but I know what you mean, brilliant description! :rofl:

Thanks everyone. Off to research Hills now.

I found this very interesting! I'm off to research the Sanabelle Grande although I've never had any problems with RC MC kibble. It's the only one I can feed Mufasa because of it's size - he just swallows anything smaller whole.

The Grande kibble is about the same size, but darker, than the RC MC. The other Sanabelles are normal sized, inlcluding I think the grain free one they do.

Something occurred to me yesterday that since JWB have changed their packaging the kibble is smaller. Would this contribute to the poo situation if the boys are swallowing more of it whole as it's small? I've ordered a bag of the Sanabelle Grande and some more JWB whilst I'm changing them over. Will keep you all posted as to what happens.

My adults all eat RC MC kibble and seem to be very happy with it. However, I have some RC sensitive out for Lily, whose digestion suffers a bit while she is feeding kittens, and give the chance, all the others will race to the bowl. Actually, they will eat any food they are not supposed to, even the RC babycat!

The new food has arrived!!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...e/China010.jpg

Hope they like the food as much as the box !!!
Misty is gorgeous BTW :smile:

Mine reckon if the box it comes in is good then the contents have to be as well..... Mine loved the Sanabelle adult & have been having that as their biggest dried allowance with no upset tums & if I dare mention such a thing the smell of Ruby's poo has mellowed quite a bit,could it be anything to do with that ? I have just sent away for the Sanabelle Grande & if they get on ok with that too will try the dental one when my RC & Hills ones run out. I used to have the occasional bag of JWB but for some reason they went off of it & at that point Pansy P had to have her trousers washed,it was a few years ago so makes you wonder if at that point they had also done a change to the contents.....!

Well ours seem to be enjoying the addition of the RCMC stuff, still mixing it with Hills atm, but they are getting stuck in and so far no upset tums or iffy toilets.

Misty looks very happy in that box Jo... I get albums arriving in huge boxes and they always serve as cat toys for a while

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by YvonnePhoto

Well ours seem to be enjoying the addition of the RCMC stuff, still mixing it with Hills atm, but they are getting stuck in and so far no upset tums or iffy toilets.

Misty looks very happy in that box Jo... I get albums arriving in huge boxes and they always serve as cat toys for a while

---

It's actually Keeps in the box. (Misty was a commission I did for somebody.) Mitch had actually been in the box before Keeps and before I'd got the second bag of food out:smile:

As I'd said before I had ordered another bag of JWB to mix with the Sanabelle whilst I changed over. When I opened it, it was the normal sized kibble??? I've emailed JWB and told them that the kibble was small like kitten kibble in the previous adult bags of food and if there has been a mistake in packaging at the factory then that would account for the state of the boys' poos.

mine were on RC kitten , tried the MC RC and upset ones tum , went back to kitten and then found out they do a mC kitten ..went on to that very very slowly and all good ...so will do that for another couple of months and then may try the RC MC again ....or maybe the Sanabelle Grand as that seems to be the other one mentioned on here.

Sanabelle grande has arrived while I've been at work so will try my lot on some tonight.....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jckkerrison

Sanabelle grande has arrived while I've been at work so will try my lot on some tonight.....

---

All mine like it Jackie so hopefully yours will to.:smile:

The kits have been on it for some months now and still love it ... I found it by chance on Zooplus, must have just been released because it wasn't there beforehand - and it doesn't give them runny tummies! Now that has to be good news :smile:

Might try this Sanabelle Grande myself,not seen it in any local stores though!

All my cats seem to be doing ok on it. Poop is more normal and not like pellets. The dog also loves it as he's 'stealing' the cats biscuits more frequently.:smile:

The only place I've seen Sanabelle Grande is at Zooplus - I buy all our biscuits there as they are cheaper and they have a bigger range :smile:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Puzzles

The only place I've seen Sanabelle Grande is at Zooplus - I buy all our biscuits there as they are cheaper and they have a bigger range :smile:

---

Zooplus was the only place I could find it too. I would be interested to know if there are anymore UK stockists although I doubt anyone would beat zooplus on price.