Our pet food....takeover

Proctor and Gamble taking over Natura Pet Foods? My pet food is purchased at a locally owned pet store where owner is passionate about her choice of retail foods. All are organic, holistic, and companies she has trusted over the years. She had a huge sign in her store today about the pet foods she was dropping because of the Proctor and Gamble take over in June. She will not deal with companies who also have cleaning products of any type, saying she cannot afford the risk. The rep. did share with her that the Natura foods products will be changed to become more profitable.
So, those of you with pets....how do you choose pet food for your fur kids?

[David M. Bueker]

Until T'Pau passed away we would feed her whatever she would eat - Friskies, Fancy Feast, Newman's, Max Cat, whatever. At her age every bite was a blessing. We were totally dry food prior to her deciding she didn't want to eat.

Do you know where Natura is made now? I ask because most pet food is made under contract at a few large facilities around the country. This became very apparent when the melamine incident happened. My guess is that Natura will continue to be made at the same place it's made now. Of course, P&G may change the guidelines and quality control procedures that Natura currently demands from these plants and that could have an effect on the food. I doubt that their cleaning products will ever have any contact with their pet food, though.

We go with what our cats will eat, as modified by our veterinarian's advice and my wife's feelings regarding the quality of the food. Our four cats all like different things (with the exception of Dominic, who likes everything). So we mostly get Tiki Cat for the ones who like the wet food. It's very high quality and it's the only wet food other than Friskies that Hannibal will eat. For dry food, we mix a couple of things together (not sure what at the moment) with an eye towards urinary tract health in our older guys.

Rocket is primarily a locavore and prefers rodents and assorted critters he finds around the homestead. If pickings are slim, he will gladly eat whatever is in his bowl. Now the girls are a whole nuther story.

For me it's easy. Bustopher Jones is an insulin-dependent diabetic, and the only food he's allowed is prescription Purina DM. I occasionally give him low-carb table scraps as a special treat.

-Paul W.

Well, Cooper (who sadly died in Jan) was the "bubble boy" (severe allergies), so the only thing he could eat was Natural Balance Duck and Potato, made by Dick VanPatten's company. It used to be really hard to find and we'd have it shipped, but now Petco carries it. I had just purchased a 40 lb bag of it prior to Coop's passing, and I think it was fate that when Princess (our new lab that we rescued) came to us she was eating the very same kind! No allergies, her foster mom just thought it was a really good quality food. I play golf with a woman who was married to a Purina exec and swears that Beneful is one of the best-made, healthiest foods on the market. We have always mixed that with the Duck and Potato food for little Kirby and he loves it. We do that for Princess now too, since she doesn't have allergies.

We feed Emma Wellness dry because that was what she was fed at the shelter. All of the people there recommend it highly as they feel Science Diet quality did not fare well after that company was sold. She also gets a bite of wet food, ususally Fancy Feast, at night with her canned pumpkin, used to prevent hairballs. I don't know who makes Wellness, but I am going to find out. Just in case.

We feed Emma Wellness dry because that was what she was fed at the shelter. All of the people there recommend it highly as they feel Science Diet quality did not fare well after that company was sold. She also gets a bite of wet food, ususally Fancy Feast, at night with her canned pumpkin, used to prevent hairballs. I don't know who makes Wellness, but I am going to find out. Just in case.

Susan, I am not a cat person in that I would ever let one own me. However as a kid growing up on a farm we had several "mousers" that kept the rodent population down around the barn. I guess the availability of corn, and some other animal feed was attractive to both mice and rats. However Our mousers did a very good job, seldom a rodent was seen, and the mousers looked well fed.

This brings me to the question that I began this reply for, what does canned pumpkin do to or for hairballs? is it something that makes the cat "cough it up" easier. Question only asked half in jest.

I have always wondered why no commercial pet food maker offers a mouse/rat-based cat food.

-Paul W.

I have always wondered why no commercial pet food maker offers a mouse/rat-based cat food.

-Paul W.

Paul, can you even imagine anyone raising mice or rats in a large enough number to support such a business?

This brings me to the question that I began this reply for, what does canned pumpkin do to or for hairballs? is it something that makes the cat "cough it up" easier. Question only asked half in jest.

The vet suggested it to provide fiber to get the hair/fur to pass through and not come back up. The suggestion came after one of our earlier long haired cats refused the usual stuff used for that purpose. Comes in a tube, smells like malt and about the consistency of Vaseline.

The usual remedy for cat furballs is petrolatum mixed with malt extract. There are several brands such as Laxatone and Petromalt. Many cats like the taste. Other cats are willing to wash it off their paws or face if you smear it on them, even though they won't eat it if you offer it. Some cats absolutely refuse to touch the stuff.

-Paul W.

Many cats like the taste. Other cats are willing to wash it off their paws or face if you smear it on them, even though they won't eat it if you offer it. Some cats absolutely refuse to touch the stuff.

-Paul W.

With cats, that pretty much goes for everything!

Many cats like the taste. Other cats are willing to wash it off their paws or face if you smear it on them, even though they won't eat it if you offer it. Some cats absolutely refuse to touch the stuff.

-Paul W.

With cats, that pretty much goes for everything!

Isn't that why we love them?

[Jenise]

Until T'Pau passed away...

Just breaks my heart to hear you say that.

[Jenise]

Many cats like the taste. Other cats are willing to wash it off their paws or face if you smear it on them, even though they won't eat it if you offer it. Some cats absolutely refuse to touch the stuff.

-Paul W.

With cats, that pretty much goes for everything!

Isn't that why we love them?

Yes it is! New topic: does your husband eat shrimp?