We recommend this food for a Reason. Mandatory for my kittens
Important information about FOOD
The most common question we get from people is “what do you feed your cats?” In the United States, the pet food industry is, just like the human food industry, corrupted in a big way. The majority of foods in pet stores is nothing but junk, even though commercials may lead you to believe it is wonderful. How many times did you see that commercial on TV with that happy healthy cat that eats cat food full of vegetables and grains that is supposedly so good for them? In our human mind we think that cats will do well on greens and extra vitamins and grains, because they are healthy for us as well, so why not for a cat? Well here’s a revelation:
*** Cats are carnivores by nature! ***
You never see a wild cat eating plants, nor do they go into a cornfield to take a bite or go to a river to catch a fish. It's a common misunderstanding that fish is good for a cat, it's actually not at all. Cats are carnivores, they are meat eaters and vegetables and grains are NOT good for them because their digestive system is not built to digest that. Any food that contains soy, grains, wheat or some sort of vegetable is NOT good for them. Unfortunately, in the commercial pet stores, they don’t sell food that is actually good for your cat. Every commercial you see about “premium pet food” is nothing but junk. It can say “natural” or “holistic” on there all it wants to, but it still contains all kinds of things that are bad for your cat. Sure there might be all natural grains in there, or holistic vegetables, the fact remains, neither is good for cats.
We hear all the time about cat or dog food recalls. Why? Because it’s junk! Because they put all kinds of stuff in pet food that is not good for them and is not supposed to be there. However, you never hear about the real good cat food being recalled, simply because it’s natural and doesn’t contain all the junk that regular pet store food does. Obesity/ Diabetes/food allergies/ Crystals/ can result when feeding Grain or GMO’s or Gluten.
So what is it that I should feed my kitten?
Canned vs. Dry Food
We feed our kittens both canned and dry food so they get used to it before they go to their new homes. Dry food is preferable for your cat as the sole diet, as they do need dry food to help keep their teeth clean and Free Feeding promotes mentally sound kittens. Do not parse their food out, kittens and cats prefer to graze with a few nuggets at a time. Growth spurts demand more food. As long as the food bowl remains full, they do not turn into gulpers and vomiters. Once kitten gets older, then Wet food is a treat only.
Cats don’t drink a whole lot, because in nature, they get their fluids out of raw meat. Dry food, and then especially dry food that contains grains, soy, wheat and vegetables causes the PH of your cat to go into the Acid range and is often the cause of kidney or urinary tract infections, & painful crystals in your cat. Which cause avoidance of litter box and peeing on the floor. Can also lead to coma and death if left un-treated.
Raw food should be fed as an addition to a diet, not as the main food. If you feed dry food only, we highly recommend getting a water fountain for your cat, once they are older, which encourages them to drink more water. But beware, if you do not change the filters each week, you cat will get sick.
HOWEVER:
We believe that cats don’t necessarily have a poor thirst drive, they just process water more slowly than most other animals. Add to that a non-carnivore, carb-heavy diet that may inhibit their desire to drink and it results in poor hydration. Feed your cat as nature intended by choosing “Young Again” nutritionally-balanced carnivore diets. They will drink what they should and you will have a healthier, happier cat.
youngagainpetfood.com
At Crystal Siberians we feed our cats & kittens "Young Again “ Little Bites” Kitten food, Our Adults Cats & kittens eat the “50/22 Multi Cat Food” dry food. You have to order online at their website, but when you order enough you get free shipping and you can get set up on a monthly delivery schedule. Check out the Feeding Chart on their website to determine how much to order and how often. You will save money by buying this brand.
At 5 months old switch them to “Junior” then “Young Again 50/22” Adult cat food until they hit maturity at age 5. Then go to the “Mature” This choice will keep the future vet bills low and assure a long and healthy life for your Cat.
Chicken/Beef Broth-Weekly!
We make sure our feline family gets a small amount of Broth each day, week, just to balance out anything they need in nutrition. We buy the Swanson cartons, 100% MSG free Regular sodium. A small amount is fine, ¼ or less cup will do.
Canned food choices & options
https://www.chewy.com/weruva-paw-lickin-pals-variety-pack/dp/169209
canned food a great addition to the dry food, for the simple reason it is wet. That way cats get their fluids in on a daily basis, and they tend to eat more because they like it better.
Is my cat going to have health problems if I don’t feed the brand you recommend? YES
Our view on this question is this: would you eat junk if you knew there was better and healthier food out there that could prevent health issues and save you on doctor's bills? You’re investing a lot of money into the cat or kitten you are getting; why not invest in their lifelong health? The pet food industry is dangerous, and there is not enough knowledge about it out there. We cannot tell you what to feed your cat, but we sure can make recommendations. This is meant to inform you about the truth about pet food, so you can make a well thought out and balanced decision about what you are going to feed your cat. Please be advised that changes in food might cause temporary stomach upset and diarrhea in kittens at the least and crystals, kidney disease, death at the worst... You can switch it up with fish, turkey, flavor wise, but stick to the same wet food brand when doing this, cats like variety.
https://www.chewy.com/weruva-paw-lickin-pals-variety-pack/dp/169209
One Vet says: http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth
Many cats suffer each day because of the water-depleted diets (read: any dry kibble) that humans insist on feeding to them. Out of all of the subjects discussed on my website, urinary tract health - especially urethral obstructions - is the subject that I am most passionate about.
If the reader had to witness the tremendous suffering that a cat must endure when his (or, rarely, her) urethra becomes obstructed they would understand why this subject is so important. (See Opie's pictures below.)
To be quite frank, if humans - including many of my veterinary colleagues - had a cork inserted into their urethra until they experienced the excruciating pain secondary to bladder distension and rupture, I have no doubt that they would start to take this issue much more seriously and STOP condoning the feeding of dry food to cats.
And while urethral obstructions cause tremendous pain and suffering and can result in death if the bladder ruptures, cystitis (bladder inflammation) is also extremely painful. Many of these cats, understandably, develop litter box aversions secondary to associating the litter box with their pain. This results in house soiling and cases of abuse when the poor cat is punished.
If I could have the reader of my website leave with one word firmly imprinted in their mind it would be "water". If your cat is on a properly hydrated diet of 100% canned food - and no dry food - you stand a very good chance of never needing to read this webpage.
Note that I said "water" - not "crystals" or "urine pH" - or any of the expensive, low-quality, "prescription diets" often recommended by veterinarians.
Always keep in mind that water flowing through the urinary tract system is the most important factor in keeping it healthy. That said, please do not make the mistake that so many people make when they state "but my cat drinks plenty of water!"
A cat's normal prey is ~70% water. Canned food is ~78% water. Dry food is ~5-10% water. Cats have a low thirst drive and they do not make up the deficit at the water bowl. They are designed to get water with their food.
Total water intake - dry vs canned
Cats on canned food have been shown to consume at least double the amount of total water when compared to dry food-fed cats when all sources of water (food and water bowl) are considered.
This results in approximately double the amount of urine flowing through the bladder.
Think of canned food as not only a proper diet for an obligate carnivore, in general (see Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition), but also understand that it is the healthiest way to keep your cat's bladder flushed out and 'happy.'
When choosing a diet for their cat, I find that many people are fixated only on carbohydrates and fail to miss the very critical point that all dry foods - including the low carbohydrate options - are water-depleted.
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https://www.youngagainpetfood.com/assets/urinary-cat-food-comparison.pdf
Unfortunately, many of these people and their veterinarians have missed the point of water...water...water and have continued to put the cat in danger by feeding/prescribing a dry food diet - including any and all of the prescription dry diets.
It is highly counter-intuitive to label any water-depleted (read: DRY) food as a "urinary tract diet."
Generally speaking, the basic diet recommendation for the average cat with urinary tract issues is a high protein/low carbohydrate canned food with added water.
Taking it one step further, look for one that is low in phosphorus - either below ~1.0-1.2% dry matter (not 'as fed'), or below ~250-300 mg/100 kcal.
Protein, carbohydrate, and phosphorus content (mg/100 kcal) are listed for many canned foods on this chart.
Unfortunately, it would take me far too long to keep up with the new products on the market so if you want to know the specifications of the food you are feeding, please see the Contacting Pet Food Companies section on my Commercial Canned Food page for dialog that you can use when calling them.
When considering water versus phosphorus content, as noted above, the water issue is the most important but if you are really worried about crystals (even though they are not an abnormal finding in cat urine as discussed below), pick a diet that is low in phosphorous.
Phosphorus is a general indicator of the calcium and magnesium load of the diet. If a diet is low in phosphorus, chances are it is also fairly low in calcium and magnesium since all of those minerals are high in bone material and if a diet is low in phosphorus, it is probably low in bone matter.
Note that fish tends to be high in phosphorus because fish comes with its own bones so stay away from fish.
To Summarize:
FEEDING:
• I free-feed my cats/kittens their dry food so they can have access to it at all times of the day, even when I'm not at home.
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• I start all my kittens on “Weruva” or “Cats in the Kitchen” canned. And “Lil Bites” kibble by “Young Again”
• At 5-7 mos.-switch to Junior” then to“50/22 Multi Cat” food by Young Again. Good PH no GRAIN, & Organic are the 3 most important things in a cat food. Cats are true predators and should not have grain. That creates diabetes; obesity and high magnesium content can cause urinary tract infections, crystals & kidney failure.
• I get all my wet food from Chewy.com or online at https://www.youngagainpetfood.com/cat-food.html
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I supplement this with chicken or beef broth weekly, they get a shot glass of broth to keep their fur soft. I feed these cats ½ can wet food daily with extra water added to the wet food, “Young again “pet food is mandatory”,
it should never be their whole diet. it stinks terribly going in and worse coming out & can rot their teeth over time.
You can (in a separate dish) Add water/chix broth in a small dish daily of dry cat food, to make it wet, they love this.
I feed my cats cooked meats as well, several times per week. They get small amounts of cooked turkey or boiled chicken breast (no bones/spice). Some cats enjoy dairy products (no milk) you can try raw eggs, plain yogurt, or some cottage cheese.
• Additions to foods: Bribery treats are a teaspoon of tuna in water they do NOT like tuna OIL.