Need premium cat food recommendation!

I've been feeding my cats Nutro Max dry food for many years (free feed). Last March one of my two boys passed on, and suddenly the dry food bowl stopped emptying out. It turns out he was the only one eating the Nutro - my other boy decided he didn't like it anymore. The Nutro used to have a sort-of triangular shape to it, but they switched to a pellet shape and I think that's what he dislikes. (other pellet-shaped food hasn't gone over too well, either) I had a sample of the new Fancy Feast dry food, and he loved it so that's what I've been feeding him for now. The FF stuff comes in a variety of shapes that are almost identical to the marshmallows in Lucky Charms! However, I want to switch him back to a premium brand, but only if I can find one that's not pellet-shaped. Anyone have suggestions?

Aha! Never mind... I'd been feeding them Nutro Natural Choice Complete, which is pellet-shaped, but the regular Nutro Max has angles. But I'll still welcome recs for other brands you've liked (or should I say, your cats have liked).

My cat used to get Meow Mix and seemed to like it just fine. My cats vet recommended IAMS and Science Diet to me. I tried the IAMS and he didn't like it at all. Then I switched him to the Science Diet Senior ( he is 8) Hairball control and he seems to like that alot better. And it triangular.

Hmm, I'll have to get a sample of the SD Senior hairball control (my boy is almost 11 and has a thick double-coat that sheds like you wouldn't believe). I'd tried SD, both dry and canned, in the past but my cats have never greeted it with much enthusiasm. I think all the Iams varieties are now pellet-shaped. Call me a snob, but I'm reluctant to give my kitties supermarket dry food! Most of them have too many carby fillers and not enough high-quality protein. I used to like Whiskas Select back when it existed, though.

I raised mine on Science Diet and they tended to like it.. but they weren't real finicky eaters. When Sadie died in 2003 (she was 18) that all changed as Mraz is showing his true, finicky eater colors!! Currently I'm using Purina ONE indoor weight control formula (mine are free feed, too) and they seem to like it (maybe too much?) but I do give them Iams and will occasionally use a food I get at PetsMart called Royal Canin. The kids love it and there are lots of formulas to choose from.. based on age, environment, even breed.. unfortunately, they grow little piggy noses and piggy tails when it comes out and we go through it too fast! But it's good stuff and I do recommend it. Stef

Okay, I need to try out Royal Canin! I looked at their product selection, and the page for the feline Oral Sensitive formula - designed for cats prone to plaque and similar dental problems - has a photo of a young Chartreux. 1. This breed is indeed prone to tartar problems! 2. I've bred and shown Chartreux, and my sole remaining purebred is a boy from my first litter. (we also have a random-bred girl) Yeah, I'm easy. Just ask me which wet cat food I bought when Sheba used a Chartreux for their ads. And I live 1/2 mile from a Petsmart...

Okay, so I am a cat nut and have gone so far as to make home-made raw foods for our cats. I am a fan of high-quality raw diets and so I can be pretty hard on most dried foods. However, I also realize that each cat is different and that their preferences and needs are unique, so I have spent a lot of time looking for the absolute best food options for our fur-babies. I now use Nature's Variety "Prairie" foods and they are working very well, even for our cat with special needs (early stage kidney disease). One of the awesome things about this particular food is that it comes canned, freeze-dried, frozen raw and dried, which means you can switch forms (we feed some canned, some dry and some frozen every day) if your kitty is finicky about the form of the food. It some of the best food widely available, in my humble opinion. It is not carried by the larger chains, but independent pet stores carry it. It is considered "Super Premium," so it costs more than some of the other foods out there, but after talking to my (holistic) vet and after talking at length about cat food with the president of a local rescue organization, I feel confident saying it is worth the purchase. Monte, our 4-year-old male DSH, was on Nutro Max when we got him from a resue organization. He was under-weight and full of dander. He now has a beautifully shiny coat and is extrememly healthy. Zoey, our female with Renal failure and a history of hyperthyroid, actually gained weight (in spite of an over-active thyroid) and had her symptoms of illness (vomitting, loose stools, etc) reduced significantly when we switched her to raw foods and super-premium brands from Fancy Feast (which she loved, but had trouble keeping down). We had the thyroid problem treated, but we kept her on the great foods. I can't say enough about what diet can do for a cat! If you are looking only for dry, the best food out there is probably Artemis Fresh Mix Adult Formula. This is not widely avilable but can be purchased by mail-order. The food is shaped roughly like a small square with a hole in the middle. The President of Kitten Rescue (who fosters huge numbers of cats in his home year-round) actually buys Artemis and Prairie foods out-of-pocket (not at rescue organization expense) because he believes so strongly in their quality--especially for the cats they get in who have had serious neglect and medical issues. If you can afford to feed them the very best (I know -- that is often an issue, for us, too), I would encourage you to try it! Best, Nikki Johnson

Thanks for the info! A friend of mine recently switched her two young Bengals to Nature's Variety and is very pleased with it. One of the nearby pet supply stores carries it, so I'll give it a try. My biggest concern isn't price, but availability. We plan to move out of the country in a few years - Nature's Variety is readily available in our second-choice location, but isn't distributed to our top choice. However, if a raw food diet turns out to work well I can always do the hard work myself. Anything for my babies.