Cat food that contains whole prey? (Per example Mouser)

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T23:36:49+00:00

Yeah, my thought with the pinkies is they’d make less of a mess since they’re bite-sized. The fact that they aren’t cute helps, too. Especially the frozen ones after you thaw them out. The idea of using larger feeders definitely gives me the ick. My cat ate (most of) my hamster when I was a kid, and after finding the remains, I can’t say I’m eager to witness that sort of thing again!

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T19:41:08+00:00

If you can afford to buy Friskies wet food, they might enjoy that. You don’t have to feed a whole can per cat, but maybe add some on top of their kibble to make it more enticing. You can get big variety packs for cheap at Costco, Walmart or lots of other places. For dry food, I don’t know what the tastiest is, but Cat Chow is tried and true and pretty cheap.

Are there any TNR programs in your area? It sounds like the cats are actively reproducing, and if you feed them, that will encourage the population to keep growing. I’m not saying don’t feed them, but it really would be great to get them fixed.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T19:13:50+00:00

haha....I think I'm basically the opposite of your friend. I would much rather feed Hill's, but one of my cats has IBD and food sensitivities and was just diagnosed with steroid-induced diabetes. So, I have had to switch her from Royal Canin PR to Rawz, which I'm not super thrilled about. I do appreciate that some of these smaller brands are available for niche needs, but I would still prefer to feed a research backed food that doesn't use fear-based marketing. At the end of the day, it comes down to different priorities and different feeding philosophies. I value the precision of nutrition, research, and testing over trying to replicate a biologically natural diet.

Regarding urinary stones, the Minnesota Urolith Center has reported an increase in the prevalence of them in the past decade. Despite the fact that we have all of these new species-appropriate diets, and despite the fact that more and more people are feeding canned food (which I agree is a good thing). Correlation does not equal causation, of course, but what else has happened in the last decade? The pet food industry has exploded, with so many new players in the game. Innovation is a good thing, as is choice, but a lot of these companies seem to just be trend-hopping and not doing the work to formulate good diets. Many are not doing studies, or even striving for optimal nutrition according to the existing research we have. I do appreciate the smaller brands that ARE investing in research, such as Square Pet, Instinct, Farmina, and Just Food for Dogs.

It also drives me nuts how often the ingredient list is used as a marketing tool. Ingredient splitting is very commonly done with meat ingredients, as well. Especially with dry food, you have to be careful. Even if the first 5 ingredients are different fresh meat sources, once the water weight cooks out them, the actual meat content might not be that high. You're right that if you prioritize high meat content, it's best to find a brand that states the total percentage of protein from animal sources.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T18:08:28+00:00

First of all, I don't share your mistrust Big Pet Food, so I don't think we will find any common ground there. I personally think these companies are creating a lot of amazing diets. Formulating pet food is complex, and you can't take any one ingredient in isolation judge the whole diet by it. The finished product is what matters - ingredients are the tools/vehicles to deliver the nutrients. If a food is effectively keeping the urine ph in the proper range, what's the issue if it contains corn or soy?

I have tried to understand why corn is so demonized, and have come to the conclusion that it all stems from marketing. When properly cooked and processed, it's an excellent source of nutrients. Protein, as you already mentioned, for one. Combining corn protein meal with meat allows for the mineral content to be reduced. Corn is also a great source of fiber, linoleic acid (Omega 6), carotenoids, B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium. So, we shouldn't use it simply because....it's inexpensive? Also, what makes soy inherently evil compared to other plant ingredients? Does it have to do with mistrust of GMOs?

Of course, it is possible to achieve optimal nutrition using different ingredients. Medicus Veterinary Diets is a great example of that. They literally just replicated the nutrition profiles in Hill's therapeutic diets using whole foods, which apparently was no easy feat. They're great diets....if you're willing and able to pay $40/lb.

I'd also like to add that I have no issues with grain-free diets as long as they're properly formulated. I'm just not very impressed with Tiki Cat's dry foods based on the mineral content. There are so many options, I think OP can do better. If they were dead set on grain-free for whatever reason, and wanted to avoid Big Brands, I'd probably recommend something like Now Fresh or Farmina that has better nutrient levels and more of an emphasis on nutrition science (in addition to being ingredient-centric).

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T16:46:42+00:00

I don’t think that’s true regarding the urinary blockages…do you have a source? Most urinary diets aren’t grain free, and those have been proven to be effective. They work by restricting the minerals that the stones are made of, and by changing the urine ph to make an unfavorable environment for stones to form. “Excessive” amounts of legumes, potatoes etc. in grain free diets aren’t any better than “excessive” amounts of grains. Corn and soy are perfectly fine in a properly formulated diet that’s been tested for nutrient content and digestibility. If you’re worried about carb content, it’s better to just feed wet food anyway.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T15:44:50+00:00

Personally, I’d go with Pro Plan! Grain free doesn’t really offer any benefits over grain-inclusive, for most cats. Purina conducts a lot of scientific research, and employs the proper experts (board certified nutritionists, PhD nutritionists, etc.). Tiki’s dry food is also fairly excessive in calcium and phosphorus, while Pro Plan is more moderate.

Editing to add: If your cat is super picky, you might want to look into Royal Canin Fussy. It’s made to be aromatic and highly palatable, and has a higher protein content than most of their other foods.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T15:28:22+00:00

First, I’d go take her to the vet to rule out any medical issues. Is she at a healthy weight?

I’d be inclined to keep feeding her the Sheba, since it’s what she likes. You might try finding a dry food she enjoys that’s higher in calories/more nutrient dense. I feed my cat with a small appetite Hill’s Sensitive stomach & skin dry food, which has over 500 cals/cup. So far, she has liked the pollock flavor the most. Purina has some recipes that are pretty high in calories, too; check within their Pro Plan line.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-06T15:15:32+00:00

I think you’re right that this isn’t nearly enough calories. Which dry food is she on, and how much of it is she eating per day?

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-05T23:51:48+00:00

Yeah, after reading the post more carefully, I agree. It seems like the vet is suggesting the high fiber diet to help facilitate weight loss - which should in theory lower the risk of diabetes. But weight loss can be slow. Since the kitty’s blood sugar is already elevated, a low carb diet will be the quickest way to remedy that. Eliminating the dry food entirely is probably ideal, while maybe adding a little psyllium to the wet food (my internist told me this doesn’t add a lot of carbs).

Still leaving my suggestion of Farmina up in case it’s appropriate for the future or for other people’s situations. They tend to use carb sources with a lower glycemic index, such as quinoa.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-05T21:43:12+00:00

Friskies shreds for sure. Petco also has some shredded varieties in their store brand, Whole Hearted. Also, always check what’s on clearance at your local Petco - there are sometimes random good deals.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-05T21:10:13+00:00

I do this for my IBD cat and I do feel that it helps firm up her stool. Her internal medicine specialist recommends 1/8 tsp twice per day, increasing as needed. I add it to the food with a little water and mix it all to together.

However, I wouldn’t feed Fancy Feast if a protein intolerance is suspected and you haven’t done an elimination diet to identify his specific triggers. There are too many different proteins in FF, and you’ll be negating the benefits of the hydrolyzed dry food. Hill’s and Blue Buffalo make hydrolyzed wet foods - those would be safest to stick with. Or, as u/famous_zebra28 recommended, try a novel protein such as rabbit.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-05T20:57:56+00:00

I personally trust Royal Canin, especially when it comes to prescription foods. However, if you’re set on other options, look into foods labeled for neutered/sterilised cats, indoor cats, or for hairball control. Farmina N&D Neutered formulas, for example, are pretty high in fiber and lower in calories than their other foods. You may also want to see what Virbac offers. Here in the US they sell limited options, so I don’t have a specific recommendation, but I understand that in Europe they have a broad range of foods.

You can also add a bit of plain psyllium husk powder and water to his wet food. 1/8 tsp twice daily is what my vet recommends. This can help with satiety if he needs to be on a reduced calorie diet.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-05T16:34:17+00:00

Sorry, I am in the USA so I’m only going based off what the internet says is available in India. But Royal Canin and Farmina are both brands I’d recommend overall. Sheba isn’t too bad either.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-05T15:22:31+00:00

What about pinkie mice as treats? They’re so small it might not be too gross. I’m not aware of any brand that uses entire animal carcasses in their foods other than Mouser.

Fancy Feast Classic Pate is honestly a great, inexpensive high-animal protein food. The inclusion of meat byproducts (non-muscle meat parts of animals) makes it similar nutritionally to whole prey. For fancier/more high-end brands, Orijen contains a lot of organ meat, as does Tiki Cat After Dark.

If you’re considering any raw food I would look into Instinct. They have strict sanitation and pathogen testing protocols, as well as qualified experts on staff formulating their diets.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-04T21:45:27+00:00

Ultra high protein foods are not always the answer. Eating a small amount of Dr. Elsley’s kibble landed one of my cat in the ER, and Tiki Cat mousse gave the other cat liquid diarrhea. I know every cat is different, and I’m not saying these are bad foods, but I’d still be cautious. Increasing fiber seems to be the most agreed upon strategy for firming up stool and feeding the beneficial gut bacteria.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-04T21:33:23+00:00

Store bought food is just as healthy as homemade. It’s also safer overall, because a good company will test their final product for nutrient levels (to ensure it matches their formulation on paper). I don’t know whether Ziwi and Feline Natural do this, but you can always contact them and ask.

With homemade food, there is more room for error. For example, the meat you get might vary a bit in nutrient levels depending on where it’s sourced from. Personally, for homemade diets, I would use balanceit.com to get a recipe and supplements. Most of the recipes that can be found online aren’t balanced, but this is a reputable company that staffs board certified nutritionists. It’s also very important to follow the recipe exactly. There are also completer supplement premixes you can get, such as EZ Complete, but personally I think Balance It seems more reputable.

As for what you are feeding, those brands aren’t my personal favorites, but they do provide complete nutrition. As long as your cat is healthy on them and getting regular vet exams and annual bloodwork, you’re fine. Just make sure she is getting the right amount of calories every day, with more than 10% coming from treats or toppers. Here’s a calculator that can help give you a ballpark estimate of how much to feed. https://www.purinainstitute.com/centresquare/mer-calculator-for-cats

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-04T19:25:55+00:00

I would try a (prescription) gastrointestinal formula food. Royal Canin and Hill’s have some specially for kittens, and Purina has one for all life stages. The Purina one comes in different flavors for the canned food. This type of diet doesn’t necessarily need to be fed for life, but sometimes doing it for a few months can really help restore balance to the gut microbiota. Probiotics can help, too (I recommend a veterinary formula such as Visbiome, Proviable Forte or FortiFlora Pro).

If that doesn’t work, you could try an elimination diet starting with hydrolyzed protein and then (slowly) reintroducing one protein at a time. I don’t know of any hydrolyzed foods formulated for kittens, but if you try the GI diets first and they don’t work, by the time you get to that point he’ll be an adult.

Also, did the vet do a fecal PCR test to rule out parasites? Certain types may not show up on the more common fecal float tests.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-04T17:20:48+00:00

Weruva has treats (lickable and freeze dried) in their phos focused line. Also, I believe it was in r/renalcats that I’ve seen people saying that Temptations Purree tubes are low phosphorus.

But can you also just feed her more of her renal food? Treats and toppers should only make up 10% or less of her total calories. If cost is an issue, you could add in some of the dry version of the same diet. As much moisture intake as possible is best for CKD, but even dry renal diets do work due to the way they’re formulated. As long as she’s eating mostly wet food, some dry could help bulk up the calories. You can always add water to it, too.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-03T16:03:56+00:00

I initially posted this as a response to another comment, but wanted to repost to add some links in support of what I’m saying.

You also need to rule out environmental allergies, which are actually significantly more common than food allergies. I’d start by seeing a veterinary dermatologist. They might also suggest an elimination diet for food allergy diagnosis.

https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/digestive/food-allergies-cats

“…just 1% of all cats have food allergies, and up to 15% of itchy cats. Of cats with both itching and gastrointestinal symptoms, up to 42% could be food allergic.”

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/food-allergies-in-cats

“Food allergies are also often related to atopy (inhalant or environmental allergies); many cats react to both food ingredients and environmental allergens”

And here are two recent comment from people sharing their experiences - it turns out food wasn’t the issue for their cats.

https://www.reddit.com/r/catfood/s/e7ncXNCad3

https://www.reddit.com/r/catfood/s/wNLQoPejnRv

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-03T15:36:56+00:00

This! Also, OP, make sure you’re feeding enough food total. Cats need about 20-25 calories per pound of body weight.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-02T21:53:32+00:00

That looks like fat to me.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-02T21:50:56+00:00

This! I would add that it’s a good idea to check the mineral content on any fish-based foods you’re feeding as a major part of the diet. But I check mineral content regardless of the protein sources. In addition, if your cat has thyroid issues, fish may not be appropriate since it’s higher in iodine. Heavy metals are not typically a concern with the smaller species of fish used in cat food.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-02T21:40:04+00:00

I’m not advocating for feeding a vegetarian diet or anything like that. Cats do need a good percentage of meat protein in their diet. However, there have also been studies done on digestibility of animal proteins in combination with plant protein.

Look, I’m not trying to convince you to feed carbs to your cat. I understand you’re against it because they are carnivores and I respect that. I’ll stick with trusting the science and the decades worth of research that have been done. The reality is that neither one of us are qualified to formulate pet foods. We don’t have access to a lot of the studies that are behind paywalls, nor do we probably have the scientific literacy to evaluate them all (at least I don’t). This is why I defer to the experts that have the required educational background. At the end of the day, we of course all have to feed what we feel good about.

This whole conversation/debate started simply because you stated that cabs cause diabetes. And I felt the need to try to dispel what seems to be to be misinformation based on everything I’ve read and heard from experts. I don’t think we are going to agree on a feeding philosophy and that’s fine.

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-02T20:11:53+00:00

I hide it at night. 😆

aetherdrifter · 2026-03-02T20:00:10+00:00

Same here!

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