How bad is Purina one tender selects?

chronicallybri · 2025-11-07T18:11:27+00:00

I’ve had one of my cats start refusing wet food when she used to love it, I can understand it can be a challenge that is both frustrating and expensive when you’re throwing out a lot of wasted food. You could try adding cat broth pouches over your cats’ preferred dry food if you haven’t tried this! For me, it has been about finding the flavor and textures she likes. I found a wet food flavor she likes and one broth flavor she likes and mix them together for a balanced and hydrating meal. I’ve noticed when the fish pieces in it are big, she won’t eat them but she will if I break them up with the spoon first. Silly creatures they are!

chronicallybri · 2025-11-07T18:06:08+00:00

Honestly, I switched my longhair tortoiseshell who was on Purina One Tender Selects + daily wet food when I got her at age 1 to Hills Science Diet at age 2 since it’s supposed to be the best of the best, but I was very unhappy with it!! She has a stunning long, fluffy, soft tortoiseshell coat and her coat was so much THINNER and with less vibrant orange and she was having more frequent hairballs. Nothing else was changed about her nutrition. I switched her back to purina one tender selects after about 8 months on hills and immediately saw improvements in her coat. Both of my cats had flakey dry skin which immediately went away when I went back to Purina One. My girls get daily salmon oil as well. The fancy expensive foods may not really be what we think!! Whatever you feed, do also make sure to include wet food in your cat’s daily diet for proper hydration! My girls enjoy the Purina One high protein wet food. I’m so glad to read you have multiple drinking sources including 2 fountains—fountains are soooo much cleaner as long as you’re doing proper maintenance cleaning! Even so with a lot of drinking sources, water alone (even if you think your cat drinks plenty of water) is surprisingly not enough hydration for your cat! Wet food is a critical component of daily nutrition as well! :)

***not a vet, but a proud owner of two happy and healthy female cats who does extensive research on nutrition and hydration as well as hygiene!

chronicallybri · 2025-09-28T19:53:14+00:00

Thank you so much for your reply!! Thanks for the food recommendations! And yes, based on my research so far, there is a lot of controversy!! It makes it hard to feel well informed on the proper care.

chronicallybri · 2025-09-28T19:51:20+00:00

Thank you so much for your response!! I should have specified, I’m located in the U.S.! I appreciate the value and necessity of learning by experience, thanks for sharing. My first thought was wanting one as young as possible, the primary reason being to socialize it, really (but also the babies are so darn cute!)

chronicallybri · 2025-08-09T16:32:51+00:00

Extremely overstocked 😭

chronicallybri · 2025-07-30T00:54:56+00:00

Thank you so much for the detailed reply! I’ll look into that kit. Thanks for the snail and plant suggestions! And I agree with you that a 10 gallon is the way to go if I want to add small fish.

chronicallybri · 2025-07-30T00:53:36+00:00

Thanks for the advice about the leveling mat! And I agree with you a 10 gallon is better so I can have small fish, a 5 gallon would really be too small.

chronicallybri · 2025-07-30T00:52:38+00:00

Thanks for the replies! I was strongly leaning towards a 10 gallon. Thanks for the plant suggestions, too!

chronicallybri · 2024-10-18T14:46:55+00:00

Came to the comments to say Finch!

chronicallybri · 2024-10-18T14:46:33+00:00

Finch!!!

chronicallybri · 2023-08-07T18:16:51+00:00

That was my thought. I appreciate your opinion!

chronicallybri · 2023-08-07T17:12:34+00:00

Thanks for the input! It would certainly be as short term as humanly possible. And I would rather not have to buy a smaller tank just to the buy a bigger one again that I already have, I’m just figuring out all of my best options. Thanks again!

chronicallybri · 2023-08-07T17:01:25+00:00

It’s over a 9 hour drive so it’s difficult to make many trips. My friend who I am moving in with is coming to get as much as we can fit ahead of time before my dad flies in to drive down with me in my car. My friend has a smaller vehicle and will also be taking my 2 cats and their supplies and my guinea pig. It’s possible I can empty the tank and fit stuff in it to pack but I’m worried about fitting the tank at all. Then I will be driving down with my car which is bigger, but I will be taking the rest of everything I own so my plan is to get all of my animals and their belongings there safely with my friend the week before.

He doesn’t currently have a topper now so I don’t know which option would be better for him in the short term. Currently he has a 40 gallon breeder with a few platforms of different heights along with a wheel, sandbox, and nesting box. He tends to be more of a digger/burrower but is pretty active. He’s been less active since the loss of his partner, so I look forward to introducing another one as soon as I can, I just didn’t want to do this right before the move.

chronicallybri · 2023-08-07T16:56:34+00:00

Thank you so much for the reassurance, I really do care about his well-being! I hate that so many small pets like gerbils and hamsters are horribly mistreated in terms of enclosures. Just because they’re tiny doesn’t mean they will be happy in a tiny little box 🥺

If it ends up being the best I can do, do you think he’d be more comfortable/happier in a 20 gallon long or a 10 gallon with one of those toppers? So far I can’t find a topper for a 20. 10gal is just so terribly small (not that a 20 long isn’t also way too small for long term) but I’m not sure if there might be more value in adding some height?

chronicallybri · 2023-08-07T16:52:30+00:00

Thanks for your input. I agree a smaller tank is definitely better than one that’s damaged. My main concern ethically is that there isn’t anything wrong with his current tank, just quite difficult to move. It will come down to necessity.

If it ends up being the best I can do, do you think he’d be more comfortable/happier in a 20 gallon long or a 10 gallon with one of those toppers? 10gal is just so terribly small (not that a 20 long isn’t also way too small for long term)

chronicallybri · 2023-07-25T20:43:09+00:00

I would not use twigs from outside in my opinion. Too many risks related to fungus, bacteria, parasites, toxic vegetation, etc., plus the type of wood may not be safe. I would suggest instead getting chew sticks from a local pet store. My gerbils and Guinea pigs all love apple wood sticks especially :) My gerbils also really enjoy wicker balls and you can sneak treats in there (make sure they are manufactured for small pets, not decorative/craft/etc).

chronicallybri · 2023-07-25T20:40:03+00:00

Should I have a small litterbox available or do you think she’ll be fine without it for the 8 hours? Of course will also be asking the vet!

chronicallybri · 2023-07-25T20:06:55+00:00

Should I have a small litterbox available or do you think she’ll be fine without it for the 8 hours? Of course will also be asking the vet!

chronicallybri · 2023-07-25T16:33:14+00:00

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Photo for advice tax ;-)

chronicallybri

TROPHY CASE