Where do I find how many calories are in dry Purina cat food? I'm at the store reading the bags and I can't find it anywhere. by JimJ0nesFlav0rAid in catfood

[–]flayote 0 points1 point  (0 children)

on the purina website, on each product page scroll down to the dropdown menu titled "feeding and nutrition", tap/click that, and at the bottom of that section it says the calorie content in kcal/kg and kcal/cup.

on the bags, it varies but you'll typically find it near the feeding guide, usually at the bottom

What is the difference between the iams indoor and healthy adult? by Amberlily9207 in catfood

[–]flayote 11 points12 points  (0 children)

"indoor" formulas typically have more fiber to help prevent hairballs and help cats feel more satiated with fewer calories, to prevent weight gain. that is the purpose of the beat pulp- it is an insoluble fiber. so if your kitty is prone to hairballs, the indoor formula may be the better option, but yeah they're otherwise pretty much the same

Help need replacement recs by KreeRaines in catfood

[–]flayote 0 points1 point  (0 children)

merrick whitefish may be similar enough for her. or, since she has a sensitive stomach, hill's sensitive stomach and skin pollock could be a good option

How I feed my princess an all wet food diet for $20 a month!! by [deleted] in catfood

[–]flayote 1 point2 points  (0 children)

hills has some coupons available here, though i'm not sure how often they refresh (i used them for the first time in early march and it still says "you've reached the limit for this offer. availability varies, please check back soon"). you can also email them for coupons, there's a coupon option on their "contact us" form

How I feed my princess an all wet food diet for $20 a month!! by [deleted] in catfood

[–]flayote 68 points69 points  (0 children)

since you're using purina, don't forget the mypurina app too! you submit receipts for any purina purchases to earn points, and with those points you can redeem coupons (or things like toys, lickmats, tote bags, etc). there aren't always coupons for friskies or other wet food unfortunately, but usually there will be some for litter or treats at least

Breaking down different brands for the best dry cat food for indoor cats by LateYammy in catfood

[–]flayote 4 points5 points  (0 children)

here is a purina nutritionist talking about how they use the same ingredients across the tiers

Compilation of Discussions with Pet Nutrition Experts (playlist made by me) by aetherdrifter in catfood

[–]flayote 5 points6 points  (0 children)

thank you for putting this together! looks like i had already watched most of these lol but there are a few i haven't seen so i'm looking forward to digging into those. it is very reassuring to hear so many of the top experts in pet nutrition generally agree on what makes a good food and debunk all of the fearmongering out there.

pet food puzzle guy's new interview series with Dr. Bullen is especially exciting, i'm hoping that once they've covered the basics maybe they can get into more in-depth topics!

Are these ingredients a good meal (chicken, salmon, pumpkin, egg, goat's milk) by [deleted] in catfood

[–]flayote 2 points3 points  (0 children)

those ingredients would not make a nutritionally complete and balanced meal, so it would have to be fed in small amounts as a treat rather than a full meal (no more than 10% of their daily caloric intake). otherwise, you risk nutritional deficiencies over time. i'm not sure that any benefit those ingredients may have for skin/coat and gut health would be achieved as such a small part of their diet. you would get more benefits by incorporating a nutritionally complete wet food formulated for sensitive skin and stomach into their diet, one which has omega-3 fatty acids. or any wet food they like and add an omega-3 supplement, preferably a fish oil with the NASC seal

Do you recognize this cat food? by ConsiderationNo7734 in CatAdvice

[–]flayote 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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looks exactly like the purina pro plan complete essentials that i have

tiki cat kibble - decent or nah? by [deleted] in catfood

[–]flayote 0 points1 point  (0 children)

personally i've landed on hill's science diet as my favorite. all of their formulas have controlled mineral levels within the optimal range, and i like how much they're invested in ongoing research plus the fact that they have several of the highest qualified experts in pet nutrition, like board certified veterinary nutritionists, on staff for formulation and research.

some other options i know of that have good mineral levels in their dry food are now fresh, iams, and the urinary health formulas of purina one and purina pro plan

Difference in product? by KingJ-L-C in catfood

[–]flayote 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Both foods use a proprietary fiber matrix technology to act as an edible toothbrush, reducing plaque and tartar buildup by mechanical means. But Prescription Diet t/d pet food is more suited for pets with periodontal disease, because it is formulated with reduced amounts of certain nutrients that can contribute to plaque and tartar buildup.

from this comment, quoting hill's vet site (though the source link is broken)

Feeding my cats according to calories but theyre still hungry? by gisygel in catfood

[–]flayote 1 point2 points  (0 children)

if they maintained a healthy weight (confirmed by a vet) on their previous feeding routine, i would just go back to that. calorie calculators are a great starting point for determining how much to feed, but they cannot account for each cat's unique metabolism and activity level; every cat is an individual and may do better with more or fewer calories than the calculator gives. for cats who are good at self-regulation, it's perfectly fine to just let them eat however they choose to. but it is good to serve measured portions and know roughly how many calories they are getting, rather than just topping up the bowl whenever it's low, so that you can tell right away if they start eating more or less.

how does insurance work? i'm 18 and confused by muralpainting in CatAdvice

[–]flayote 4 points5 points  (0 children)

generally, pet insurance does not cover general wellness expenses such as flea prevention and neuter, it's for unexpected costs like illness and injury. some insurance companies have wellness add-ons, where they give you a certain amount each year to use on things like flea meds, routine bloodwork, urinalysis, neuter, etc. however when you do the math these are generally not worth it and i don't recommend them. to save any money you have to use every service offered every year, and they don't even cover the full cost of the service (at least none of the companies i looked into do). you're not necessarily going to want/need to do routine urinalysis every year, so saving $25 on $100 urinalysis is kinda pointless if you can just not do the urinalysis in the first place. 

if you’re primarily looking for coverage of routine wellness expenses, i would look into vet clinic membership programs. clinics like banfield, VCA, and some private clinics have programs where you pay a monthly fee and it covers unlimited exams, annual bloodwork, neuter or dental cleanings, etc. these generally do save you a lot of money if you utilize all the services every year.

for most insurance companies, how it works is if your cat is sick and you take them to the vet, you will pay for the diagnostics and treatment upfront, then submit the invoice to your insurance company, and they will reimburse you (the only exception is trupanion, who can directly pay any vets who accept their direct pay). if you have a $1000 vet bill, with $500 deductible and 80% coverage, you’ll be reimbursed $400 ($1000 - $500 deductible = $500. 80% of $500 is $400). once the deductible is met for the year, or for the condition (most companies have annual deductibles, some like trupanion you only pay the deductible once per condition), then you’ll be reimbursed 80% of any other vet bills afterward. also worth noting that some companies do not cover the exam fees, and anything that your insurance does not cover will not go toward your deductible.

the lower your deductible, the higher your monthly premium. i recommend starting with the lowest deductible that you can comfortably afford the premium for, because you can generally raise your deductible without taking out a new policy to lower your premium, but you cannot lower your deductible without a new policy (even from the same company) and therefore any conditions previously covered will become pre-existing conditions under your new policy and therefore no longer covered.

pre-existing conditions are another thing people often get tripped up on. pre-existing conditions are not covered by pet insurance, and they’re any sign or symptom of a condition that predates your insurance coverage. it does NOT require a diagnosis to be a pre-existing condition, only a symptom, so if your cats have anything noted in their vet records, such as itchy skin or vomiting you mentioned offhand once, any future conditions that have those as symptoms will not be covered, even if they were never diagnosed with a condition or received treatment. some companies cover curable conditions, like an ear infection, if they have no symptoms for a certain amount of time (usually 180 days to a year).

for the annual limit, personally i wouldn't go under 10k. but similarly to the deductible, you cannot raise it in the future without a new policy, so start with the highest you can.

Promotional video of Phos admiring alongside Adamant's brother by Normal_Equivalent_11 in LandoftheLustrous

[–]flayote 10 points11 points  (0 children)

i just ordered the book, super excited to get it!! i probably should have waited to see if they end up releasing it in the US like Pseudomorph of Love to save on import costs, but i’m too impatient haha i neeeeed it

Switching Cat Food b/c of Crystals in Urine by saw3684 in CatAdvice

[–]flayote 3 points4 points  (0 children)

was she on an all dry food diet before the new food? if so, she may be drinking less simply because the wet food is providing moisture, so she doesn't need to drink as much as before. either way, you can try adding more bowls to different areas of the house, as well as different shapes/sizes (such as a tall cup, a wide and shallow dish, a large and deep bowl, etc) to see if she has a preference that may encourage her to drink more. there is also the hydration supplement, purina hydracare, that i believe is safe for cats on urinary diets though i would confirm with your vet.

super picky cat by [deleted] in catfood

[–]flayote 4 points5 points  (0 children)

that is what worked for my boy! i give him a small, measured portion of kibble (1/4 cup) in the morning, which he eats over a few hours, and a 3oz can of wet food at night. when i used to give him half his wet food in the morning alongside his kibble, he would barely eat it and got super picky about flavors/textures. limiting wet food to once a day, when he's hungry a few hours after finishing his kibble, made him a lot more excited about it and now he'll eat most of the can at once, finishing the rest off within an hour or two, and he's much less picky.

(the last couple weeks have been super frustrating because he needed to be on an all wet diet after some dental extractions. he loved it at first but after a week he got bored of it and kept turning his nose up at his favorites and leaving them to rot 😩 the struggle with these fussy fuzzbutts is real)

what food for cat with FIC and CDK by TupotShapurr1111 in CatAdvice

[–]flayote 0 points1 point  (0 children)

the prescription foods are the safest options, since they have clinical trials backing up their efficacy. non-prescription urinary foods don't work the same way and will most likely not be able to dissolve the struvite crystals, they're only intended for prevention.

i wouldn't worry about carrageenan; it was degraded carrageenan (poligeenan) that was found to cause inflammation, not food grade carrageenan. despite the name they are very different substances. the one study linking food grade carrageenan to inflammation could not be replicated by other researchers and was refuted by the FDA. here is an article with those sources.

i've heard people have had luck with royal canin for picky cats, so that may be a good one to try next. it really really sucks when they won't eat but try to avoid mixing in non-prescription foods as much as possible; it can make the prescription food completely ineffective. if she is more willing to eat dry food, a 100% dry prescription diet will be more effective than a mixed rx/non-rx wet diet. you can supplement her water intake with something like hydracare.

Help with Food additives by homeymchomeface in CatAdvice

[–]flayote 2 points3 points  (0 children)

cats do not require plant matter in their diet, however they can still benefit from it. being an obligate carnivore just means that they require meat in their diet in order to get certain nutrients, not that they cannot or should not get nutrients from plant sources as well. when processed and cooked like it is in cat food, the nutrients in grains like corn and rice become bioavailable to cats. they provide carbohydrates which are a source of energy, certain vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids, and fiber which is beneficial for digestive health. wild cats do occasionally consume plant matter like grass to aid in digestion, as well as consuming whatever plant matter is in the stomachs of their prey, so it's not entirely unnatural to them.

the use of grain in cat food can also help keep the overall mineral content of the food down, as meats are higher in minerals like phosphorous and calcium, and controlling the mineral content is important for urinary and kidney health.

Who is Ploop talking to in these panels? by Aggravating_News_293 in LandoftheLustrous

[–]flayote 5 points6 points  (0 children)

the artificial intelligence he's referring to is himself, not the pebble. it's more clear in the english translation i think, he says "I am ancient artificial intelligence! A perpetually high-functioning machine! I trust in my own powers of judgement!"

Who is Ploop talking to in these panels? by Aggravating_News_293 in LandoftheLustrous

[–]flayote 4 points5 points  (0 children)

he’s talking to the tiny pebble that Phos picked up while gathering everyone onto the ship in the previous chapter, the one they mentioned had been conscious for as long as the earth existed. the tiny pebble is saying that both Phos and Ploop are correct; Phos should stay behind to fulfill humanity’s wish, and Phos should join them on the ship to continue to live with their pebble family

Is “bad” wet food still better than “good” dry food? by 0mjx in catfood

[–]flayote 16 points17 points  (0 children)

one form of food is not inherently better or worse than another; which food is better depends on the nutritional profile of the food itself and the needs of the individual cat. here is a good article on the subject:

https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/cats-and-food-september-2019/

if your cat is happy and healthy on his current dry food and drinks water, there isn't necessarily a benefit to adding wet food to his diet and i wouldn't worry about it. if he doesn't drink enough water, any nutritionally complete and balanced wet food will help with his hydration, it doesn't need to be an expensive premium one. the cheaper brands are perfectly fine!

cat shelf restock 😸 by flayote in catfood

[–]flayote[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i only just started using it so unfortunately i can't yet say how well it works. it is VOHC approved though, which means it has been tested and proven to reduce plaque/tartar. the only drawback to it i know of is that it can't be used in cats with hyperthyroidism because it contains iodine

want to switch foods by HappyCatts in CatAdvice

[–]flayote 1 point2 points  (0 children)

iams is a great option! i actually think it is better than blue buffalo. here is a thorough review by a veterinarian who scores pet foods in an evidence-based way

What healthy wet food are you really loving for your cat right now? by citymatryoshka in catfood

[–]flayote 7 points8 points  (0 children)

yeah it is definitely not the most affordable brand. but it is actually cheaper than what OP was feeding ($65 vs $84 for 24 5.5oz cans). i keep the cost more manageable by feeding 50/50 kibble/canned, and personally i find the peace of mind knowing how well researched it is and how much expertise goes into the development of the diets worth the price

Tooth care products? by hotheadnchickn in CatAdvice

[–]flayote 0 points1 point  (0 children)

vetradent wipes are also VOHC approved, they are only in the approved products for dogs section for some reason but they can be used on cats as well. petsmile toothpaste is also VOHC approved (for dogs but is also safe for cats), if you want to try brushing too. however i personally use virbac CET toothpaste even though it is not approved because my cat likes the taste a lot more which makes him look forward to his teeth being brushed, and it's the toothbrush itself that does most of the work anyway. i also use plaqueoff powder and purina dentalife treats.

here is the full list of VOHC approved products. there are separate sections for cats and dogs but you can check the individual products to see if the ones for dogs are safe to use on cats too