Confused about cat food? Sign up for my free cat food mini course so you can find the best food for your cat → caticles.com/label-cheat-sheet/ Ready to ditch processed food and feed a FRESH cat food brand? Use my proven plan to switch your cat's food without dealing with a picky cat → store.caticles.com/switch-your-cats-food/?ref=yt-video-best-2021
Thank you so much for providing so many helpful details regarding "actual" ingredients, the dry matter calculator, vitamins, etc! Best channel I've seen for quick and succinct facts....all for the well-being of our beloved furry little friends! 🙂👍
Thank you so much, Robin! I really appreciate your feedback and support (: That's my goal - deliver the facts so that cat parents can make smarter shopping decisions!
My fur-baby is my ONLY companion. Her diet is an extremely important issue to me now. My cat doesn't like raw. She drinks water about a quarter cup per day so she is getting fluids. She hates the Dr. Marty diet. I am going broke trying to get her a decent diet. Chewy is the delivery source I use, but the brands you recommend aren't on their list. HELP!
@@jesscaticles Once again, you have done such a wonderful job of providing information. I lost my beloved Allie a year and a half ago from kibble, I had no idea how dangerous that stuff is, long story short a got another beloved furry friend and was feeding her both kibble and wet. I give her Instinct but she also had issues with the kibble so I completely stopped it all, never ever again!!! She eats chicken Instinct but I recently put her on Orijen, their new wet cat food, has lots of liquid in it and I mix both of them for her and she transitioned perfectly. This is my question. She does not drink any water. It doesn't matter how I give it to her, what kind of container, believe me I have tried every avenue possible. Is she getting enough liquid with just the wet cat food that I give her.
Ziwi Peak is a winner for my 3 toothed 9 year old boy who can’t take raw. He loves the Rabbit and lamb, Chicken and Beef cans. I reckon if he hadn’t of had genetic gum disease at 2 years he would of loved the air dried food. Ever since I discovered Ziwi 3 years ago I never look back, Yes it’s expensive but I buy from a whole sale big online pet store here in Australia called Pet Circle and it’s cheaper.
The Kiwi and NZ food companies seem like great options, they're transparent and use clean ingredients. My only concern is that kelp is high in iodine, I hope they're testing for amounts regularly. Edit: Just read another comment saying Kiwi Peak has got cooked bone pieces in the wet food which can harm a cats throat and stomach, yikes!
Awww kittens are fun but a lot of work! I'm glad my videos have been helpful. You may find my website helpful too. Here is my kitten care guide: www.caticles.com/kitten-care/
Just recently adopted a kitten. Looks like I’ll be returning the food I just got her since it definitely is not measuring up after learning more. If you’re curious it’s called “Whole Earth Farms “Grain Free Recipe” Healthy Kitten” So glad I saw your videos! Thank you. 🙏
You're very welcome! Many of these brands are formulated for all life stages which would be appropriate for kittens. Just remember to try one at a time and transition cat food slowly 😻
@@jesscaticles So of course they're yours! I suspected. Not that I can probably afford one... but do you sell them? I love the idea of their faces being the dominant part of the painting. They all have such individual facial features.
My Rhamses had pancreatitis and we merged to Darwins raw and he lived a very healthy and happy life, with a year and a half longer than expected. He was 17.
I'm so happy to hear that a raw diet helped him live longer! I've also read their kidney support diet helped a cat live 6 years longer than expected. Very happy that they have options!
I am soooo glad to have found you. I love my baby so much and knew I needed to find the right food. Not the 🤮 stuff in the grocery store. Thank you so much. Now I'll work on finding the right one. 😘 to you and your baby❣
Glad you found me too! If you need more options, I have a more recent video here: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description and includes all types of food 100+ records. My full transition guide is here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html good luck!
Thank you for informing us! I have two former feral cats and feed them Nom Nom and Nacho Flay with other good stuff. Not cheap‼️🐾 will try this one. Glad I found you‼️💓
Thank you. I had been told that a certain canned food was excellent food for my two new kittens. Turns out it was just expensive middle of the road food. I ordered a higher quality from your link.
Your videos are awesome!! Definitely worth much more view. I have newly adopted two cats and your videos are the one who give me detailed and educated info. Thanks
Hi Jess/Jericho, first time watching your posts and I love it! I learned so much in such little time from your videos - I’m feeding our boys (Sampson, Franklin, Tigger) some crappy food 😢 I love that calculator!! I found Ziwi where I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada but it’s really expensive. I did find a reasonable one called Acana, looked at the indoor feast version, and it looks good, based on what I learned from you. Any thots on that one? Thank you for all the incredibly useful information.
You're very welcome! Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food. There are more options and the video is more recent. Acana is good, but overall dry food is not appropriate for cats in the long run.
Just wondering if you have had your thyroid checked - your voice suggests there may be an issue. Love your amazingly informative vids - has helped me tremendously - thank you and all the best from Australia :)
I'd love to see you review the Rawz brand wet cat food. Also I'd like to see you reveiw EZ Complete (mix for raw food). My cat with CKD is doing well on this!
I love Ziwi Peak's Air dried food, but please be aware of the wet food flavors the include chicken and rabbit. It includes bone fragments (not meal or ground bone). This wet food goes through a heating process so they are cooked bone shards that are very sharp. Please be careful. There venison and beef flavors have ground bone.
@@kristiepowers1804 Those are the flavors I've gotten. You still should check them because you may find bone. I've seen this with most brands manufactured in New Zealand like feline naturals and tiki cat after dark pate. However those two have way smaller bone content in their beef and venison lines. The rabbit and poultry have a higher bone fragment content.
Leo thank you for telling us about the bone shards! That's a deal breaker, one would hope that a company specializing in cat food would guard against something like this happening!
I'm glad! Yes flaxseed would provide some carbs. I believe manufacturers use it for fatty acids and fiber. Most commercial foods contain these things, but these brands contain the fewest inappropriate ingredients. Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food. If you need more options (:
My cat wasn't super into food until i transitioned her to a raw diet. Suddenly, taking an hour or longer to finish her meals (even while she was a kitten and constantly hungry) became a quick 5min affair of scarfing down the good stuff (still now after being fully grown)!
I heard a vet saying sweet potatoes are a great natural laxative for cats while not being nutritional it has mechanical properties, how do you feel about that? Also I see lots of these contain flaxseed is that also an easy pooping thing?
Most cats are picky about food changes. In fact, this is the #1 complaint I get. So you are not alone (: Here is an entire playlist of everything you need to know: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html - The first video is a complete guide on how to switch food, specifically formulated for picky cats. Next is my cat food reviews video more recent than this video and includes 100+ records of all types of food. And the remaining videos cover healthy treats, FAQ, and supporting help.
Hi five 👋 Jess!! I've just got two kittens and been researching every known brand of food. I just can't believe all the 'vet approved' and 'vet developed' foods that contain 20 to 30% rice, potato and stuff like cranberries etc. It's horrific! When last did anyone see a Tiger eating a potato? No wonder cats are living shorter lives and dying of liver diseases at 11 years old, poor things. I despair. You are a hero and Jericho is a glossy, handsome boy indeed x🐯x
Hi Hannah!! You are absolutely right. Many cat food brands on the market today are full of inappropriate ingredients for cats. Thanks for your support and kind words! Jericho's fur is definitely silky and smooth and shiny lol 😻
Happened to come across your videos. I just seen your video ''WORST Cat Food Brands''. I ran and checked the recent cat food I bought for my cat Meowser. It's the LUVSOME brand. Two ingredients are Ground Yellow Corn and Corn Gluten Meal.
Yuck! But don't toss it just yet. Cats are sensitive to food changes so you'll need the current food to switch to new food. I also have a full transition guide here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html
I just need to say that as a Kiwi (born and living in New Zealand) - a-thank you, and: you're welcome. Lol. Tbh we have all the terrible brands as well. But at least we also know how to use our awesome produce to feed our furbabies!
LOL!! So many great foods coming from your home! I'm very happy to recommend them (: I know most countries only have bad brands, unfortunately. Those brands have been around for decades so they have the money to expand wherever they want. But I'm hopeful that more and more good quality brands will be popping up!
The only true way to know what is in your cats food is to make it yourself. Google it, many many options. As Dr. Pol says, cats may like fish, but it really isn't as good for them as turkey and chicken. I made a huge turkey one time, added bone meal and all sorts of things, taurine etc. that was good for cats. Put the whole thing bit by bit in a food processer. Good consistency, added spring water to make it the right consistency. Put it into portions and froze it, taking out and thawing on counter each day. Started out putting a few Tbs on top of canned food. They just loved it! Of course I only did it a few times, life gets busy and opening a can is so easy. But it is an option. I also got those finger tooth brushes and once a week brushed their teeth. They seemed to love it! Who doesn't love the feeling of clean teeth?
thank you for the video! it would be useful to calculate the dry matter basis of phosphorus for the foods too! because it's not good to have phosphorus >1% for older cats!
You're welcome! You would have to reach out to the pet food maker for nutritional analysis. If it isn't on the label, we can't do the dry matter conversion. But once you have this information, you would do the same conversion as this video shows. You may also use the USDA database, but you would be guessing and assuming the amounts. Typically, phosphorus is an issue with cats that have impaired kidney function. If that's the case, I have options for that here: www.caticles.com/kidney-care/.
Please do a video of how you make home made cat food and what should be added etc. How meals can be made, portioned and frozen. Need some examples of balanced raw meat meals. Also the things that must be added with raw meat. You could even do it in bulk for the month.prep the meals and freeze them. I'm new in the raw food diet and I want to make sure he is getting everything his diet needs. I give him one portion of dry food before bed but otherwise he is eating wet food and raw meat. I'm trying to get him to eat more wet food and less kibble and it's working.hes starting to enjoy supper time because he knows I would have put some raw meat away for him. Or I cook him what ever meat we are having. Boils his meat. Fish definitely because that he can't have raw.but he loves boiled fish and chicken. He will eat anything you give him. That's why I need to make sure that what I'm giving him is the best.
Keep watching (: I don't recommend any type of dry food for cats. Cats rely on food for moisture so no matter what brand or ingredients, dry food is not appropriate. More on moisture here: ruclips.net/video/NmpfAzYejsE/видео.html Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t and my full guide to switch food here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html
Hi Jess, love your videos.. alot of info and alot to learn on my end for my cats diet. What would be your opinion on just have a canned wet food diet for my cat's?
If wet food is better for your budget that's great! The goal is to feed a high moisture diet. And you can always add fresh food toppers like meat from the grocery store. I talk about toppers in this video: ruclips.net/video/zc1eCxKSPjk/видео.html
Look at it this way... would you rather invest your money in good quality food and have a potentially healthier cat in the long run... Or would you rather save money now on cheaper food and potentially spend more later down the road trying to fix health issues. Of course, it isn't a guarantee that your cat will get sick eating cheap low quality food. But you stand a better chance at a healthier cat with better quality food. A homemade raw diet (using fresh ingredients and a vitamin/mineral premix) would be much cheaper! But of course you have to spend more time making the food. There are a lot of different factors involved.
Me, too. But my boy has been near death twice from UTI’s and my vet said “No cheap food!” rather emphatically. I’ve had cats all my life and never had an issue with Friskies, etc. As I understand it, it’s not too uncommon a condition in male cats. But he hates the prescription food he’s on. He goes on strike. Vet said to check out RUclips, so I did! I know it’s pricey but I never want to see him that ill ever again.
Pretty baby look so soft so sweet!!! I want to try Ziwi Peak, but I'm concerned that my cats might not like the shape. Which ..for how much it costs...keeps me from trying it. Especially since my cats don't eat much kibble (mostly homemade mixed with commercial wet--that pate texture is hard to get right, but they are very texture-picky)
@@jesscaticles Unfortunately they won't eat enough wetter foods to get all of their calories. If I was home to give them 5 meals a day I think they could do it, but I gotta go to my silly job. So I give them dry in an autofeeder for lunch and wet/homemade for breakfast and dinner. I want to try to make dry food at home when I get an air fryer. And I do put some calorie-boosting gel in their wet food, but if I put enough in there, they won't eat it. My sweet picky babies. The vet said that wet is best, but to try giving them some kibble because they're too small (not dangerously so, though)
I review freeze dried foods in 2 other videos. But I also have a list of reviews here (including stella and chewy): ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food.
Hello! I seen you the other day, and I was like “wow, she is beautiful and I love her voice”! Anyway, a couple years ago, my cat had crystals in his urinary tract, and had an operation, which resolved it. Here, two years later, he is still eating the prescription food by Hills, which is CD, metabolic, stress, hard food. I have also been feeding him the Blue Bull wet food, but after seeing this, video, im now going to change his food. As far as the prescription food, I’m a little puzzled, because I’m wondering what I should give him, as the vet said, he may have to have that food the rest of his life. He is also overweight, but he’s nearly impossible to get him to lose weight. He just wants more food all the time. I feel bad that hes hungry or something.
Just wondering if its farm raised salmon which i am not to thrilled about because of the high antibiotics used in salmon when they are raised in penned fish farms
You're right to worry! Perfect commercial cat food does not exist. That's why my top choice is balanced homemade. But people ask me to review cat food so that's why I make these videos. I have a full guide on homemade cat food here if you prefer: ruclips.net/video/2uM6smRI3A8/видео.html&t.
Hi Jess, thank you so much for all your help! I especially appreciate that you show where you can find each brands product in different countries! I ended up buying my almost one year old cat, the feline natural wet food cans as well as the freeze dried raw. I'm going to introduce it to him slowly. However I was just wondering if you know anything about the brand Almo Nature, they carry wet cat food? Is that one any good?
You're welcome! I believe almo has many that are complimentary so be sure to read the label and look for "complete and balanced". Otherwise, it's just a treat.
I LOVE your channel! Ive learned so much! I am trying to introduce my cats to raw but its difficult. I have one who is addicted to dry. Do you have any thoughts about Farmina dry for cats? I am also trying Stella & Chewys freeze dried raw in small increments for their transition.
Thank you! I'm glad my videos are helpful (: Farmina is one of 80 dry food brands I analyzed. It got a 57.5% rating. I cover much better quality dry food brands in this video: ruclips.net/video/f9WjNgIQmhk/видео.html You may have to use those dry foods before going to wet or raw. Cats are picky about change, and most dry foods have flavor enhancers sprayed on them. Cats develop a serious craving for the stuff! I just published a video yesterday about transitioning foods: ruclips.net/video/jVVgW16sDz8/видео.html Let me know how it goes!
Because of my location i am unable to get these so I recently transitioned my cats over to Zeal , what is your thought on that brand? Do you consider it to be better than Acana? And thank you for making this information available to us!
Right now I'm feeding Isaac hills prescription diet c/d urinary care. He had a problem with crystals and stones in his bladder when he was younger and had to have 2 different operations so my vet prescribed hills diet c/d which has worked (no crystals) but I wonder if their may be a better food for him that would also prevent crystals?
I was wondering if I can transition to the air dry food and wet food (ziwi /new Zeland natural like you showed) and the not transition to raw food just air dry for meal 1, wet for meal 2 and air dry for meal 3? Right now they are on kibble and wet food and have been gaining weight And I want to start the transition to air dry and healthier wet!
Ideally if you can do 100% wet that's better than any type of dry in the diet. The air dried food is better quality, but it's still dry. Cats rely on food for moisture so that's why 100% high moisture is best.
Aw thank you! I am not familiar as I'm not a doctor and never had to use them. Check what Dr. Becker has to say: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/12/17/pet-intestinal-worms.aspx
I love your videos! I have a question: what do you think about the Rawz brand dry cat food? After giving my cats ziwi for a while it's just too expensive and I'm trying to lower the price a little. I think Rawz doesn't have much recognition but it's supposedly close to the quality that ziwi is, although its not freeze-dried.
Thank you! Rawz is definitely one of the better ones. But ziwi's ingredients are much better. If you can swing high moisture diet that's the best though (: just try to think about long-term savings because your cat is getting better quality nutrition.
@@jesscaticles Okay good to know. I couldn't figure out how much more ziwi cost in the long run but I think rawz is cheaper. I put a splash of water on top of the food in morning/evening so they can get extra moisture. I'm trying my best to give them the best diet without killing my bank account :'))
Excellent video! Thank you for all the excellent Info... And love your kitty! He is so sweet and lovable ! I think all vets need to know this info! Why do they still recommend such crappy food like science diet and others! Guess they are getting a kick back which is disgusting! And because it’s at the vet people just feed what they recommend without even checking anything out!
Hi Cathy, Thanks for your comment! Jericho is my baby boy (: That's a great point! Here's the thing... veterinarians are medical doctors. Their training is in medicine, not nutrition. So they rely on pet food manufacturers to tell them what's good. And the big brands like science diet have been around for decades. They are owned by billion-dollar companies. So they have the money to do clinical feeding trials. That's what vets care about. The hard data. However, the issue is typically these clinical feeding trials use their "prescription" food and a generic even lower quality kibble. Obviously one of them will be better. So since the "prescription" diets are "clinically proven", vets recommend them. We can't expect veterinarians to also be nutritionists. That's why I want to empower people to learn how to read cat food labels so they can decide what to feed and not rely on anyone else to tell them what to feed.
Hello! I don't recommend dry food at all for cats because it's too low in moisture. Any wet food is better than the "best" kibble (doesn't exist) simply because wet food has an appropriate moisture content. Please use the info in this video as well as AAFCO labeling to evaluate cat food (: I have an entire playlist dedicated to AAFCO labeling here: ruclips.net/video/3TfenJ7op0U/видео.html I've been researching cat food since 2017, and these are the best I've come by. I can't possibly review every single cat food that's made!
I have subtitles on my other videos. for some reason youtube did not make them for this video. Check out my more recent video with food reviews here: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - there are subtitles and the video is more recent than this one.
Looks like 1 - only makes dry, no good for cats 2 - only 37% meat, not high enough 3 - owned by purina, indicates poor quality 4 - can't find their website easily, not a good sign The brands I mention in the video are the best I can find. They are available outside the US. Please check the description for locations of each.
Thanks so much for the valuable information. I am a new owner kitten. Can a feed my 4 months kittens with this brands or just for adults formula. Thanks
Hello! Thank you for the video! I recently bought a maine coon and the breeder told me to feed ROYAL CANIN which I now know is not the best to feed :( expensive too! What do you suggest I feed her since she is larger than most house cats?
I'd suggest to continue feeding whatever she came to you with. Even if it isn't the best food. Cats are sensitive to changes so it's better to keep something consistent while she adjusts to her new home. My top recommendation is raw but this doesn't work for everyone. I created a new playlist on how to feed cats better here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html - so that playlist includes everything you need (:
Hi Jess! Great content as always! I recently introduced my cats to Ziwi Peak Beef Recipe Canned Cat Food. Is it safe overall? Any preservatives or something to be concerned about? Thanks! Also, what about carbs in the beef recipe?
HI! Thank you!! (: Ziwi peak is definitely one of the best wet canned foods you'll find! I think they use chickpeas and maybe a few other carb ingredients. But the overall quality of meat ingredients is far better than other wet foods. Unfortunately, every cat food has preservatives. Unless you're making it fresh. But when we look at the overall picture of ziwi, it's def much better quality than other brands out there.
@@jesscaticles Thanks for the insight on ziwi peak wet food. Moreover, if one is to see the list of ingredients on wet food, I find that it is mentioned that there are no preservatives added unlike the air dried ziwi food. That means, if no preservatives are added then this food doesn't have long life once the can is opened, which in my opinion is a good thing! What's your take on that?
@@xt355 I agree! Fresh is best! The cans are designed to keep the food fresh. But yes, once opened it will expire more quickly. But the same is true for kibble. The bags are designed to keep the product "fresh" but once opened, it should be used up within less than a month. I always ask, "would you eat food that has a 2-year shelf life?" LOL also, many people think kibble has a long shelf life but it doesn't. All foods have polyunsaturated fats that oxidize and turn rancid very quickly. So people that leave kibble out all day are actually promoting mold, bacteria, and rancid fat growth.
@@jesscaticles Thank you for being so articulated! Agree with your thoughts fully! Also, are you too using ziwi peak wet food for your cat? By the way lovely cat you have there! And, in your view, do you think ziwi peak wet canned food is a healthy food overall? Is there anything unhealthy about it that I should be concerned about? Thanks! :)
@@xt355 Thank you!! Jericho eats 100% raw food. You can check out his feeding routine here: ruclips.net/video/4KLjabgQtnc/видео.html But I recommend ziwi peak on my website and videos for people that are not ready for raw yet. Or perhaps they need an in between food because their cat will not touch raw yet. My mother fed ziwi peak to her 4 cats on their way to raw. And my best friend also used ziwi peak to get her cat off kibble. The healthiest option, in my opinion, is a properly balanced raw diet. Properly balanced raw mimics the cat's natural diet the most. And it will have the least amount of processing, preservatives, and any other questionable ingredients. I have an entire playlist dedicated to raw for beginners, including what holistic vets have to say about feeding raw: ruclips.net/video/SMHYEMFmjV4/видео.html
I gave my cat a highly rated New Zealand lamb wet cat food and he seemed to love the first can - then would never eat it again. I ended up giving it away. Maybe that's because I didn't transition him slowly? I thought it was close enough to what I was giving him, but maybe I was wrong.
Mine is a CKD cat...I was looking to see the Dry Matter Basis of Phosphorous(less than 70% nice) and Protein(less than 40% ideal)....not sure what's even meet the requirements...
I have a page dedicated to kidney care here: www.caticles.com/kidney-care/ - with veterinary resources including Dr. Lisa Pierson's chart comparing cat foods and phosphorus levels.
ziwi peak air dried was a no go, 4 cats refused & the square shapes are strange for swallowing, they aren't really soft. Was I supposed to hydrate them?
Most cats are picky about food changes. In fact, this is the #1 complaint I get. So you are not alone (: Here is an entire playlist of everything you need to know: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html - The first video is a complete guide on how to switch food, specifically formulated for picky cats. Next is my cat food reviews video which includes 100+ records of all types of food (if you need more choices). And the remaining videos cover healthy treats, FAQ, and supporting help.
I have a "kidney " cat and need a low phosphorus food. Am currently using prescription Hills k/d cans and dry. Is this any better than the Hills brands you have analyzed? Can you recommend any brands for kidney cats?
For the Feline Natural Chicken and Lamb Feast example, the word "feast" means that the ingredients are at least 25% chicken + lamb, but less than 95% chicken + lamb. However, the protein is 9.6% and the fat is 5% which means that 14.6% of the product is derived from meat. So it doesn't meet the minimum 25% requirement for chicken + lamb that the word "feast" requires. Therefore, are the AAFCO word terms only valid for American-made animal foods? It seems that would be so because isn't he first A in AAFCO for "American"?
You have to analyze products on a dry matter basis. Taking GA numbers as is from the label does not tell you % of meat in the product. The product name does. Also, GA protein and fat are provided on minimums. It could be higher than that.
My cat likes fresh meat so much he finds his own and keeps the local rat population under control. The vet said to me on his latest annual check up that his rat habit probably explains why at 13 he has teeth as good as a 4 year old.
People who take care of multiple cats can't afford some of these options and yes this is when they don't eat out themselves. We do the best we can with all the cats we take care of. Blue Buffalo is the only dry food I found years ago that didn't cause a urinary blockage. They also get wet food but we can't afford to spend over a dollar for a 3 oz can. We could for one cat but we are feeding thirteen.
Do what works best for you. But keep in mind that dry food is very dehydrating for cats. So buy whatever wet food you can afford. Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food.
At quick glance of a few wet and dry foods isn't that impressive. It seems that they don't add a lot of meat ingredients (most only have 1 source). Additionally, they add a decent amount of amino acids back which tells me the meat source isn't sufficient enough. Also, a long list of synthetic vitamins and minerals that may not be necessary if they used good quality meat ingredients and more of them.
Hi I would like to know will cat food shipped oversea by plane still be good?I live in a country which only sells really low quality pet food so i am thinking about ordering from US. Btw i love your videos and got a lot of knowledge from your vids.
Hi Jay, Most of the brands I mention here are Canada or New Zealand-based. So they must get to the US by plane. Freeze-dried raw and wet canned food should be fine by plane. Both are designed to stay fresh without refrigeration. But you may not be able to get frozen raw food from the US. Most of the US brands only ship to the US. If you find one that does ship outside the US, let me know! And thanks so much!! I'm glad my videos are useful! (:
Thank you for the information. I’m thinking of ordering through a cargo service that ships to my country, Myanmar [currently in coup :((( ]. From starting this year i have been ordering ziwi and nz natural from Singapore but it’s really expensive there and cheaper in the US. So I am gonna try buy from the US.
@@Jay-jw5qn Ah, ok. That's great that you're able to get it somehow. I understand that it's costly, however. I am currently in the practicum section of my nutrition certification program. Once I am certified, I will publish videos on how to make homemade cat food. I think that would be the best option for you because then you could buy your ingredients locally!
Yes, feed a variety of proteins. But I always suggest using at least more than one brand because you never know when something will be out of stock. I think what you're asking is, if it is the same brand different protein, do I need to transition food slowly? The answer is yes.
Well freeze dried raw is easier to rehydrate whereas air dried is dryer. So for cats who need moisture from food, freeze dried that has been rehydrated is better.
I've indicated in the description which are suitable for all life stages (meaning appropriate for kittens too). Please transition food slowly. You can check out my transition guide here: ruclips.net/video/jVVgW16sDz8/видео.html&t . Let me know how it goes (:
So I wanted to calculate the carbohydrate percentage of our dry food but unfortunately they didn't only leave out the carbohydrates in their analysis but also the water content ... Does that mean that the other percentages r already written down as if if had a moisture content of 0%?
Hi Yasmin! Citric acid is a common preservative in commercial cat foods. Any food that sits on the shelf requires preservatives. Long-term consumption of these things is not great, however. That's why I recommend a properly balanced raw diet. It's as close to natural as you can get. At the end of the day, there's always something that isn't great for cats in all commercial cat foods. But ziwi peak's major ingredients are much better quality than most commercial brands. That's why I include it in this list.
@@jesscaticles Oh okay, thank you so much for your reply! Would you recommend a balance between the Ziwi raw and air dried? And, how long would be “long-term consumption”?
@@yasminflores4386 Ziwi does not have raw. They make air dried and wet canned food. For clarification and what I recommend, please rewatch the video. Or you can read here: www.caticles.com/best-cat-food-brands/. I'm not sure how to rate long-term consumption. Perhaps more than a few months. Cats live much shorter lives than we do so their "long-term" has a different meaning
@@yasminflores4386 That's the best, in my opinion! I have a playlist dedicated to starting raw for beginners here: ruclips.net/video/SMHYEMFmjV4/видео.html Be sure to check the description for related articles on my website. You may also want to check out my Switch to Raw ebook course here: www.etsy.com/listing/977150085/switch-your-cat-to-raw-ebook-course if you prefer to have everything in one place. Good luck!
If your cat eats the raw diet or freeze dry diet, can you catch anything from cross contamination because of the raw. If your cat loves to give kisses on your cheek and also my nephews are both small, would they catch anything? Sorry all these questions. My cats are older, one is 18yrs old female would this help her gut so she can use the litter box. My other cat is 15 yrs old and very overweight would this be good for weight loss? I have one needs to gain and the other needs to lose, both are indoor kitty's or do I just make their food homemade....any suggestions???
Hi Angela, Homemade cat food requires a lot of planning to do it correctly. Cat nutrition is complex, and they need very specific amounts of everything. I'd suggest going with wet or freeze-dried raw first. There is a risk of contamination, however, this risk is possible even with kibble. In fact, a large kibble manufacturer recalled over 120 products this year due to potential salmonella contamination. Typically, a raw food diet can help with health issues. But every cat is an individual so of course those needs will differ. What are the cats eating now? I have a weight loss plan here: www.caticles.com/how-to-get-a-cat-to-lose-weight/ And if you're concerned with bacteria, a wet food diet would probably be the best option. High protein, low carb is best. I have a more recent video with options here: ruclips.net/video/bzDVaL1tqoo/видео.html&t - there are runnerups in the description too. Please transition cat food slowly. Here's my guide on that: ruclips.net/video/jVVgW16sDz8/видео.html
@@jesscaticles thank you for replying so quickly. My cats are eating blue buffalo indoor and was going to switch of to science diet for grain for my oldest one because she gets blocked up so bad by fecal
@@angelaragone7743 You're welcome! Grains aren't appropriate for cats. If you're concerned about blockage, you can try coconut oil or pumpkin powder. Those are much better fiber/loosening up sources. I don't recommend either of those food brands because they are made with low-quality ingredients. If you feed better quality food, your cat shouldn't have issues going to the bathroom.
Yes you're right! Unfortunately, every commercial cat food contains some type of carbs. But these brands use much more meat ingredients and none are mystery by-products.
I feed mine soulistic skipjack and tuna. For my non every day fish lover I feed him turkey pate by wellness. I tried chunks. He gulps his food. Comes back up in minutes. He does not like lamb or duck either. My other fussy cat hates duck or lamb. Loves rabbit but not daily. And must be fish. Neither like veggies. They hate raw food. Both seniors. Both hate salmon So feed what they will eat on my budget. Difficult with 2 different tastes and expensive to toss. Occas friskies when they just won't eat the good stuff day. Remember on senior fixed incomes - impossible to buy all time. Same for my food. Ohhh so I can feed treats as regular foods. That's awsome
Okay, picked up the Ziwi Peak canned Lamb. Sunny went literally NUTS over it. He couldn't get enough. It is a 6.5oz. can, and he is probably about 4 1/2 lbs now at 5 months. So according to the can, he should only get 1/2 can of food a day. He has probably eaten that already & is the 2nd time he ate today. It seems like so little (half a can to feed him --this equals one small can of food, yet I'm sure cuz it is packed with real food, he doesn't need as much?) This stuff stinks sooooo ranky bad. That's probably why he loves it. I'm gonna have to wear a mask when I feed him.
The can should have separate instructiosn for kittens (unless that's what you're reading for me). But with kittens, you should feed the amount necessary for the adult projected weight. So right now he doesn't weigh 10 pounds but that's generally the ideal weight for most cats. So you would feed him as much food as a 10 pound cat would eat. The food stinks because of the lamb tripe! Tripe is naturally stinky because it contains predigested plant matter that the lamb just ate.
I saw your other comments about ziwi peak being sold to a Chinese company. These things happen and that's exactly why I feed homemade raw/whole prey to Jericho. I buy from small farms that source locally and USDA inspected breeding facilities. That way there are less supply chain steps on the ladder. I'm not sure why your comments were deleted. YT is so weird sometimes and comments just disappear! I have the notification for them and could read a snippet. But then when I click to comment back, the comment is gone. I'm not sure what else you included in the comment. All I was able to read was about the company being sold and that Sunny is eating it.
@@jesscaticles I don't know why RUclips would remove my comment, maybe because I spoke negatively about China in regard to their reputation/history of pet food? It's a company called FountainVest they have partnered with. I really don't want to do the homemade raw, but I still probably feed Sunny better than anyone I know with pets (other than you. :) ). A natural pet store recommended Primal Pronto freeze dried raw, but feeding suggestions are 1 3/4 cup a day which would end up being $180 a month. No can do. Maybe we can buy the "toppers" of freeze dried food to sprinkle over the wet. We bought a number of the Ziwi Peak canned Lamb. Hopefully, those won't be part of the 'new and improved'. Ziwi was questioned about this 'move ' on their facebook page. Their response was that nothing will change. Tiki after dark is manufactured in Thailand. So discouraged.
Confused about cat food? Sign up for my free cat food mini course so you can find the best food for your cat → caticles.com/label-cheat-sheet/
Ready to ditch processed food and feed a FRESH cat food brand? Use my proven plan to switch your cat's food without dealing with a picky cat → store.caticles.com/switch-your-cats-food/?ref=yt-video-best-2021
Hi Jess maybe you should check out Marilyn Myers question, on your channel.
Thank you so much for providing so many helpful details regarding "actual" ingredients, the dry matter calculator, vitamins, etc! Best channel I've seen for quick and succinct facts....all for the well-being of our beloved furry little friends! 🙂👍
Thank you so much, Robin! I really appreciate your feedback and support (: That's my goal - deliver the facts so that cat parents can make smarter shopping decisions!
My fur-baby is my ONLY companion. Her diet is an extremely important issue to me now. My cat doesn't like raw. She drinks water about a quarter cup per day so she is getting fluids. She hates the Dr. Marty diet. I am going broke trying to get her a decent diet. Chewy is the delivery source I use, but the brands you recommend aren't on their list. HELP!
@@jesscaticles Once again, you have done such a wonderful job of providing information. I lost my beloved Allie a year and a half ago from kibble, I had no idea how dangerous that stuff is, long story short a got another beloved furry friend and was feeding her both kibble and wet. I give her Instinct but she also had issues with the kibble so I completely stopped it all, never ever again!!! She eats chicken Instinct but I recently put her on Orijen, their new wet cat food, has lots of liquid in it and I mix both of them for her and she transitioned perfectly. This is my question. She does not drink any water. It doesn't matter how I give it to her, what kind of container, believe me I have tried every avenue possible. Is she getting enough liquid with just the wet cat food that I give her.
Jess, you're a wonderful cat mom. Love is in the air.
Aww thank you!!! 😻
Ziwi Peak is a winner for my 3 toothed 9 year old boy who can’t take raw. He loves the Rabbit and lamb, Chicken and Beef cans. I reckon if he hadn’t of had genetic gum disease at 2 years he would of loved the air dried food. Ever since I discovered Ziwi 3 years ago I never look back, Yes it’s expensive but I buy from a whole sale big online pet store here in Australia called Pet Circle and it’s cheaper.
Awww! I'm glad ziwi has worked for you. It's definitely one of the better brands.
Jericho is sooo handsome!!! He is so fortunate to have you!!!
The Kiwi and NZ food companies seem like great options, they're transparent and use clean ingredients. My only concern is that kelp is high in iodine, I hope they're testing for amounts regularly.
Edit:
Just read another comment saying Kiwi Peak has got cooked bone pieces in the wet food which can harm a cats throat and stomach, yikes!
I have kitten Russian Blue and i know i have to be very vigilant of what they eat. You’re helping a lot. Thank you
Awww kittens are fun but a lot of work! I'm glad my videos have been helpful.
You may find my website helpful too. Here is my kitten care guide: www.caticles.com/kitten-care/
Just recently adopted a kitten. Looks like I’ll be returning the food I just got her since it definitely is not measuring up after learning more. If you’re curious it’s called “Whole Earth Farms “Grain Free Recipe” Healthy Kitten” So glad I saw your videos! Thank you. 🙏
You're very welcome! Many of these brands are formulated for all life stages which would be appropriate for kittens. Just remember to try one at a time and transition cat food slowly 😻
I love the paintings of the cats eyes!
Thank you!! I watch a lot of bob ross and bill alexander. But I'm still working on portraits (:
@@jesscaticles So of course they're yours! I suspected. Not that I can probably afford one... but do you sell them? I love the idea of their faces being the dominant part of the painting. They all have such individual facial features.
Jericho! :) I can’t wait to adopt a cat one day, I’ll definitely always have your videos in my playlist!
Awww!! Thank you! (:
wow, I learn so much from you. thank you so much. been a cat person all my life, still love small/midsize dogs too, anyway this info is incredible
excellent video. I knew most info but not all. Am grateful.
Glad it was helpful!
What a beautiful cat you have!
Thank you! 😊
My Rhamses had pancreatitis and we merged to Darwins raw and he lived a very healthy and happy life, with a year and a half longer than expected. He was 17.
I'm so happy to hear that a raw diet helped him live longer! I've also read their kidney support diet helped a cat live 6 years longer than expected. Very happy that they have options!
Thanks for this info.
I am soooo glad to have found you. I love my baby so much and knew I needed to find the right food. Not the 🤮 stuff in the grocery store. Thank you so much. Now I'll work on finding the right one. 😘 to you and your baby❣
Glad you found me too! If you need more options, I have a more recent video here: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description and includes all types of food 100+ records. My full transition guide is here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html good luck!
Thank you for informing us! I have two former feral cats and feed them Nom Nom and Nacho Flay with other good stuff. Not cheap‼️🐾 will try this one. Glad I found you‼️💓
so glad you made this video! i’m loving all of your content!!!
Aw thank you so much!
Thank you. I had been told that a certain canned food was excellent food for my two new kittens. Turns out it was just expensive middle of the road food. I ordered a higher quality from your link.
Glad it was helpful!
Your videos are awesome!! Definitely worth much more view. I have newly adopted two cats and your videos are the one who give me detailed and educated info. Thanks
I'm so glad!! Thank you for your kind words and support. Congrats on your two new buddies (:
Hi Jess/Jericho, first time watching your posts and I love it! I learned so much in such little time from your videos - I’m feeding our boys (Sampson, Franklin, Tigger) some crappy food 😢 I love that calculator!! I found Ziwi where I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada but it’s really expensive. I did find a reasonable one called Acana, looked at the indoor feast version, and it looks good, based on what I learned from you. Any thots on that one? Thank you for all the incredibly useful information.
You're very welcome! Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food. There are more options and the video is more recent. Acana is good, but overall dry food is not appropriate for cats in the long run.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL INFORMATION !!!!
Just wondering if you have had your thyroid checked - your voice suggests there may be an issue. Love your amazingly informative vids - has helped me tremendously - thank you and all the best from Australia :)
I’ve been researching this for a while and the information you talk about is awesome!! Thank you so much!! Definitely have learned a lot!!
I'm so glad!
I'd love to see you review the Rawz brand wet cat food. Also I'd like to see you reveiw EZ Complete (mix for raw food). My cat with CKD is doing well on this!
I love Ziwi Peak's Air dried food, but please be aware of the wet food flavors the include chicken and rabbit. It includes bone fragments (not meal or ground bone). This wet food goes through a heating process so they are cooked bone shards that are very sharp. Please be careful. There venison and beef flavors have ground bone.
Great point!
So should I get the venison and beef? Not the chicken and rabbit?
@@kristiepowers1804 Those are the flavors I've gotten. You still should check them because you may find bone. I've seen this with most brands manufactured in New Zealand like feline naturals and tiki cat after dark pate. However those two have way smaller bone content in their beef and venison lines. The rabbit and poultry have a higher bone fragment content.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS IMPORTANT INFO !!!!!
Leo thank you for telling us about the bone shards! That's a deal breaker, one would hope that a company specializing in cat food would guard against something like this happening!
I'm finding your channel so valuable! BTW, doesn't the flaxseed supply some carbs?
I'm glad! Yes flaxseed would provide some carbs. I believe manufacturers use it for fatty acids and fiber. Most commercial foods contain these things, but these brands contain the fewest inappropriate ingredients. Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food. If you need more options (:
My cat wasn't super into food until i transitioned her to a raw diet. Suddenly, taking an hour or longer to finish her meals (even while she was a kitten and constantly hungry) became a quick 5min affair of scarfing down the good stuff (still now after being fully grown)!
I heard a vet saying sweet potatoes are a great natural laxative for cats while not being nutritional it has mechanical properties, how do you feel about that? Also I see lots of these contain flaxseed is that also an easy pooping thing?
"Just, just tell me what to feed my cat!" OMG, THAT was funny! Mainly because you read my mind! Soooo.....? LOL!
I'd like to see a review on revel cat food
This is so helpful! I'm trying to change my cat over but he's addicted to kibble. I will invest in some freeze dried food soon!
Most cats are picky about food changes. In fact, this is the #1 complaint I get. So you are not alone (: Here is an entire playlist of everything you need to know: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html - The first video is a complete guide on how to switch food, specifically formulated for picky cats. Next is my cat food reviews video more recent than this video and includes 100+ records of all types of food. And the remaining videos cover healthy treats, FAQ, and supporting help.
Hi five 👋 Jess!! I've just got two kittens and been researching every known brand of food. I just can't believe all the 'vet approved' and 'vet developed' foods that contain 20 to 30% rice, potato and stuff like cranberries etc. It's horrific! When last did anyone see a Tiger eating a potato? No wonder cats are living shorter lives and dying of liver diseases at 11 years old, poor things. I despair. You are a hero and Jericho is a glossy, handsome boy indeed x🐯x
Hi Hannah!! You are absolutely right. Many cat food brands on the market today are full of inappropriate ingredients for cats. Thanks for your support and kind words! Jericho's fur is definitely silky and smooth and shiny lol 😻
We feed Feline Natural and have been using freeze dried raw food as treats. Sami thankfully loves trying new flavours of food.
That's great! I always tell people about feline natural. Good idea to use freeze dried raw food as treats. I tell people to do that as well!
Happened to come across your videos. I just seen your video ''WORST Cat Food Brands''. I ran and checked the recent cat food I bought for my cat Meowser. It's the LUVSOME brand. Two ingredients are Ground Yellow Corn and Corn Gluten Meal.
Yuck! But don't toss it just yet. Cats are sensitive to food changes so you'll need the current food to switch to new food. I also have a full transition guide here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html
Thanks for the information 😊 this is very helpful 😊
You're very welcome!
Exceptional!!!
So very helpful. Thank you so much!
You're very welcome! (:
Love your videos. Your such a sweet and honest person!!!
I just need to say that as a Kiwi (born and living in New Zealand) - a-thank you, and: you're welcome. Lol.
Tbh we have all the terrible brands as well. But at least we also know how to use our awesome produce to feed our furbabies!
LOL!! So many great foods coming from your home! I'm very happy to recommend them (:
I know most countries only have bad brands, unfortunately. Those brands have been around for decades so they have the money to expand wherever they want. But I'm hopeful that more and more good quality brands will be popping up!
My kitten loves Ziwi Peak wet and dry. Lamb is absolutely wonderful and she is crazy for this food.
That's great!! I'm glad it's working well for you. My mother used ziwi peak's air dried to get her 4 cats off kibble (:
The only true way to know what is in your cats food is to make it yourself. Google it, many many options. As Dr. Pol says, cats may like fish, but it really isn't as good for them as turkey and chicken. I made a huge turkey one time, added bone meal and all sorts of things, taurine etc. that was good for cats. Put the whole thing bit by bit in a food processer. Good consistency, added spring water to make it the right consistency. Put it into portions and froze it, taking out and thawing on counter each day. Started out putting a few Tbs on top of canned food. They just loved it! Of course I only did it a few times, life gets busy and opening a can is so easy. But it is an option. I also got those finger tooth brushes and once a week brushed their teeth. They seemed to love it! Who doesn't love the feeling of clean teeth?
Hey Jess! What breed is your awesome cat?
thank you for the video! it would be useful to calculate the dry matter basis of phosphorus for the foods too! because it's not good to have phosphorus >1% for older cats!
You're welcome! You would have to reach out to the pet food maker for nutritional analysis. If it isn't on the label, we can't do the dry matter conversion. But once you have this information, you would do the same conversion as this video shows.
You may also use the USDA database, but you would be guessing and assuming the amounts.
Typically, phosphorus is an issue with cats that have impaired kidney function. If that's the case, I have options for that here: www.caticles.com/kidney-care/.
@@jesscaticles thank you! I'll take a look for sure!
@@ks96119 You're welcome!
Any recommendations on senior cats or cats with renal kidney issues? Also how do I introduce new food gradually and phase out old?
Hi, is it fine to feed my 8 yrs old cat with a food that contains it says 1% phosphorus?
Wow -- thank you Jess for posting this wealth of quality cat food info! 👍🏼
Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless you & your family.
You're very welcome! 😸
Please do a video of how you make home made cat food and what should be added etc. How meals can be made, portioned and frozen. Need some examples of balanced raw meat meals.
Also the things that must be added with raw meat. You could even do it in bulk for the month.prep the meals and freeze them. I'm new in the raw food diet and I want to make sure he is getting everything his diet needs. I give him one portion of dry food before bed but otherwise he is eating wet food and raw meat. I'm trying to get him to eat more wet food and less kibble and it's working.hes starting to enjoy supper time because he knows I would have put some raw meat away for him. Or I cook him what ever meat we are having. Boils his meat. Fish definitely because that he can't have raw.but he loves boiled fish and chicken. He will eat anything you give him. That's why I need to make sure that what I'm giving him is the best.
I've already made those videos (: an entire playlist for raw beginners here: ruclips.net/video/SMHYEMFmjV4/видео.html
I love how the cat is a cohost for the video!
Jess very glad I found your site is Iams dry cat food ok for my cats I'm really checking out your stuff Thanks... Elaine
Keep watching (: I don't recommend any type of dry food for cats. Cats rely on food for moisture so no matter what brand or ingredients, dry food is not appropriate.
More on moisture here: ruclips.net/video/NmpfAzYejsE/видео.html
Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t and my full guide to switch food here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html
Hi Jess, love your videos.. alot of info and alot to learn on my end for my cats diet. What would be your opinion on just have a canned wet food diet for my cat's?
If wet food is better for your budget that's great! The goal is to feed a high moisture diet. And you can always add fresh food toppers like meat from the grocery store. I talk about toppers in this video: ruclips.net/video/zc1eCxKSPjk/видео.html
Is fussie cat a good food?recently switched to this from pet values store brand.
Great info, I just wish these quality cat foods would be affordable.
Look at it this way... would you rather invest your money in good quality food and have a potentially healthier cat in the long run...
Or would you rather save money now on cheaper food and potentially spend more later down the road trying to fix health issues.
Of course, it isn't a guarantee that your cat will get sick eating cheap low quality food. But you stand a better chance at a healthier cat with better quality food.
A homemade raw diet (using fresh ingredients and a vitamin/mineral premix) would be much cheaper! But of course you have to spend more time making the food. There are a lot of different factors involved.
Me, too. But my boy has been near death twice from UTI’s and my vet said “No cheap food!” rather emphatically. I’ve had cats all my life and never had an issue with Friskies, etc. As I understand it, it’s not too uncommon a condition in male cats. But he hates the prescription food he’s on. He goes on strike. Vet said to check out RUclips, so I did! I know it’s pricey but I never want to see him that ill ever again.
Pretty baby look so soft so sweet!!!
I want to try Ziwi Peak, but I'm concerned that my cats might not like the shape. Which ..for how much it costs...keeps me from trying it. Especially since my cats don't eat much kibble (mostly homemade mixed with commercial wet--that pate texture is hard to get right, but they are very texture-picky)
Why would you downgrade to dry? Keep up homemade and wet food!
@@jesscaticles Unfortunately they won't eat enough wetter foods to get all of their calories. If I was home to give them 5 meals a day I think they could do it, but I gotta go to my silly job. So I give them dry in an autofeeder for lunch and wet/homemade for breakfast and dinner. I want to try to make dry food at home when I get an air fryer. And I do put some calorie-boosting gel in their wet food, but if I put enough in there, they won't eat it. My sweet picky babies. The vet said that wet is best, but to try giving them some kibble because they're too small (not dangerously so, though)
Hello Jess, thanks a million for sharing this very important information. Do you have any thoughts about freeze dried Stella and Chewy?
I review freeze dried foods in 2 other videos. But I also have a list of reviews here (including stella and chewy): ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food.
@@jesscaticles Thanks for your answer. I still don't see anything about Stella and Chewy.
Thank you so much
You're very welcome!
Hello! I seen you the other day, and I was like “wow, she is beautiful and I love her voice”!
Anyway, a couple years ago, my cat had crystals in his urinary tract, and had an operation, which resolved it. Here, two years later, he is still eating the prescription food by Hills, which is CD, metabolic, stress, hard food.
I have also been feeding him the Blue Bull wet food, but after seeing this, video, im now going to change his food. As far as the prescription food, I’m a little puzzled, because I’m wondering what I should give him, as the vet said, he may have to have that food the rest of his life.
He is also overweight, but he’s nearly impossible to get him to lose weight. He just wants more food all the time. I feel bad that hes hungry or something.
Just wondering if its farm raised salmon which i am not to thrilled about because of the high antibiotics used in salmon when they are raised in penned fish farms
You're right to worry! Perfect commercial cat food does not exist. That's why my top choice is balanced homemade. But people ask me to review cat food so that's why I make these videos. I have a full guide on homemade cat food here if you prefer: ruclips.net/video/2uM6smRI3A8/видео.html&t.
@@jesscaticles .. I really like ur channel.. thx Jess for all your efforts..I have learned alot from you..
Hi Jess, thank you so much for all your help! I especially appreciate that you show where you can find each brands product in different countries! I ended up buying my almost one year old cat, the feline natural wet food cans as well as the freeze dried raw. I'm going to introduce it to him slowly. However I was just wondering if you know anything about the brand Almo Nature, they carry wet cat food? Is that one any good?
You're welcome! I believe almo has many that are complimentary so be sure to read the label and look for "complete and balanced". Otherwise, it's just a treat.
I LOVE your channel! Ive learned so much! I am trying to introduce my cats to raw but its difficult. I have one who is addicted to dry. Do you have any thoughts about Farmina dry for cats? I am also trying Stella & Chewys freeze dried raw in small increments for their transition.
Thank you! I'm glad my videos are helpful (:
Farmina is one of 80 dry food brands I analyzed. It got a 57.5% rating. I cover much better quality dry food brands in this video: ruclips.net/video/f9WjNgIQmhk/видео.html
You may have to use those dry foods before going to wet or raw. Cats are picky about change, and most dry foods have flavor enhancers sprayed on them. Cats develop a serious craving for the stuff!
I just published a video yesterday about transitioning foods: ruclips.net/video/jVVgW16sDz8/видео.html
Let me know how it goes!
Because of my location i am unable to get these so I recently transitioned my cats over to Zeal , what is your thought on that brand? Do you consider it to be better than Acana? And thank you for making this information available to us!
Right now I'm feeding Isaac hills prescription diet c/d urinary care. He had a problem with crystals and stones in his bladder when he was younger and had to have 2 different operations so my vet prescribed hills diet c/d which has worked (no crystals) but I wonder if their may be a better food for him that would also prevent crystals?
is taurine like the taurine in red bull?
I was wondering if I can transition to the air dry food and wet food (ziwi /new Zeland natural like you showed) and the not transition to raw food just air dry for meal 1, wet for meal 2 and air dry for meal 3? Right now they are on kibble and wet food and have been gaining weight And I want to start the transition to air dry and healthier wet!
Ideally if you can do 100% wet that's better than any type of dry in the diet. The air dried food is better quality, but it's still dry. Cats rely on food for moisture so that's why 100% high moisture is best.
I just read an article saying inulin from Chickory is bad for digestion. Do you know?
hi Jess
you are awesome thank you
do you know any dewormer medicine for cats??
Aw thank you! I am not familiar as I'm not a doctor and never had to use them. Check what Dr. Becker has to say: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/12/17/pet-intestinal-worms.aspx
Nice job
I love your videos!
I have a question: what do you think about the Rawz brand dry cat food? After giving my cats ziwi for a while it's just too expensive and I'm trying to lower the price a little. I think Rawz doesn't have much recognition but it's supposedly close to the quality that ziwi is, although its not freeze-dried.
Thank you! Rawz is definitely one of the better ones. But ziwi's ingredients are much better. If you can swing high moisture diet that's the best though (: just try to think about long-term savings because your cat is getting better quality nutrition.
@@jesscaticles Okay good to know. I couldn't figure out how much more ziwi cost in the long run but I think rawz is cheaper. I put a splash of water on top of the food in morning/evening so they can get extra moisture. I'm trying my best to give them the best diet without killing my bank account :'))
Excellent video! Thank you for all the excellent Info... And love your kitty! He is so sweet and lovable ! I think all vets need to know this info! Why do they still recommend such crappy food like science diet and others! Guess they are getting a kick back which is disgusting! And because it’s at the vet people just feed what they recommend without even checking anything out!
Hi Cathy, Thanks for your comment! Jericho is my baby boy (:
That's a great point! Here's the thing... veterinarians are medical doctors. Their training is in medicine, not nutrition. So they rely on pet food manufacturers to tell them what's good.
And the big brands like science diet have been around for decades. They are owned by billion-dollar companies. So they have the money to do clinical feeding trials. That's what vets care about. The hard data.
However, the issue is typically these clinical feeding trials use their "prescription" food and a generic even lower quality kibble. Obviously one of them will be better. So since the "prescription" diets are "clinically proven", vets recommend them.
We can't expect veterinarians to also be nutritionists. That's why I want to empower people to learn how to read cat food labels so they can decide what to feed and not rely on anyone else to tell them what to feed.
Hi Jess! I was wondering if you could review the Made By Nacho dry food and if it is as healthy and high quality as people and the chef claim.
Hello! I don't recommend dry food at all for cats because it's too low in moisture. Any wet food is better than the "best" kibble (doesn't exist) simply because wet food has an appropriate moisture content.
Please use the info in this video as well as AAFCO labeling to evaluate cat food (:
I have an entire playlist dedicated to AAFCO labeling here: ruclips.net/video/3TfenJ7op0U/видео.html
I've been researching cat food since 2017, and these are the best I've come by. I can't possibly review every single cat food that's made!
Hi what brand is you cat tree? Thank you I hope replay me please 🙏
I was looking forward to listening to this but I am deaf so missed sharing your knowledge. Is it possible to use subtitles please?
I have subtitles on my other videos. for some reason youtube did not make them for this video.
Check out my more recent video with food reviews here: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - there are subtitles and the video is more recent than this one.
How about
1 equilibrio
2 happy cat
3 cleo
4 nature bridge
which is the best can you pls 🥺💖 i need this or you can recommend me
Looks like
1 - only makes dry, no good for cats
2 - only 37% meat, not high enough
3 - owned by purina, indicates poor quality
4 - can't find their website easily, not a good sign
The brands I mention in the video are the best I can find. They are available outside the US. Please check the description for locations of each.
Thanks so much for the valuable information. I am a new owner kitten. Can a feed my 4 months kittens with this brands or just for adults formula. Thanks
Just make sure the nutritional adequacy statement says "for all life stages" - that means it's appropriate for kittens too.
@@jesscaticles Thanks
@@jessicaalcivar8625 you got it! Also remember to transition to new foods slowly. I have a full guide here: ruclips.net/video/jVVgW16sDz8/видео.html&t
Do you have any suggestions for Canadians who are wanting to feed their cats good food?
Yes! Most of these brands are available in CA. Check the description (:
My oldest cat pukes up any food that is not grain free. Any recommendations?
My Kitties are 4 months old and eat kitty wet food - but worried about that - when can they go onto kiwi wet food?
Amazon sell ziwi peak, just find out now but what food for kitten.
Ziwi peak is suitable for adults and kittens. Check the listing on the label you'll see "complete and balanced for all life stages"
What do you think of Essence?
I don't recommend dry food for any cat because it's too low in moisture. But the wet food looks ok.
I’ve been doing that ,reading ingredients but it’s worse than I thought. I’ll have to try this for my old black female Riah.
Hello! Thank you for the video! I recently bought a maine coon and the breeder told me to feed ROYAL CANIN which I now know is not the best to feed :( expensive too! What do you suggest I feed her since she is larger than most house cats?
I'd suggest to continue feeding whatever she came to you with. Even if it isn't the best food. Cats are sensitive to changes so it's better to keep something consistent while she adjusts to her new home. My top recommendation is raw but this doesn't work for everyone. I created a new playlist on how to feed cats better here: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html - so that playlist includes everything you need (:
Hi Jess! Great content as always! I recently introduced my cats to Ziwi Peak Beef Recipe Canned Cat Food. Is it safe overall? Any preservatives or something to be concerned about? Thanks! Also, what about carbs in the beef recipe?
HI! Thank you!! (:
Ziwi peak is definitely one of the best wet canned foods you'll find! I think they use chickpeas and maybe a few other carb ingredients. But the overall quality of meat ingredients is far better than other wet foods.
Unfortunately, every cat food has preservatives. Unless you're making it fresh. But when we look at the overall picture of ziwi, it's def much better quality than other brands out there.
@@jesscaticles Thanks for the insight on ziwi peak wet food. Moreover, if one is to see the list of ingredients on wet food, I find that it is mentioned that there are no preservatives added unlike the air dried ziwi food. That means, if no preservatives are added then this food doesn't have long life once the can is opened, which in my opinion is a good thing! What's your take on that?
@@xt355 I agree! Fresh is best! The cans are designed to keep the food fresh. But yes, once opened it will expire more quickly. But the same is true for kibble. The bags are designed to keep the product "fresh" but once opened, it should be used up within less than a month.
I always ask, "would you eat food that has a 2-year shelf life?" LOL also, many people think kibble has a long shelf life but it doesn't. All foods have polyunsaturated fats that oxidize and turn rancid very quickly. So people that leave kibble out all day are actually promoting mold, bacteria, and rancid fat growth.
@@jesscaticles Thank you for being so articulated! Agree with your thoughts fully! Also, are you too using ziwi peak wet food for your cat? By the way lovely cat you have there! And, in your view, do you think ziwi peak wet canned food is a healthy food overall? Is there anything unhealthy about it that I should be concerned about? Thanks! :)
@@xt355 Thank you!! Jericho eats 100% raw food. You can check out his feeding routine here: ruclips.net/video/4KLjabgQtnc/видео.html
But I recommend ziwi peak on my website and videos for people that are not ready for raw yet. Or perhaps they need an in between food because their cat will not touch raw yet. My mother fed ziwi peak to her 4 cats on their way to raw. And my best friend also used ziwi peak to get her cat off kibble.
The healthiest option, in my opinion, is a properly balanced raw diet. Properly balanced raw mimics the cat's natural diet the most. And it will have the least amount of processing, preservatives, and any other questionable ingredients.
I have an entire playlist dedicated to raw for beginners, including what holistic vets have to say about feeding raw: ruclips.net/video/SMHYEMFmjV4/видео.html
I gave my cat a highly rated New Zealand lamb wet cat food and he seemed to love the first can - then would never eat it again. I ended up giving it away. Maybe that's because I didn't transition him slowly? I thought it was close enough to what I was giving him, but maybe I was wrong.
My cat ONLY eats Puree type of food. Would it be ok to add water to any of these and make it into a puree?
A puree with freeze-dried raw would be good.
Mine is a CKD cat...I was looking to see the Dry Matter Basis of Phosphorous(less than 70% nice) and Protein(less than 40% ideal)....not sure what's even meet the requirements...
I have a page dedicated to kidney care here: www.caticles.com/kidney-care/ - with veterinary resources including Dr. Lisa Pierson's chart comparing cat foods and phosphorus levels.
ziwi peak air dried was a no go, 4 cats refused & the square shapes are strange for swallowing, they aren't really soft. Was I supposed to hydrate them?
Most cats are picky about food changes. In fact, this is the #1 complaint I get. So you are not alone (: Here is an entire playlist of everything you need to know: ruclips.net/video/tTV0FSxDE-w/видео.html - The first video is a complete guide on how to switch food, specifically formulated for picky cats. Next is my cat food reviews video which includes 100+ records of all types of food (if you need more choices). And the remaining videos cover healthy treats, FAQ, and supporting help.
I have a "kidney " cat and need a low phosphorus food. Am currently using prescription Hills k/d cans and dry. Is this any better than the Hills brands you have analyzed? Can you recommend any brands for kidney cats?
I have a page dedicated to kidney care here: www.caticles.com/kidney-care/ - along with veterinary resources (:
For the Feline Natural Chicken and Lamb Feast example, the word "feast" means that the ingredients are at least 25% chicken + lamb, but less than 95% chicken + lamb. However, the protein is 9.6% and the fat is 5% which means that 14.6% of the product is derived from meat. So it doesn't meet the minimum 25% requirement for chicken + lamb that the word "feast" requires.
Therefore, are the AAFCO word terms only valid for American-made animal foods? It seems that would be so because isn't he first A in AAFCO for "American"?
You have to analyze products on a dry matter basis. Taking GA numbers as is from the label does not tell you % of meat in the product. The product name does. Also, GA protein and fat are provided on minimums. It could be higher than that.
My cat likes fresh meat so much he finds his own and keeps the local rat population under control. The vet said to me on his latest annual check up that his rat habit probably explains why at 13 he has teeth as good as a 4 year old.
People who take care of multiple cats can't afford some of these options and yes this is when they don't eat out themselves. We do the best we can with all the cats we take care of. Blue Buffalo is the only dry food I found years ago that didn't cause a urinary blockage. They also get wet food but we can't afford to spend over a dollar for a 3 oz can. We could for one cat but we are feeding thirteen.
Do what works best for you. But keep in mind that dry food is very dehydrating for cats. So buy whatever wet food you can afford. Check out my cat food reviews in this video: ruclips.net/video/eRtL3GGa4as/видео.html&t - the list is in the description, 100+ records of all types of food.
how are farmina products for cats?
At quick glance of a few wet and dry foods isn't that impressive. It seems that they don't add a lot of meat ingredients (most only have 1 source). Additionally, they add a decent amount of amino acids back which tells me the meat source isn't sufficient enough. Also, a long list of synthetic vitamins and minerals that may not be necessary if they used good quality meat ingredients and more of them.
Hi I would like to know will cat food shipped oversea by plane still be good?I live in a country which only sells really low quality pet food so i am thinking about ordering from US.
Btw i love your videos and got a lot of knowledge from your vids.
Hi Jay, Most of the brands I mention here are Canada or New Zealand-based. So they must get to the US by plane. Freeze-dried raw and wet canned food should be fine by plane. Both are designed to stay fresh without refrigeration.
But you may not be able to get frozen raw food from the US. Most of the US brands only ship to the US. If you find one that does ship outside the US, let me know!
And thanks so much!! I'm glad my videos are useful! (:
Thank you for the information. I’m thinking of ordering through a cargo service that ships to my country, Myanmar [currently in coup :((( ]. From starting this year i have been ordering ziwi and nz natural from Singapore but it’s really expensive there and cheaper in the US. So I am gonna try buy from the US.
@@Jay-jw5qn Ah, ok. That's great that you're able to get it somehow. I understand that it's costly, however.
I am currently in the practicum section of my nutrition certification program. Once I am certified, I will publish videos on how to make homemade cat food. I think that would be the best option for you because then you could buy your ingredients locally!
That would be so great. Thank you 😊
@@Jay-jw5qn Of course! Stay tuned (:
In another video it showed you feeding your cat from a tube and it was a fresh mouse cat food. What brand is that?
Hare today!
Is it OK to use one of these brands but just switch flavours for variety or would this fall under “changing food”? Thank you!
Yes, feed a variety of proteins. But I always suggest using at least more than one brand because you never know when something will be out of stock.
I think what you're asking is, if it is the same brand different protein, do I need to transition food slowly? The answer is yes.
Is there any quality difference between air and freeze dried?
Well freeze dried raw is easier to rehydrate whereas air dried is dryer. So for cats who need moisture from food, freeze dried that has been rehydrated is better.
Can these be fed to kittens? Mine are about 7 weeks old and currently on a store brand kibble but I want to switch them to better ASAP.
I've indicated in the description which are suitable for all life stages (meaning appropriate for kittens too). Please transition food slowly. You can check out my transition guide here: ruclips.net/video/jVVgW16sDz8/видео.html&t . Let me know how it goes (:
So I wanted to calculate the carbohydrate percentage of our dry food but unfortunately they didn't only leave out the carbohydrates in their analysis but also the water content ... Does that mean that the other percentages r already written down as if if had a moisture content of 0%?
I'd say use the average which is 10%. The only way to know for sure though is to contact the company.
@@jesscaticles omg I didn't expect an answer thank uuuu 🤭
Hi! Is the citric acid preservative in Ziwi Peak safe for cats?
Hi Yasmin! Citric acid is a common preservative in commercial cat foods. Any food that sits on the shelf requires preservatives.
Long-term consumption of these things is not great, however. That's why I recommend a properly balanced raw diet. It's as close to natural as you can get.
At the end of the day, there's always something that isn't great for cats in all commercial cat foods.
But ziwi peak's major ingredients are much better quality than most commercial brands. That's why I include it in this list.
@@jesscaticles Oh okay, thank you so much for your reply! Would you recommend a balance between the Ziwi raw and air dried? And, how long would be “long-term consumption”?
@@yasminflores4386 Ziwi does not have raw. They make air dried and wet canned food. For clarification and what I recommend, please rewatch the video.
Or you can read here: www.caticles.com/best-cat-food-brands/.
I'm not sure how to rate long-term consumption. Perhaps more than a few months. Cats live much shorter lives than we do so their "long-term" has a different meaning
@@jesscaticles That’s true, thanks again for your reply! Looks like I’m going to have to make the switch to raw 😅
@@yasminflores4386 That's the best, in my opinion!
I have a playlist dedicated to starting raw for beginners here: ruclips.net/video/SMHYEMFmjV4/видео.html
Be sure to check the description for related articles on my website.
You may also want to check out my Switch to Raw ebook course here: www.etsy.com/listing/977150085/switch-your-cat-to-raw-ebook-course if you prefer to have everything in one place.
Good luck!
I’m new here….What is the difference between air dried food and freeze dried raw food?
The process in which it's made. Basically, air dried is hot air and freeze-dried is frozen. Both have moisture removed.
If your cat eats the raw diet or freeze dry diet, can you catch anything from cross contamination because of the raw. If your cat loves to give kisses on your cheek and also my nephews are both small, would they catch anything? Sorry all these questions. My cats are older, one is 18yrs old female would this help her gut so she can use the litter box. My other cat is 15 yrs old and very overweight would this be good for weight loss? I have one needs to gain and the other needs to lose, both are indoor kitty's or do I just make their food homemade....any suggestions???
Hi Angela,
Homemade cat food requires a lot of planning to do it correctly. Cat nutrition is complex, and they need very specific amounts of everything.
I'd suggest going with wet or freeze-dried raw first. There is a risk of contamination, however, this risk is possible even with kibble. In fact, a large kibble manufacturer recalled over 120 products this year due to potential salmonella contamination.
Typically, a raw food diet can help with health issues. But every cat is an individual so of course those needs will differ. What are the cats eating now?
I have a weight loss plan here: www.caticles.com/how-to-get-a-cat-to-lose-weight/
And if you're concerned with bacteria, a wet food diet would probably be the best option. High protein, low carb is best. I have a more recent video with options here: ruclips.net/video/bzDVaL1tqoo/видео.html&t - there are runnerups in the description too.
Please transition cat food slowly. Here's my guide on that: ruclips.net/video/jVVgW16sDz8/видео.html
@@jesscaticles thank you for replying so quickly. My cats are eating blue buffalo indoor and was going to switch of to science diet for grain for my oldest one because she gets blocked up so bad by fecal
@@angelaragone7743 You're welcome! Grains aren't appropriate for cats. If you're concerned about blockage, you can try coconut oil or pumpkin powder. Those are much better fiber/loosening up sources. I don't recommend either of those food brands because they are made with low-quality ingredients. If you feed better quality food, your cat shouldn't have issues going to the bathroom.
Hello again! I just published my homemade cat food complete guide here: www.caticles.com/homemade-cat-food/. The video guide comes out next month (:
I think you read flax as part of the ingredient list for feline chicken and lamb feast. Doesn't flax contain carbohydrates?
Yes you're right! Unfortunately, every commercial cat food contains some type of carbs. But these brands use much more meat ingredients and none are mystery by-products.
I feed mine soulistic skipjack and tuna. For my non every day fish lover I feed him turkey pate by wellness. I tried chunks. He gulps his food. Comes back up in minutes. He does not like lamb or duck either. My other fussy cat hates duck or lamb. Loves rabbit but not daily. And must be fish. Neither like veggies. They hate raw food. Both seniors. Both hate salmon So feed what they will eat on my budget. Difficult with 2 different tastes and expensive to toss. Occas friskies when they just won't eat the good stuff day. Remember on senior fixed incomes - impossible to buy all time. Same for my food. Ohhh so I can feed treats as regular foods. That's awsome
Okay, picked up the Ziwi Peak canned Lamb. Sunny went literally NUTS over it. He couldn't get enough. It is a 6.5oz. can, and he is probably about 4 1/2 lbs now at 5 months. So according to the can, he should only get 1/2 can of food a day. He has probably eaten that already & is the 2nd time he ate today. It seems like so little (half a can to feed him --this equals one small can of food, yet I'm sure cuz it is packed with real food, he doesn't need as much?) This stuff stinks sooooo ranky bad. That's probably why he loves it. I'm gonna have to wear a mask when I feed him.
The can should have separate instructiosn for kittens (unless that's what you're reading for me). But with kittens, you should feed the amount necessary for the adult projected weight. So right now he doesn't weigh 10 pounds but that's generally the ideal weight for most cats. So you would feed him as much food as a 10 pound cat would eat.
The food stinks because of the lamb tripe! Tripe is naturally stinky because it contains predigested plant matter that the lamb just ate.
@@jesscaticles That makes sense, and yeah, ewwwww, very stinky. Thanks again!
@@lindajardee You're welcome!
I saw your other comments about ziwi peak being sold to a Chinese company. These things happen and that's exactly why I feed homemade raw/whole prey to Jericho. I buy from small farms that source locally and USDA inspected breeding facilities. That way there are less supply chain steps on the ladder.
I'm not sure why your comments were deleted. YT is so weird sometimes and comments just disappear! I have the notification for them and could read a snippet. But then when I click to comment back, the comment is gone. I'm not sure what else you included in the comment. All I was able to read was about the company being sold and that Sunny is eating it.
@@jesscaticles I don't know why RUclips would remove my comment, maybe because I spoke negatively about China in regard to their reputation/history of pet food? It's a company called FountainVest they have partnered with. I really don't want to do the homemade raw, but I still probably feed Sunny better than anyone I know with pets (other than you. :) ). A natural pet store recommended Primal Pronto freeze dried raw, but feeding suggestions are 1 3/4 cup a day which would end up being $180 a month. No can do. Maybe we can buy the "toppers" of freeze dried food to sprinkle over the wet. We bought a number of the Ziwi Peak canned Lamb. Hopefully, those won't be part of the 'new and improved'. Ziwi was questioned about this 'move ' on their facebook page. Their response was that nothing will change. Tiki after dark is manufactured in Thailand. So discouraged.