Cat food Epiphany
Hi there
Just wanted to tell you about a little awakening I have had. So you know we have two beautiful Viking cats, Erik and Ragnar. They came to us from oop north during lockdown. Two little Viking orphans, entrusted to us by our friends Gina and Mark.
They were so tiny!
Well, we’ve been feeding them the standard cat fare from the get go, the supermarket wet food that comes in handy pouches. But they are pretty picky, and we do seem to throw quite a bit away. Ragnar in particular turns his nose up. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think it’s done them any harm. They seem healthy, full of energy, and their coats are glossy. No no, our two little ginger bookends have flourished!
But a couple of weeks ago, I saw an ad on Facebook for fresh cat food. So I started reading up on what the Big Name Brands are actually selling us; in other words, what we are actually feeding our two little fellas. Turns out only 4% of what’s in those food pouches is real meat. The rest is “animal derivatives” Mmmm. Bit vague. So for a pair of obligate carnivores – and let’s face it, that’s what cats are – 4% is pretty rubbish.
Well, I thought, in for a penny… There was a special offer on this fresh food from KatKin, so I decided to give it a go, and have a fortnights worth delivered. Friends, it was astounding. As soon as I served the fresh food, both cats hunkered down, started chomping their way through the meal, and didn’t leave a speck. Literally licked their bowls clean. Then went to sleep for hours! They are suddenly super grateful little eaters, no waste, no lick the jelly and leave the bulk. They clear the bowls every single time.
I did my sums. We actually spend as much on the 4% pouches as we will spend on fresh food delivery. Now I love these two boys, and I am shaking my head in dismay at how I have been suckered into feeding them the standard fare, which really is not very nutritious at all. In my defence, it is convenient, and the BIG BRANDNAMES do sway us with their ads, don’t they? Now I understand why the boys have frequently left food in their bowls, yet been constantly scrounging in the kitchen. Since we started them on this regime, they haven’t come near us at tea time!
If only they could talk, eh?! But I suppose they have been trying to tell us for years, that the pap in their bowls is just that : pap. Got there eventually. Sorry, lads!
If you don’t believe me, check it out yourself. It just makes me realise that we really do have to read the labels of everything that we feed our animals – and ourselves. We cannot trust that we are being served well.
I choose not to complain; I choose to take control and change things. How about you?
Love always,
Barb x x x
18 thoughts on “Cat food Epiphany”
Wow, it makes you think, doesn’t it……!
it really does… xxx
This is so strange that you are writing about this today. I felt the same way about my little girls cat Cleo and her food, so we ordered Kat Kin as well and she is a happy little cat now. They deserve the best and your two boys are gorgeous ❤️
How strange, eh? great minds….
Our Mikey, 19 now, is on a renal diet and likes to eat little and often ! He’s had various pouches over the years, changing here and there but a bit of fresh chicken, steak or tuna is his favourite – of course it is! I’m glad E & R are enjoying their new diet. I’ll have a look at that one too. X
Our princess Daisy loved Katkins just like your gorgeous boys she use to lick the gravy and leave the pap with supermarket pouches. She did have her favourites but don’t we all 😻
I quite agree with you about pet foods, highly processed rubbish. I buy minced beef for my dog Tilly. she was a picky eater but not now. I Cook it in the slow cooker with veggies and brown rice. Its alot healthier and cheaper than the pouch pet foods. I can batch cook it and freeze portions. I have a healthy and happy pooch.
Hello Barbara,
I was so happy to see your blog today!
We have 1 pure breed pedigree dog and his rescue little sister “by a different mother” (the cat). The pup was a nightmare… he would eat one food for a short time and then refuse it. We kept changing to different (and more expensive) brands and it would be the same all over again.
Here in the US we have a brand called The Farmer’s Dog which we finally tried. It consists of fresh cooked “human grade” meats and vegetables (you can even clearly see the individual pieces of carrots etc.) packaged in individual 1-day portions (based on the answers to a questionnaire re the individual breed, age, weight and health of each pet) and arrives frozen in 2-week or 1 -month shipments. You also get to choose the varieties (i.e., beef, pork, chicken, turkey). Maksym has now been eating this for almost 3 years and LOVES them… As soon as he hears he comes running and sits quietly waiting.
This is clearing more expensive but the quality of the food and the service from this company is worth every penny!
We are now looking into a couple of companies that are doing the same for cats so we can get it for our little girl.
So happy that your little ones are enjoying their new diet!
Hi Barbara,
it’s a shame they’re selling that stuff as healthy cat food. We realised the truth because we read about it on the internet when our stray cat decided to stay with us 13 years ago. Unfortunately he got FORL two years ago and his teeth had to be removed. But he’s still catching a mouse every once in a while and eating it and he loves his fresh food (but to be honest he loves to eat everything he can find). I’m glad you found your two sweeties some delicious high quality food.
Give them some pets and a meow from over here ;-).
Erik and Ragnar look adorable and I am glad you have found a good solution to their feeding problem. Like us humans they need fresh, not processed, nutrients in order to flourish.
I think this blog will give many people “food for thought” and help them improve things for their own animals, (sorry about the pun). As always you give good advice. Thank you.
Aye….we did Katkin for Bendycat – he was a greedy heap!! I loved the names of the individual pouches! The vet approved too. But, now we have Mrs fussy (Motsicat) who prefers dry food. That’s why we love ’em.
Hope you are all good now after your busy weekend.
Love Maggie (York UK)
Hello Barb, thank you for sharing, I will definitely look into that. We have 2 cats, Spice is a geriatric at 22, and forgets when she has eaten, and what she has eaten or is eating (I mean how many cats eat pickled beetroot or Bombay mix). So we think she has definitely lost her marbles. Simba is like the Vikings a ginger boy cat, who is 8, and who the vet told us is overweight at 6.6kg (he is a big cat!). But it definitely worth giving it a go, even though most of the time, they both eat the whole pouch, but as you say not really healthy for them. Thanks for the heads up. Take care everyone, very rainy today. Bx
As you say if only they could talk !! I suppose thinking about it fresh food for us is better than the ready stuff but we humans tend to pick the ready stuff for quickness/convenience. If we actually read the labels we would probably be horrified at what is actually in the contents. Having gone gluten free several years ago it rare for me to be able to have a take away/convenience food. Even eating out can be a nightmare as we found last week with baked potato being the go to food for a lot of restaurants/cafes. Don’t get me wrong I like a baked potato but sometimes you just want something a bit different. Fortunately my husband loves cooking & has the time to play with recipes so I am very lucky.
Hope Ragnar & Erik continue to enjoy their new food & as you also said – no waste so win win all round.
Thanks for this post and I’m so glad Erik and Ragnar are delighted with the new regime. I will look into it for my dear little Rosie Posy, a still very nervous rescue cat. She licks the gravy off her wet food and seems happy with her dry food, but she was very ill treated and I think she’s still grateful that I put out fresh sachets daily. She deserves the best after her hard start in life and it’s my “job” to do the best I can for her.
When we got our rescue kitten we did the same and she didn’t like it. We threw so much away.So we did some research and started getting fresh meat and cutting it up ourselves. A mix of liver, heart and beef. Her favorite is the liver. Although she loves king prawns. Pampered princess.😂😂
I am really trying to eat much healthier, by steering clear of ultra processed foods. It’s a work in progress, but I’m learning a lot along the way. Our dog loves natural treats, which we buy from a friend who has her own business (quick plug for Ted’s Tasties!). I never really thought about it for the cats. I might actually give it a go, as maybe Polly will eat all hers, rather than just picking at it and leaving Luna to eat both! Thanks Barb xx
when I read this blog…I thought Oh No…my heart missed a beat!! when I read fresh meat…I tend to think Raw meat….had recently read of several pet deaths due to raw meat!! thought you were going to say something bad, and I do love your kitties, so lovely!! SO happy in thinking this must be fresh COOKED meat…my cat has pouches, and top name brand but even I could get tempted to get Charlie, girl cat something better now you have said what we were all thinking…
Hi Barbara
We have recently lost both our cats and the house feels very empty without them. We are in the process of looking for 2 males kittens and have contacted various rescue centres. But yesterday we were told we were too old to have kittens 64 and 67 beggars belief if they really wanted to rehome kittens. I was appalled having been together 35years and 10 cats between us I think we know what we are doing 😤😤😾. But when we eventually ge some kittens we will look at kitkins
Love
Ruth & Jackie xx