Thanks for writing me back Evy. Sorry Ive been a pest. Im just worried about my babies. I have always fed just dry, but I just have one cat Frank who has to have a treat of something else!! Can you tell me why your nutritionist thinks canned is causing problems? Is it the way it is manufactured..bacteria...etc..? I am clueless on the subject and would really like to know his thoughts, since my frankie LOVES it and I want the best for my kitties. Also I know your nutritionist is super busy, and I know you are too, but the next time you talk to him, could you also ask him what he thinks of giving a spoonful a meat baby food (just turkey and turkey broth, no onion/garlic) mixed with water for a treat everyday? Frank and Cooper really seem to love that. A vet tech told me it could cause pancreatis, then another told me it was fine. I dont want to hurt my kitties, and the vet is NO HELP in this question other than recommending horrible food!
Dear Cat Lover ~
Pet nutrition is an 'absolute' science with very little room for give when it comes to pet food. AAFCO and the NRC (National Research Council) have established both minimums and maximums for many of the minerals and vitamins used in pet food. When people start introducing other things it is hard to give an educated opinion as to whether it is 'good' or 'bad' for the pet. I give Tonga just the tiniest piece of white chicken meat that I've cooked for myself as her treat. Cats especially do have a delicate system and I hate to sound like a broken record, but nutrition is science, science has studied min/max impact of vitamins and minerals; going outside those bounds with other foods throws off the whole balance, or has the potential to I should say.
The genesis of canned pet food was putting to use what legally can't be put into dry food. That, along with the probabilities of contamination and the lack of quality control has my nutritionist sitting with a big thumbs down. As I read through the posts folks make about canned pet food, you can really see what he is talking about. Getting consistency is really hard and so is quality - and his opinion to me stands as gold, since I've heard from too many pet owners, both dog and cat, how they have changed from 'premium' foods over to Kumpi products and finally found the results they were looking for.
Just an FYI for you to think about.....the major reason wet foods appeal to dogs and cats so much are how the nasal receptors are reacting to the high amount of molecules quickly evaporating off the wet product. The smell is more pungent and is why they tend to dig into it. That being said, remember that pets are much like people, with personal proclivities. But overall, you will find that to be the case.
I personally wouldn't touch canned pet food and also don't want to play with the balance Mark has established with the product line. I've seen enough and heard enough to abide by that, but also respect people who make a different choice. You can see online the choices people have made and the different issues their cats are suffering with. A good and solid dry food that controls the vitamin/mineral intake with a tiny treat now and then is the safest thing I understand to be the best. My cat at 16 is doing sooooo well without canned, I believe Mark's science to be valid and is the route I advise folks to take.
I do always appreciate hearing from you!
Evy
