Quote:
Originally Posted by PairofWings
I would have to disagree on the idea that cats shouldn't eat kibble based very simply on dental health. If cats live on wet food only, and do not eat anything that they have to crunch up and break down with their teeth.. thats a straight line for dental disease and expensive bills for teeth cleaning. Dental disease left alone can effect all the major organs and organ systems, leading to a very sick cat.
My veterinary hospital sells pet foods.. but ONLY the prescription kind. The foods our clients purchase at the hospital are prescription diets meant to deal with specific treatments and cannot be bought by anyone who just walks in off the street looking for any available pet foods.
The BARF diet is indeed showing signs of being a great diet for pets, but for most average people this isn't within their means.. either financially or time wise. When I asked my vets about the BARF diet, they all very clearly stated that if you're feeding a high quality diet and read labels and do research, there is no real need to get into the BARF diet.
Just my two cents!
But.. Halanna! How is your research coming along? Have you looked into any puppy classes?
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Quite the opposite regarding the cat's teeth.
I thought the same thing as you, asked my vet about it.
She said, the kibble is far worse for a cat's teeth than the animal just eating meat (what nature intended). She said to me, "Eat a meal of nothing but Graham Crackers and take a look at your teeth. They'll be caked with crud that won't come off"
Indeed she is correct.
Furthermore, the crud fillers that they usually put into kibble (rice, husks, wheat Glutten, barley left from brewing beer) are all grains. Cat's cannot digest grains. They eat it, their bodies metabolize it as sugar, the cat gets really FAT, ends up with Diabetes, and the sugar rots their teeth.
Ironically, it was tartered up teeth that led me to discover my cat's Kidney issues. I had taken her to Vet No. 1 about her teeth (she was a kibble eater) and they stated that she needed a ton of dental work at a cost of $1,200.00. Part of which included blood work. The blood work revealed the Kidney Disease, and that's how I met Vet Sharon who put me straight about mass produced pet food. Again, Sharon told me she could make a ton of money selling fancy vet pet food at high prices but she could not do it in good consience. She's right, go into my first Vet's office and they have a whole wing devoted to Vet Pet food.
There is ALLOT of misinformation being put out there by the Pet Food Industry in co-operation with many vets who sell the "Vet Pet Food" or as you call it - "Perscription" Pet Food. There's allot of money being made and they are not wanton to give it up.
PS, the Perscription Vet Pet Food is made by the same 3 or 4 Pet Food Manufacturers that make all the rest of the crud out there.
As to the cost, you can buy a can of cat food for $.69 at the local Loblaws, or a same sized can of Tuna for $.99.
In my case, I just buy a pile of chicken thighs and make up a mash of chicken and fresh vegetables, freeze it, it lasts about 6 weeks. Costs about $100.00 for 6 weeks buying the chicken (boneless skinless for my convenience) at Costco. Not over the top.