Meow Mix Tender Favorites ?

[TheBowHuntress]

I went cat food shopping earlier and grabbed a tub of Meow Mix Tender Favorites Salmon & Crab Meat in Sauce. Based on the "guaranteed analysis" on a carb calculator, it comes up with 2% carbs. Hard to believe. Other than vitamins, minerals and color, the only ingredients listed are, in this order: tuna, fish broth, sardine, salmon, crab, natural & artificial flavors, vegetable oil, tricalcium phosphate, guar gum, carrageenan, calcium sulfate, salt.... I find it hard to believe that this food can only be 2%. I assume the sauce is made of the fish broth & various fish, and oil. Any comments? I haven't fed it to Gobbles, but am curious about it... The drooler will gladly inhale it if it is inappropriate for cats...

 

[BJM]

Well, there's always looking the ingredients up on the web ...

guar gum - "Guar gum, ... a water-soluble fiber"

carrageenan - "Scientists have raised serious concerns about the safety of carrageenan in food, based on laboratory animal studies showing gastrointestinal inflammation, ulcerations and colitis-like disease in animals given food-grade carrageenan in their drinking water or diet."

So I'd probably pitch it due to the carrageenan.

 

[TheBowHuntress]

carrageenan - "Scientists have raised serious concerns about the safety of carrageenan in food, based on laboratory animal studies showing gastrointestinal inflammation, ulcerations and colitis-like disease in animals given food-grade carrageenan in their drinking water or diet."

So I'd probably pitch it due to the carrageenan.

Yikes--onto the garbage can. With the way Gobbles' has been "not" wanting to eat lately, he certainly does not need anything that potentially may upset his tummy. Thanks kindly for your reply

 

[nckitties3]

I wonder what that is? It's in all my Friskees, Special kitty And Grrreat Choice cat foods too. Not in the 9 Lives flaked Tuna. @-)

 

[BJM]

It is derived from seaweed. Look at the ingredient list on ice cream sometime - many contain it for the desired 'mouth feel'.

 

[nckitties3]

Do you know of any affordable cat food that doesn't have it in it?

Thanks for that info BTW.

 

[BJM]

Chemists say "the dose makes the poison". If the concentration is trivial (look where is it on the ingredient list), it may not cause a problem. If your cat is having digestive issues, you might choose to avoid it or reduce the concentration.

Also, per Dr Pierson, you can replace as much as 1/5 th (20%) of the canned food with plain, cooked or raw meat. This will reduce the concentration of the additives and increase the protein concentration. Use inexpensive cuts on sale - freezers are great for stocking up.

 

[TheBowHuntress]

Chemists say "the dose makes the poison". If the concentration is trivial (look where is it on the ingredient list), it may not cause a problem. If your cat is having digestive issues, you might choose to avoid it or reduce the concentration.

Also, per Dr Pierson, you can replace as much as 1/5 th (20%) of the canned food with plain, cooked or raw meat. This will reduce the concentration of the additives and increase the protein concentration. Use inexpensive cuts on sale - freezers are great for stocking up.

I give Gobbles raw (and cooked) steak, venison, chicken and hamburger from time to time. I cringe on the raw chicken as I thought it could cause sickness (like it would in humans) as well as raw pork and turkey. As for rabbit; perhaps we'll start hunting them (we do hunt deer; doe, buck, young or old--no preferences!!! and husband I do not hunt anything we don't eat); I wouldn't have a problem hunting rabbits (but not turkey because it isn't worth the price of the tag required) as long as someone in our household eats it--including our cats. I meant to post the question ions ago: are all appropriate meats okay to feed raw? Per Dr. Lisa: "in addition to chicken, turkey, and rabbit, good choices include Cornish game hen, guinea fowl, quail. Duck can also be fed but be aware that duck is typically very high in fat which may be a problem for some cats." Duck is out of the question (again, the price of tags is too high and I don't want the high fat in Gobbles' diet)...however, we have a ton of crow here and there is no tag required, but game hen, guinea fowl and quail are just too much trouble.

 

[BJM]

Any raw meat can become contaminated with bacteria.
Any wild source proteins may have parasites (ex bears can have trichinosis).
Cooking well ensures that consumption won't be a problem because it'll kill most stuff except prion diseases ("mad cow" which may affect deer/elk).
If it was something you hunted, you'd obviously need to inspect the carcass thoroughly for issues.

 

[TheBowHuntress]

Any raw meat can become contaminated with bacteria.
Any wild source proteins may have parasites (ex bears can have trichinosis).
Cooking well ensures that consumption won't be a problem because it'll kill most stuff except prion diseases ("mad cow" which may affect deer/elk).
If it was something you hunted, you'd obviously need to inspect the carcass thoroughly for issues.

Do you mean I should cook all & any species of raw meat? With regard to wild meat: OMGee, we are so consummate about inspecting the carcass and my husband/myself/butcher check it very carefully and thoroughly and we don't eat bear meat (nor hunt it)