# Switching cat food again!



## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

So, I went to pick up cat food today, and the place I get TOTW at has Innova, so just out of curiosity, I asked them how much their 15lb bag was, and they said $35. Well, I pay $20 for the 15/lb bag of TOTW, and mum pays about $20 for a 4/lb bag of Blue Wilderness. Personally, I think it's a fantastic deal, especially for Innova. So I said to heck with the $15, it's $15 that will help my kitties! So I'm making the switch!

I got home tonight and opened it up, just to see if the kitties would like it. I gave Meatball a couple of pieces, and he sniffed at it, hesitantly at first, and I turned to give Theus some. Of course, Theus was quick to gobble it up, but what I didn't expect was to turn around to see how Meatball was liking it only to find him at my heals, begging for me! He LOVED it! Wouldn't leave me alone the rest of the time I was home before heading out to a friend's house! Tricksie, not so much. She'll take some time, again, of course. haha.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

dang your mom is paying a lot for BB Wilderness! I should be about $20 for a 5 - 6 lbs bag (not a huge difference I know, but better than only 4 lbs). Where is she getting it?


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

Oh, I think it is a 5lb bag, not a 4lb bag. haha. My bad. That's what she was paying for the 4lb bag of RX Puke Diet.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

But isn't Innova a grain inclusive line?


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> But isn't Innova a grain inclusive line?


oh, I didn't think about that! I'll have to look itup when I get home. Lol. Thanks for pointing that out. Dun really want my kitties eating grains.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Innova still looks like a good food.

The topic of grains is debatable. Would probably depend on what the grains are, because either way most grain-free have potatoes, which are still starchy.
Both are carbs regardless, the biggest concern may be how much is in the food.

Random quoted info from here:
What's Really In Dog Food?

"But what about potatoes instead of grains? 
With more people learining the truth about dog food and that dogs (and cats) are carnivores and the rash of food allergies due to the dogs not being able to digest the grains in the first place; the demand for grain free pet foods began. So the problem arose as to how to hold the slurry of cooked down meats and vegetables together in a pellet or larger sized form. Along came the use of Potatoes. 

Seems well and good to use potatoes to hold the food together and it is not a grain. However, the fact of the matter is that potatoes contain a carcinogen - *acrylamide* 

As a daily maintenance food, potatoes are not a health food at all, in fact, may be quite the contrary! They may actually be a part of the cancer epidemic in pets! The August 14, 2002 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, reported presence of high levels of acrylamide in carbohydrate rich foods including potatoes. 

*Acrylamide induces gene mutations and has been found in animal tests to cause malignant stomach tumors. It is also known to cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous system. "
Edit: I know is a dog site, but pretty sure that applies to cats as well.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I think grain free is the better option, even if its not potato free, as long as it has a decent meat content. My cats used to puke all the time on grain inclusive until I switched to Totw.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

I think I still like the ingredients of grain-inclusive Innova better than grain-free TOTW though, see:

TOTW ingredients



> Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, potassium chloride, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.



Innova ingredients:



> Turkey, Chicken Meal, Chicken, Potatoes, Eggs, Barley, Chicken Fat, Rice, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Herring, Apples, Carrots, Herring Oil, Cranberries, Cottage Cheese, Sunflower Oil, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Alfalfa Sprouts, Pumpkin, DL Methionine, Direct-Fed Microbials, Lecithin, Rosemary Extract, Vitamins/Minerals


Innova has a lot more meat content than TOTW. Although P & G owns them now so not sure how I feel about that, I'd still choose the Innova over TOTW. Especially since TOTW has sweet potatoes as the third ingredient. I hate when companies do that, just use regular potatoes, no need to add the extra sugar!


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## channeledbymodem (Dec 25, 2008)

I got a free coupon for a big bag of Evo dry and I think it's the best dry food I've ever fed my two cats (most of their diet is canned however). My kibble-loving kitty's coat and energy have improved and my kidney sensitive kitty, who gets 90% wet, likes it as well. I will probably go to TOTW when this is done, because it seems like such a good value, but having fed Felidae, Natural Balance, Holistic Select, Before Grain, and Wysong in the past, I really have liked the Evo. It's pretty expensive and of course everyone is holding their breath about the P&G takeover. I wish I could afford to feed it more often.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

I like the fact that the Innova has cranberries in it. I suspect Tricksie of having Urinary Tract Inflammations, so I want something that works well with her urinary tract health as well as is good for her. Barley seems to be the ONLY grain in there, and though it's pretty high up there, it's not even the number one filler source.

And Meatball LOVES it.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Well there's rice in there right after the chicken fat too, but like I said there's a lot more meat in there right up front than the TOTW does.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I still think you should try the Go Natural fresh trout kibble, cranberries in it too and its grainfree!


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I dont think cranberries in dry food will make any difference, the amount is so minimal, just like the joint supplements they add, its mostly a sales gimmick. 
I think regardless of the quality of dry food, you're better off feeding crappy canned food because of the moisture content and the fact that dry food will only make UTI symptoms worse. If I were you, I'd make an effort to transition them to canned food, the link below offers offer good tips. 
Feline Urinary Tract Health: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

I won't feed a crappy canned food, and canned food is just WAY too expensive for me right now. I can barely afford to feed myself, and I'm REALLY making a sacrifice in feeding my cats something that is $35 a bag. I'd LOVE to feed my cats wet food, but it's just not plausible right now.

As for Go Naturals, it is also too expensive. It's $37 for a 12# bag.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

Do you have a trader joes in your area? their canned food is very affordable for the quality, only $.50-55 for 5.5 oz can. My cats eat about a can a day, but I also mix in the dry food to help stretch the bill.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

Unosmom said:


> Do you have a trader joes in your area? their canned food is very affordable for the quality, only $.50-55 for 5.5 oz can. My cats eat about a can a day, but I also mix in the dry food to help stretch the bill.


I'll definitely check that out, because I HAVE been looking for a wet food to try to mix into their dry food that is affordable.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

They also sell "cat tuna", but I must warn you, its like kitty crack, they cannot get enough of it, I buy it to entice my older can to eat since shes so finicky and has been losing weight. Though I only feed it couple times a week due to possible mercury content.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

So we all know that 12# bag of grainfree will go farther than the grain inclusive 15# bag of food right?


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> So we all know that 12# bag of grainfree will go farther than the grain inclusive 15# bag of food right?


Do you really think the smart a$$ comment was necessary?


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> So we all know that 12# bag of grainfree will go farther than the grain inclusive 15# bag of food right?


False.

Refer to:
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance L.I.D.™ Allergy Formulas for Cats

NOW! Grain Free Cat Food



Sorry it needed to be said. 
You definitely have a point though, *most* grain-free foods will go farther, but there are exceptions. :biggrin:
There are always exceptions...
*vanishes*


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## bumblegoat (May 12, 2010)

TOTW for cats isn't really that good anyway. It has added potato protein, which is a low quality protein. No better than corn gluten IMO, as it serves the exact same purpose. The new TOTW formula for dogs also has potato protein unfortunately.


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## lekate (Dec 13, 2010)

rannmiller said:


> I think I still like the ingredients of grain-inclusive Innova better than grain-free TOTW though, see:
> 
> Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, potassium chloride, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.
> 
> ...


It looks like Innova has more meat in the first three ingredients, but the turkey and chicken are inclusive of water, which makes up about 80% of the meat. By keeping it with it's water weight, Innova is able to list those meats higher on the ingredient list.


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## vigornj (Nov 4, 2010)

Unlike my Dobe (who generally likes a consistent food with minimal rotation). My cats get bored after a week or two of the same dry food (although their diet is mostly wet). 

My main rotation consists of: Merrick Before Grain Chicken, Before Grain Salmon

Good quality food (perhaps not on par with orijen) but very affordable, I pickup 11Lb bags online for about $20 each. The good thing about Before Grain is that all three of my cats eat it without issue.

I also have Orijen and TOTW on hand which I rotate in occasionally, at first they seemed to like the TOTW but two refuse to eat it now and one will eat some. Two of my cats love Orijen while the other doesn't really care for it much.

I don't think I'll be picking up the TOTW cat food anymore, will continue with the Before Grain line with an occasional bowl of Orijen.


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