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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat food is BLOODY expensive! What if I...

85 replies

HecateQueenOfWitches · 20/02/2011 10:58

gave her proper food instead? Is there any reason why she has to have cat food?

She will only eat sheba she'd rather starve than have anything else! but they are 60p each and she gets through 4 or sometimes 5 a DAY!

I worked out I can feed her for half the price if I buy cans of value tuna and bags of frozen value chicken and fish.

But would this meet her nutritional needs?

OP posts:
Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 28/02/2011 15:03

Might actually be irrelevent now.

I have just made an appt at the vets for tomorrow.

I am hoping she can be helped, but I am afraid they are going to advise me that she should be put to sleep. Sad

I've been putting it off for fear that they would say this, but she has just wet herself Sad and I cannot not take her to a vet now.

OP posts:
Havingkittens · 28/02/2011 15:04

I've never used Sheba so don't know about the ingredients.

When they list ingredients the order of the ingredients denotes the percentage content (ie. if it's at the end of the list, there's hardly any of it), so meat should be one of the first things listed. Ideally it should be real meat rather than derivatives which are the equivalent of cheap sausages - ie. all the nasty bits of gristle and low grade meat that's left over from food manufacture. Stuff like corn is filler and cats don't need it so if food is heavy on stuff like that it's not ideal.

Hi-life is a good one, it's 60-70% meat. That's what I was giving my cat before I had to put him on a medical diet.

FourFortyFour · 28/02/2011 16:22

So sorry Hecate. I hope it is good news.

Cats don't need 4-5 sachets a day btw.

Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 28/02/2011 17:46

Thanks FFF. I have everything crossed. Re the grub - I suppose she's been pulling a fast one then Grin

HK - I decided to take a look at the ingredients. From what I can gather, it's about 10% meat.or something. Confused 10% protein, 4.5% oil, 2.5% ash (ASH? WTF?!) 0.3% fibre, 81% moisture.

  • that doesn't even add up to 100% Hmm

Moisture? I assume that means water?

So 81% of this tiny tiny tiny pack that costs 60p is bloody WATER?????!!!!!

OP posts:
Havingkittens · 28/02/2011 18:28

I'm sorry to hear your kitty's taken a turn for the worse. What's wrong with her?

I think it's ok that there is a high water content but not sure what it should be. They need a good amount of moisture in their diet. Especially if they don't drink enough water.

Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 28/02/2011 19:04

She's an old old lady.

She's started weeing and crapping all over the place. I find it in the middle of the floor. She has never behaved like this before.

But today I actually saw her. She just weed as she was walking. I don't think she even noticed.

She doesn't clean herself - she stinks! I have to clean her bum for her.

She keeps forgetting how to get through the cat flap. I thought for ages that she was being arrogant and expecting me to open it for her. I made jokes about it. But I think now that she just can't remember how to do it.

And she's all lumpy and bumpy as they get with age.

stuff like that.

Appt with vet is tomorrow. I think I know what they are going to say. Sad

OP posts:
FourFortyFour · 28/02/2011 19:07

How old is she Hecate?

Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 28/02/2011 19:14

She's 16 - at least. maybe older.

I'll try to work it out. she was apparently 12 when we moved in here (she 'belonged' to the people who were here before us and she refused to move, so we said she could stay with us.) we've been here since 2006 - so that's 5 years.

oh. she's at least 17, not 16.

OP posts:
QOD · 28/02/2011 19:22

one of my old cats adored spaghetti. Long cooked spaghetti.

QOD · 28/02/2011 19:23

Oh no :(

FourFortyFour · 28/02/2011 19:50

Mine is 16.

She likes banana milk, rice pudding, chips, sweetcorn and custard but she can't have any of it any more.

FourFortyFour · 01/03/2011 11:43

Any news, Hecate?

Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 01/03/2011 12:50

Yes.

She was put to sleep.

I am very upset. I was just coming to let you know, since I know you are cat lovers too and would have been wondering.

The vet was very kind but very clear that there was nothing they could do for her. She also found a mass.

OP posts:
Samvet · 01/03/2011 12:53

Easy answer NO. Cat food is supplemented with various vitamins minerals and correct calcium/phosphate balance. They are totally different from dogs so a barf diet is not appropriate. No easy answer I am afraid but you must not feed just the items you list.

FourFortyFour · 01/03/2011 13:14

Oh love Sad. I am so sorry. Was it kidney failure?

Take care x.

Samvet · 01/03/2011 13:18

Apologies I clashed posts with you. Is awful to lose a pet, best wishes

Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 01/03/2011 13:20

Thanks. It was a combination of things. Faecally incontinent - which they can do nothing about. Mass on thyroid. probably senile. big lumps and bumps in tum, etc.

I am trying to take my mind off it by bumming about here. But I am clicking aimlessly.

I feel awful because she got out of the carry case and into my arms and nestled down there, purring her head off, while the vet was telling me that there was really nothing they can do about it and what did I want to do. - in very kind and tactful way, of course.

But she had a wander round, she was purring, she headbumped me.

And then I walked out and left them to end things while I waited outside and sobbed into a tissue in the middle of petsathome.

We brought her back and buried her under the blossom tree at the front of the house.

OP posts:
greenlotus · 01/03/2011 13:28

I was just going to suggest cat biscuits and then read to the end Sad. She got her Sheba pouches to the last! What a sad day for you, so sorry.

FourFortyFour · 01/03/2011 13:49

Under the blossom tree sounds lovely.

I also had a pet out to sleep at petsathome. They were nearer than my vets and my hamster had got his leg stuck in his Christmas present. His leg was broken and he had to be pts. I cried like an idiot. I mean, a hamster. Blush. He had stopped being so scared of us and I felt guilty as I bought the toy. PAH weren't bothered about taking it off sale but did give me a refund.

Have a lazy day and be kind to yourself.

Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 01/03/2011 14:03

Thanks.

Well, she'd always lived in the village, so it was only right she stay here.

And her name was Blossom, so the tree felt like the right place.

OP posts:
pinkhebe · 01/03/2011 14:09

I'm so sorry for you Sad

The tree sounds like a lovely resting place

FourFortyFour · 01/03/2011 15:48

Lovely name for a lovely cat.

RIP Blossom.

Original poster
HecateQueenOfWitches · 01/03/2011 20:07

Thanks.

I want to put a little cross there, but I worry people will think I am stupid. Blush

OP posts:
mollymole · 01/03/2011 21:02

oh what a sad ending - thinking of you - it is SO AWFUL loosing a darling old lady cat

FourFortyFour · 01/03/2011 21:33

Who is going to know and you don't have to tell them you put it there is they come to your house and see it.

My kids put a cross there when we buried a hamster so I am sure it is more than fine when it is a cat.

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