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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

Natures Menu

34 replies

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/06/2016 09:20

Harry has taken a liking to Natures Menu Senior. They only seem to make one flavour, chicken with cod and salmon. I'd like to try him on other flavours but I'm a bit worried as they will be adult rather than senior.

Does anyone else feed their senior cats on adult cat food and will he be missing out on anything? Also, does anyone know of anywhere that I can find it cheaper?

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 09:26

Seniorboy has been switched to NM Country Hunter and seems to enjoy it - generally cleared plates.

That has four flavours which is critical for him because he needs some variety.

How much are you paying for yours?

cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 09:28

PS - I've never given him 'Senior' food and he seems to be doing well on the Nature's Menu for example.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/06/2016 09:33

I ordered the last lot from Fetch as my Mum was ordering and it was £7.49 for a box of 12.

Harry isn't too fussed about variety, it's me that worries! I think it must get boring eating the same thing every day!

At the moment he's having a mix of biscuits and wet food but I'm resigned to the fact we may have to switch to mainly wet due to his teeth.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 09:41

I like wet food for my boys - I don't worry about it anyway. It gets liquid into them and they seem to enjoy it and thrive on it.

Nature's Menu is more expensive, due to ingredients, market share etc etc. I'll have a look see though.

cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 09:44

PS - He may be having tooth trouble right now due to his issues but if he has that big dental and has the rest out, I'd be seeing how it goes. Many cats still eat dried with no teeth left at all. Smile

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/06/2016 09:47

Thanks Cozie. I'll stop worrying about the senior aspect as I'd rather he had some variety. He's on the normal Natures Menu at the moment but I'll try him on the Country Hunter as well.

I've had a look and that seems to be a good price - I thought I'd ask just in case I've missed anything!

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/06/2016 09:51

The vet did say he may well be able to carry on with his biscuits even with no teeth. He seems to be managing OK at the moment but I'm glad he's having one pouch of wet a day and I think he'd be happy to have more!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 09:55

Yes - I had a quick look and that price seems to be OK. Maybe another poster can find somewhere cheaper.

I'm just concerned to get decent food into my old lad and to give him his meds in it. He has a habit of eating food fine until - one day he turns up his nose at it. I've pinned it down to providing a variety of flavours by trial and error. (And a great deal of ill-advised pre-purchases going to other recipients! Grin)

There may well be some benefits to the 'senior' food but NM is such decent food anyway that I reckon it balances out.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/06/2016 10:30

It's a cat thing! We still have 70-odd pouches of Wainwrights tuna cat food as it was all he would eat until one day he went off it. I'm giving him a pouch every now and then and he's eating it grudgingly...

Battersea have done very well out of us and I even got a thank you letter from them!

That's a good point about Natures Menu. He also likes James Wellbeloved wet but I'm not giving it to him at the moment as it doesn't seem to fill him up. He had it for breakfast yesterday and was worrying DH for food by 10am which he doesn't do if he has NM or JW dry.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 10:38

Bite the bullet and give most of it away! (A few kept behind only.)

cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 10:40

PS - I see no reason why it can't go to your local food bank, either. Many people who use food banks, also have cats or other pets.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/06/2016 10:43

I'm thinking of taking a trip to Battersea at the weekend! We've got limited space (even less at the moment as we're having the kitchen done and we have everything piled up in the living room including boxes of cat food!) and it would be good to get rid. It's a shame as he likes it but I want him solely on NM now.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 09/06/2016 10:47

Probably a good idea to gift them then. Cat food usually has ferociously long BBEs but they can still sneak up on you.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/06/2016 10:48

I hadn't thought about the food bank, that's a good idea, thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 12/06/2016 17:41

I stocked up on Natures Menu and so far he's turned up his nose at beef and chicken and cleaned the plate when he had the Country Hunter free range chicken and turkey and rabbit. I've got various other flavours to try but I'm disappointed he wouldn't eat the beef as it means I can't buy the multipacks!

OP posts:
ElegantDream · 12/06/2016 18:09

Have you also tried the Happy Kitty Company?

We do a mixture of Nature's Menu and cat food from there - there will be other fishy flavours to choose from.

I found the cans go a long way (although my can is not large). One 400g tin lasts c. 2 days.

cozietoesie · 12/06/2016 18:39

Seniorboy certainly switched to Country Hunter from AGAIL with little difficulty - something that I would have declared to be impossible beforehand. He drinks more water since starting it but I suppose that's to be expected.

I manage to get 5 meals out of the flavours in rotation, Pink. You become used to getting the six-packs of individual flavours.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 12/06/2016 18:57

He's currently inhaling a pouch of duck and peasant - I'm just hoping that it's not too rich for his stomach...

Just the chicken and goose to try now, and then the 'normal' Nature's Menu. I don't mind buying it if he eats it - DH and I can always have Tesco value!

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 12/06/2016 18:57

*pheasant! I don't feed my cat peasants!

OP posts:
ElegantDream · 12/06/2016 20:53
Grin
cozietoesie · 12/06/2016 21:24

I'm not sure how it can be too rich, Pink? It's mainly meat - which is what they'd be eating if they were hunting after all.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 12/06/2016 22:11

You're right cozie, I'm thinking he's the same as me! I also don't think he's hunted anything in his life, so it's all new to him!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 12/06/2016 22:31

Maybe keep an eye on his water intake and his poos? (Seniorboy upped his water intake with the switch and his poos changed colour and became a little less frequent. Sorry if TMI.)

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 13/06/2016 10:16

I haven't noticed an increase in his drinking, but he's always drunk quite a bit through being on dried food. He poos in the garden so I'm not sure what's going on with that. There's been no dashes to the litter tray though so I'm taking it as a positive sign!

OP posts:
Penfold007 · 13/06/2016 10:22

Pengirl is on the NM Country Hunter range and its helped greatly with her tummy issues. She is a senior lady but we give her both the senior and the adult variations doesn't seem to be an issue. Interestingly she won't touch the beef variety so I buy the boxes without beef.