Cat Diet Change: Oreo and Tigger v2.0

I work primarily with live fish and reptiles and not cat supplies as my full time job, but I share my home with two cats named Oreo and Tigger and have always had a cat in the family. Yes, their names were chosen quickly and without great thought and as you can guess one is black and white and the other is a tabby. Don't let their simple names fool you though, they are full of personality! Oreo and Tigger are not brothers by birth, but they have been raised together since they were young kittens. The boys are between twelve and thirteen years old now, and have been eating the same brand of cat food that entire time. Over that span of time, changes have happened with food manufacturing and company ownership, and I have seen the quality of that brand degrade. So, I decided to attempt a change in diet to a higher quality food with less filler and more quality ingredients. The food they have been on shall remain nameless to protect the innocent, but the food I have decided to switch them to is manufactured by Blue Buffalo.

My cats are very active and playful, and have always seemed to be in good health, but working where I work and hearing the things I hear about cat supplies, food and nutrition it made me wonder if I could do better for my boys. I keep hearing about the things a higher quality diet would change, such as more energy, less shedding, less waste in the litter box, and not needing to eat as much food to be full. I thought that all sounded well and good, but how did it work in the REAL world..how would it work on MY cats. In the world of  today everything is about marketing hype when it comes to foods for both people and pets, and I wanted to know if there was substance behind the claims of this food manufacturer, The Blue Buffalo Company. So, after only a short time how are Oreo and Tigger doing with their new food?

I'm surprised, and happy to say that even with the mix still at 50/50 of their old cat food and the new cat food I have noticed some changes for the better. First off, the cats have had no negative reaction to the food at all. The boys still come running when their bowls are filled, and they eat with great gusto as usual. Something I've noticed though is that their food lasts longer during the day, as they don't seem to eat it all as quickly. They still eat the same amount of food (1 cup per day each), but they seem to pace themselves better. A wonderful change I have noticed, is that their food change lets me get more sleep. "How does that work?" you ask? Well, my boys and I have had a routine for many years, which is the two of them trying to get my attention in the morning to refill their food bowls as if they haven't eaten in days. My cat Tigger sits by the metal tin the cat food is in, and he reaches up with a paw and swats at one of the two handles on the tin. This gives him a satisfying "clang clang clang" of the metal handle against the tin. He sits by that tin until I get up out of bed and feed him, even if it takes two hours. Well...this week...for the first time ever, neither of my cats has made an effort to make me get out of bed to refill their food bowl first thing in the morning. They still come and eagerly eat when I fill the bowls, but it seems like maybe they are more full from eating or more satisfied for longer. It has been absolutely fantastic.

So, if anyone reading this is nervous about switching the diet of your kitty to something higher end, and if you are uncertain as to whether or not it is worth changing I can tell you that my personal experience doing so has been excellent.

Comments

[Dog kennels]

It is very very informative post