is whiskas(the dry one)harmful to cats?thats what i feed my cat,coz my vet said it is coz it has lots of salt.

Question

well i wanna know if you guys have been told by your vet the same thing,coz my cat cant pee,he always tries but none would come out so i took him to the vet but he couldnt really diagnose the problem coz my cat was really resisting the catheter even if hes tranquilized and he told me that cat food (and dog food) are actually harmful coz it can cause kidney stones in the long run coz its too salty..he told me to just feed him rice and fish,or anything that isnt artifially processed like cat food and dog food (my cat also eats dog food) so tell me,did your vet tell you that its harmful or did something happen to your cat/dog that was caused by it?

Answer 1

My first cat, WilyBeth, ate nothing but Whiskas growing up for the first 3-4 years of her life. She died at 17½ from feline CRF. The vet at the time told me that it is indeed possible that these "cheap foods" such as Whiskas caused her kidneys to fail sooner than they otherwise might have due to old age. Stormy, two years younger than WilyBeth, ate the food Whiskas only for two years and was always having urinary issues.

Now I will never feed my cats anything except all-natural foods, such as Royal Canin, Nutro, Wellness or other types of foods. Please - for the love of your pet - do NOT listen to these people that say Purina or other foods such as this do no harm. They have not had to live through watching their child's organs shut off just days after 9/11 and spend 3 solid days praying for their cat to recover by spending it on constant IV fluids and more specialized diets. I saw this first hand - and thanks to foods that were all-natural and used NO meat by-products or fillers like what Purina and other cheap national brands use - WilyBeth lived another 2 years and 2 months almost to the day from her first attack of feline CRF.

Do your pet a huge favour and never feed it anything less than quality ingredients that you might even eat yourself. Brands like Nutro and others mentioned above use human-grade meats and fish and poultry - not leftover scraps from the butcher's floor like Purina and these others.

Answer 2

Cats ( mostly Siamese) have urinairy problems with certain kinds of foods. When going to the store for food get the ones that say they are for urinariy maitenance. This is extreemly importaint for siamese cats as they are get urinariy blockages very easily and can die a very painful death very quickly if not treated.
I have had two males that had this and almost lost them both because of it. I know better not and won't buy anything else. It cost a little more but not much. You vet should be able to tell you more about this. If he can't find, another vet.

Answer 3

Whiskas is one of the worst!!! It contains ethoxyquin, which is used as a preservative and is made by the Monsanto Company. It is so toxic that workers at the plant wear gloves and masks before they are allowed to handle it. It also contains by-products which can be any waste product imaginable, including meat not fit for consumption.
You might want to read about pet food and rendering plants. Do a search on google on that subject for more info.

For a great website about cats diets, behaviour and overall cat info, go to:

http://www.cats.about.com

This site is a great resource and they even list the ten top foods that are very healthy for your beloved cat.

Good Luck and enjoy the learning journey.

Answer 4

All pet food was invented in the thirties as a way to use all the grain and meat unfit for human consumption that the food industry was wasting every year. Just another way to make a buck out of refuse. Before the thirties cats were fed scraps (healthier scraps than today!) and ate mice.

Whiskas is the junk food of the cat food world. As is Friskies and Ki&kat, as are all the cheapest cat foods available.

They are all corn, salt, additives, and animal parts like hoofs, beaks, bones, all crushed and possibly other pets' carcasses. 4% meat, read the lable. What's the rest???
Cats weren't born to eat mouldy corn flour, even if shaped like meat and given artificial flavouring of "meat".

Read this book to find out more about the pet food you give your animals "Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food." By Ann N. Martin. NewSage Press (1997).

A friend has fed cheap dry food to her male cat for years and now has the same problem and has to feed him special diet food for kidney problems. Plus, the cat suffers.

So, bottom line is: cheap food=expensive vet bills.
I know, one wouldn't think that pet food is actually harmful for your pet, that's terrible, but if you were to eat the cheapest crap available you'd be sick yourself.

Consider feeding him lots of canned food or the cheapest tuna tins, full of water and better than any cat food.

There's an article below on kidney problems and how to manage them at home, as well.
Good luck!

Answer 5

Cats should not eat dog food! It doesn't have what cats need in it. The Vet should carry a prescription cat food specifically for urinary problems....it is a little more expensive, but it will be cheaper in the long run if you can stay outta the Vet's office.

Answer 6

It probably isn't harmful although it is one of the cheapest brands so you are getting what you pay for. I tried Whiskas before and all of my cats puked when they ate it.

If your cat is prone to kidney stones than you really need to get him on a food that is designed to prevent that problem. One of my male cats had that and we started feeding all of our cats Feline CD that you buy at the vets office. It's especially for cats with urinary problems.

Anyhow, the food is substantially more expensive than any store bought food although like I mentioned before, you get what you pay for. I noticed that my cats did not eat as much as the food has less fillers and their body utilized much more of it, they pooped less and their poop didn't stink NEARLY as much as it did on the cheaper food and they were much healthier, resulting in less vet bills. I think it was well worth it!

Answer 7

Your vet sounds like a quack.I would change vets very quickly.Pet food companies employ very talented chemists to create foods that are nutricionally sound for your pet.Yes,there are foods that are better than others,but generally pet foods are the best thing to feed your pet.The reason your cat cannot pee is because you are feeding him or her only dry food. It crystalizes in their sysyem,and causes a blockage.You should always incorporate some moist food into their diet every day.You can leave dry food out for them to eat when they want,but their main meal should involve something moist.Your cat should eat only food for cats.Dog food wont kill him,but it is not designed for a cats small stomach.Feeding him rice and fish may be a good idea,until his condition passes.Try a little oil in the food also,to help slide the food through his system.Good Luck!

Answer 8

Well...my vet has never told me those words exactly but that food is crap. you're better off buying something like Felidae or Wellness catfood. One look at the label and you can tell.

The foods I mentioned do cost more but you will have a healthier cat in the long run.

Answer 9

My cat has to eat a special diet to prevent crystals in the bladder(due to a recent surgery). My other cats eat Science Diet as recommended by my vet. Dog food can cause you cat to be blind. I'd go to another vet, your cat's health is at stake. It is a horrible way to go.

Answer 10

You don't want to feed your cat anything cheap. Try some Eagle Pack Hollistic, which means it's all natural. You can buy it from a pet store that sells premium foods.