Hi there,
My vet carries and sells the brand Specific FXD dry food. The assistant couldn't give me much info about why it's considered healthy, why they carry it, and why I should switch from my current brand. I was hoping for a second opinion.
I should add that my cats are allergic to chicken and sterilised. I feed them Purina ONE with beef for sterilised cats because it's the only one I had found so far that fit their dietary needs and that they like, but I am always looking for healthier options. I also just got them a sample of Yora, which is made out of insects and they seem to like it. I see that it has a B rating here, and I'm wondering Specific compares to these brands, or if there's an entirely different brand I should incorporate. I'm open to feeding them a combination to make sure they get variety.
(The question is specifically regarding dry food. I feed them tons of wet food as well, with supplements and water)
Could you please advise?
Thanks,
Celeste
Hello!
I agree with Pete - nutrition is a very individual choice. My usual advice is that if your cat is thriving and happy on a diet which is complete and nutritionally balanced, then there is no need to change anything. That said, I do like the Specific diets: I have found them to be very palatable to most cats and have a good nutritional profile. I don't think it would be a bad decision either way, it's very much your choice. Just remember, if you do decide to switch diets, do so gradually over several days.
Hi! If you change a cat's diet too abruptly, it can give them a tummy upset (vomiting and/or diarrhea) as their intestinal system struggles to adapt. We recommend to introduce a new diet slowly - roughly 25% new food and 75% old food for the first 2-3 days, then 50/50 for a few days and then 75 new 25 old for a last few days before going to 100% new diet. It also helps your cats get used to the new food's texture and taste.
@lizzie-youens-vet Thanks for telling me to switch gradually. I didn't think about that. Is is for the the cats' comfort or what is the reason?
Good afternoon
Specific is a premium quality dry food, and you can read all about it here https://www.specific-diets.co.uk/cat/everyday-diets/adult-fxd-gb
You will see that its ingredients are: Fish meal, maize protein, maize, wheat, rice, potato protein, cellulose powder, pork fat, maize starch, animal protein hydrolysate, vitamins and trace elements (including chelated trace elements), minerals, egg powder, methionine, fish oil, ammonium chloride, psyllium husk, beet pulp, taurine, Yucca powder. With natural antioxidants (tocopherols, rosemary extract and vitamin C)
So there is no chicken, which is important to your cats, and the other ingredients make up a broad base of top end nutrition, which is what you are looking for.
Yora is an entirely different type of food, made from insects, which suits some cats.
Nutrition is not a black and white science: there are many shades of grey, and choosing what works for your cats is very much an individual choice. It's about working out they like, and what they thrive on, and it's often a case of trial and error (and trying not to worry too much about it: as long as you are feeding a good quality complete diet to them, that's as much as anyone can do).
I hope this helps a bit and do get back to me if you have any other queries
Pete
@petebrayvet-com A friend recommended Amanova, but I also don't see any reviews here. Are you familiar with it?
@petebrayvet-com Thanks! Unfortunately, my cats are not too excited about Specific. Are there some other great brands that are available in Europe that you would recommend?