DarbyWalters's Full Review: Iams Original Formula Cat Food
I am an animal lover. I tend to take in strays, get them their shots, have them spayed or neutered and find them good homes. I have adopted out over 30 cats from behind my office and more than 10 from my condoplex in the last 10 years. I usually bring them to my office and let them live there to tame them down a little. I have tried many cat foods over the years ( some to save money ) and have come to the conclusion that the cats health is paramount to the choice of food. The other factor that is almost as important is the taste. If they won't eat it, it doesn't matter how good it is for them.
I pick up a brother/sister combo in a drainage ditch 18 months ago and decided to keep them for myself ( plus my party poodle "Fluffcakes" took a liking to them ). Jack Jackers and Katie Katelyn have been great pets but Jack Jackers has a liver problem that could be fatal. He is fine now but I have to watch him closely to see if he is running a temperature. My good friend is a vet and did a biopsy on his liver and gave me the bad news. He told me that there is really nothing I could do except watch him. I decided to let them be indoor/outdoor cats after the prognosis. For the first year, they were always kept inside ( I did not declaw either if them ). After I found out that Jack might not survive, I decided to let them go outside on their own. Katie Katelyn tends to go in and out all day thru the sliding glass. Jack Jackers only goes out after dark. The rest of the day he sleeps in his box ( Yes, Jack in the Box ) and nibbles constantly on his food. It seems that the more often he eats and the more he rests during the day, the healthier he has been. He has had no relapse and both the cats have become more active and fit. Jack Jackers has gone from 16 pounds before he was sick and an indoor cat to 12.5 pounds of healthy indoor/ outdoor cat. Katie Katelyn has also dropped from 14 pounds to a svelte 11 pounds ( She is watching me type this so I put svelte ). I have to say that since I changed their diets to strictly IAMS Original, they have become much healthier. Now to the informative stuff.
The best part about IAMS is that they have a 100% guarantee. If you are not satisfied for any reason, just save the used portion of the food and the proof of purchase from the package. You do not even need the original receipt. Call 1-800-525-4267 and they will replace or refund the retail purchase price. For more information you can visit www.iams.com .
Now for the taste tests. First, it is noticeable which food my strays prefer. If I put IAMS and another brand down for the outside cats, they will choose the IAMS over the alternative. If I just put out an alternative, it will stay out there for most of the day. With the IAMS, it is always gone within a hour or so. For my indoor/outdoor cats, they will not even touch another brand and I know why. I tasted the IAMS...yea I did! It was surprisingly good tasting. I tried a few others and they had an acid or bitter taste ( just like they smelled ). So in retrospect, it doesn't matter who is eating, we all choose the IAMS for taste.
As for ingredients, they are:
CRUDE PROTEIN-not less than 32%
CRUDE FAT-not less than 21%
This combination or 32% and 21% is great for active cats between the ages of 1 and 7. If your cat leads a sedentary lifestyle ( mostly inside ), then you should get the IAMS Formula for cats 7+ ( regardless of age ).
CRUDE FIBER-not more than 3%
MOISTURE-not more than 10%
ASH-not more than 7%
Magnesium-not more than .1%
Magnesium is a component of Ash. A high diet in Magnesium can cause Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS)-this causes crystals to form in the urine for cats that have that propensity.
Taurine-not less than .15%
Taurine is a very important component of a cats diet. When cats were wild, they got their share of Taurine from their normal diet of invertebrates and rats (high concentration in a rats brain). Taurine promotes the absorption of lipids as cholesterol (building block of cells). Taurine is essential in preventing "Dialated Cardiomyopothy" which is the swelling of the heart muscle caused by the failure of the heart to meet circulatory needs. Taurine also fights the progressive retinal disease called "Feline Central Retinal Degeneration" (FCRD). It also provides for a healthier female cat during pregnancy resulting in fewer still births and a higher rate of survival for the kittens.
OMEGA-6 fatty acid-not less than 2.3%
OMEGA-3 fatty acid-not less than 2.3%
These fatty acids from fish oils are needed for a balanced diet.
There is a feeding scale on the bag which suggests the amount to feed a cat of a certain weight. It is also suggested to place that amount down for your cat(s) in the morning so they can eat at their leisure. The IAMS packaging also reminds you to keep plenty of fresh water available for your cats at all times. Cats tend to drink more than we realize.
To start your cat on IAMS or any new product, you should mix it with their old food at first. A change in diet for a cat can cause vomitting and diarrhea. Once the switch has been made, you should not mix and match foods. Mixing foods can reduce the benefits of IAMS ( and others ).
Some other benefits from a healthy diet are shiny coat, bright eyes and less waste product in the kitty box ( not as much filler ). It also has seemed to make the cat litter box smell better. If you buy IAMS in the 20 pound bags it is much cheaper than the 4 pound bags per pound. The 20 pound bag is $21.59 at SAMS ( $1.08 per pound ). The 4 pound bag is 7.99 ( $1.99 per pound ).
I have found no other brand which gives me the quality of product and satisfactory results as the IAMS. You can't lose trying it with the 100% guarantee.
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