Then the tooth problems came. About $2000 later for each of them to have cleanings and multiple extractions we knew we had to do something. After a lot of research we determined we needed to adjust their diet. I don’t want them to lose all of their teeth at their young ages. I should also note, we were brushing teeth 2-3 times a week after their dental visits, and it didn’t seem to do any good. That was in addition to a dental diet food!

We went head first into a raw food diet. Frankly, it wasn’t for me. I just don’t know about leaving raw chicken out for as long as they like to take to eat. Plus the older cat, who isn’t that finicky, wasn’t too keen on it. In addition it would occasionally make the other one sick.
So I decided to see what canned food we could try without all the fillers you read about being bad for cats. Holy cow! Most people don’t read labels for their own food like I was for cat food. There are so few canned foods out there without crap and fillers. Finally I found By Nature and both cats really like it. Unfortunately, one likes a flavor (beef) that makes the other one sick. But if we keep them eating their own food life is good. It has made the biggest difference in both of them. They both lost a little weight, which the vet said it put them at a perfect weight. Their coats are unbelievably soft and don’t shed nearly as much as they used to. We joke about the younger one being on crack he has so much energy. The older one, who has never really been a lap kitty, is even sweeter than before and actually likes to cuddle. I think that’s probably a combination of having bad teeth out and food she really likes.

Speaking of teeth, we are down to brushing their teeth once a week and their gums look better than they ever did when we were brushing them multiple times a week.

By Nature has been a great change in our house and I hope it continues. Not all cats will have the same experience, but I would recommend By Nature to anyone with cats.

Any thoughts?

I have 2 older cats (10 & 11 years old and adopted at 1 and 2 yrs old) and 4 now 10 month old kittens (I took in a pregnant stray someone dumped off in front of my house). My older cats have always had allergies, shed a ton, the female has always had sinus problems from an infection she had before I adopted her, and the male always had ear problems. I had been feeding them Purina One for sensitive systems, and the male (a long hair) would throw up usually at least twice a week. Then, the kitties came along. I was picking up barf every day, sometimes before AND after work. I tried them on Iams kitten food, which was marginally better. They always got Friskies canned food during this time. Then, after a bunch of research and reading, I decided to try them on By Nature kitten food. Everyone eats the same food, adults and kittens. They also get 1 can split 6 ways in the morning and 2 cans split 6 ways at night (so they don’t wake me up at 4am to eat! ha!) and always have dry food out during the day.

Within a week, I noticed NOONE was throwing up anymore, everyone really liked the dry food, and the wet food has grown on them. It is cake style, and they usually prefer chunks, so that has been a small and easy change for them. I started them out with mixing a little dry in with their wet food. They ate it all even though it was a bit different for them. Yes, the cans are much more $$ compared to Friskies, but two things I have noticed that make it VERY worth it. 1 – the By Nature wet food can is 1 ounce larger than the Friskies can. 2 – there is no added water in the By Nature canned food. Notice, the VERY FIRST ingredient in Friskies canned food is Water! I was feeding 3 cans in the morning and 3-6 cans at night of Friskies, and even at $0.44/can, that is nearly $4/day on canned food. Now, they eat 2-3 cans/day, and at $1.59/can it is $4.77; a less than $1 a day difference for a much better food. Now for the results!

I have had everyone on By Nature for about 2 months now. I had the kittens fixed at 6 months. One of the kittens never grew her belly hair back. That’s right, she had been bald for 2 months after her surgery. Within TWO WEEKS of switching them over, her belly hair is all but COMPLETELY grown back! She also had very coarse and dry hair before. Now she has very soft and shiny hair! The other kitties also have gotten much shinier coats, and are definitely much softer. They also shed much less, NEVER puke (unless my boyfriend over feeds them treats, ha!) and their litter boxes don’t stink up the house like they used to. I used to have to clear out of the kitchen when someone did naughty things in their litterboxes. Now, I am in there waiting and waiting and never smell a thing. That’s not to say they never have a stinky moment, but NOTHING like the did before. I also notice their urine is much less ammonia-y smelling. The older cats don’t have their allergies anymore, and my female hardly ever sneezes anymore. My male doesn’t mind his ears touched anymore, and no one sheds as bad as they used to.

I have to say the extra $$ is worth it! My cats and kittens are much better on this food. No more hair balls, no more bald bellies, no more allergies. They love the food and eat much less of this (wet and dry) than they used to of their food before. I am very happy with this product.

That being said, every animal is different. We had a dog live 17 years when I was younger who lived his whole life on purina-like food, with the meaty packet things. We also recently had a pup who lived only 10 years and had very good food his whole life. All animals are different, and food won’t solve every health problem your animal may have. If you have an animal with a special needs diet, by all means keep your pet on that. If you have cats, like I did, with general minor issues, hairballs, and the like, and want to try changing food before spending $350 to have their ears cleaned out while they are under anesthesia, by all means, try to easier solution first! I am glad I did. Not all pet food is for all pets. All foods have good and bad reviews. But as I wouldn’t raise a child on only fast food, I prefer not to raise my cats that way either. This food seems like a nice balance of good protein sources, and no allergy-producing corn, soy, etc. It has made a major difference in my house!