Cat food

[bilbo baggins]

Hi cat lovers,
Just wondering if anyone can tell me the availability of James Wellbeloved, Iams, or Hill science diet dried cat food in New Zealand?
We are bringing our siamese cat over but apparently Burns Cat food is not available in NZ and we need to begin the gradual process of mixing in a brand that he will have when he arrives. Do the main supermarkets sell these brands or any other ones, particularly organic ones you would recommend.

Don't want any upset tummies!!

Thanks

Bilbo

[Mgee]

Hi Bilbo Baggins,
it seems that at least Hill's and Iams are available:
http://www.petpost.co.nz/
They seem to stock some organic/natural brands as well, but I guess they're not available in UK for you.
Our cat needs to eat a specific medicinal food (Waltham's Urinary food), and luckily it seems that she can get that in NZ as well.

Mgee

[925dancer]

They have a reasonably good range of dried, good quality food for dogs and cats. Not that I ever buy dog food!

I can't remember if I've seen JWB but I have certainly seen Iams, Hills (not the hugest fan of these two) Royal Canin (would recommend this, they have different types for different tums and lifestyles) and Nutrience which I have been feeding my fosters and they love it.

I do find it more difficult to find good quality wet food as I'm don't agree with a dry only diet. Good is that Whiskas here has a higher meat content at home, bad is that anything of a significantly better quality is hard to come by but that's a whole other debate!

Best place for food is Animates but don't buy a scratching post there, wildly overpriced, get them off Trademe

[bilbo baggins]

Great that really helps! Unfortunately Bilbo will only eat dried food as tried him on everything else but just not interested. Has a lick of a yoghurt pot and that is it. Makes the collection the other end a lot easier though for when poo sampling time comes. Can't wait!

[frootbat]

We have/had a skinners fed dog and was dismayed to see only the ridiculously overpriced 'vet' foods in most pet shops, even more ridiculously overpriced than at home. The more mass market ones are available more reasonably in supermarkets. We have discovered, among other online pet shops petworkz.co.nz and our pooch is now eating Ultra food. I think they do a cat version, and there are other more 'natural' brands available.

[dilanium]

We feed our cat Excellence cat food which is pretty high quality for a supermarket brand. (he's picky).

We feed our dog Nutro though.

As for how overpriced most pet food is here- there are VERY few dry pet foods manufactured in New Zealand (only "biscuit" type and not kibble of any kind) so they are more expensive because they all have to be shipped over here. They do make both cat and dog wet food in NZ though.

The more expensive premium brands usually use better types of protein and have a guaranteed rather than average analysis, so you really know what you're getting in every bag. Plus they've usually undergone a palatability and feeding trial, which not all cheaper pet foods have.

In any case as long ad you're feeding your cat a complete cat food they should be fine.

[M-Squared]

Dry food seems to have been covered. For wet food, just get raw beef at the supermarkets - in the pet food section. That, and a tin of tuna every now and then, will see them just right.

[dilanium]

Dry food seems to have been covered. For wet food, just get raw beef at the supermarkets - in the pet food section. That, and a tin of tuna every now and then, will see them just right.

As long as your not feeding them that every day and the majority of their food is a balanced cat food then I agree.

[Nathan]

Aims digestive care,... or sensitive stomache or whatever they call it... is $49 for the same bag I pay $16 for in the States. ...and that's last week at Animates vs this week at Walmart.

[Jolie]

Yes, quality brand pet food here is more expensive. But store brands and other cheaper brands often have a high ash content, which is not good for the animals and can cause health problems in the long run.

In the States, mine were on Hill's, which is a better quality than Iam's there -- but I converted them to Iam's here, because my vet told me that it is just the opposite here, Iam's is better quality than Hill's.

I guess it comes down to an issue of whether you're stretched to the limit financially here, or you can afford to provide your pet with the best. I'd rather give up a couple of my personal luxuries if it means being able to feed them high-quality food. But for many people down here, personal luxuries aren't even part of the equation.