One of the greatest joys I get from having a cat in my life is watching them lick and smack their lips as they emerge from finishing a tasty plate of wet food. As a human, it’s my reward for doing good. The downside is when I misinterpret her flavor choice du jour, and the dismay I receive over the misunderstanding. Mind you, this goes far beyond talking about a cat’s first days rescued from some unspeakable life on the streets. A hungry, stray cat is grateful to eat just about anything.
When Missy first came home, she was pleased to find meals of Friskee’s Chicken and Cheese and a supplement of dry kibble from (now discontinued) Good Life. Friskee’s was a favorite of my previous cat, Mr. Kitty. Though I’d hardly call it decent cat food, I wasn’t about to argue with a cat over his preferences for budget-friendly wet food. And, like first pancakes, it seems like every cat in my life has been a first pancake. One of these days, I like to think I’ll have it all figured out.
Unfortunately after only a few days of Friskee’s, her taste preferences changed. I think I then offered her Nutro Chicken Perfect Portions… and then several others. It’s quite a memory blur now. Cat lovers know all about this. It’s one of the main reasons I had wanted to start this website a few years ago – to document what foods I had tried.
Meanwhile, she still happily snacked Good Life kibble. A cat rescuer introduced me to it. And while I immediately recognized what a cheap food source it was, I was okay with that. Whatever kibble Missy was getting at the rescue, those smelly symptoms disappeared with Good Life. And with her being a rescued kitty, I was more interested providing comfort food than some super healthy, premium food.
A while back, I came across a rather lengthy discussion about Good Life on a forum here. And it was quite a struggle finding a suitable replacement, yet I was thankful it was discontinued. Over several months, I went through dozens and dozens of rejects. And the only reason I felt necessary to offer dry kibble is because of work, I didn’t want my cat to go hungry while home alone all day. Perhaps there is a little extra nutrition she gets from it that she doesn’t from the other sources.
About a year ago, a pet store clerk convinced me to try the kitten version of Simply Nourish Chicken and Brown Rice formula dry kibble. She said it’s what all the picky foster care cats ate. With some initial reluctance, Missy eventually accepted it.
One thing I have learned about cats is their need for wet food. Cats typically don’t drink much water. I do struggle resorting to commercially processed food, but nothing in life is perfect. I can only hope to provide a balance of adequate nutrition and gastronomical delight, while letting the rest be what it may.
Without further ado, Missy has a preference for rich seafood like tuna and mackerel. And she definitely prefers foil packets to cans. She’s all about the sauce. Not pate, not broth… Sauce. A few steady favorites include:
- Natural Balance Platefulls – Cod, Chicken, Sole & Shrimp in Gravy
- Natural Balance Platefulls – Mackerel & Sardine in Gravy
There was a brief time, she liked the Chicken and Legume formula, but it was discontinued before she lost her taste for it. And on rare occasions, she likes the Chicken and Pumpkin formula.
For maybe a year, she really liked Tiki Cat’s pouches of Tuna & Mackerel and Salmon. But around this time, I also noticed a subtle change in her health. I’m not sure exactly what I recall. It seemed like her litterbox was a little smellier. And it seemed like there was a little extra weight. And, while I don’t know the root cause, her first dental visit at age 3.5 years indicated some pretty extensive plaque and tartar buildup. (No, I don’t brush her tiny teeth like I should.) The pre-dental cleaning exam determined she needed three teeth extracted! Luckily, upon further inspection during the dental cleaning, they were okay after all, with no extraction necessary.
I also found that she liked Wellness Core Tiny Tasters – Tuna. She seemed to suggest it was of better quality and consistency than Tiki Cat. Who knows.
But several months ago, Tiki Cat and Wellness Core fell to the wayside of taste preference. Maybe they weren’t expensive enough.
I’ll never forget the time, as a tourist visiting a small town and conversing with a pet boutique owner. The woman detailed how her cat only licked the upper part of a small jar of something like shrimp cocktail. The cat just wanted the creme de la creme, if you will, of some expensive jar of shrimp. I thought to myself back then, “That’s ridiculous. How could anyone ever…” Exactly. These things don’t happen overnight.
Anyway, most recently, in addition to Natural Balance Platefulls, Missy enjoys:
- Wellness Gravies – with Bits of Tuna & Mackerel
- Wellness Morsels – Tuna
- Wellness Morsels – Chicken & Chicken Liver
And no, I get zero from companies. There is zero affiliation. I’m not selling anything. But maybe you have a cat like mine.
I’m confident there will be updates in the future.