Help With Feeding

Question
Hi!

Hopefully you will be able to assist me.  I have 4 cats, three male and one female.  They range from the ages of 1 to 9.  This is probably my fault because I get nervous when one of my cats does not eat right a way.  They all like different foods and I need to put them all onto one food.  I have been told that a healthy cat will not starve themselves.  I have been feeding only the best, Wellness, California Natural and Epigen90 from Wysong.  One likes the California Natural, One likes the Epigen90 and the other two they rotate between Wellness and Epigen90.  I cannot afford this food anymore.  My first question is how do I get them all onto one food and my second question is there a cat food in the supermarket that is half or more decent that I can feed them?  I am talking dry food.

I await your response.

Thank you.

Answer
Hi Ellen,

About the best supermarket food you can feed your guys is Purina One. It's widely available and the price isn't too bad. I get mine at Wal Mart. Add the Purina One into each of the different other types of food you have. Start with a 75% regular food, 25% Purina One mixture. After a week make it a 50/50 mixture then a week later 75% Purina One, 25% the other. Finally they should all be on Purina one only. You have to make the changeover gradually. If you switch them all at once they will throw the food up.

I also recommend you feed them some wet food also if you don't already. You don't have to give them a lot. Just what they can eat at one time. I feed 10 cats with 3 cans of food. And they leave some left over. Cats eat about a tablespoon of wet food at a sitting. When they walk away remove what's leftover.

What you were feeding them was great. However in these times I understand your needs. I would love to feed mine what you are doing. But the reality is that I can't. I feed mine a mixture of Purina One and Purina Cat Chow Indoor formula. They do fine on it. This mixture seems to keep the hairballs down. Also you can find coupons for it online. And Pet Smart has some good sales on it once in a while.
Hope this helped. Good luck and take care.

Ciao, Karen