How unhealthy is Meow Mix Tender Favorites wet cat food?

My 11 yr old, "Daughter," almost died from pancreatitis, IBD, and fatty liver. I got her to a vet just in the knick of time, and she fully recovered. This occurred after a few weeks on a feeding tube, but I discovered that she voluntarily would eat Fancy Feast Classic Beef (which my vet says is actually the best among the other classic flavors, which are the healthiest overall too). So, I stopped feeding the prescription food, in favor of the FF Classic Beef.

She is now doing *wonderfully*. Better than ever, actually. I occasionally give her other foods to try, but she has only preferred the FF Beef, but none of the other FF flavors. However, when she tried Meow Mix Tender Favorites "with REAL chicken & beef in sauce," her response was PROFOUND. She absolutely LOVES it, but I''m sure it isn''t good for her.

My main concern is that has way too many carbs. She has never been diagnosed with diabetes, but she is at risk. She is now off all drugs, but when she was on Prednisone, the risk was even greater. Nonetheless, my vet has warned me that I should be careful with her diet, to be safe. She did, however, approve of the FF Beef, though she made clear that it wasn''t the healthiest choice (obviously).

Daughter has been eating less and less of her FF, not because the Meow Mix, but over time her appetite has dwindled. But I also weigh her daily, and her weight is just a few ounces above what my vet considers to be "ideal."

We see the vet Tuesday, for dental work that will cost $1000-1100. It should cost half that amount at other vets, but I am more interested in the best work possible, rather than the cheapest price. So, on Tues I will address the feeding issue with our Dr., but I''d like to hear from you fine people in the mean time. Please let us know what you think.

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First off let me say you sound like a very responsible cat owner!

I''ve had the same issues with my two cats - they sometimes find a food they like and eat it with gusto then over time lose interest even if previously they couldn''t seem to get enough of it. I have also heard the FF food isn''t too bad, even though it isn''t particularly a high quality brand. My understanding about why it is actually ok is because it''s mostly real meat (which is more than can be said for a lot of the supermarket brands out there) and has a high water content. And we all know that cats never really get as much water or moisture into their systems as they should.

I would definitely try and avoid the supermarket brands wherever possible, they''re just not very good. I know in some cases with an extremely sick cat getting them to eat anything is important so the supermarket stuff can be a stop-gap measure, but on a regular basis, I''d avoid it. Too many by-products and a lack of the needed nutrients a cat needs, as well as poor protein sources and too many carbs - just a recipe for disaster.

If your cat likes the cat foods with meat in sauce, have you tried the Wellness packets? They are also meat in sauce, but a lot better quality. My cats ate those with enthusiasm for a while, and they''re good for them, too.

Some cats will also respond well to Nutrical, which is an appetite stimulant. It''s a meat-flavoured sticky gel that is high in calories, and packed full of nutrients. When our very old and sick cat was experiencing kidney failure, that was one of the only things that kept him going for a while.

Good luck!

• We have had cats all my life and we avoid Meow Mix at all cost. We have an elderly cat that would *prefer* that food, but we were told it was not a healthy choice for senior cats. The brilliant thing about Meow Mix Tender is that it is tender and easy for cats to eat if their teeth are going bad, but the same stuff they put in it to make it soft is exactly the same as soft cat treats. Our vet explained it like this - if you put sugar in a food, children will like it better even though it makes the food less healthy. He said whatever it is they put in Meow Mix does the same thing and it will make the cats want to eat it more even though it is not very healthy. Its like eating a bowl of treats instead a bowl of healthy food. I cannot recall why the vet said this particular brand was not very healthy - but is is on the cheap side and with pet food, cheaper does mean less healthy in almost every situation. Most of the time, cats can eat cheap food with no problems. But if your cat has dietary issues or illness diet is EXTREMELY important. I would ask your vet, but you will probably be better off buying a higher quality food.