Am I a sucker for buying "Indoor Formula" food for my cat?

[Paragon]

I mean...aren't all domesticated kitties indoors?

[Mistress Quickly]

1. I do

and it has cut down on the hairballs.

She has beautiful long hair, but jeez the hairballs.

It has some of the stuff (fiber?) they would get from grass if they were outside eating it.

[TrogL]

2. Cat food is cat food

Granted, some of the really cheap stuff has high ash content but other than that fancy stuff is a waste of money.

[wysimdnwyg]

6. I disagree

After years of feeding him Friskies, mine's been getting Science Diet Senior Hairball Formula for the last five years. Not only have the hairballs been reduced in number dramatically, the vet said Bali is extremely healthy for 14. In fact, this vet (who saw him for the first time a couple of months ago) thought he was about 7 or 8.

I'll swear by the "better" cat foods.

[LynneSin]

8. I have to agree with you Wysim...

...when I just had Abbott, I fed him purina thinking all cat food was the same.

But I had read where the high ash content not only is bad for the urinary tract, but all that ash ain't being used by the cats and have to go somewhere: OUT

When I had Abbott and he was eating purina, he was pooping like there was no tomorrow. Now Abbott & Evita are eating Nutro's Natural Choice Oceanfish (I haven't gone indoor cat food yet but they have it) and there is so much less poop for the both of them.

[Arugula Latte]

3. I think they mean for exclusively indoor kitties

as opposed to those who roam between indoors and outdoors.

Mine are exclusively indoors, and I've been feeding them that, too. I don't know if I'm a sucker or not.

[prole_for_peace]

4. i buy it...

my cat never goes outdoors and doesn't get to eat grass or lay (lie?) in the sun. these things add vitamins and stuff to a cat's diet. so i bought the indoor formula. and because it has anti-hairball stuff in it.

[Misunderestimator]

5. Your cat would be so jealous of mine...

He has free reign of the screened lanai (as we say in Florida)... about 1000 sq feet of sun and pool.

Oops... edited for spelling

[SW FL Dem]

10. Same here :)

My 16 yr old loves lying in the sun inside the pool cage. She spent the first 13 yrs of her life inside because we didn't have a fenced yard. At first she was afraid of the freedom but grew used to it quickly. Unfortunately, it is almost getting too hot to leave the door open so she can get out.

[Misunderestimator]

11. I have a sliding glass kitty door

Works great!!

[SW FL Dem]

13. My slider is 8 ft high

can't find a doggie/cat door to fit.

[Misunderestimator]

16. Mine too.... just added a piece to the top.

[prole_for_peace]

12. i have a screened in front porch but ...

but the screen is kind of old and rotten. i put her out there before but a stray jumped at the screen and tore it. i wouldn't want them to be able to get in or her to get out.

[Saltdog]

7. Being owned by a cat

is what makes us suckers. The important thing is whether or not your cat likes the food. I'm certain your cat would find your cost concerns irrelevant.

Seriously though, indoor cats exercise less (so it is probably lower calorie food) and they do miss out on some vitamins unless they can sleep in the sun from indoors.

[LynneSin]

9. aren't we all owned by cats?

I'm fortunate enough that my apartment has the morning sun and my kitties love to sit on the window sill and soak in the sun.

But I still give them the good cat food. I don't want to be cleaning up hairballs or paying for urinary tract diseases if there is something I can do to prevent it

[TOhioLiberal]

14. Like the saying goes...

Dogs have 'owners'; cats have 'staff'...

Welcome to DU Saltdog!

[ironflange]

15. That's what I feed my three

They're very fond of it. Then they go out into the back yard (it's escape-proof) and eat grass until they puke. Dumb crazy varmints.