Science Diet - Nature's Best

[pleionetherat]

Hi There!

I'm from Canada and am currently feeding my girls Science Diet - Nature's Best With Real Ocean Fish Adult Cat

Does anyone have any er, beefs with this product or has anyone heard anything about it? I don't want my hogs to develop health problems as they get older.

I'm all about natural products and so I was drawn in by the product description:

"Science Diet Nature's Best™ delivers real ocean fish, real garden vegetables and wholesome grains for the health and happiness of your cat. Science Diet Nature’s Best guarantees high quality nutrition with the shapes and taste your cat will naturally love. "

A link to their website with Nutritional info and ingredients is here:
Science Diet - Nature's Best With Real Ocean Fish (http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_2/products/product_details.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8455244417 75558&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302024975&bmUID=1119905662070&bmLocale=en_CA)

If this ISN'T a good product, does anyone have any recommendations (foods available to Canada preferably)?

Thanks a lot!

Christi

[eponine454]

I don't know anything about this specific product but I know my hedgie doesn't like Science Diet although it was fairly good.

I DO know that it's a good idea to try several different types of food so that they can get a range of nutrients. check out www.hedgehogcentral.com for some very good feeding information.

[PrettyHate]

Here are the ingredients for the food in questions

Brewers rice, corn gluten meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), chicken meal, ocean fish, ground wheat, dried egg product, peas, carrots, chicken liver flavor, dried beet pulp, L-lysine, DL-methionine, oat fiber, iron oxide, taurine, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, minerals (potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, salt, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), rosemary extract, beta carotene, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement).

As you can see it takes THREE ingredients before the actual meat is added in. This means that your hedgie is getting a majority of fillers (things that dont contain alot of nutrience, and will more or less pass right through their systems) in their food instead of actual protien and other good stuff.

On the good side, it does contain chicken meal (and fish meal) and no by-products, or BHA, BHT or ethoxyquin.

If it were me I would probably switch to another food by slowly cutting the Science Diet out (or if you perfer, leaving it in as part of a mix) Most people agree that giving you hedgie a combination of at least 2 types of kibbles is better than having them on just one food anyways :)

Here are some suggestions of foods you may consider switching your hedgie to, or adding into his diet already.

-Wysong
-Wellness
-Royal Canin Slim 38 (may have some troubles finding it since apparently it has been discontinued)
-Royal Canin Indoor 37 (if you cant find above)
-Buffalo Blue
-Chicken Soup For the Cat Lovers Soul

are just a few

Most people go with the diet, or lite versions of the food mentioned above since hedgies are prone to getting a little chunky. In my own mix I combine both adult and lite foods :)

I hope this helps some.

[selkie]

On the good side, it does contain chicken meal (and fish meal) and no by-products, or BHA, BHT or ethoxyquin.

Are the BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin preservatives? If so, do you avoid these in particular or any presevatives?
Are they dangerous for hedgehogs?

[PrettyHate]

On the good side, it does contain chicken meal (and fish meal) and no by-products, or BHA, BHT or ethoxyquin.

Are the BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin preservatives? If so, do you avoid these in particular or any presevatives?
Are they dangerous for hedgehogs?

BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are preservatives. All three are linked to cancer, and oddly enough are becoming quite common in lower quality pet foods and pet treats (dog treats especially it seems) as well as many foods that we consume on a daily basis (dry cereals, crackers etc).

I steer clear of them in pet foods due to the high cancer rates in small animals (hedgies included). I also try not to consume too many foods that contain BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin when it comes to my own foods.

[selkie]

Thanks for the information. I am a label reader. I believe that "you are what you eat" thing!

[PrettyHate]

Youre welcome :)