Evangers Canned Cat Food

[lacy]

Also it probably wasnt the same lady you talked to. The lady I talked to was not very nice to me at all ( and I was being very nice), and really couldnt answer my questions with certainty. Anyways, can you also let u know about the ph, carbs, and phos? Thanks Babs!

[Babs]

I will let you know as soon as they contact me about all the numbers. 
And Cindy,  are Pacific mackeral tiny fish??  Gee, I thought they must be babies, if they were that small, and hence might have been from fish farms!   Shows how much I know about fish, doesn't it.

The cans I got had a use by date of May 2012 and May 2013!  Gee, they expect it to stay good in the can a loooong time.
The 2012 can really didn't look appetizing at all, sort of dark gray and oogie, but the cats ate it.  the 2013 cans looked better, not quite as gray, but still dark.   When I went back to get more, they only had the 2012 cans left, but I bought it.  Hopefully they have 2013 cans next Tuesday when more comes in. 
I am used to canned food with lots of preservatives I guess, my Fancy Feast can sit in the dish for a couple hours, and still look pretty good when they come back to finish it up.  The Evangers looks pretty much ready to put in the garbage after a  little while.   It doesn't really give them as much time to decide to come back and finish eating  it.  I won't give them so much at a time.

I am eagerly awaiting the mackeral.  They did NOT like the Seafood Dinner at all, so I will return that and get more of the fish and caviar dinner.  The turkey and squash was the best of all.

[garypen]

The 2012 can really didn't look appetizing at all, sort of dark gray and oogie, but the cats ate it.  the 2013 cans looked better, not quite as gray, but still dark. 

It is that sort of inconsistency that made me decide not to use Evangers (or Felidae canned, which is also manufactured by them).

If they can't do something as simple as make all cans of the same formula to be consistent in terms of appearance, aroma, volume, and solidity, I can't trust them to make something consistently healthy and safe, either. (They couldn't even put the labels on straight.)

[Cindy Nevarez]

Yes, Tha Pacific Macks are the smallest of Macks. They are a little bigger than sardines. Those cans won't be consistent in my opinion since they are not doing anything to the food except packing it in as Mother Nature makes it with a little gravy...and that's all.

My cats didn't like the Seafood Dinner at first either, but since they are getting their dry cut back, and thriving on the other Evangers' they have been slowly warming up to it.

Also, I might add that they are starting to look very good, which surprised me since I thought they looked good before. Their coats are shinier, thicker and without dandruff, which the "old one" had no matter what I did.

They are also eating consistently too, rather than a little today, none tomorrow, and a bunch the day after that.

[Babs]

Cindy,
I just spoke with the man from Evangers.  he was very nice and seemed willing to talk a long time.   He called me back re: numbers and saidthe target ph of their canned cat food was between 6.- 6.1 
He said they didnt' measure the carbs, but it would be close to nothing since they use no grains. 

I asked him about the mackerel in his canned cat food, and he said that his mackerel for cats is caught in the Pacific,  it is frozen while still on the ships after being caught, and delivered to Evangers frozen, and they thaw it out and then HAND PACK it right away into the cans and seal it.  Nothing else in it, just the mackerel and broth.  IF I can't get the cat mackerel soon, I will try some of the dogfood which is basically the same thing.
 
He says the number of fish in each can of cat food depends on the size of the fish that come in.  Sometimes 3 if they are smallish and sometimes if they are bigger, the workers can only squeeze one into the can.
It is back ordered now, and I am hoping to get some soon.  I feel this would be a pretty safe food for the cats.   I have a few cats that are craving some fish.

I asked whether or not they tested for melamine and he said no because they used no grains or glutens etc. and therefore he didn't feel there was any way for the melamine to get into their food..  I asked about the chicken feed the chickens were fed, since some of the chicken feed had been contaminated, and he said the chicken feed  their chickens eat is organic, certified organic, and so there was no danger there.
I am not sure how confident I can be with regards to the "certified" organic chicken feed.  Perhaps someone else here would know.

I am looking forward to getting some of the mackerel. 
He said the Hunk of Beef dogfood has nothing in it but a big piece of beef similar to pot roast, and water, and that if I wanted to cut it up, perhaps I could use it for the cats.  Their meat is supposed to be kosher meat, though I didn't discuss that with him.   He thinks this beef might not be as palatable for cats, since the catfood has liver in it to make it tastier and the Hunk of beef doesn't.  Hmmm, I am not sure my cats like the liver flavor.  I hate the liver smell myself.
when he found out how many cats I have he said to let him know how they liked the hunk of beef, and he might consider making a smaller can of it for cats.   I figure my cats get their vitamins and minerals from the Innova EVO dry, so if they liked the beef, it might be an additional meat for variety's sake.
And a source of real meat protein.   My vet told me that the only fancy feast canned food my FUS cat could eat was the tender beef, so this way I could give him some beef without all the meat by-products and garbage in the FF.

I am still looking for another canned food, I don't ever want to rely on only one food again.  They ate the turkey and squash yesterday, best by date May 2013, but they didn't like what I got that was best by May   2012.
I told him this and he said it might have something to do with what specific parts of the turkey were in that lot.  Different lots, might have some different parts of the turkeys.  I will try that again when another batch comes in next week.  I believe that someone else commented that the food sometimes lookd dissimilar, and this was a concern to her.
The cats did seem willing to eat the seafood and caviar again today. Thank goodness.
they did NOT like the seafood dinner.

I should have asked him where the fish in his seafood and caviar flavors came from, but I didn't think of it.  I was concentrating on the mackerel.
No matter how many questions I ask, I always think of others after I hang up or post an email.    Someone else could call them. 1-800-288-6796
I originally spoke to a lovely young lady, and she didn't have any numbers so she had the gentleman call me back.

[Cindy Nevarez]

Yeah...they are great people over there. I'm glad you got most of the answers you needed.

About that chicken...it's probably also kosher since their 'claim to fame' is selling kosher pet food. I would trust them 100% that they are talking truthfully to you. These are the only pet food company that I feel that way about, and I didn't even hear of them until AFTER the recalls.

I got the Mackeral dog food by mistake last time I ordered...they said "keep it," and sent me the cat one right away. I went out and got a small bottle of Taurine, and occasionally give the dog food mackeral with that sprinkled on it. I thought there would be too much pasta/veggies in there, but there's like 8 pieces total! I was so surprised, and it's easy to just pick out the fish for the cats. Plus my dogs love it the way it is....when I give that to them...I don't have to supplement them with Omega 3 that day.

Also re; the squash one...I think your cats might be having issues with the squash. My cats will not touch anything with squash...or for that matter, anything with a lot of veggies in it.

I would give them time on the Seafood one....it took mine 2 months to warm up to it. Of course their dry food has been cut back drastically during this time as well.

As for my 'other' cat food canned choices; I'm doing Cal. Nat. chicken and brown rice.

[Babs]

I fear I could not hold out for 2 months, I have so many cats,  nor could I hold out any of their dry food.  I am giving them EVO, and now some Orijen, and that is really the only food I really trust.   Well, I will have to continue to give them the Fancy Feast without wheat gluten for a little while longer, while at the same time trying other things too.  Hopefully they will like the Evangers mackerel because today they refused to eat the seafood and caviar also, so I have 2 cases of food they will not eat, and I can't get a refund, only a store credit.  At the moment they don't carry EVO or ORIJEN.  Hmmmm,  I will have to pray they get the mackerel in and that the cats like  about $50 worth of it.

I am really tired tonight, and feel like I am starting the food search all over again.  I thought I had found a good food they would eat....Well, they won't starve on the dry EVO and the Orijen.  I am about ready to order another big bag of the Life's Abundance.  I didnt' want to, It has brown rice in it, but my 2 other friends have been feeding it through out the whole crisis and their cats are still fine.    I didn't want to order it because Menu makes their canned food!!! And I don't want to support Menu in any way.
 Ohio makes their L.A. dry food.  It hasn't had any recalls.   
However, if I can't find another canned food I can trust......

My one friend with 9 cats is feeding them the EVO, since I found that, Life's Abundance, which she has always used,  and Fancy Feast without gluten, sometimes some of the awful Shop Rite sardines, which they say on the can is not complete.  Her cats have been fine.

Of course that doesn't solve what to give the CRF cat who should only eat wet food.  <big sigh>
I am too tired to read any more blogs tonight, I will start over again tomorrow.  I feel about 100 yrs. old tonight.  Maybe my samples of the Evangers will come tomorrow and will have some mackerel in it.  :-)
OR, I can go try some of the Evengers doggie mackerel!!!

[garypen]

I didn't want to order it because Menu makes their canned food!!! And I don't want to support Menu in any way.

You wouldn't be supporting Menu in any way, if you bought their dry food.

[Cindy Nevarez]

I'm sorry Babs....I didn't mean to make you feel worse! 

Your local health food store would have some Taurine, which you could sprinkle onto the dog mackerel, however, it's really not necessary, esp. since you feed dry everyday.

[Babs]

Cindy, no, by no means did you make me feel worse.  It is just the situation that in general continues to make me feel worse.  I would LOVE to know what in the world Fancy Feast puts in their food that makes my cats love it so much. 
They don't like most Fancy Feast actually,  they have always liked ONLY  the flavors without wheat gluten, thank goodness!!  However, they certainly do like those.  I don't know what in the world is in them, could it be sugar, or.....?I know the nice color of the food makes it appeal to me, but I know that is silly and is only for the pet owners sake.  I am trying to adjust to the ugly color graybrown that the Evangers is.

I just decided to get another bag of Live's Abundance,  since my friends cats have been eating it for a long time with no ill effects, but today she told me they have CHANGED THEIR FORMULATION.  They have added alfalfa sprouts, and re-ordered other things a bit.    I know alfalfa sprouts are very good for people, excellent for arthritis, when I used to eat a lot, my joints NEVER hurt, and I am old.   BUT I wonder where the alfalfa sprouts come from.  Sounds like something that would come from China!!!

Anyway,  I am going to check out the Evangers doggie mackerel, and the Hunk of beef, and see if they like that.  At least they like the EVO and the ORIJEN dry food, they won't starve.  My friend gives her cats L.A., Evo, and the Fancy Feast without wheat gluten, and all 9 cats are still fine, and also now and then she gives them the Shop Rite sardines in aspic!   Nothing in that but the sardines and aspic, no vitamins, nothing else, and the cats LOVE IT.  It says on the can that it isn't nutritionally complete, but for a treat her cats love it a couple times a week.  I do NOT know where the sardines come from.  I think I will call them and ask, and I will also ask where it is canned!!!  Wouldn't be surprised if it is canned by Menu.
If it is then I wouldn't even consider it.   
Have a great holiday weekend!  And thanks for the help.  And my cats thank you all too.

[Cindy Nevarez]

Don't give anything with alfalfa in it to cats...it's on all toxicoloy lists for cats. It's just a 'feel good' gimmick to get people to buy the food.

BTW, sardines for people are probably safer for you to buy for the cats (my cats love them occasionally too)...in other words; avoid ones 'canned for pets' if there is such a thing. You could also sprinkle the taurine on them too.....

I am pretty sure sardines are caught wild...but I don't know that for a fact.

[Davis]

I am also wondering if I could give some of the kosher meat DOG foods to my cats that need high protein low carb, since there is nothing in it but meat and water for processing.  They could get their vitamins and minerals from their Innova EVO dry food, and their canned turkey squash canned.
I think the distinction between dog and cat food might just be in the vitamins and minerals.

That is what I'm considering doing.  I want a plain canned meat for my cat, and the Evangers has it. To compensate for the nutrients, I want to add a supplement to make it nutritionally complete.  I'm considering trying a product that is meant to be added to a raw food diet, but I want to add it to homemade cooked or canned plain meat instead.  Here is a link to the supplement.  It's mixed with warm water to form a mash that is then mixed into the meat:
http://www.felinefuture.com/cat_food/

Has anyone tried the Evangers plain canned meats for their cats, instead of dogs?  For those of you who have tried it for dags, what did you think of it?  Some of the quality complaints about their canned products have me a little concerned, so I want to hear more opinions.  I would also like to find a good human canned meat (preferably not fish or beef) that comes in small cans and does not contain any added flavorings or salt.  Any suggestions?

[jenny]

Someone had posted that ByNature food is made by Evanager's.   I believe them as it looks very much like Felidae - only not so runny.  By Nature is meat, water, and vitamins/minerals. 

[Babs]

Ok, I have thrown out my last  contents of a can of Turkey and squash which were left on the plate.  At about 90 cents a 5.5 oz can, I can't afford to do that again.   
I need to access information on the petfood list of recall info because it is all in PDF form now, and that crashes my computer.  I have the latest PDF software, and STILL any pdf file crashes my computer, and involves rebooting etc.etc. 
I thought there use to be a list you could access with all the brands, and flavors and dates without using PDF files, but I cannot find it now.  And going through all my 2 months of emails of Itchmo alerts would simply not be feasible. 
So does anyone know where there is a recall list with brand, flavor, and date info that is NOT PDF?

[lacy]

I actually just bought one can of By Nature. It only has basically meat and well water and vitamins. I cant get a hold of them to confirm it is made by Evangers. Untill then, I wont use it, The weird thing was though, I found it as KROGER! I never ever buy cat food from grocery stores so I found it a little odd that they carried it. I was just strolling down the isle to see what was on the shelves. Not sure what I think about that.

 I am also feeding the Evangers Turkey and Squash. There is always leftover!! I refrigerate the leftovers but they HATE that. It has to be right out of the can. I had read the quality consistancy concerns, but honestly they didnt really bother me right now. Might just be the way they are shipped, or who knows. Better than Poison. (one thing they DONT waste is the whole mackerel!! Geez they would eat that all day if they could)