Strictly Wellness

[Davis]

Well, yes, experience is important, but at the same time, I'm certainly not unwilling to change.  I just want it to be a decision based on something substantial.  Even though I hate to mess with a good thing, diet-wise, my cat is eating very little dry now anyway, and I have to admit that I really dislike Natura's public relations -- ignoring customers, not going the extra mile with testing, credibility issues, etc (which seems to be a problem with almost all of them).  This is enough to prompt me to dump Natura, even if things prove okay with their food (which we don't know yet, since they aren't willing to prove it).  I might consider another food that my cat would perhaps do just as well or better on.  Wellness is one that I was considering for a while, but there is always something I dislike about all of them.  None of them are ideal.  If it's not ingredients, it's public relations or customer service.  Not one of them have impressed me yet.  But as stated, we have to feed our little ones.  If my cat would accept it, I would be done with pet food companies forever.

[eternaljester81]

Davis,
Just out of curiosity, what are your complaints with Wellness?

[KimS]

I'm guessing it's that Menu manufactures their canned food.  I also know that some of the people answering their customer service phones have been rude in the past.
I would imagine during the height of the pet food recalls they had to hire extra people to answer the customer service phones and not all of them were stellar.

All I know is that my cats and dog are doing great on it.
Everybody has their reasons and I totally understand why someone would be hesitant.

[eternaljester81]

KimS,
The Menu connection is also my guess. As far as contacting them, I've been told that their e-mail responses are very 'cut and paste' type, but that the reps usually seem very helpful and knowledgeable over the phone.

[KimS]

Someone on Itchmo said that someone hung up on them.
I don't know why, but I have worked customer service before and if I was being harassed I would hang up.
I don't know if this was the case or not.

[jenny]

I know that Wellness has done a poor job of answering some of my emails - I was annoyed and for a while wouldn't buy their food.  But the nutritional analysis just seems so good for this food, that I backed down....When I called them they were very helpful and then emailed me information I requested. I think, as stated above, none of them seem perfect when it comes to customer response.

[karatemom2]

I switched to Wellness quite awhile back and my kitty did ok on it.   I then went to Evangers and also did home made.  I still have some Wellness Canned catfood that I am using up and use from time to time.  One thing that I notice is that my cat's stools really smell when she's eating canned Wellness (chicken) vs. home made (a blend of chicken thigh or breast, chicken liver or canned salmon, hard boiled egg, powdered organic milk, a vegetable such a green bean, peas or sweet potato and brown rice.)  Home made diet supplemented with Wellness kibble = low odor stools. 

[Davis]

I personally have no complaints with Wellness.  I was just saying that when I was studying the various foods that are available, I didn't find any formula that did not have something in it that I didn't want, and that includes the grain-free foods.  I was looking for dry food at that time, and there were many people complaining about having problems when contacting some companies.  There were complaints some about Wellness. 

I ended up going with Natura Cal Natural chicken & rice because it had the fewest, most simple ingredients, and the protein content was good for a grain-based food (but who knows it their analysis is even correct).  However, I didn't really want a grain-based food, so I was also considering Wellness Core, but another reason the Cal Natural won out was the fact that they had promised to open their own canning factory and discontinue their relationship with Menu (who knows if they will follow thru).  I would rather not support Menu by buying food from a company that uses them, but we don't have many options, do we?  Some don't agree, but I will never trust Menu.  The way they handled the whole crisis was appalling, and I have read too much about the conditions in that factory to ever feel comfortable with them.  I have finally decided on Evangers for canned, and I'm using a little Natura's dry (Cal Nat & Evo mixed) with some reservations.

Karatemom has the right idea, because I'm now concerned about the supplements that are going into all foods, including canned.   That sounds like a great homemade recipe, but don't think my cat would eat it.

[jenny]

Wellness now has a video on their web page
http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/pr_07-17-2007b.html

[garypen]

I think I'm gonna give Wellness a shot. This crap I've been reading about Innova has soured me on it, and on Natura in general. (I had been using California Natural, as well.) Lots of double talk and song and dance.

I'll try one or more of the Wellness dry formulas, and post my results. I am thinking of possibly mixing the Healthy Weight and Core formulas to get more protein than the Healthy Weight alone, but lower calories and fat than the Core alone. Or, maybe I'll just try the Indoor Health formula by itself. I'll figure it out.

There's a small local chain called Pet Club that carries Wellness. I don't remember what they charge for it. But, they sell Merrick for about .25 cheaper per can than anywhere else, so I am hoping for a similar saving on Wellness, which is usually pretty expensive at the other stores.

[jenny]

I started feeding my IBD cat Wellness Core about 1 1/2 weeks ago.  So far so good.  It was between that and the EVO dry.  But with the rumours and issues from itchmo and the fact that I tried for weeks to get Natura to answer basic questions about one of their foods - I decided to go with Wellness.

[Sharon L.]

I'll try one or more of the Wellness dry formulas, and post my results. I am thinking of possibly mixing the Healthy Weight and Core formulas to get more protein than the Healthy Weight alone, but lower calories and fat than the Core alone. Or, maybe I'll just try the Indoor Health formula by itself.

That's what I finally ended up doing ... mixing 1/2 Wellness Core and 1/2 Wellness Salmon. Along with the canned grain-free Wellness that seems to be working.

/Sharon

[garypen]

Good to know! I'll probably use the Indoor or Weight formulas instead of the Salmon, to keep the calories down. But, otherwise, it's good to hear!

I'm going back to Merrick for canned food, though. I was using them before I switched temporarily to Innove Lite. My intention was always to go back to Merrick, which I'm just doing a little early. I prefer not to use Menu-made products, if possible, which of course Wellness canned foods are.

[garypen]

Well, I tried Wellness today. The store had a small Wellness selection, only Complete Health or Healthy Weight dry, and Chicken or Turkey canned. I opted for Complete Health Chicken, as one of my cats is getting kinda thin. I also picked up one can each of the two wet flavors, just to check them out. (Yes. I know they are made by Menu.)

Lucky loved the dry food. Lucy wasn't interested in it at all. I plan to get the Indoor Health at a different store, next time. I'm hoping Lucy will like the Indoor better, and that Lucky likes that one as much as the Complete Health. I like the added benefits it has for indoor cats, on paper anyway. (The mix of Core and Healthy Weight I wrote of earlier seems like an unnecessary complication, the more I think about it.)

They both loved the canned chicken. They scarfed it down more vigorously than any of the previous brands and varieties of canned foods I have tried so far. Now, I have to wrestle with the Menu issue. Do I stay with Merrick, or should I use the canned Wellness? The ingredient list is great. But, I have to worry that Menu is not following the recipe. Or, even if they are, do I want any money of mine to go to them? Crap. Ethical dilemma.

BTW, what do you guys pay for Wellness? The small bag of Complete Health was $9.99, and the cans were .99 each.

[eternaljester81]

What size small bag did you buy? The place where I buy Wellness Indoor (the only place near me that sells it), it costs about $16 for a 2.8 lb bag and $19 for 5lb bag. I don't know what the small sample bag costs. The cans are $1.19 for the smaller and around $3.50 for the bigger. It sounds like your shop has much better prices.