# Butchers Classic and Toplife



## ShelybellyandTeamC (Dec 13, 2011)

Hi Guys 

So Im a little confused (no surprise there lol) 

Iv noticed a lot of people say that butchers classic and toplife are pretty good cat food yet every time Iv gone to have a look at them they don't seem to have a very good meat content and look like they have the same type of ingredients as in felix etc 

Now is this just me being a little dim and not reading the threads properly or are the ingredients not labeled very well 

The reason I'm interested is Sheldon's on natures menu ATM but hes not overly keen on the fish flavor iv found a website were I can buy boxes of 12 single flavors (so a box of the chicken and a box of the beef) however two flavors of food is not enough variety so I'm looking round for a brand of food that can replace the fish flavor in NM and also give him variety 

(I have explained in previous posts my situation ATM as why I cant buy in bulk from zooplus until sometime next year due to storage problems but that is a future plan) 

Thanks guys


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

Can't comment on the Toplife as I've never bought it. I do, however, feed the cats Classic - at least it forms a proportion of their diet. Don't forget that the meat content often looks like a low percentage but that is often only the % meat for the actual flavour variety.. i.e. chicken flavour will have 4% chicken but a much greater % meat content overall. The good thing about Classic, in my opinion, is that it contains no cereal. It's not the best quality wet food around but it's inexpensive and I use it alongside a high quality raw diet. Must admit though, give the cats the slightest whiff of something pricey in a tiny foil tray and Classic is off the menu.


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## McSquirtle (Jan 13, 2012)

Toplife is in my cupboard at the moment and all of the cats enjoy it. They only do chicken with no plans for other flavours which is abit annoying but I emailed to check about the meat content. It is 50% meat, 50% jelly and of that 50% meat 90% of that is meat! 
I've never looked into butchers classic so might do a bit of research


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

ShelybellyandTeamC said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> So Im a little confused (no surprise there lol)
> 
> ...


They are indeed very similar. Most, if not all, chunks in jelly/gravy follow the same sort of formula. Some use vegetable protein, others don't; some use various sugars; others don't but in terms of the meat content they are all about the same. 

Personally, I have no idea why people think the likes of Butchers or Toplife is a "good" food. I guess it is because it is easily available, not expensive and cats eat it but those aren't my yardsticks.

If you have an independent pet shop near you have a look to see whether they sell Denes (some flavours aren't bad) or Lily's Kitchen (slightly more expensive as organic but might work as part of a rotation).


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## ShelybellyandTeamC (Dec 13, 2011)

hobbs2004 said:


> They are indeed very similar. Most, if not all, chunks in jelly/gravy follow the same sort of formula. Some use vegetable protein, others don't; some use various sugars; others don't but in terms of the meat content they are all about the same.
> 
> Personally, I have no idea why people think the likes of Butchers or Toplife is a "good" food. I guess it is because it is easily available, not expensive and cats eat it but those aren't my yardsticks.
> 
> If you have an independent pet shop near you have a look to see whether they sell Denes (some flavours aren't bad) or Lily's Kitchen (slightly more expensive as organic but might work as part of a rotation).


ooo excellent thank you for the recommendations I think il be checking those out if I can get my hands on them thanks


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Just been to the vets for another checkup following Cookie's spay. The nurse asked one of the vets to check her mouth as the gums were quite inflamed. 

He recommended another injection and said I shoud switch to Butchers Classic as this was recommended by the academics from Glasgow Uni. as this is the best food for her chronic gingivitis. 

I am currently feeding Bozita chunks, I think she can eat this better than the pâté types, is he right or are they about the same. The A-Z states Butchers is a little high in calcium, could this be why he is recommending it.


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Cookieandme said:


> Just been to the vets for another checkup following Cookie's spay. The nurse asked one of the vets to check her mouth as the gums were quite inflamed.
> 
> He recommended another injection and said I shoud switch to Butchers Classic as this was recommended by the academics from Glasgow Uni. as this is the best food for her chronic gingivitis.
> 
> I am currently feeding Bozita chunks, I think she can eat this better than the pâté types, is he right or are they about the same. The A-Z states Butchers is a little high in calcium, could this be why he is recommending it.


Dr Addie is indeed recommending butchers as well as Applaws and Almo Nature for clients who have cats with chronic gingivitis: Feline chronic lymphocytic plasmacytic gingivostomatitis Why? My _hunch_ is that this is because they don't include any sugars etc; I do wonder to what extent she is aware of all of the great foods that are now available through the likes of zooplus.

Why don't you drop her an email to see whether there really is something "special" about Butchers when it comes to gingivitis or whether her recommendation is actually kind of backward (in terms of the amount of choice available to UK consumers) now.

Has your vet talked to you about dental hygiene and tooth brushing?


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Thanks Hobbs, I will ask the vets for the email address or just google it. Opps just realised her email address is on the paper. 

They gave me a sample of logic oral gel, but she didn't like me going in her mouth so I put the bit which was left on my finger on her paw and she licked it off, although I don't think that is ideal, but is that the sample card suggested. 

As her tests came back and she has the calici virus, ongoing is just oral hygiene and treat the gingivitis as and when required. 

The vet who gave me the results last night said my wet diet was fine and didn't mention Butchers but the one today did, for some reason I didn't take to the one today as I found him a little abrupt.


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Cookieandme said:


> Thanks Hobbs, I will ask the vets for the email address or just google it. Opps just realised her email address is on the paper.
> 
> They gave me a sample of logic oral gel, but she didn't like me going in her mouth so I put the bit which was left on my finger on her paw and she licked it off, although I don't think that is ideal, but is that the sample card suggested.
> 
> ...


I thought a daily dental hygiene regime (e.g. tooth-brushing) was a necessary thing for cats with chronic dental health issues (whether due to genetics, virus etc). Could be wrong of course but it seems to be odd to only tackle gum disease when it surfaces rather than help prevent it in the long-term.


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Sorry I meant a daily oral hygiene. Ongoing treat gingivitis as it flares up. 

Just bought Dr Addie's ebook and will email about the Butchers.


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## Tidgy (Jun 30, 2010)

hobbs2004 said:


> They are indeed very similar. Most, if not all, chunks in jelly/gravy follow the same sort of formula. Some use vegetable protein, others don't; some use various sugars; others don't but in terms of the meat content they are all about the same.
> 
> Personally, I have no idea why people think the likes of Butchers or Toplife is a "good" food. I guess it is because it is easily available, not expensive and cats eat it but those aren't my yardsticks.
> 
> If you have an independent pet shop near you have a look to see whether they sell Denes (some flavours aren't bad) or Lily's Kitchen (slightly more expensive as organic but might work as part of a rotation).


i started using it when you origionaly looked into it and said the content was good :S that not the case any more?


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## ShelybellyandTeamC (Dec 13, 2011)

This is really helpful actually if you find out if any certain types of food are good for gingi vitus could you let me know as sheldon also suffers from it, I also use the same gel it works pretty well iv been using it for about 2months  but its not a long term solution tho


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Tidgy said:


> i started using it when you origionaly looked into it and said the content was good :S that not the case any more?


You mean the toplife? Well, like Bozita, it contains a whack of jelly, so you shell out a lot of your hard-earned money for a lot of filler. If you are happy feeding Bozita in jelly/gravy than this is a good food to grab in a supermarket. It actually was the Toplife transparency that their claims re the high meat content only referred to the meaty chunks, not the whole pak that got me on Bozita's PR trail.

However, pate food really is the way forward.


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## Tidgy (Jun 30, 2010)

hobbs2004 said:


> You mean the toplife? Well, like Bozita, it contains a whack of jelly, so you shell out a lot of your hard-earned money for a lot of filler. If you are happy feeding Bozita in jelly/gravy than this is a good food to grab in a supermarket. It actually was the Toplife transparency that their claims re the high meat content only referred to the meaty chunks, not the whole pak that got me on Bozita's PR trail.
> 
> However, pate food really is the way forward.


ah i think i get you, it's content is good as far as quality, but the jelly acounts for a %age overall meaning while a claimed meat content is for the solids only, not the jelly as well.

does that make any sence???? lol


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## Ernie Monkey (Jan 24, 2011)

hobbs2004 said:


> However, pate food really is the way forward.


I wish my cat knew this....


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