best canned cat food!!

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by kittycat, Aug 10, 2012.

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  1. kittycat

    kittycat New Member

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    hello, what is the best canned cat u can feed a diabetic cat??
     
  2. Julia & Bandit (GA)

    Julia & Bandit (GA) Well-Known Member

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    There are a TON of choices in all different price ranges and degrees of quality, so the best food is something that is 1. Low in carbs, 2. Something that the cat likes, and 3. You can afford.

    Here's a link to the cat food nutrition charts: http://www.felinediabetes.com/diabetic-cat-diets.htm. There is also this premium food chart, and Hobo's food chart. You just need something less than 10% carbs (but preferably less than 8%).

    Grain free Fancy Feast flavors are all low carb and pretty popular here because they are easy to find and most cats love them. Low carb premium foods like Wellness, Merrick's, EVO, and low carb grocery store brands like Special Kitty, Friskies, and Grreat Choice (Petsmart), are also pretty popular.
     
  3. squeem3

    squeem3 Well-Known Member

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    Whatever brand your cat will eat, you can afford, and can find in the local stores :smile: There is no "best" brand to feed. Price and quality of the food doesn't make a difference to a cat as long as the carb content is under 10%. A diabetic cat can do well on Fancy Feast just as another cat does well on Innova EVO. Julia has already given you the links to the food charts we use.

    Limit seafood to once in awhile meals. Some cats get addicted to eating seafood and won't eat anything else. Seafood is pretty low in protein as well. Anything in gravy/sauce should not be fed because those are too high in carbs. The only time you would need to feed gravy food is if your cat is hypoglycemic.
     
  4. rhiannon and shadow (GA)

    rhiannon and shadow (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Here's my cats favorites with their carb values. Diabetic cats need less than 10% but 5 % is better.
    This list is helpful while you search out other food possibilities on the binky, and hobo lists.
    They come off of those lists.



    Try to choose as many chicken or turkey flavors and limit the seafood and also limit the beef and liver. You can still give them some but
    don't let them be the dominant choice.
     
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  5. Lori&Scout

    Lori&Scout Member

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    Mine go nuts for Wellness Turkey and Salmon and the Buffalo Blue Duck flavor. Since I have two picky cats, I have tried just about every can of cat food available in 4 different stores just to come up with 7 varieties they will both eat. Can anyone explain to me why cats will happily eat the same dry food every meal for 8 years, but feed them the same wet food 3 meals in a row and they turn their noses up?? confused_cat

    Lori
     
  6. rhiannon and shadow (GA)

    rhiannon and shadow (GA) Well-Known Member

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    it's the powdery coating on the dry. I can't remember what it is exactly but it's something that really entices cats.

    probably the equivalent of sugar for beans.
    We are addicted to sugar.
    I know I am.
    Didn't I see a piece of candy over.....?
     
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  7. squeem3

    squeem3 Well-Known Member

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    Most companies use animal digest to coat the kibble with.

    I know that Nature's Variety uses something called "bio-coating" which is basically a mix of freeze dried raw and fatty acids to coat their dry foods.

    FortiFlora is basically animal digest and is great to use to entice a cat to eat canned food.
     
    Carrieg likes this.
  8. Iwona

    Iwona New Member

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    What can I give wet food with sauce for cat's sugar ? In addition to purine d / m
     
  9. Iwona

    Iwona New Member

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    My Kicia dont like pate.
     
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  10. Squalliesmom

    Squalliesmom Well-Known Member

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    Purina Pro Plan True Nature makes three varieties in "sauce" that are about 6% carbs - Chicken & Salmon in Sauce, Ocean Whitefish & Trout in Sauce, and Salmon & Catfish in Sauce. They also say that their Beef & Liver in Gravy is low carb, but I have never been brave enough to try it, lol.
     
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  11. Rachel Morris

    Rachel Morris New Member

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    My cat was diagnosed yesterday as a diabetic. My vet sold me Hills w/d as her new meal replacement so I bought a few cans for my cat to try. But after coming to this message board to learn everything I can to help my cat, I discovered that the carb intake should be less than 10% and the hills I was prescribed is 24%. Why would my vet recommend something so high in carbs? Should I look for a more knowledgable vet?
     
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  12. Yong & Maury GA

    Yong & Maury GA Well-Known Member

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    I am but I can't find that one! lol
     
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  13. Squalliesmom

    Squalliesmom Well-Known Member

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    Petco online has it, I think Chewy might, too.

    ETA: If you try it, please let me know how it affects Maury's BG!
     
  14. Yong & Maury GA

    Yong & Maury GA Well-Known Member

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    I will :). He usually isn't effected much by the lower medium carb wet foods though, just a heads up :smuggrin:
     
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  15. Nohea's Moses

    Nohea's Moses New Member

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    I have been giving Moses Fancy Feast Shrimp and Salmon Flaked and his levels have been better than ever
     
  16. edenbee

    edenbee Member

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    Jan 28, 2018
    Any new updates for canned foods low in carb?
    Delgado likes the Wellness Core that has less than 2carbs which is great but I am scared one day he will just suddenly stop eating it as they tend to do...
     
  17. Squalliesmom

    Squalliesmom Well-Known Member

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    Yes, they do, Squallie stopped eating Fancy Feast and ProPlan...I have been using Nutro Soft Loaf lately, Squallie loves it and it's easy for him to eat. There are several flavors that are really low in carbs, and some of the Minced varieties are low, too.
     
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  18. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

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    @Squalliesmom Lucy, any idea on the phos levels in the Nutro?
     
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  19. Squalliesmom

    Squalliesmom Well-Known Member

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    Sharon, I don't know how it translates into actual amounts but the percentages listed in the analyses seem pretty high to me, anywhere between 2.5 to 3.2%. Most come in somewhere around the 3% mark; to me, that seems high. That's the only thing I don't like about the food - but Fancy Feast isn't any lower, so what do you do...?
     
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  20. edenbee

    edenbee Member

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    ThanksS Del is fine with wellness core but he will want more variety eventually I am sure. I tried many others and found maybe one he is sort of okay with. So I appreciate anything new we haven't done yet. Just took his blood work mid cycle on proZ and it was 140...
     
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  21. edenbee

    edenbee Member

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    Are the flaked low in carbs at all? Any of them?
     
  22. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

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  23. Tadd68

    Tadd68 Member

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    Mar 27, 2018
    So this here is not really a good choice? My wife just bought this 30pk

    20180331_033848.jpg

    .. now i read on here

    "Try to choose as many chicken or turkey flavors and limit the seafood and also limit the beef and liver. You can still give them some but
    don't let them bethe dominant choice"

    So many variables .. first i was doing what vet said and feeding the Purina Pro Plan DM 1/4 cup twice a day .. then i read here to get him off hard food, too many carbs

    So i get Fancy Feast Patē only to find out now that seafood is not the best choice
     
  24. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    In the short term you can feed it. Next cat food shopping day buy some meat based FF Classics and give it more and fish based less. Don’t worry about it now - you have the treatment of diabetes to learn to deal with. :)
     
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  25. Tadd68

    Tadd68 Member

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    Thank-you!
     
  26. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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    Great job on the testing
     
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  27. Tadd68

    Tadd68 Member

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    Thanks! I just don't want to be giving him shots of insulin without doing the test to know what his BG level is ... although it's been high every check pre-shot since he started on 3/27 ... i am doing what vet told me and giving him 2-units of ProZinc every 12hrs
     
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  28. TreeburnerCT

    TreeburnerCT Member

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    Unfortunately there's a lot of Vets out there who will prescribe an expensive food (or meds) that is only available through the Vet at a ridiculous markup, and it's often just as bad as what we were feeding before.

    That being said, I'm in the same boat, my cat Amber was recently diagnosed with diabetes and I realized the wet and dry food we've been feeding her for her whole life is high in carbs and not good for her. In addition to starting insulin I spent over $100 getting various low carb wet foods, but after a week of trying to feed different low carb wet foods Amber would rather starve than eat them.

    On the recommendation of the knowledgeable people here I put her back on the high carb food she'll eat. I bought Young Again Zero Mature low carb dry food, and fortunately she loves that so we'll at least get her eating that then try to switch off the high carb wet later.

    Unfortunately Amber's regular Vet gave me a lot of bad information and her partner was a complete tool in response to me doing the initial regulation at home, and I've suddenly realized how much they've been milking us for every dollar throughout the years. Every visit was $80, then she always ends up needing SC fluids which literally takes 10 seconds and $0.0005 worth of saline which is another $75, $60 for a blood glucose strip test, etc.

    Good luck with this whole process, hope you find a low carb wet food your cat loves, and although it may be expensive at $8/lb. consider the Young Again Zero if kitty doesn't like the wet food.

    -Joe
     
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  29. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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    I too tried a lot of different cat food, dr elseys clean protein is a low card as well they have wet and dry, you can contact them for samples, it is not available in stores I get it through chewys.com. Just giving you another option, young again is great too
     
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  30. Tadd68

    Tadd68 Member

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    He seems to really like the Fancy Feast classic patē food, i add water to it to give him some extra fluid.

    This makes day #5 and i am getting ready to do a +3hr shot reading to see what his level is .. will try and get a few other tests througout the weekend besides my usual AMPS and PMPS

    He has pretty much been non active today, he did eat good this morning.
     
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  31. Tadd68

    Tadd68 Member

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    Gave him 2-units of ProZinc at 6:00am, just checked his BG level +3hrs and it was 404 ???? I was expecting to see something like high 200's or low 300's
    I am getting ready to leave and won't be home to check again till around 3pm
     
  32. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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    I’m not familiar with Prozinc but kitty is going down and as I have been told many many time patience lol lol and finally after I got on here and followed instructions we are finally making progress, I’ve only been on here since I thing feb and he was diagnosed last July and you are doing a great job
     
  33. Janine & Floyd (GA)

    Janine & Floyd (GA) Member

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    I just have to jump in here, because this statement is inaccurate. Regardless of the vet's motives (which, for the majority, is to help your pet and make a living) in other areas, I can assure you that no vet is selling food "at a ridiculous markup". I can agree that the "Rx" foods are not always best, but the markup on food is minuscule. Vets sell food as a convenience to their clients and (usually) because they have been taught the food will help.

    I would urge everyone here to try to work with your vet. Bring them the info you've found here if it contradicts what they've told you and see what their response is. Many vets ARE willing to learn from and work with clients on helping pets. If your vet is NOT open after that - then find a new one that is.

    -stepping off my soapbox.....
     
  34. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Janine, I knew you'd be a real asset to FDMB! :) Vets can get a bad rap here often and it's great to hear the other side of it. Some people have had bad experiences with close minded vets but many vets (mine is one!) are willing to work with us in a collaborative way. Some ideas fly around here and take on a life of their own ... o_O

    I hope you're willing to be a resource when other issues like this come up.
     
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  35. Janine & Floyd (GA)

    Janine & Floyd (GA) Member

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    Thank you! I hope I'm not ruffling feathers.

    In my case, I love when clients come educated, bring ideas to the table and we can have a discussion about what is the best for kitty. What is very frustrating for vets is clients who THINK they are educated because the groomer/breeder/clerk at PetCo told them ABC and now that's gospel truth. I hear them out, give my side, and hopefully, we can still work together. Coming to a place like this is absolutely the opposite because there is so much experience and knowledge here. :)
     
  36. krazy4kritters

    krazy4kritters Member

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    Jan 18, 2018
    About 3 days before Diamond’s official Dx I had reached my breaking point with my 5 cats. I was sick and tired of them changing their minds on the dry food! I decided to switch to canned. My civvies still change their minds almost daily on what flavor they want. Thankfully Diamond eats well and just about any flavor. I think cats are butt heads by nature. Butt heads we adore.:bighug::cat:
    I feed Sheba pate portions and Fancy Feast Pate.
     
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  37. edenbee

    edenbee Member

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    Wow I had NOT seen that update chart! Thanks so much! Because Delgado is kinda done with Blue and Wellness chicken. If he can have some fancy feast that is flaked or minced once in a while or a few times a week he will be thrilled. I never even heard of the "naturals." Zero carbs??
    My little boy is doing well. He tested at 172 at the vet where he is so so scared and shaking that he usually tests higher there than at home. I had hoped he would go into remission as he is on half a unit.but when he was off ProZ he went up to 440.
    My vet is really good. He encouraged home testing and showed me how to do it causing the least pain and stress on the cat. He emails with me several times a week if I have questions. I can text him. He's like if I go to Cape Cod in the summer you can still email or text. I will probably be bored there and I like answering questions haha. He is happy about how easily we are handling this...compared to chemo for a year for our golden Junior this is not that bad. Comparably.
    I wish he liked the Pate classics but he is in hate with them all. I heat them up and he's like uh...are you kidding me?
    Though he is okay with some of the prescription glucose stuff the vet gives me to test out on him. But that is only if I give it once in a while.
    Who can figure these creatures out? I should have named him Grilled Beef not Delgado.
    I am going away for several weeks in july and am worried about leaving Delgado of course. My vet gave me the name of a cat sitter who gives shots and has a diabetic cat herself. He said if she can't test his BG as he's scared of most people he will send one of his interns over to our place to test for us once a week or more as we are on the same block. I am very lucky with this!
     
  38. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

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    No, thank you, it’s great to hear the ‘other’ side!
     
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  39. Kenai_21

    Kenai_21 Member

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    20180417_202035.png I tried Rupert on Tiki cat, his sugars went through the roof. I've also tried Friskies Paté and his sugars are through the roof.
    He's been on fancy feast paté for a while now his sugars are not regulated still. He's been a diabetic for 1yr, 2 months he is now 9yr young. I need more suggestions on trying to regulate his sugars. I also need to get all his numbers on the spreadsheet. He's on 2.75 ProZin every 12hrs. View attachment 35932
     
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  40. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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    Love this pic
    Bella eats primal raw chicken and salmon, also Stella and chewys rabbit, both are freeze dried raw, I add more water than it says as he thinks he’s getting gravy lol lol both are very very low carb, I don’t know if you have tried raw but I thought I’d tell you about it, it’s quite expensive but he wasn’t thrilled with fancy feast
    The store I get mine at has samples not sure if all the stores who carry it do, you may be able to contact them and see if they will send you samples, ziwi airdried raw is also very very low carb, I give that sometimes as treats
     
  41. Kenai_21

    Kenai_21 Member

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    @Bellasmom Thank you. I will try anything. I updated his SS. I was slacking some. I also stopped doing his sugars 4 times a day. If his sugars are normal after he eats it goes to the 300's. until i find a better balance with his food or change his food I will go back to taking it 4 times a day doing curves as well....
     
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  42. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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    What I do is crumble up the raw add water mash it up and crumble just a little on top as a crunchy for him, the shells and chewys make great LC treats as they are little nuggets, the primal is big big nuggets
     
  43. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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  44. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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    Beautiful pic!
     
  45. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Not really. You've had really nice greens at the 1 u dose and today you have some nice low blues. Bella's body will do what it wants to do in any given cycle and you're just a bystander once you've given a good dose and have done the BG tests. ;)
     
  46. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

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    Lol not mine lol @Rupert_09 post # 39
     
  47. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Oops!
     
  48. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    @Rupert_09 : First things first - you need to do a full curve at your current dose to see what it actually does over the whole cycle. It would also be very helpful if you started your own thread on this forum and/or the ProZinc forum. :)
     
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  49. tobakett

    tobakett Member

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    Apr 19, 2018
    So what I have found that works for my gravy addict finicky cat (that does not like pate by itself) is that I make a blended food. I worked with my vet to figure out a calorie goal each day for him and then used the freedom to experiment to find the right blend/ratios. What I found that has him cleaning his bowl 4 times a day (and trying to steal his civvie sisters if she doesn't keep up with hers) is I use a quarter can of Friskies and 1/8 a can BFF by Weruva, 4 times a day. I try to stick to just non fish Friskies since the BFF all have tuna to minimize the fish though given my income if Walmart has the seafood pate 36 pack marked half off because of a damaged box, I grab it because poor.

    The nice thing with BFF is even their "pate" are in aspic, which is a gelatinous compound and a few varieties (including the tuna pumpkin which is their fave) are more gravy like. I mix it up with 2 tablespoons of water (hot water if I am pulling cans out of the fridge) and make basically "cat stew". My gravy addict thinks he is getting a bowl of delicious gravy with bits because once you mix it all together. Its gotta be something with his BFF stabilizes their food but the consistency is different that just mixing Friskies with water.

    I do keep a 30 pack of non fish Fancy Feast classic on hand because he will still occasionally get a bee in his bonnet and although he eats, it will take him FOREVER to finish and that's my 'heads up' that we are on the train to protest-town. So I mix up a meal or two with FF instead of Friskies and that gets him back to enthusiastic eating.

    I also got the sample bags of the carb free dry food, not as food, but to use as "treats" since to him, he has no clue that it's normal food. I also keep purebites handy but for a very good motivated cat it's useful to pull whatever tricks I can to make this smoother for him.

    Every cat is different, but I figured I would share what's been working so far with mine in case it proves helpful for someone else :)
     
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