Alternative to Kirkland & SD Z/D Food

apesusi · Jun 9, 2010

We have been using Kirkland dry food for 6 months with no problems. 2 of my cats have suddenly started itching really bad and getting open sores/scabs all over their bodies.

After multiple trips to the vet, the vet put us on Science Diet Z/D wet food. The sores have healed, but the itching is still there.

We're almost out of the Z/D and I wanted to see if there was a cheaper alternative.

I'm thinking we have allergies going on here, and the only thing I can come up with is either the chicken or the grains in the kirkland food.

Any suggestions?

sharky · Jun 9, 2010

what food was before the kirkland?
I would actually suspect the fish first

apesusi · Jun 9, 2010

Originally Posted by sharky

what food was before the kirkland?
I would actually suspect the fish first

I didn't think there was fish in the kirkland cat food?

before the kirkland they were on Blue Buffalo kitten food. We switched to the kirkland because it was cheaper and I saw on here that it's no such a bad dry food. They were doing find on it for a while until about month 6 or 7.

kylew · Jun 9, 2010

I just went through a month long z/d trial. z/d contains hydrolyzed protein. This means that the protein structure has been reduced to a size that is "impossible" for the cats body to see the protein as an allergen. I think the protein in z/d is chicken. It is very expensive, about $2.40/5.5 oz can, and only available with a prescription. If you can find other hydrolyzed protein foods I'd try them.

PS Allergies can pop-up at any age, for no apparent reason.

apesusi · Jun 9, 2010

Yes, both cats are eating the z/d, so it's getting expensive!

I was thinking about trying Wellness Core or Natural Balance Duck & Pea. I know the Wellness has chicken in it, so maybe the NB?

kylew · Jun 9, 2010

The trick is to find a "novel" protein that you cats have never been exposed to before. It will be worth it to try other novel proteins, if you can find one that works. I would look for foods that have a single protein and a single carb source. Natural Balance has Duck & Green Pea and Venison & Green pea. Addiction Foods has, buffalo and rabbit varieties. I know there are others out there and all are cheaper than z/d.

apesusi · Jun 9, 2010

Thank you!

We'll try the NB Duck and Pea. They've never had duck before. I only wish we had a petco in town. We only have a petsmart and they don't carry hardly anything!!

kylew · Jun 9, 2010

I find that doing business with a Mom & Pop store is better for me. I live in NYC and walk past a Petco and a small shop on my way home. The small guy is willing to get me anything I need and buy back things that don't work.

sharky · Jun 9, 2010

i second the single novel protien ask yout vet for some help

otto · Jun 9, 2010

Just to clarify something: the z/d is NOT Science Diet.

It is Hills Prescription Diet.

They are both made by Hills but Science Diet is a grocery store food and Hills Prescription Diets are specially formulated to target specific illnesses and conditions.

You will find that Wellness and Natural Balance are not much, if any, cheaper than Hills Prescription foods. I have a cat on Hill's Prescription c/d for FLUTD. Her food is the is not any more expensive that the other two cats' food (one on Wellness canned grain free chicken, one on Innova flex canned chicken and brown rice stew)

The Hills z/d is $2.40 for a 5.5 oz can. Wellness is, where I live, $1.20 for a 3 oz can. The Innova is $1.25 for a 3 oz can.

Since you are feeding both cats the same thing, you maybe will save a little buying the larger cans of Natural Balance, if they make them, that is. .

Be sure to read all the ingredients. These pet food companies sneak things in that you don't expect. Like fish. You don't expect to see fish in a food labeled venison and brown rice, but there it is, 2nd, 3rd and 4th ingredients after venison are fish!

I hope the NB duck and Pea works for your kitties, let us know how they do on it please!

<edit>PS as sharky mentions, please keep your vet in the loop on what you are doing. the z/d was prescribed for a reason, your vet needs to know if you change their food.

apesusi · Jun 9, 2010

Originally Posted by otto

Just to clarify something: the z/d is NOT Science Diet.

It is Hills Prescription Diet.

They are both made by Hills but Science Diet is a grocery store food and Hills Prescription Diets are specially formulated to target specific illnesses and conditions.

You will find that Wellness and Natural Balance are not much, if any, cheaper than Hills Prescription foods. I have a cat on Hill's Prescription c/d for FLUTD. Her food is the is not any more expensive that the other two cats' food (one on Wellness canned grain free chicken, one on Innova flex canned chicken and brown rice stew)

The Hills z/d is $2.40 for a 5.5 oz can. Wellness is, where I live, $1.20 for a 3 oz can. The Innova is $1.25 for a 3 oz can.

Since you are feeding both cats the same thing, you maybe will save a little buying the larger cans of Natural Balance, if they make them, that is. .

Be sure to read all the ingredients. These pet food companies sneak things in that you don't expect. Like fish. You don't expect to see fish in a food labeled venison and brown rice, but there it is, 2nd, 3rd and 4th ingredients after venison are fish!

I hope the NB duck and Pea works for your kitties, let us know how they do on it please!

<edit>PS as sharky mentions, please keep your vet in the loop on what you are doing. the z/d was prescribed for a reason, your vet needs to know if you change their food.

Yes, you're right. That was my mistake. The z/d is Hills.

I did find the larger cans for $1.49, so it is a little cheaper.

All 3 of the cats took to the food with no problems at all. Hopefully it'll work well.

And yes, I'll chat with my vet.

Thanks for the posts everyone!!

carolina · Jun 9, 2010

Just a tip of an owner who has a cat that is allergic to chicken: if your cat is indeed allergic to chicken, The Natural Balance Duck and Green Pea might not work... The reason is that the proteins are too similar... It didn't to me. For this specific cat NB Venison and duck was the answer, but they only have it wet.

Just a warning... I hope it works though...

kylew · Jun 10, 2010

There is a Hills d/d dry venison variety. There is also something called Viva La Venison from Addiction Foods. It's a dry food.

http://www.addictionfoods.com/usa/pr...enison_dry.php

otto · Jun 10, 2010

Originally Posted by KyleW

There is a Hills d/d dry venison variety. There is also something called Viva La Venison from Addiction Foods. It's a dry food.

http://www.addictionfoods.com/usa/pr...enison_dry.php

I don't know. Potatoes is the second ingredient. Why would anyone put potatoes in cat food?

The OPs cats are on canned food, though.

apesusi · Jun 10, 2010

Originally Posted by Carolina

Just a tip of an owner who has a cat that is allergic to chicken: if your cat is indeed allergic to chicken, The Natural Balance Duck and Green Pea might not work... The reason is that the proteins are too similar... It didn't to me. For this specific cat NB Venison and duck was the answer, but they only have it wet.
free.
Just a warning... I hope it works though...

awww man. Hopefully it's the grains instead of the chicken then. It seems like there are more options for grain free instead of chicken free.

Thanks for the heads up.

And we usually use wet and dry, but only had wet for the z/d. So we use both. If we need to go wet only, we can.

apesusi · Jun 14, 2010

Well, Carolina was right.
After only a few days on the duck/pea food his sores started to come back. *sigh*

I don't know what to do! We simply cannot afford to feed the cats z/d for the rest of their lives! We just don't have it in our budget! Any other suggestions?

sharky · Jun 14, 2010

ask the vet if he/she knows of any vet nutritionists in the area ... or holistic vets...

homemade food / raw food may help you as you control what it is ...the above vets can help you with that

peas are HIGHLY allergenic to cats... I still wonder why they use them in less allergenic diets as they are not novel to many main line cat foods

lizh · Nov 27, 2012

try a grain free. My cat had similar issues and when I changed him to a grain free, he was a lot happier and healthier. felidae has a good one, and there are others.

mrsgreenjeens · Nov 28, 2012

Lizh, thanks for that info, and it's good to hear grain free worked well for your furkid

. Just wanted to let you know that the thread you responded to is over 2 years old, so you may not get any other responses to it, but good info none the less.

Oh, and welcome to TCS

Alternative to Kirkland & SD Z/D Food

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