Irritable bowel syndrome?

Originally Posted by strange_wings

^But how does one know this is even IBD/IBS? No biopsies have been done, it certainly doesn't sound like an elimination diet has been done, and likely very little diagnostics - especially since the vet hasn't pointed out the food issue. It could simply be that this cat can't tolerant friskies and 9lives - they have a lot of junk in them that perfectly healthy cats can't deal with (like soy). Right now IBS just sounds like guessing.

Natural Balance is very good about sending people samples. From stories on here, people that ask usually end up with a box full.

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Either way, an elimination diet would almost certainly help. For sure it would not hurt.
If food allergy, it would help, if IBS it would help too during the diagnosis phase. What would not help, is to have the cat in a diet with a whole lot of allergens, or in junk food IMHO.

Originally Posted by Carolina

Either way, an elimination diet would almost certainly help. For sure it would not hurt.
If food allergy, it would help, if IBS it would help too during the diagnosis phase. What would not help, is to have the cat in a diet with a whole lot of allergens, or in junk food IMHO.

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it's not even classed as food, no animal should be eating that stuff.

What helped my cat was changing his food. I began feeding him Hill's prescription food, and that made an improvement with his digestive system. He still has a problem though.

Originally Posted by Carolina

Either way, an elimination diet would almost certainly help. For sure it would not hurt.
If food allergy, it would help, if IBS it would help too during the diagnosis phase. What would not help, is to have the cat in a diet with a whole lot of allergens, or in junk food IMHO.

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The only way z/d would aid in a diagnosis is if the cat ate z/d and nothing but z/d for a minimum of 4weeks, preferably 6-8 weeks. Not treats, no snacks, nothing but z/d. If ate the end of these trial the symptoms have disappeared then you know it's an allergy. But you have no idea what the allergy is. If the symptoms have not disappeared then you know it's not an allergy.

Originally Posted by KyleW

The only way z/d would aid in a diagnosis is if the cat ate z/d and nothing but z/d for a minimum of 4weeks, preferably 6-8 weeks. Not treats, no snacks, nothing but z/d. If ate the end of these trial the symptoms have disappeared then you know it's an allergy. But you have no idea what the allergy is. If the symptoms have not disappeared then you know it's not an allergy.

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and that's why it's called elimination diet.
However, it is also excellent for a cat with IBS - Hope, my cat with IBS can only eat Z/D, nothing else, no chicken, no beef, no venison, no rabbit, no duck, no Turkey, not in raw, not in cooked, not in dry, not in baby food. The only thing that she does well on, and did well on immediately was on Z/D.

I am not saying here Z/D or a LID will be the medicine for this cat. This is NOT what I am saying. What I said was this is the first step, and not the only step. (Although for Hope, AFTER the initial treatment with antibiotics and prednisone, she is managing with food alone, and yes, it can be done for IBS)
When you have a cat that is going through this, IMHO, you should eliminate everything that could be making him sick. Since his digestive system is the affected part, food is naturally the first step to take care of.
This is a long process, and to have this cat eating 9lives while on medication is completely counter productive IMHO. All sides need to be taken care, everything, all possibilities. The food can be making him sick, then change the food and see it. Take care of the diarrhea, Take care of the inflammation, and so on. Everything needs to be done, that is what I am saying.

hi.. do any of you have experience with kirklands signature cat food?

My neighbor feeds that to her cats and gave me a bowl to try.

Originally Posted by Desirai

hi.. do any of you have experience with kirklands signature cat food?

My neighbor feeds that to her cats and gave me a bowl to try.

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I would not try on a sick cat. You do not want to keep changing food in a sick cat - every time you do that, you upset his digestive system....

It is a good food for healthy cats.

In my house, neither one of my IBD cat who is also allergic to chicken (Bugsy) or my IBS cat Hope would be able to use it.

but my problem is she won't eat anything except friskies canned food

she doesn't touch any dry food.

also.. what is the difference between ibd and ibs?

Have you tried Natural Balance? The Limited Ingredient Diets?
For example: Venison and Green Pea, Chicken and Green Pea, Green Pea and Duck?

My cats hated a lot of foods... but they took to Z/D Immediately... Ask your vet for a sample - can and dry. Both mine love it...

Originally Posted by Desirai

also.. what is the difference between ibd and ibs?

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Per my vet, the difference (making it simple to understand the difference only, and not going too complicated, as it goes much deeper than that),
IBD is a chronic condition: Irritable Bowel Disease, Your cat will have the symptoms all the time and it is harder to manage. Bugsy, for example, will never have 100% formed poop, no matter what I do. He is on Daily medication for Stomatitis, which has a immune-modulator that greatly helps his IBD. If I skip his medication, I can see that he has softer poop.
IBD cats probably benefit more from medication and diet, rather that diet alone, when managing the condition. I certainly noticed a huge improvement on Bugsy.

IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, has much the same symptoms, however it comes in flares. You treat the symptoms during the flares, a lot of the times the same way you treat IBD, or sometimes more aggressive, but because it comes in flares, it is also easier to manage once it is under control - on IBS it is possible to manage the condition with food only.

So...... long story short: the way my vet explained to me, IBD Chronic, IBS, Flares.

This is the simplistic way, not going into the inflammation of tissues, etc etc. Just the symptoms, making it easy, as I was a 4yr old.

Originally Posted by Desirai

hi.. do any of you have experience with kirklands signature cat food?

My neighbor feeds that to her cats and gave me a bowl to try.

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Kirkland is far better than what you are feeding...

main ingredients are chicken ( can be a issue but not for most) , rice( can be issue but not a top one ) , oats ( very rarely an issue and actually helps with gut health and digestion) and some fish( can be a bigger issue but not in some) ...


My two with IBD do fairly well on it
compared to current this would be a realistic and inexpensive way to check for the big allergies

Originally Posted by Desirai

also.. what is the difference between ibd and ibs?

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IBD = Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This is confirmed by the presence of specific inflammatory cells in the gastrointestinal tract. This confirmation is done via biopsy. The symptoms of IBD can mimic food allergy symptoms. They do not know what causes IBD so they do not know how to avoid it. In Franklin's case it is being very well managed with prednisolone.

IBS = Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This is more idiopathic. It has many of the same symptoms as IBD. It can be triggered by diet, stress, water...

Originally Posted by KyleW

IBD = Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This is confirmed by the presence of specific inflammatory cells in the gastrointestinal tract. This confirmation is done via biopsy. The symptoms of IBD can mimic food allergy symptoms. They do not know what causes IBD so they do not know how to avoid it. In Franklin's case it is being very well managed with prednisolone.

IBS = Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This is more idiopathic. It has many of the same symptoms as IBD. It can be triggered by diet, stress, water...

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Your definition contradicts itself...


http://www.dcavm.org/05dec.html long and detailed but very intresting

Originally Posted by sharky

Your definition contradicts itself...


http://www.dcavm.org/05dec.html long and detailed but very intresting

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How is it self contradicting?

Chiming in with my experience. Phoebe has Eosinophilic IBD, which is the most severe form of IBD, and we've tried just about everything out there to get her condition under control. For the first time in years she's not only doing OK but actually thriving, and without medication. Her diet consists mainly of Nature's Variety Instinct canned food in novel proteins: lamb, rabbit and venison (the duck contains turkey). I remove the peas, which are few, because I want to avert a future pea allergy. Apparently pea allergies are becoming more common in cats and dogs. She occasionally gets a can of Hill's Z/D, but it's not a favorite and she tends to pick at it. She also gets 1 1/2 scoops of Mercola's Complete Probiotics For Pets per day mixed with her food, and this is the little miracle that has caused her to gain weight and set her digestive system to rights. I can't say that she never vomits, but it's a rare occurrence now. She sometimes manages to get into her little sister's food and has yet to have a reaction to it, which is incredible to say the least.

Best wishes to you and Meatloaf. I know it's heartbreaking to watch them struggle with this disease.