Wet/Dry food question...

Hello, I'm new here and have a question that is puzzling me.

Background: A few weeks ago I read that wet and dry food is the best diet for a cat to have. My cat is about 11 years old and I figured she could use the change in diet. She also seemed to have trouble chewing the hard food. So I began purchasing Friskies wet canned food. I don't know how I didn't predict it, but now its all she wants to eat. The previous owner dabbled in giving her wet food, but it didn't last.

I recently started mixing a bit of dry food whenever I give her the wet, which is 1 - 2 times a day, and leaving dry food out for her to munch on as she pleases.

Here's the problem, she has been gagging non-stop, as if she is coughing up a hair ball, but nothing is coming out. I don't know if it is her lack of dry food, the brand I am using, if I should feed her more, etc. I'm sure the list goes on. I am in need of help. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

!Hi, JoggingFrog! Welcome to TCS!

Actually, an all wet grain-free diet would be better than a diet containing kibble - cats, being descended from desert animals, don't have the thirst drive you and I share and are often chronically dehydrated on kibble diets - and your kitty is a smart one for going with the better option.

If I were you, I'd stop mixing the kibble and canned right away. Kibble is quite often coated with flavorings, fats and/or animal digest that contain bacteria - adding water just gives that bacteria a place to grow.

About the gagging - when does she gag (what food is she trying to swallow at the time or in what activity is she engaged)? What kibble are you curently feeding and what to what canned food are you trying to transfer her? There might be something about the ingredients, or it might have something to do with the hard kibble bits in the soft canned foods, or something completely different. Have you checked inside her throat to see if a toy or something is stuck?

Kitties shouldn't be gagging, so let's see if we can figure out what's bothering your little lady!

AC

I notice the gagging when she gets excited about something and begins meowing more than usual. Most of the time, it is when I am about to put more wet food in her bowl. I've been pretty hesitant to give her food lately because I feel like it might just upset her stomach more than it already is.

The dry food I've been giving her is Iams Proactive. She has eaten this for the last couple years and been ok with it, except for the chewing problems recently.

Also, I tried checking her throat for anything stuck and I didn't see anything. I feel like she would probably gag more frequently if there was something actually stuck in her throat.

Thanks!

How often are you feeding her? This almost sounds as if she too eager for the food and it's causing a gag reflex...

And what chewing problems has she been having?

AC

I feed her 2 or so times a day with wet food, I have been mixing in dry food like I said. I usually give her 1-2 teaspoons full of wet food (about a fourth of a can of canned friskies food), while leaving dry food out for her to eat.

The chewing problem is nothing official, I have just noticed in that last 6 months or so, she has had trouble chewing food and usually taking one piece of dry food and having to bite down on the pieces, one at a time. I found some of her puke, and some of the pieces were whole pieces of dry food.

My only two ideas are:
she's got bad teeth and needs to go in for a dental
she has asthma (which can sound like gagging) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuNy_...eature=related

Hmm, I kinda think you have enough things going on with her that you should take her in to the vet. It sounds as if she has a dental issue that's causing her enough pain that she's avoiding the kibble as much as possible and is then extremely hungry - too hungry even - when you give her the canned.

Cat's tummies are naturally acidic to help deal with bacteria found in their natural diet; if they go too long without food (for my cats, too long is a little under ten hours) their tummies get too acidic and they become nauseous. Sometimes, that causes them to throw up, and I could see it causing your kitty to gag. And if she's not eating the kibble, then the few bites of canned you're offering isn't enough to fill her up.

Yeah, I think your baby needs a vet visit, poor thing!

AC

Originally Posted by joggingfrog

Hello, I'm new here and have a question that is puzzling me.

Background: A few weeks ago I read that wet and dry food is the best diet for a cat to have. My cat is about 11 years old and I figured she could use the change in diet. She also seemed to have trouble chewing the hard food. So I began purchasing Friskies wet canned food. I don't know how I didn't predict it, but now its all she wants to eat. The previous owner dabbled in giving her wet food, but it didn't last.

I recently started mixing a bit of dry food whenever I give her the wet, which is 1 - 2 times a day, and leaving dry food out for her to munch on as she pleases.

Here's the problem, she has been gagging non-stop, as if she is coughing up a hair ball, but nothing is coming out. I don't know if it is her lack of dry food, the brand I am using, if I should feed her more, etc. I'm sure the list goes on. I am in need of help. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by joggingfrog

I notice the gagging when she gets excited about something and begins meowing more than usual. Most of the time, it is when I am about to put more wet food in her bowl. I've been pretty hesitant to give her food lately because I feel like it might just upset her stomach more than it already is.

The dry food I've been giving her is Iams Proactive. She has eaten this for the last couple years and been ok with it, except for the chewing problems recently.

Also, I tried checking her throat for anything stuck and I didn't see anything. I feel like she would probably gag more frequently if there was something actually stuck in her throat.

Thanks!

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First of all I just have to say I your screen name.

But okay down to business. I do not think this is a question of nutrition but a health issue/question. I could make a lot of guess as a licensed veterinarian technician, but I am guessing it is a medical issue related to respiratory system. Please take her to a licensed veterinarian you trust.

Originally Posted by joggingfrog

Hello, I'm new here and have a question that is puzzling me.

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Hi Joggingfrog Always good to see new folks in the group. I've read the entire thread to date and have to concur with the people that suggested a visit to the vet might be in order. You indicated your cat is 11 so I'd rule out any other issues before tackling the nutrition front.

Best of luck to you and your kitty !!

Just wanted to throw in my two cents that I agree w/ Minka that dental/asthma make the most sense, and a veterinarian check is in order but the asthma would be easy to rule out through vigorous exercise. If its not occurring then but is during the feeding, then I'd lean towards dental. This is good to test before going to the vet, as it won't be as easy for the vet to test these kinds of things at the clinic. I disagree w/ Auntie Crazy on the anti-kibble comments and mixing/wetting is fine, but that is discussed in other threads in this forum in detail.

Originally Posted by Ducman69

Just wanted to throw in my two cents that I agree w/ Minka that dental/asthma make the most sense, and a veterinarian check is in order but the asthma would be easy to rule out through vigorous exercise. If its not occurring then but is during the feeding, then I'd lean towards dental. This is good to test before going to the vet, as it won't be as easy for the vet to test these kinds of things at the clinic. I disagree w/ Auntie Crazy on the anti-kibble comments and mixing/wetting is fine, but that is discussed in other threads in this forum in detail.

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Personally I'm leaning more towards the dental issue myself. But that is just me. Hopefully a vet check will clear up the problem