Liver problems and Royal Canin High-Energy Dry Cat Food

My sweet 11 yr old mainecoon has lost at least 5 lbs since she was diagnosed with liver problems. The vet recommended feeding Lucy a grain-free dry food such as Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato, and also add 1/4 tablet of Pepcid A/C  2x daily.  Lucy finally stopped throwing up.  But she still didn't eat much..and now weighs somewhere between 6 1/2 & 7 lbs,  Trying everything to increase her appetite (along with food change comes dirreahea).  I began adding Royal Canine gastrointestinal High Energy dry food to her grain-free Blue Mountain dry food-- and she's eating like a pig!  No vomiting or direahea. Since the Royal Canin contains gluten, I wonder if it's wise to mix the two dry foods together.   Will the gluten worsen her liver condition?  The vet said if Lucy would gain weight, the liver would hopefully repair itself.   I see a big difference in Lucy's energy level after eating the Royal Canine's High Energy food-- whatever's in it has increased her appetite a bunch.. Thanks for your comments, I'm praying that Lucy will be healthy again.

Welcome to TCS...

So sorry to hear about your Kitty!

Normally, I'd prefer Blue Wilderness over Royal Canin,

but if it is helping her to eat without vomiting, I'd say it is a good thing.

I always prefer natural treatments over drugs,

and I have not researched Feline Liver conditions much,

but if it were one of my Kitties,

I would buy some good quality supplements for Liver Health (Capsules, so they can easily be opened for dosing purposes)

such as Milk Thistle, Ginger and Turmeric (Curcumin) and research the correct amounts to add to her food.

If that sounds like more than you'd want to get involved in,

"Only Natural Pet" has some formulas already mixed, such as "Liv Herb".

Sending some good vibes her way!       

maxandlucy said:

My sweet 11 yr old mainecoon has lost at least 5 lbs since she was diagnosed with liver problems. The vet recommended feeding Lucy a grain-free dry food such as Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato, and also add 1/4 tablet of Pepcid A/C  2x daily.  Lucy finally stopped throwing up.  But she still didn't eat much..and now weighs somewhere between 6 1/2 & 7 lbs,  Trying everything to increase her appetite (along with food change comes dirreahea).  I began adding Royal Canine gastrointestinal High Energy dry food to her grain-free Blue Mountain dry food-- and she's eating like a pig!  No vomiting or diarrhea. Since the Royal Canin contains gluten, I wonder if it's wise to mix the two dry foods together.   Will the gluten worsen her liver condition?  The vet said if Lucy would gain weight, the liver would hopefully repair itself.   I see a big difference in Lucy's energy level after eating the Royal Canine's High Energy food-- whatever's in it has increased her appetite a bunch.. Thanks for your comments, I'm praying that Lucy will be healthy again.

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Don't change a winning team! The absolute most important thing for your baby's recovery is for her to eat and keep the food in. Your vet is right in saying that the the liver can repair itself. So if she is eating Royal Canin like a pig and keeping it in without vomit and diarrhea, I would not touch that right now..... Feed her just what you are feeding now. Just keep going, give her all she wants to eat, and let her eat until her weight is back. I would not be afraid of the gluten - the biggest problem for a cat's liver is going without food.
Not sure if giving RC by itself will make her throw up, since she was throwing up before in another food, it seems. What was she eating before Blue Buffalo Basics?

Gluten doesn't really cause liver problems..... What I think it happened here was, she had some sensitivity to something on her previous food or an illness and had a big weight loss - losing that 5lbs rapidly caused the liver problem (That is common in cats, and it is called Fatty liver disease, or Hepatic Lipidosis).
Your vet then put her on a limited ingredients diet - BB Turkey and Potatoes, to get rid of whatever was making her sick.
That can be grains, a protein (such as chicken, fish, beef, a number of things) - not necessarily gluten.
You should ask your vet for an appetite stimulant to have on hands too.
Have syringes at home and be ready to syringe feed if she doesn't eat. Remember - the real medicine for your girl is food.
Make sure she eats and he eats well.

Your-vet-is-correct,the-liver-is-the-only-organ,that-can-repair-itself,I-already-been-thru-this,a-couple-of-years-ago.It-was-3-months-and-$800,diagnosing-the-issue,finding-meds/dosages-that-she-would-respond-to,and-getting-her-to-eat.

They-also-gave-her-pepcid,to-settle-her-tummy,stop-the-throw-up-and-nausea,and-that-worked.They-tried-different-meds,different-dosages,liquids,pills,nothing-worked.She-also-had-her-vet-and-2-specialists-working-on-her,and-were-about-out-of-options.

Then-they-put-her-on-Denosyl.

That-worked!!!

Her-ALT-value-started-to-come-down,they-tested-her-every-week.Normal-ALT-value-is-10-100,her's-was-917.She-started-eating-again,like-a-truck-driver,as-is-her-norm,and-they-took-her-off-the-pepcid.

She-too,eats-Blue-Wilderness-chicken,and-when-she-was-sick,they-put-her-on-wet-only,mixed-with-water,so-its-real-soupy,kept-her-flushed-out.When-she-started-to-eat-on-her-own,they-put-her-on-L-Lysine,its-an-immue-booster.

Ask-your-vet-about-Denosyl.

What-is-her-ALT-value?Do-they-test-her-every-week,to-monitor-her?

Would-not-normally-recommend-RC,but,the-key,is-to-get-them-to-eat.Hope-she-is-feeling-better-soon!!

An update on Lucy-- and wish I had better news.  We're still struggling.  In answer to how she was raised, always fed Blue Buffalo (which she stopped eating).  From liver perspective, the vet suggested Turkey & Potato.- found this in Blue Buffalo Request ,no fillers or grains.   Lucy constantly shows less interest in eating, even with some Royal Canine High Energy mixed in. Still on  Pepsid ac and I can't run up vet bills.    Lucy doesn't seem to be in pain-- still scratches my door in the morning and sits on my life and purrs.  I love her so much.  Sometimes her tummy feels a bit fuller, but bones protrude from skin & she's not gaining any weight.  Her fluffy fur is now flat. If Denosyl isn't way expensive we may try it, but hope to find a natural cure.  I appreciate you guys caring and sharing. 

You HAVE to force feed her - PLEASE - this is LIFE-SAVING. Please see this thread- read the links, watch the videos. Do not leave it up to her.
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/227858/syringe-feeding-lucky-video-if-your-cat-is-not-eating

Carolina said:

You HAVE to force feed her - PLEASE - this is LIFE-SAVING. Please see this thread- read the links, watch the videos. Do not leave it up to her.
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/227858/syringe-feeding-lucky-video-if-your-cat-is-not-eating

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Yes, this. Right now, her medicine IS food. :heart2: Please pick up some canned Hill's Science Diet a/d food from the vet ASAP, it is meant to be used in a syringe. If that's not quick and easy access, you can use - temporarily - chicken baby food. I recommend Beechnut, as Gerber's now has corn starch in it. Beechnut has only chicken.

maxandlucy said:

An update on Lucy-- and wish I had better news.  We're still struggling.  In answer to how she was raised, always fed Blue Buffalo (which she stopped eating).  From liver perspective, the vet suggested Turkey & Potato.- found this in Blue Buffalo Request ,no fillers or grains.   Lucy constantly shows less interest in eating, even with some Royal Canine High Energy mixed in. Still on  Pepsid ac and I can't run up vet bills.    Lucy doesn't seem to be in pain-- still scratches my door in the morning and sits on my life and purrs.  I love her so much.  Sometimes her tummy feels a bit fuller, but bones protrude from skin & she's not gaining any weight.  Her fluffy fur is now flat. If Denosyl isn't way expensive we may try it, but hope to find a natural cure.  I appreciate you guys caring and sharing. 

Click to expand...

I have a cat who had surgery to remove a primary liver cancer in May. He struggled with eating. The vet put him on an appetite stimulant mertapazine (nor sure of spelling). He also said sprinkle Foirti Flora which is a probiotic over the food. For now, the important thing is your cat must eat. If the cat has quit eating, you need to get a syringe and something that you can feed your cat with that. What kind of liver problem is your cat diagnosed with.

Has your kitty had an ultrasound to see if there is anything  else that  is going on?  It's expensive, but...  I agree with the baby food suggestion which is where I have had to start facing the non-eating issue.  Is it possible that your cat has IBD?   If so, she can be put on low doses of a steroid to help this.  I am certainly not  a vet, but have gone through quite a few health issues with our current kitty.  It is so heart wrenching and I wish you the best of luck with your little girl.