Cat Food/Cat Stress/Stress-Related IBS

I am currently looking for a food that will help with my kitty's sensitive tummy. 

A little back story: Silvio is 9.5 years old and has been recently diagnosed with stress related IBS. He's had issues with his tummy before (loose stools, loose bloody stools) in the past but I was really concerned when it happened a month ago when I was getting ready to leave on a trip. So I called the vet, who prescribed Bach flowers for the stress and anxiety and an herbal mixture for his diarrhea. He seems to be doing well - full of piss and vinegar these days. He's back on his regular food (Natural Balance Ultra dry) but the other day he had loose stool with blood again. Instead of freaking out, I gave him a quarter of a can of one of the wet foods the vet gave me "just in case" (I'd had SIl on a bland diet of chicken, tuna and pumpkin for 2 weeks until I got home and weaned him back on his regular diet).

I don't know what the stress is like when I'm not home. I live in a dual cat household with my roommate...I work 40-50 hours a week and I'm not home all 7 days/nights because I have a boyfriend I stay with some nights. But I'm changing that routine too. Sil is uber senstive, always has been, but I think with my new job, not being home all the time, and who knows what else, who knows what kinds of stress he has! I give him uber attention but I can only have so much cuddle time when I need to have my own life.

He really loves the Iams Vet Formula Intestinal Low-Residue. Problem is it's expensive AND I need a prescription! Of course, he loves it, he has expensive taste!

So I'm torn - we just finished up this can. After 4 days (a quarter can of this food per night), the can is gone and I either can call the vet and get a prescription for more or find a non-prescription type that is similar to this. I don't want to try too many different kinds because of his sensitive tummy and because I think that would be just too much for both of us.

I'm a bit weary about the LID Natural Balance because I don't want to feed him peas. I'm wearing about the Iams because of the corn. So there is where I'm stuck and why I come here for suggestions.

I'm sure he can survive without the wet food a few days. He'll be upset with me (yes, he's spoiled and knows who's boss) but he'll survive.

I look forward to hearing your suggestions, stories and maybe some advice. Thanks!

For any cat, but especially IBD cats, the best food is wet food only.

TCS members have identified canned foods without carrageenan in them (this ingredient is often a problem for IBD kitties):

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/262990/carrageenan-free-canned-foods

A helpful resource site is http://www.ibdkitties.net

The stress may be altering his gut flora. Do you have him on a regular probiotic? L. acidophilus has been found to help cats with IBD, especially because it helps improve B-12 metabolism. Many on the site use the Natural Factors double-strength acidophilus+bifidus. Best to give 1/2 a capsule in the AM and 1/2 a capsule in the PM. (And to start smaller than that and work up to it, make sure he tolerates it well first).

Thanks for your reply. 

I've never heard what's better: wet or dry food. Sil's been on a dry only diet for about a year except on occasion. I'll have to do more research on this, as well as talk to my vet (who is a holistic vet). 

I think there is a different between IBS vs IBD. I'll have to do research on that, as well.  Right now, it's all a learning process! 

Yes, there's a definite difference. I'm sorry, my mind just registered "IBD."

But the bottom line is that for any cat, probiotics can help, avoiding carrageenan is a good idea, and wet food provides the moisture they need.

This site is written by a vet, and explains why wet food is best. http://www.catinfo.org

No worries.

Thank you for the link(s).  I will have to take some time later and read up on this. 

I was also wondering if you know if peas are good for cats? I know Natural Balance LID lists this as an ingredient, and I am hesitate to feed this to my cat. Is there a list of ingredients that are OK for cats that you know of?
 

Peas is a common ingredient used in some of the grain free foods.  On paper they are a poor choice because cats aren't meant to get protein from a plant source however some people have had good luck with this particular food.  It's kind of like you can't argue with success.  I have a cat with probable IBD that is controlled with a steroid.  He went through 6 years of flares before finding a vet that had experience with this and diagnosed him.  I had him on the IAMS low residue at one time before he went on the steroid.  It was actually the longest he went without a flare without the steroid.  There was a huge price increase when he was on it and it was an outlandish price then.  That was probably 6 or 7 years ago so I can imagine how expensive it is now.

It really is a trial and error thing as far as food goes.  The only thing I have found for sure triggers problems in my cat is beef.  Now he has developed an allergy to chicken so I'm trying to get his diet straightened out again without breaking the bank.  The allergy was just a yeast infection in his ears, I will take that any day over the IBD flares.

Some people have had good luck with Vitality Science products.  They have a 3 product regimen for the digestive issues.  Another thing you could try for stress is the Feliway diffuser.  Some cats are really helped by them and others don't seem to show any improvement.  If your cat isn't helped by it there is nothing lost other than the money spent and they are a little on the pricey side.  It won't cause any negative effects.

I do agree with Denice that it is very individual in terms of which ingredients can cause an issue. While peas seem to be tolerated by most cats, there have been pea allergies reported by some members here, so it's hard to say how your cat will react to them. It's very much trial and error.

To me, a safe (or maybe that's SAFER) list of ingredients would contain named meats and organs with some added vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

...and there's a good list of food options that have limited ingredients in the link. ( http://www.thecatsite.com/t/262990/carrageenan-free-canned-foods )

Thanks,  Denice!

I started using Feliaway a few months ago because I had good luck with it in the past.

I'll have to spend some time this weekend doing some research. I forgot how much info is out there as it's been a while since I've had to do this. In the meanwhile, Sil will just have to deal with not being fed wet food for a few days.