The Art of Primary Protein Rotation?

Hi guys/gals,

I'm getting an adult male cat within the next 2 weeks. (Although, perhaps a kitten would lessen allergy potential?)

I wanted to get the food rotation process right (at least on paper) from the start.

How long should I rotate proteins for? I.E. Chicken based brands  for a few weeks, or few months before rotating to the next? Or do I offer a few during the same week? 

Commercial proteins - canned: Chicken / Turkey / Duck / Beef / Venison / Lamb / Rabbit   Any others I'm missing?  I'm ignoring Fish.

When a canned food i.e. Country Dinner, says 'Meat By Products': do I assume it's chicken and/or turkey based? 

I noticed Evo 95% has Chicken/Turkey or Turkey/Chicken.  If a cat becomes allergic to one, does that mean he/she may also become allergic to the other fowl? 

I've got access to a wide selection of brands locally, from lower end FF/Friskies/Grreat Value to Wellness/H&G/Evo 95% on the higher $ end.   Wellness and particularly H&G are pricey, but Evo. is doable.

I suppose this begs another question though.  If a cat becomes allergic to chicken & turkey due to continual feeding of those proteins, what is stopping him/her from becoming allergic to Beef or any of the other proteins, when on a 'limited ingredient diet'?

cheers,

Marc 

Even though the the flavour is meant to be chicken. I would not assume that if it says "meat by products" in the ingredients list that it only contains chicken or turkey. It might well have beef, lamb, rabbit or even horse, you just don't know. A few years back in America some dog food manufactures were found to be putting actual dead dogs and cats into their dog food.

Same goes for any processed man made food you just don't know what's in it. Last year in England it was discovered that a lot of frozen ready made meals for human. That were meant to be beef like lasagne, beef burgers and meat balls actually contained horse meat.

So I would not believe completely what it says on the label. Yes it might contain chicken but it might contain other types of animal meats too.

No, "meat by products" are not poultry.

The AAFCO definition of "meat" is limited to the meats of cows, swine, sheep, and goats.

And by-products, though they may sound unappetizing to us, are stuff cats eat naturally. By-products are lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, partially defatted low-temperature fatty tissue, and stomach and intestines freed of their contents.

Allergies are basically an indication of an immune system gone haywire. There's no proof, but many of us believe this is related to feeding species-inappropriate foods. But if you're feeding canned grain-free food (the Friskies pates have some rice in them, but it can't be much as they're low carbohydrate); foods that are high in protein, low in carbs, and including some that don't have the same level of additives (like coloring, flavoring, etc) as the low-end cans, you are taking steps that should help avoid development of inflammation-related health problems.

There are a few supplements you can add that will help over his lifetime. Many of us provide probiotics - as in the wild, a kitty would naturally get a dose with every meal. Many of us use human L. acidophilus-based probiotics for our cats, as L. acidophilus is naturally found in the guts of cats, and it helps with nutrient absorption - and keeps the gut flora populated with healthy bacteria. Human probiotics are usually (not always) manufactured to different standards than pet probiotics, and you're more likely to be providing live cultures (which is what you want). For an adult, I use 5 billion CFU twice a day.

A healthy treat that provides healthy fats and a little vitamin D boost is a sardine once a week. I used sardines in tins - canned in water with no salt. You can just freeze each one individually so you don't waste the tin, and thaw as needed. Freeze them in sandwich baggies, and just put them in a bowl of cool water to thaw.

Another healthy treat is an egg yolk once a week. This will help prevent hairballs: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/266178/...k-lecithin-to-dissolve-hairballs#post_3422865

As to the protein rotation... I provide a different protein at each meal. But that's because my cats get bored of the same food if fed more than once a day. I feed them three meals a day (before work, after work, and as late as possible before bed). But there are so many different ways to handle this, I'm not sure it matters. I think just ensuring a good rotation of proteins and brands over time works!

Thanks for the detailed post LDG - where do I get L. acidophilus-based probiotics? 

Is that something you can buy at a health food store?

I'm beginning to wonder if I'd be better off adopting a kitten.  Yes, the personality is unknown but, I'd have a better chance at switching him over to canned food.  No doubt that all these shelter cats have been living on kibble.   Then again, doesn't catinfo.org say you can pretty well get any cat to eat canned?

Some adult cats will LOVE canned food and it will be super easy to transition them. And some are die-hard kibble addicts. Most are kinda in the middle. But even the most addicted kibble cat can be transitioned as long as you're willing to put the time and effort into doing it. No doubt it's easier with a kitten but so many adult cats need homes that I think it's wonderful to adopt an adult, even if feeding time might be a hassle at first .

And, yep, you can get acidophilus from a health food store or online.

Ok, that's reassuring then thanks.   

Do you think it matters if the cat is 4-5 yrs. old, or may he be well on the way to UTI problems by that age, presuming kibble diet?

My male cats actually developed their UTI problems when they were 2 years old. So I really don't think age is a factor in that regard. 4 - 5 years old is a lovely age for a cat - still playful, but mellower than a kitten. And just like people who've eaten a crummy diet for most of their life, switching to a healthier diet at ANY point in time improves health and well-being.

Kittens are a real PIA. :lol3: