Is carrageenan really that bad?

tabbysia

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I am asking because the only canned food that my IBD kitty eats is the Wellness Sliced Salmon. I know this because I have tried MANY other "high quality" canned foods, and this is the only one that she readily eats and does not reject. I really tried to find a food without carageenan, and there are some out there. The problem is, they either have one of the many other ingredients that I have to try to avoid, or she totally turns her nose up at them. I would prefer to not give her salmon, but she likes what she likes. She also eats a limited ingredient, dry duck food. Both foods are vet approved, and I have been told to not change her diet for now.

The Wellness Sliced Salmon does not have carrageenan listed as high on the ingredient list as some other canned foods. It is about twentieth on the list, I think. If the food only contains a small amount of carageenan, could it be okay? This food thing is really frustrating.

By the way, I tried to talk to the vet about carageenan, but she had never heard of it. She asked me how to spell it, and told me that she would look it up. That did not inspire me with very much confidence.
 

nirvarna

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I am not convinced that carrageenan is bad which seems to be the minority opinion around here. For starters, it is in tons of human foods because it has undergone rigorous testing-none of which has been conclusive for causing cancer or IBD. The FDA and European version of the FDA have approved it for human consumption. There are many people that will site one study that linked it to cancer when it was fed in huge quantities that you could never feed to your pet. Anyway, I don't believe that the pet food industry is trying to kill your pet by putting it in food and I don't believe it will kill your pet. But most people here believe it, although they also probably believe that they are gluten intolerant and all that crap.
 

bonepicker

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I believe people say it causes inflammation. I rotate foods with it and foods without it. Vets know nothing of nutrition. I would think after a while you should try some carrageenan free foods with ibd kitty. Nutro natural choice chunky chicken loaf style or sliced turkey or Pride by instinct rabbit or duck.
 

myrnafaye

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I agree that most vets are ignorant about nutrition.  Its amazing, isnt it?  I too searched for a food without  c arageenan, and also without agar agar or guar gum.  I found Nature's Variety Rabbit.  You can buy the large cans which are labelled dog food, however the company says they are identical, and I grilled them about this.  The dog food formula has taurine, which cats need.  You might want to check it out.
 

lokhismom

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I only know what I read about carrageenan.   Unfortunately its almost impossible to avoid it in wet cat food especially if your kitty is picky.   What I try and do is mostly avoid it but I do have some cans in his rotation with it.   But I'm lucky that mine isn't so picky.  It must be tough for those who have picky cats. 
 

bonepicker

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I agree that most vets are ignorant about nutrition.  Its amazing, isnt it?  I too searched for a food without  c arageenan, and also without agar agar or guar gum.  I found Nature's Variety Rabbit.  You can buy the large cans which are labelled dog food, however the company says they are identical, and I grilled them about this.  The dog food formula has taurine, which cats need.  You might want to check it out.
probably same with weruva paw licken chicken. My cat sticks his head in while dogs are eating, and try's to eat it! My cat is sooo fussy she only eats small tins no refrigeration
 
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