Stressed Mom and Cat

missyc

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Ok, about 4 months ago my cat Soltie was diagnosed with a overactive thyroid and about 2 months ago food allergies. The thyroid is under control, she is taking Tapazole. But the food allergy is whole different story. The vet put her on Science Diet for Sensitive Skin, well Soltie nor her sister Sadie (which when on cats diet changes the other one's does too) will eat this because of the shape (complete round). So I did some research on the web and got Iam lamb and rice can food and still giving them the Science Diet for Sensitive Skin (I would end up throwing it away, but felt that I should give it at least a try--ended up throwing away a whole bag). They liked the lamb and rice canned food and Soltie stopped scratching and her hair began growing back (she had several bald spots from scratching licking). So I got the Iams lamb and rice dry food. They loved it, but Soltie started scratching again. I took her back to the vet yesterday to get her thyroid level checked and to get her a coridsone shot for her itching and to discuss food options. Her thyroid was fine (continue giving her 1/2 pill of tapazole 2 daily), he gave her a cortisone shot, and suggested I try Hill's prescription diet feline d/d lamb and rice and that he would order duck and rice dry food for me to try (not sure about the shape of it). When I brought Soltie home last night after the vet visit, she was not herself, she hid under the bed and would growl and hiss at me. She had never done this before. I called the vet last night and he said just to watch her and if she was not better by in the morning to bring her in. Well, she was still hiding and would not let me near her willingly. He kept her all day did some test and her blood count is low and has a slight bladder infection, but he said that mainly she is really stressed. I also learned that the technian that took the blood yesterday could not get it from her leg but had to get it from her neck. When I found this out I knew then that she was tramatized from that. I am sure that they had to forcably hold her head down and she it not used to being forced to do anything. But, she is home tonight and doing better.

I'm sorry for rambling on so, but I just love my cats dearly and hate when something is wrong with one of them. I figure that Soltie's blood is low because she is not eating well and when she does eat will she has a reaction to it. The Hills prescription lamb and rice is really gross looking and from their reactions taste gross.

I would make their food if I knew what vitiams are essential for cats. Does anyone have any receipts for know where I can find some on making cat food for cats with food allergies. I can have her tested to find out what she is allergic too, I will later but these past few months have been expensive (yesterday and today was $300) and the testing is over $200. So that's going to have to wait for a couple of months. So until then, I would like to find something that she can and will eat. I have found ground lamb and Krogers and I can boil rice, but I'm sure they would need some sort of supplement.

I need your thoughts.

Missy C. (Worried Mom)
 

hell603

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Here is a sample BARF Diet:
===========================

1.5 lbs. raw, ground, muscle meat (3-20% fat by mass) Do not mix meats, including organs, from different animals

.5 lb. raw, ground heart

NOTE: If you cannot source heart, use 2,000 MG L-Taurine

3.5 oz. raw, ground liver

NOTE: If you cannot source liver, or if your cat cannot tolerate liver (some cannot tolerate beef liver) use 2
TPSP cod liver oil or Vitamin A/D capsules (20,000 IU Vitamin A total)

8 to 16 oz. filtered spring (two cups) water

2 raw, egg yolks

2 Tbsp bone meal

1 Tbsp Gelatin

2 tsp. Psyllium Husks (as is or powdered)

½ Tbsp each powdered seaweeds: kelp & dulse

2 1,000 MG capsules Salmon oil

2 tablets freeze dried glands

300 IU Vitamin E

1 capsule 50mg Vitamin B Complex

Preparation: Mix the meats (organ and muscle meat) together in a bowl and return to refrigerator. In a separate bowl, mix the spring water and remaining ingredients together with a whisk. They will become glutinous in texture. Once all the dry
ingredients are mixed into the water, fold the liquid gently into the meat mixture. Don't mix too much as the meat will become stringy.

Depending upon how many cats you have (the above recipe feeds seven cats for about a day and a half) you'll either serve it immediately or divide it up into serving portions and freeze what you are not going to use right away.

Now for the hardest part of this recipe - bringing the meat mixture to room temperature without cooking it. Remember in the wild a cat will eat its prey freshly killed and warm. It is important that you offer your cat's food as close to body
temperature as possible. You can either put the servings into a bowl and then into a warm water bath or into a warm oven for a few minutes. DO NOT microwave!! This is the most difficult part of the preparation - warming the food. One method which was found to be pretty successful is to put a small amount of spring water in the bottom of a sauce pan. Add the meat mixture you are going to feed and gently warm. This method adds more water than what is called for in the recipe, but considering a mouse is 65-75% water, it shouldn't matter. Many cats refuse to eat food cold. Many cats will vomit cold food.

OPTIONS: PREPACKAGED RAW FOODS

There are a number of companies that are packaging and shipping the basic BARF diet for customer convenience, i.e., people who do not have time to
prepare the meals themselves. Some I have looked into are:

Aunt Jeni's Home Made- (877) 254-6123
Halshan's Premium Raw food www.halshan.com- free shipping to AZ, CA, UT & NV
Celeste Yarnall- www.celestialpets.com
Pat McKay-www.patmckay.com

You would need to ask about what supplements should be added. If the mixes do not contain ground, raw bone you would need to supplement with a calcium source such as powdered eggshell. Most companies that sell food this way also sell supplements to go along with their food.

Good Luck and I hope it helps
 
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