Claw issues... something lacking in diet?

A few months ago I noticed that Nya's claws were getting thicker and not shedding as well. The vet actually used this to age her at older than we'd originally thought (with a few other things) but said there was nothing to be concerned with. Now I've noticed that Buddy's claws are in poor shape too! And he's just a year old. They splinter when I clip them and shred very easily and he seems to be bothered by nail trimmings now when he never used to mind. Could they be lacking something in their diet? That is the only thing I can think of that would affect both of them this way. They both get Wellness wet food and raw treats (neck and wing bones when I've got them, muscle meat otherwise) a few times a week. I want to switch them to raw entirely but they won't have it. They both get a sprinkle of Fastrack Microbial suppliment on their morning meal. I know the issues that many on this board have with Wellness, and I don't think this problem has anything to do with the fractions of garlic in the food. Any ideas? Should I be supplimenting with anything else?

how old is she ?? if she is over 8 , senoir wet foods may help amny have increased antioxidents and some have jt and tissue supports..

Nya is 10-12 we estimate, I tried a few senior foods when we realised she was older, but she wouldn't eat them. Senior wet foods are hard to find! I tried two vet formulas, but was NOT happy with the ingredients at all, and wouldn't feed them long term even if she DID like them. I tried the Felidae Platinum but she turned her nose up at it. I even tried the Nutro Senior eventhough I've never had any luck with Nutro pouches with either of my cats, and she didn't like it either...

Maybe you are oversupplementing them? Cats have evolved to the point that a raw diet is no longer necessary for optimum health. There bodies have learned to adapt to manufactured diets and most do just fine with canned and dry food and plenty of water.

Originally Posted by vanillasugar

Nya is 10-12 we estimate, I tried a few senior foods when we realised she was older, but she wouldn't eat them. Senior wet foods are hard to find! I tried two vet formulas, but was NOT happy with the ingredients at all, and wouldn't feed them long term even if she DID like them. I tried the Felidae Platinum but she turned her nose up at it. I even tried the Nutro Senior eventhough I've never had any luck with Nutro pouches with either of my cats, and she didn't like it either...

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Hissy has a great pt ... Have you looked at Royal canin>>?? My older girl ate that for a little bit ..Did you try the nutro max or natural choice.. my older girl wouldnt eat the natural choice but liked the max..max and royal canin may not be "ultra" but they are solid ..

I'm sorry hissy, I know you're not a fan of raw diets, but I respectfully disagree. I can't believe that an animal will do better on processed, manufactured food, than those foods in their whole natural form. That's like saying that eating a frozen t.v. dinner is better than eating a homecooked meal. I wish I could take them off processed food entirely, but they wont eat the prepared raw diets (the ones you can get at the store) and I just don't have time to prepare it for them properly. Which is why I just give them "meat treats".

Other than the Fastrack they are not currently getting any suppliments. I don't consider the raw meat a suppliment. I give it to them as others would give processed treats. My cats only get those kinds of treats once in a while, as Nya doesn't like them either (she's a fussy one! lol)

Originally Posted by sharky

Hissy has a great pt ... Have you looked at Royal canin>>?? My older girl ate that for a little bit ..Did you try the nutro max or natural choice.. my older girl wouldnt eat the natural choice but liked the max..max and royal canin may not be "ultra" but they are solid ..

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It was the Natural Choice. I couldn't find the Nutro Max in a senior formula in any of the stores in my area. And Royal Canin does not make a wet food does it? I've never seen one...

I'm really more concerned about Buddy at the moment. The vet did say that Nya's claw thickening was to do with her age, and Buddy has no reason for this. I don't know how to help the poor guy

Originally Posted by vanillasugar

It was the Natural Choice. I couldn't find the Nutro Max in a senior formula in any of the stores in my area. And Royal Canin does not make a wet food does it? I've never seen one...

I'm really more concerned about Buddy at the moment. The vet did say that Nya's claw thickening was to do with her age, and Buddy has no reason for this. I don't know how to help the poor guy

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How old is buddy??

royal canins canned is called sensible choice...

Buddy's only a year, and he's had some other random issues already. He's not a very healthy cat, which is why I get concerned about these little things.

Originally Posted by vanillasugar

Buddy's only a year, and he's had some other random issues already. He's not a very healthy cat, which is why I get concerned about these little things.

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I remember reading..lol.. my memory is fuzzy..

California natural make a good canned food and it is okay for young and old...

Okay, so what would the reasons be for me switching to Cal. Nat? How would that make much of a difference from what I'm currently feeding? They're the same quality food aren't they? What would they gain from the California Natural that they're missing from the Wellness?

Has Nya had a senior panel done? Since hers are getting thicker and his are more fragile, they may not be related. I know that hyperthyroidism (a possibility in any older cat) can increase the metabolism and cause the nails to thicken faster than they can shed. Do Buddy's claws break when you aren't trimming them (i.e. during normal play or daily activities)? For my younger (nearly 7 year old) cat, her nails have always had a tendency to shed while I am trimming them. Sometimes, it's just because she hasn't been helping them to shed (she sometimes bites at them), but often it's a sign that your nail trimmer is dull.

Originally Posted by vanillasugar

Okay, so what would the reasons be for me switching to Cal. Nat? How would that make much of a difference from what I'm currently feeding? They're the same quality food aren't they? What would they gain from the California Natural that they're missing from the Wellness?

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cal natural is simplier .. easier to digest which would mean more of the nutrition stay s in kitty, thus if the thickening is a lack of something maybe it would be corrected..Has the vet done a senior panel in the last 3 months>???. plus the protein and fat profiles would work for both cats( providing Buddy is nt on a rx type diet)

I know nothing about this subject, and in fact, I myself am a vegetarian -- so I'm not speaking from any experience at all. HOWEVER... with all the bizarre things cattle and other livestock are being fed these days, plus the growth hormones and anti-parasitics they're given, it seems to me that a raw diet is a huge risk. Cooking doesn't destroy ALL the potential hazards, but wouldn't cooked meat be slightly less dangerous?

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

I know nothing about this subject, and in fact, I myself am a vegetarian -- so I'm not speaking from any experience at all. HOWEVER... with all the bizarre things cattle and other livestock are being fed these days, plus the growth hormones and anti-parasitics they're given, it seems to me that a raw diet is a huge risk. Cooking doesn't destroy ALL the potential hazards, but wouldn't cooked meat be slightly less dangerous?

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Cooking in the human way not likely to kill more than 50% of pathogens.. cat and dog food is either extruded 350-400 degrees or baked up to 500 at these temps more is killed off..enzymes and viatimns are killed off and only some put back..My raw is no hormones or antibiotics... cats have short GI tracts so they dont keep the food in long 4 hours vs human 20 hours..less chane of catching something..