Diabetic Cat Eating Issues

[bluesclues]

I really need some advice on getting my diabetic cat to eat a low carb- high protein- grain free wet food diet. He has been eating blue buffalo healthy aging dry food and fancy feat grilled chicken and liver and beef in gravy varieties forever. It is like Crack Cocaine, just like the Temptations and he was definitely addicted. Now he can no longer eat dry cat food or the fancy feast in gravy varieties because of the high carbs. I have spent 3 days on the internet researching cat food and I am about to lose my mind. First of all, my cat will not eat any type of pate, and any other flavors but chicken and beef. He must have a consistency of tiny chunks or slices in broth or gravy. The vet gave me a list and none appeal to the cat because they are ALL pates or fish varieties. I am spending a fortune on trial and error food. I have been to pet store 4 times in 2 days. To find carb content is a job in itself. I have no idea why the carbs are not listed on cat food. I have questioned Chewy and the cat food manufacturers on the carb content on about 25 different cans with mixed and suspect results. I knew that Fancy Feast gravies were high in carbs but I wanted to test the expertise at Chewy. Chewy gave me a carb content of 2.8% for Purina Fancy Feast Grilled chicken and liver in gravy, which actually contains around 15% in carbs. WAY TOO HIGH! I don't know who to trust. One site said that Blue Healthy Gourmet chicken was one of the worst canned foods for diabetic cats and another said it was one of the best! Can anyone please help! I have a list of Grain free high protein cat foods in my cart at Amazon and Chewy but am waiting for carb content before buying anything in large quantities. Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Chicken FricaZee, Crave Chicken & Beef Recipe Cuts in Gravy Grain-Free Adult Cat Food , Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free Cowboy Cookout Morsels in Gravy Canned Cat Food, Rachael Ray Nutrish Paw Lickin' Chicken & Liver Recipe Natural Grain-Free Wet Cat Food, Wild Frontier by Nutro Chicken & Beef Recipe Grain-Free High-Protein Adult Cuts in Gravy Cat Food Trays,
[URL='https://www.chewy.com/fancy-feast-purely-white-meat-chicken/dp/103809']Fancy Feast Purely White Meat Chicken & Shredded Beef Wet Cat Food, [URL='https://www.chewy.com/blue-buffalo-wilderness-rocky/dp/112014']Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Flaked Red Meat Feast Adult Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24[/URL]
So far I have had mixed results from my cat. He seemed to like the Solid Gold Chunked chicken and liver flavor as long as it was topped with Fancy Feast Purely meat and broth which has NO carbs but the second time I fed him, he sniffed it and walked away. He seems to like Crave and Wild Frontier but that would cost me a fortune, since the packs are tiny. I am looking for the 5.5 cans if possible, and at least a 3oz can, and can always use the small cartons of Crave, Wild Frontier to mix with the food.

HELP! and Thanks in advance[/URL]
https://www.chewy.com/wild-frontier-by-nutro-chicken-beef/dp/175735

 

[daftcat75]

My Krista likes Tiki Cat. And I like it because it’s just sane species-appropriate cat food: meat in meat broth plus vitamin and mineral supplements. A few flavors have egg or a gum to keep the food from disintegrating. But it’s nothing like the peas, pea protein, tapioca starch, or a bunch of other unnecessary, species-inappropriate carbohydrates in most other cat foods.

Tiki Cat Food & Treats - Tiki Pets - Say Aloha to Real Food

Your lucky your guy likes chicken and does well with it. Look at the After Dark line for a chicken and liver flavor. And if the chicken is anything like the seafood, you’ll open it up and see real recognizable pieces of chicken that look good enough for you to eat.

 

[LTS3]

To find carb content is a job in itself. I have no idea why the carbs are not listed on cat food.

This will make your life a lot easier

http://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

Anything on the chart that has 10% or less carbs is good for a diabetic. Do keep some higher carb food on hand to use in case your cat becomes hypoglycemic.

Try sprinkling FortiFlora or crushed up freeze dried meat treats on top of food to make it more appealing.

You can get additional advice from the FelineDiabetes.com message board .

 

[duckpond]

I like the link to catinfo.org that LTS3 posted, i have used it a lot with my cats. I dont have a diabetic cat, but i like to feed high protein and low carb.

I use a lot of Tiki cat, Almo nature, Fussie cat, Earthborn, and some weruva. My guys are not fond of pate either. However they will eat some of the fancy feast classic pate. I always keep purebites freeze dried chicken treats in the house, a few of those crumbled up on the wet food will often entice them to eat.

 

[Tobermory]

The two sites LTS3 gave you are fantastic resources. The chart at catinfo.org takes out the guesswork and was compiled by a vet who is a feline nutritionist. At the feline diabetes site you will find a support network of people like you who are dealing every day with the ups and downs of caring for their kittie with diabetes. I found so much practical and moral support there. You’ll find it here, too, but there it’s all focused on diabetes!

The other site that might be helpful is www.catfooddb.com. It’s value is in the list of ingredients of hundreds of foods as well as the helpful dry matter analysis for each. As you point out, reviews can be contradictory so I use the site more for the factual content.