Help replacing canola oil in prescribed recipe

[gabicards]

Hi all,

My cat eats a home cooked meal recipe prescribed by his vet, which consists of:
125g of turkey escalope
4g of Vit'i5 (French meal completer)
7ml of canola oil
55g of zucchini

I really want to change the oil in the recipe. I've noticed it gets "stuck" to the fur on his chin and he has a slight inflammation to it now - it could be an allergic reaction to the food in general, but I'd like to try changing just the oil first to see if it will make a difference. In parallel to that, I've also started cleaning his chin with warm water after each meal (will use Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Feline Facial Therapy once it arrives).

Thing is, I know the recipe is supposed to be properly balanced. I'm scared of changing the oil on my own and getting the amount of omega 3 and 6 wrong. A few oils that have been recommended to me on facebook were: coconut, avocado, salmon, or Agepi pills. The recipe also "allegedly" takes my cat's constipation issues into account - though I've tried an online home cooked calculator that doesn't take any health concerns into account at all and it generated a recipe that looked almost the same, so I don't know how accurate that is. His constipation problem is also not related to intestinal activity, apparently, but to muscle tension caused by a surgery he had in January.

Vets can't help with this because 1) they ordered the recipe from a specialist; 2) every recipe generated by this specialist's calculator involves canola oil.

 

[Alldara]

Canola oil also has vitamin A and K so that will need taken into account.

Fat Chart & Nutritional Analysis | Canola Oil. Good for Every Body!

safflower is most comparable.

is there a specific reason you are looking to replace canola oil? Or just it's poor reputation?

 

[gabicards]

Canola oil also has vitamin A and K so that will need taken into account.

Fat Chart & Nutritional Analysis | Canola Oil. Good for Every Body!

safflower is most comparable.

is there a specific reason you are looking to replace canola oil? Or just it's poor reputation?

The poor reputation is definitely a factor, but it's mainly because I want to see whether a different oil would not cause a reaction on his chin. I've gotten lots of recommendations to try and replace it for animal fat, I just have no idea how to do it.

I'd just rather try changing this one ingredient before jumping the gun and changing the entire recipe. Something is definitely irritating his skin... it's the only part of his body in which this is happening, and it happens to be the only one that gets dirty with his food. The fur in that spot is also yellow-ish, and the only yellow ingredient in his food is the oil. Since I add water to every one of his meals and they're soupy, it spreads the oil... I'm thinking it could be a reaction not unlike human acne if you're frequently getting your skin dirty with oil (as in, working in a kitchen, for instance).

This is just a first theory. But since canola oil has such a horrible reputation and there are alternatives out there, I see no reason not to try them - so long as they don't throw off the balance of the entire recipe.

 

[Caspers Human]

The term "Canola" is actually a trade name for rapeseed oil. Years ago, the trade group that represents farmers decided that the term "rapeseed" didn't sound good so they came up with something else. The word "Canola" is actually a neologism (a new word made from other words) that represents the phrase, "Canadian Oil Low Acid."

The reason why Canola is called "low acid" is because natural rapseed oil is high in oleic acid, which is unpalatable and slightly toxic. (In high enough doses, oleic acid can cause nausea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal upset.) In order for rapseed oil to be edible, it has to have most of the oleic acid removed in processing and packaging. In an effort to reduce the costs associated with processing rapeseed the plants have been genetically modified so that they produce less acid in the first place. Viola! You, now, have Canola!

That's the first reason I don't like Canola oil. The second reason is because I think it tastes like crap. Even though most of the acid has been removed, some of it still remains and, even at such low levels, I can still taste it. If Canola oil is overheated, it burns and tastes even worse. The only reason Canola is so popular is because it's cheap.

At home, I use either peanut oil, sesame oil or corn oil, depending on the kind of flavor I'm going for. I don't like to use olive oil for cooking because it burns easily but it's got good flavor for dressings and stuff that doesn't need to be cooked.

For cats, I'd probably use corn oil because it's the mildest. I don't know whether peanut oil or sesame are good for cats or not. I just don't know whether a cat would care, either way.

As to the vitamin or nutritional content of a given oil, I don't think it matters. You're using so little of it (only a teaspoon full) that any vitamin content would be negligible. Besides, if you are cooking with oil, most of the nutritional content will likely be burned away in the process.

Out of the list you gave, coconut oil sounds like the best choice to me. It carries flavors well and it doesn't burn easily.

My bottom line advice would be to use whatever oil that your cat will eat and doesn't make them sick.

 

[gabicards]

The term "Canola" is actually a trade name for rapeseed oil. Years ago, the trade group that represents farmers decided that the term "rapeseed" didn't sound good so they came up with something else. The word "Canola" is actually a neologism (a new word made from other words) that represents the phrase, "Canadian Oil Low Acid."

The reason why Canola is called "low acid" is because natural rapseed oil is high in oleic acid, which is unpalatable and slightly toxic. (In high enough doses, oleic acid can cause nausea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal upset.) In order for rapseed oil to be edible, it has to have most of the oleic acid removed in processing and packaging. In an effort to reduce the costs associated with processing rapeseed the plants have been genetically modified so that they produce less acid in the first place. Viola! You, now, have Canola!

That's the first reason I don't like Canola oil. The second reason is because I think it tastes like crap. Even though most of the acid has been removed, some of it still remains and, even at such low levels, I can still taste it. If Canola oil is overheated, it burns and tastes even worse. The only reason Canola is so popular is because it's cheap.

At home, I use either peanut oil, sesame oil or corn oil, depending on the kind of flavor I'm going for. I don't like to use olive oil for cooking because it burns easily but it's got good flavor for dressings and stuff that doesn't need to be cooked.

For cats, I'd probably use corn oil because it's the mildest. I don't know whether peanut oil or sesame are good for cats or not. I just don't know whether a cat would care, either way.

As to the vitamin or nutritional content of a given oil, I don't think it matters. You're using so little of it (only a teaspoon full) that any vitamin content would be negligible. Besides, if you are cooking with oil, most of the nutritional content will likely be burned away in the process.

Out of the list you gave, coconut oil sounds like the best choice to me. It carries flavors well and it doesn't burn easily.

My bottom line advice would be to use whatever oil that your cat will eat and doesn't make them sick.

Thanks for the explanation!

I need to clarify something though: I don't use the oil in the recipe to cook. I vapour cook the meat, mix it with the veggies and freeze it. I move it to the fridge the day before I will serve it, and on the actual day I mix the oil + the completer and add it to the food in the exact quantity it was prescribed to me. It's never heated. Also, 7ml of canola oil is more like a tablespoon full, not a teaspoon.

But the clarification that it doesn't hold a significant amount of nutritional content does make me feel better. The question is... if that's the case, where would my cat be getting omega 3 and 6? I guess EPA and DHA are absent if only canola oil is given. So should I do coconut and alternate it with fish oil?

What I'm really scared of is causing an imbalance that could lead to a health issue, like a deficiency of some type of vitamin. His vets already don't love natural feeding, I'd never hear the end of it if I messed it up.

 

[iPappy]

I personally would try salmon oil, as it is much more species appropriate for a cat than a refined seed oil.
Also, Caspers Human avocado oil is great for cooking. Very high smoke point.

 

[gabicards]

I personally would try salmon oil, as it is much more species appropriate for a cat than a refined seed oil.
Also, Caspers Human avocado oil is great for cooking. Very high smoke point.

I would love to, but I've read it can't be given everyday... would you have any advice in terms of quantity?

This is the nutritional content of the completer that I mix with his food, by the way. Given that the rest of the recipe consists of turkey, zucchini and canola oil... I should probably be supplementing my cat with omega 3 and 6 anyway, shouldn't I? I'm actually confused on what the purpose of the oil is if it doesn't hold much nutritional significance.

There are pills recommended on some facebook groups for supplementation of omega 3 and 6, from a brand called Agepi:

Does this seem good?

 

[iPappy]

I would love to, but I've read it can't be given everyday... would you have any advice in terms of quantity?

This is the nutritional content of the completer that I mix with his food, by the way. Given that the rest of the recipe consists of turkey, zucchini and canola oil... I should probably be supplementing my cat with omega 3 and 6 anyway, shouldn't I? I'm actually confused on what the purpose of the oil is if it doesn't hold much nutritional significance.
View attachment 454593

There are pills recommended on some facebook groups for supplementation of omega 3 and 6, from a brand called Agepi:View attachment 454595

Does this seem good?

I'm not sure about all that, it's way beyond my experience range.
I use a brand of fish oil called Nordic Naturals and they get .5-.75 ML (depending on their weight, I have 7!) per day.
Can you reach out to the specialist and tell them your cat is having problems with the canola oil, and see if they recommend any substitutions?

 

[gabicards]

I'm not sure about all that, it's way beyond my experience range.
I use a brand of fish oil called Nordic Naturals and they get .5-.75 ML (depending on their weight, I have 7!) per day.
Can you reach out to the specialist and tell them your cat is having problems with the canola oil, and see if they recommend any substitutions?

I can’t it’s the worst. The vets are the ones that get the recipes, so communication is through them, but they see no issue with the oil and would just have me order a whole new recipe… which I will do in order to change the protein, but it will have the same damn oil.

I have, however, reached out to a different nutritionist to see if we can work together for her to alter a recipe instead of creating a new one from scratch. I don’t want the vets to know I’ve altered it, to avoid friction.

 

[iPappy]

I can’t it’s the worst. The vets are the ones that get the recipes, so communication is through them, but they see no issue with the oil and would just have me order a whole new recipe… which I will do in order to change the protein, but it will have the same damn oil.

I have, however, reached out to a different nutritionist to see if we can work together for her to alter a recipe instead of creating a new one from scratch. I don’t want the vets to know I’ve altered it, to avoid friction.

How frustrating for you, but if the nutritionist can help that would be wonderful!!! Please keep us updated!
Does your kitty enjoy the food? My cats love turkey and go crazy for it!

 

[gabicards]

How frustrating for you, but if the nutritionist can help that would be wonderful!!! Please keep us updated!
Does your kitty enjoy the food? My cats love turkey and go crazy for it!

I hope she can! I’ll understand it if she’d rather not work with another professional’s prescription diet, but hopeful that she will. Vets can be so annoying with natural food even when they admit they know nothing about nutrition, which my cat’s vet has done.

And he does enjoy his food! He’s definitely a foodie. I’m crossing my fingers cleaning his mouth area after meals will get rid of the acne, and that this won’t mean he can’t eat turkey anymore. He has no other symptoms of a food allergy

 

[iPappy]

I hope she can! I’ll understand it if she’d rather not work with another professional’s prescription diet, but hopeful that she will. Vets can be so annoying with natural food even when they admit they know nothing about nutrition, which my cat’s vet has done.

And he does enjoy his food! He’s definitely a foodie. I’m crossing my fingers cleaning his mouth area after meals will get rid of the acne, and that this won’t mean he can’t eat turkey anymore. He has no other symptoms of a food allergy

What are you feeding him out of? Some cats have sensitivities to plastics and certain bowls that can lead to chin/mouth acne and irritation.
I really hope the nutritionist can help you, even if it means changing a few things up to see if it helps.

 

[gabicards]

What are you feeding him out of? Some cats have sensitivities to plastics and certain bowls that can lead to chin/mouth acne and irritation.
I really hope the nutritionist can help you, even if it means changing a few things up to see if it helps.

He’s always eaten out of an elevated, coated ceramic bowl. I have now changed it to a stainless steel bowl, but my goal is to find an elevated glass bowl as that seems like the safest material.

 

[gabicards]

Someone on Facebook recommended that I use organic canola oil for this... thought it was worth a try since apparently there's no easy way to change it to another oil altogether.

 

[Alldara]

Someone on Facebook recommended that I use organic canola oil for this... thought it was worth a try since apparently there's no easy way to change it to another oil altogether.

Cold pressed is usually preferable as well if it's available in your area and affordable.

 

[gabicards]

Cold pressed is usually preferable as well if it's available in your area and affordable.

That's great, the one I bought yesterday is organic and cold pressed!

I suppose this has little loss of nutrients in comparison to the regular one I was using before, but do we genuinely think it would have an impact on acne? I'm curious to see it. I gave it to my cat for the first time today (mixed with the supplement and then the food, as per usual) and I could tell it must taste different, because he kept stopping and it took him longer to eat it... he did eventually finish, though. Took about 15 minutes or so.

 

[Alldara]

Do you use a toothbrush on his acne? That helps.

I also found tipping some boiled water over the bowls after cleaning helps take off any oil residue.

 

[gabicards]

Do you use a toothbrush on his acne? That helps.

I also found tipping some boiled water over the bowls after cleaning helps take off any oil residue.

I ordered a toothbrush for that! Saw it on Youtube last week. I think it arrived today, actually, but I'm at the office now so haven't seen it. I'm curious as to how cleaning him is going to go, given how big my cat is. He's very docile and generally calm, but I've learned this week that he doesn't appreciate me being all up on his face lol

 

[Alldara]

I ordered a toothbrush for that! Saw it on Youtube last week. I think it arrived today, actually, but I'm at the office now so haven't seen it. I'm curious as to how cleaning him is going to go, given how big my cat is. He's very docile and generally calm, but I've learned this week that he doesn't appreciate me being all up on his face lol

The toothbrush will feel like you're grooming him so he might like that. Go slow and start with a less invasive area like the top of his head

 

[gabicards]

The toothbrush will feel like you're grooming him so he might like that. Go slow and start with a less invasive area like the top of his head

Do you use any special solutions with it, or just water?

I'll do that on his head while petting him, thanks for the idea! He lets me brush him and all, so working up to it would likely be ideal. I do however have a product I'll be using to clean him with starting today, though, so he'll have to put up with me to some extent