Hydrolyzed Food

[gomie]

My cat Gomez has a likely case of IBD and will be having an endoscopy soon to hopefully rule out lymphoma. *fingers crossed*

He has been prescribed hydrolyzed food, which I'm so glad he enjoys eating.

Is it okay if my other cats eat this as well?

We typically just leave their bowls out and let them eat when they're hungry. That being said, I can't leave out "regular" food for my 2 cats and hydrolyzed food for Gomez and expect that he won't wander over to their bowls. He's our little foodie. <3

 

[ladytimedramon]

I don't think it's a problem if other cats eat hydrolyzed protein, but I could be wrong.

My suggestion would be microchip feeders. That would keep him out of the other cats' food. You could have 2 cats programmed to the feeder, and the other cat can't access it. Or you could have 1 feeder per cat. They're not cheap, but they're an investment. I had originally gotten mine to monitor portions (1 cat needed to gain weight, the other needed to lose). Now 1 is on a limited ingredient diet. She eats what I give her, but she's not happy, and I've caught her sniffing the other cat's bowl. But she can't get into it. It also allows them to eat how much they want and go back and forth as much as they desire. When they walk away the bowl closes. I splurged on the connected version which actually makes me feel better. I get messages of which cat eats from their bowl and when, so if I leave in the morning and they don't want to eat right then, when they do go to the bowl I get a message of how much they ate.

 

[LTS3]

It's fine for all the cats to eat. Hydrolyzed protein is just processed in a way that breaks down the protein molecules into individual components (amino acids and peptides).

 

[cataholic07]

I would recommend getting off the dry and feeding the wet only. Dry food can be hard on tummies but especially for cats with IBD. Would your cats be ok with switching to scheduled meals 3-4 times day? Even if it's not ONLY wet but some dry to.

 

[gomie]

We received our Incredible Pets order yesterday. Gomez tried the Rawz rabbit food last night and really liked it. I also ordered the duck and turkey, so we will be taste testing for the next few days. Gomez is a foodie so he should love this part.

Is it okay to crush up pills and put it in their wet food? Like, will he absorb the pill just as well or does that somehow lessen the effect of the pill? I ask because giving him pills is a MAJOR MAJOR challenge. I have the scratches right now to prove it (it was an accident when he was trying to break free of his swaddle). If I could do that, it would be a lifesaver. I did it last night and it worked perfectly, but then I questioned if the pills would be as effective.

 

[gomie]

I don't think it's a problem if other cats eat hydrolyzed protein, but I could be wrong.

My suggestion would be microchip feeders. That would keep him out of the other cats' food. You could have 2 cats programmed to the feeder, and the other cat can't access it. Or you could have 1 feeder per cat. They're not cheap, but they're an investment. I had originally gotten mine to monitor portions (1 cat needed to gain weight, the other needed to lose). Now 1 is on a limited ingredient diet. She eats what I give her, but she's not happy, and I've caught her sniffing the other cat's bowl. But she can't get into it. It also allows them to eat how much they want and go back and forth as much as they desire. When they walk away the bowl closes. I splurged on the connected version which actually makes me feel better. I get messages of which cat eats from their bowl and when, so if I leave in the morning and they don't want to eat right then, when they do go to the bowl I get a message of how much they ate.

That sounds pretty amazing. May I ask which brand/model you went with?

 

[LTS3]

Is it okay to crush up pills and put it in their wet food? Like, will he absorb the pill just as well or does that somehow lessen the effect of the pill? I ask because giving him pills is a MAJOR MAJOR challenge. I have the scratches right now to prove it (it was an accident when he was trying to break free of his swaddle). If I could do that, it would be a lifesaver. I did it last night and it worked perfectly, but then I questioned if the pills would be as effective.

Try Pill Pockets or one of these other tips:

Pilling Cats: Must-know Tips For Hiding Pills – TheCatSite Articles
The Best Pill-taking Secret I Know...
Pilling Cats and Dogs Safely
How We Give Our Pill Hating Cat A Pill
Getting Cat To Take Pills... Post Tips Here.

What is the medicine you have to give to your cat? Some may have to be given whole. You can also ask the vet if the medicine is available in a liquid or can be compounded into another form such as a chewable treat.

 

[ladytimedramon]

That sounds pretty amazing. May I ask which brand/model you went with?

I use the SurePet. Because I need to monitor their feeding a little more (the one on the food allergy diet was initially very underweight when I adopted her) I splurged on the "connect" model and the hub. It was Christmas and the manufacturer was giving 15% discount (the price seems to be fixed wherever I look). I'm glad I did because I can check the log or the app and see who ate and when. Sometimes they don't eat immediately after I put the food in the bowl and I have to leave for work. The app sends me a notification when they eat, or I can check app itself. I ordered bowls in a different color. Delilah has the gray bowls that come with it, and Fancy has pink bowls (helps me keep track of them better - when I'm half asleep it's easier to remember the special food goes in the pink bowl). But if you prefer you can also order stainless bowls from the manufacturer.