IBD food that tastes good

[Leigh Jennings]

My cat has IBD & I’ve tried about 8-10 different brands of “high quality high protein “ food neither of my cats will eat anything except fancy feast & the gravy kind not pate . She is taking metronidazole , prednisone & vitamin b12 but she won’t budge on the food! Is there an IBD food they will eat please help

 

[LTS3]

You may need to use toppers to convince that the food is yummy to eat. There are suggestions in this thread: Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here! Crushed up treats and a little sprinkle of FortiFlora are often suggested.

Can you list every band of food you have tried so far? That way members aren't suggesting brands that you have already tried.

A lot of food isn't good for IBD cats because of they contain ingredients that can cause flare ups such as gums and thickeners and starches. A novel protein bland-ish food works best. Have you seen these two web sites?

IBDKitties – Helping Save Lives…One Paw at a Time

www.ibdkitties.net

Feline IBD - Healing can happen!

Address the root cause of IBD in your cat. Treat inflammation and gut dysbiosis with proper tools to restore health, not just manage symptoms.

www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org

I personally feed my IBD cat a freeze dried raw food. You could give that a try.

 

[daftcat75]

Do you think she might be nauseated and the FF gravy is simply more appealing than she is nauseated? Metronidazole has made more than a few cats nauseated and reduced their appetite. How long does the vet want her on that one? You could ask the vet for a couple of ondansetron pills (at 1/4 pill dose, that would be 8 doses) to see if she becomes more open to new foods. If she does, then you could discuss with the vet whether to continue the metro and/or extend the ondansetron prescription.

Rawz is a great food for IBD cats and the rabbit seems to be a popular flavor. It‘s also the first to run out when Rawz has shortages or manufacturing problems. They are a small batch producer, and share manufacturing facilities.

You could always try mixing their favorite FF gravy foods into the better food. You will at least be diluting how much of the junk they get. But if you suspect the FF gravy food is on their IBD no-no list, then I would certainly aim to eliminate it.

You may also try powdering up freeze dried raw (which tends to be popular dry but not so much rehydrated) and use it as a topper on less appealing food.

 

[lisahe]

L Leigh Jennings , do you have any sense of what is causing your cat's symptoms? As daftcat75 mentions, if there's an ingredient in the FF food that your cat can't/shouldn't eat -- like, say, wheat gluten, which is in a lot (if not all) of FF's gravy foods -- that's good to know. As LTS3 mentioned, gums, thickeners, and starches are often problems. Some of the things we can't feed our cats are potato, agar-agar, and green-lipped mussels. We don't know for sure, but I have a suspicion that some other gum may cause problems for one of our cats. Fish and grains are also common problems. (Our previous cat seemed to have issues with those.)

The previous suggestions of Rawz and freeze-dried raw foods are good since those foods don't have extraneous ingredients. Some cats (like ours) have a strong preference for raw foods rather than canned. I also make homemade food. I don't know what I'd do if I had to feed our cats only the few canned foods that don't have the ingredients they definitely can't eat and the ingredients I have a feeling they shouldn't eat!

 

[hexiesfriend]

For Dry food Royal Canin makes gastrointestinal food that my cats loved. Wet food they never liked.

 

[Margot Lane]

If my cat were typing, he’d say “Two thumbs up for Farmina’s pumpkin and quail!” We’ve had success with rabbit as well.

 

[Alldara]

Lots of brands make Limited Ingredient diets now. Do you have any idea what some of the triggers are? That will help with recommendations. I think IBD cats are scared to try new foods sometimes. Also have you tried Flotiflora on top? It's an attractant to eating food but is also a good probiotic.

 

[Leigh Jennings]

L Leigh Jennings , do you have any sense of what is causing your cat's symptoms? As daftcat75 mentions, if there's an ingredient in the FF food that your cat can't/shouldn't eat -- like, say, wheat gluten, which is in a lot (if not all) of FF's gravy foods -- that's good to know. As LTS3 mentioned, gums, thickeners, and starches are often problems. Some of the things we can't feed our cats are potato, agar-agar, and green-lipped mussels. We don't know for sure, but I have a suspicion that some other gum may cause problems for one of our cats. Fish and grains are also common problems. (Our previous cat seemed to have issues with those.)

The previous suggestions of Rawz and freeze-dried raw foods are good since those foods don't have extraneous ingredients. Some cats (like ours) have a strong preference for raw foods rather than canned. I also make homemade food. I don't know what I'd do if I had to feed our cats only the few canned foods that don't have the ingredients they definitely can't eat and the ingredients I have a feeling they shouldn't eat!

L Leigh Jennings , do you have any sense of what is causing your cat's symptoms? As daftcat75 mentions, if there's an ingredient in the FF food that your cat can't/shouldn't eat -- like, say, wheat gluten, which is in a lot (if not all) of FF's gravy foods -- that's good to know. As LTS3 mentioned, gums, thickeners, and starches are often problems. Some of the things we can't feed our cats are potato, agar-agar, and green-lipped mussels. We don't know for sure, but I have a suspicion that some other gum may cause problems for one of our cats. Fish and grains are also common problems. (Our previous cat seemed to have issues with those.)

The previous suggestions of Rawz and freeze-dried raw foods are good since those foods don't have extraneous ingredients. Some cats (like ours) have a strong preference for raw foods rather than canned. I also make homemade food. I don't know what I'd do if I had to feed our cats only the few canned foods that don't have the ingredients they definitely can't eat and the ingredients I have a feeling they shouldn't eat!

I have tried wellness core, tiki cat, blue buffalo tastefuls & wilderness, weruva cuties

 

[Leigh Jennings]

Do you think she might be nauseated and the FF gravy is simply more appealing than she is nauseated? Metronidazole has made more than a few cats nauseated and reduced their appetite. How long does the vet want her on that one? You could ask the vet for a couple of ondansetron pills (at 1/4 pill dose, that would be 8 doses) to see if she becomes more open to new foods. If she does, then you could discuss with the vet whether to continue the metro and/or extend the ondansetron prescription.

Rawz is a great food for IBD cats and the rabbit seems to be a popular flavor. It‘s also the first to run out when Rawz has shortages or manufacturing problems. They are a small batch producer, and share manufacturing facilities.

You could always try mixing their favorite FF gravy foods into the better food. You will at least be diluting how much of the junk they get. But if you suspect the FF gravy food is on their IBD no-no list, then I would certainly aim to eliminate it.

You may also try powdering up freeze dried raw (which tends to be popular dry but not so much rehydrated) and use it as a topper on less appealing food.

My vet told me fancy feast is good food besides no cat food is good if it isn’t eaten . This is my new vet it took 3 vets , 9 months & a visit to critical care emergency to finally get the diagnosis in that time she went from 25lbs to 8lbs & treatment is not putting weight on . She feels like a fur covered rib cage & she isn’t grooming anymore but she did stop throwing up

 

[daftcat75]

My vet told me fancy feast is good food besides no cat food is good if it isn’t eaten . This is my new vet it took 3 vets , 9 months & a visit to critical care emergency to finally get the diagnosis in that time she went from 25lbs to 8lbs & treatment is not putting weight on . She feels like a fur covered rib cage & she isn’t grooming anymore but she did stop throwing up

Fancy Feast is better than most. But… They all have fish. They all have poultry byproducts which itself is not a bad thing. Unless chicken is an IBD no-no food. Or fish. And those are the two most common.

Is she stable now? She should be gaining weight back with pred and B12 if she is stable. But if she’s still losing weight or failing to regain weight, you might ask the vet about adding in a chemotherapy drug, chlorambucil. Chlorambucil is well tolerated in most cats. My Krista was a little sleepier on dosing days. But that’s all I noticed. If this is lymphoma you’ve been treating as IBD, you should see results fairly quickly. That is assuming the FF is not quietly aggravating the condition. If the pred dose is high enough, it may just be shouting louder than the trigger foods but not quieting the altogether.

You can always mix the FF with something else as a compromise. She gets what she likes and you get her to eat what you’d like her to eat. You can slowly play with that ratio to see if there’s any give on her part.

 

[maggie101]

I have tried wellness core, tiki cat, blue buffalo tastefuls & wilderness, weruva cuties

I have a cat with a very sensitive stomach. She has no trouble eating fancy feast classics. Have you noticed how ff has a stronger smell than the expensive food? That's why they like it. When my other at lost her appetite,she had no interest in the expensive food but she did love and never threw up weruvaa steak frites and ff. For an ibd cat I would suggest starting with duck or rabbit and slowly mix it.

 

[lisahe]

Fancy Feast is better than most. But… They all have fish. They all have poultry byproducts which itself is not a bad thing. Unless chicken is an IBD no-no food. Or fish. And those are the two most common.

One exception to "they all have fish" is Fancy Feast turkey and giblets but it's pate so probably not an option, though it's possible some sort of toppers might make it more interesting. Chewy.com sells a similar food, under their own "Tiny Tiger" brand; it's also a pate.

If chicken's an option, Chewy also has shredded foods that our cats really like: AMERICAN JOURNEY Landmark Chicken Recipe in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 3-oz, case of 12 - Chewy.com
They don't have any gums or thickeners, just broth. Of course lots of cats reject that sort of food... and they're a little like the Weruva (and maybe Tiki?) foods that you've already tried, L Leigh Jennings . Though our cats much prefer the Chewy shreds to Weruva's or Tiki's.

This may be a stupid question, but is there anything other than Fancy Food gravy foods that your cats do like? (Maybe that would give more ideas...)

 

[Alldara]

Nutro and Instinct also have limited ingredient diets. Instinct is chunks. There's a new one on the market here in Canada Dr. E-somthing...

I found if it has chickpeas my late cat wouldn't touch it.

Kitten versions of adult food *can* have limited ingredients if you check the backs.

This weekend I picked up Iams perfect portions. Surprisingly limited in ingredients and finally the damned texture Cal will eat.

 

[lisahe]

Nutro and Instinct also have limited ingredient diets. Instinct is chunks. There's a new one on the market here in Canada Dr. E-somthing...

I found if it has chickpeas my late cat wouldn't touch it.

Kitten versions of adult food *can* have limited ingredients if you check the backs.

This weekend I picked up Iams perfect portions. Surprisingly limited in ingredients and finally the damned texture Cal will eat.

Sheba is pretty similar to Iams, though a lot of those foods (both brands) do have gums and/or tapioca.

A Alldara , is the new brand you've seen Dr. Elsey's? Their dry food -- with chicken -- is great as a treat/topper/snack but their wet food has agar-agar, which makes both our cats barf! (The other dry foods have chickpeas, which I refuse to feed!)

 

[Alldara]

lisahe the wet food. I can't say I've experimented much with dry food. Old man cat has FLUTD so it's 90% wet food here.
Yes the Iams has both guar gum and tapioca starch.

I wanted to get back to you L Leigh Jennings though. Do you have Merrick where you are? They also have some LIDs. Also, I just checked Magnus's food which is Purina Pro Plan chicken and rice or salmon and rice. It has corn starch as a thickener instead. It comes in chicken, turkey and salmon and is the over-the-counter version of their vet diet for sensitive stomachs. After thousands of dollars Magnus has been good since being on that....but we narrowed down Magnus's issues to beef.