Opinions on these two foods please?

[cejhome]

Hello, I am trying out some dry food for our kitty Buddy. He eats wet food - a variety. Our vet really wanted us to add a little bit to Buddies diet as he has had constipation issues on and off since we adopted him (July of last year). He is approximately 2.5 years old. I have to keep him on Miralax to keep him regular - 3/8 tspn per day. He rarely drinks water - I tried everything. I do add a bit of water to his wet food, so I think he is good with that. He is very allergic to chicken.

I have read and have a friend that found that feeding 100% wet actually caused constipation issues, and when they added a little bit of dry to their cat's diet, things improved. Until recently, I wasn't able to find any dry foods that either didn't have chicken (or chicken derivatives) in them, or had really weird ingredients or poor quality ingredients (or are a zillion dollars a bag).

I looked around again and found 2 that seem okay. I bought small bags. I gave Buddy a tiny bit - he likes both. I am going to try him on each for 30 days to make sure he has no issues with allergies or digestion. This will be a very small portion of his diet.

Right now I am giving him 1 tablespoon per day, and a tiny bit more - maybe a 1/2 teaspoon for treats.

I would love to see what other folk's opinions of these two foods are, in case I missed something. Thank you in advance!

The two foods are:

Open Farm Wild-Caught Salmon Grain-Free Dry Cat Food, Responsibly Sourced Pacific Salmon Recipe with Non-GMO Superfoods and No Artificial Flavors or Preservatives.

Salmon, Ocean Whitefish Meal, Herring Meal, Chickpeas, Red Lentils, Coconut Oil, Herring Oil, Pumpkin,Natural Flavor, Green Lentils, Salmon Oil, Cranberries, Apples, Dandelion Greens, Sunflower Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Dried Chicory Root, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Taurine, Minerals [Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate], Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Turmeric, Dried Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract.

Crude Protein (Min.)	37%
Crude Fat (Min.)	18%
Crude Fiber (Max.)	3%
Moisture (Max.)	10%
Calcium (Min.)	1%
Phosphorus (Min.)	0.8%
Vitamin A (Min.)	9,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E (Min.)	40 IU/kg
Taurine (Min.)	0.2%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min.)	1.3%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min.)	4%

Calorie Content: 3840 kcal ME/kg, 470 kcal ME/cup


and

BIXBI Liberty Dry Food Salmon Recipe for Cats

Salmon, Whole Yellow Peas, Red Lentils, Egg, Natural Vegetable Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Proteinate, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Potassium Chloride, DL- Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Taurine, Dandelion, Minerals (Copper Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Zinc Proteinate), Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Calcium Carbonate, Yucca Schidigera Extract. *USA made with USA and globally sourced ingredients. *Manufactured in a facility that also uses grains.
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein, Min:…… 35.0%
Crude Fat, Min:……….. 14.0%
Crude Fiber, Max:……… 5.0%
Moisture, Max:………… 12.0%
Taurine, Min: …………. 0.10%
Calorie Content
ME = 3,801 kcal/kg
ME = 431 kcal/cup

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I don't really think that dry foods help prevent constipation, per se. It is more likely due to the fact that dry foods often contain more fiber, and some cats just need more fiber to stay regular. You could try adding plain pumpkin to the wet food for extra fiber. Some folks use psyllium husk for added fiber.

I am not a big fan of all the 'stuff' in those dry foods, but tbh, that is pretty much where the fiber is coming from. So, on that note, both would seem to work for what you are trying to accomplish.

I will have to let others who are familiar with those specific products chime in about what they think of them as an overall food source.

 

[cejhome]

Thank you! Buddy does not like pumpkin at all. The vet mentioned the fiber as the reason for a little bit of dry food. I may try psyllium husk. I am not a fan of dry, but just a little bit a day, I am okay with.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ I give a dropper of olive oil for "cat constipation ". Seems to work. Some use butter.

Dog and Cat Constipation​

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Strictly looking at fiber, I would go with the Bixbi food since the fiber content is higher, and since your furbaby doesn't like pumpkin. (I was going to suggest adding it to his food also, until you replied that he doesn't like it)

 

[Alldara]

I'm not personally a fan of either of those foods. They both have a ton of legumes and until research is concluded, I'll stick to regular grains.

Are you looking for a dry food without chicken and also without egg? (I understand it's harder when they can't have by-products too!)

You could add the psyllium to the wet food (best to wet it and let it fluff up first. You could do wheat or oat bran as well.

Flax seed or flower also works (again add some water to it and let it sit first)

You can also use other squashes that are cat-safe or some plain, baked sweet potato. I've used butternut squash in the past and baked potato squash.

Substituting something in a few times a week like Pure Bites Squeezables formulas (one package lasts me a week for two cats) can work, or just a wet food with higher fibre in it. The digestion formular is pumpkin but I found the other formulas still add the fibre needed.

Happy to help brainstorm further if you have any feedback

 

[Furballsmom]

Of the two, I like the Open Farm because it has more protein that is derived from an animal, but that is a lot of fish.

 

[cejhome]

Thank you so much for all of your comments! He is doing great on the Bixbi. I am just giving him 1 tablespoon a day, the rest of his food is high quality canned. He had the best poop ever this morning. Best since we have had him (July last year). (Isn't it crazy to be excited about cat poop quality?) I am hoping this will do the trick. Buddy wouldn't cooperate for olive oil and I already have to give him allergy serum every day, so I don't want to mess with him too much with stuff he doesn't like. He's very good with his allergy serum, but he has his limits. He is a very sweet cat but will not hesitate to let you know he's had enough. (I play with him for the 30 minute period after he gets his serum, then he gets a treat.) If he starts having issues again, I will give the psyllium fiber a try.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

He had the best poop ever this morning. Best since we have had him ...

" ​

 

[Alldara]

(Isn't it crazy to be excited about cat poop quality?)

Pet people and parents no one told us so much of adulthood was being excited over someone else's poops!