Prescription diet the only option for my cat?..

[Compcat]

I am having trouble deciding if I should switch my cat to a prescription diet. His background is he has had bowl upset for many years (at least 5 or 6). Progressively it has gotten worse to the point I have been seeing a few different vets to try to figure out what is causing it and how to help him. Limiting his diet doesnt really help. He will have weeks to months with no diarrhea and then have it every couple days for the same amount of time. I fed him lots of different foods and brands, toppers and treats, but when the vet suggested to limit it to one food he still had accidents. I thought it would be good for him to have many different protien sources and nutrients. However I was told this is not great by my vet and that switching stuff around can upset their system. To be clear he has had issues when i got him 5 years ago and he was eating friskies dry food and when i changed his food main diet of weruva wet food he still had issues and even when the past year or so i have been giving him lots of brands he still has the problem. Its just worse within the past maybe 6 months.

I am very hesitant to try the food i was recommended because i guess i have this view about the quality of ingredients. I want my cats to have good meats and not a ton of fillers. I was recommended Royal Canin ultamino. That brings another issue since i don't want to limit him to dry food. The ingredients in this are corn and then poultry by-products. I have always been under the impression those are not good ingredients, but i want to be able to trust my vet.

I wonder if a homemade diet would accomplish the same thing. Then it would be to my idea of good quality.

I also have no idea what is going on with his bowels. If its allergy or ibd or something else. We have only ruled out a few chronic diseases from bloodwork and there are options for ultrasound and biopsy. I will have to drop sk much money either for the overpriced food or for more tests and it could get me know where. My gut says don't give him that garbage, so I guess i would like opinion on the food and ingredients, because I want facts to desperately change my mind so j am ok with the food. But as of now i can't accept that its good stuff

 

[Furballsmom]

thought it would be good for him to have many different protien sources and nutrients.

Veterinarians typically aren't nutritionists. There are a number of members who provide their cats with a rotational menu of different proteins and even brands.

I personally think you could try this approach or raw/home cooked for him.

 

[Compcat]

I personally think you could try ... raw/home cooked for him.

I have thought i should ask about the route of homemade food. I think it would still be less expensive & easier to control ingredients. We don't even know whats actually wrong with him, so maybe the prescription diet would help but naybe not. Therr is also the option to just get all the testing done and figure it out.

 

[Furballsmom]

Does your vet have a nutritionist you could talk to?

Or someone through this;
Diplomate Directory

 

[louisstools]

Even if you tried the same exact food for a month - same brand, flavor, texture - it's possible due to covid supply chain issues there is a variation in batches.

If there's testing that can help I'd go with that. I'd do that before going down the rx food route or adding more work to my life like making cat food

 

[Compcat]

Ok, thanks for your opinion. I didn't even think about the covid batch issues effecting him so mucn. Even when i read reviews for the prescription food, people mention batch issues.

 

[Compcat]

Does your vet have a nutritionist you could talk to?

I had not thought to ask. I will definitely do so

 

[lisahe]

I wouldn't want to feed a corn-based food, either!

What are you currently feeding your cat, C Compcat ? I noticed that you mentioned having fed Weruva. It's very good food but it does have a lot of gums and thickeners. Some (a lot?) of us have found that those ingredients tend to cause more problems for our cats than meats/proteins.

We've had to take several ingredients out of our cats' diet because we know they've caused problems: potato, agar-agar, and green-lipped mussels. I also suspect that xanthan gum may be a problem for one cat. Though it's not always easy to sort out what's causing a food issue, feeding the simplest possible foods, with as few thickeners and fillers as possible, and keeping a journal can help. We feed our cats a fair bit of homemade food, which they love. When I make journal entries I record what happened ("vomiting," for example) and the last meal the cat was fed.

If you're able to get an ultrasound for your cat at a reasonable price, I'd highly suggest doing it. (I'm biased on this point: our vomiting cat had severe stomach inflammation and an ultrasound was crucial in getting her treated. We're lucky that our vet regularly brings in an ultrasound vet and charges very reasonable fees, though.)

What is your cat's name, by the way?

 

[Astragal14]

I also have no idea what is going on with his bowels. If its allergy or ibd or something else. We have only ruled out a few chronic diseases from bloodwork and there are options for ultrasound and biopsy. I will have to drop sk much money either for the overpriced food or for more tests and it could get me know where. My gut says don't give him that garbage, so I guess i would like opinion on the food and ingredients, because I want facts to desperately change my mind so j am ok with the food. But as of now i can't accept that its good stuff

I think you still have several other options before resorting to prescription food. I was in your situation a few years ago, we were doing a diet trial for one of my cats with IBD and the specialist wanted him to stay on prescription food. I told her the ingredients were rubbish and I absolutely would not feed him that food and that we were going to have to find some kind of alternative - that's when she referred us to a veterinary nutritionist (some nutritionists require referrals, some don't).

I'll also mention there are two additional components I definitely think should should ask your vet about incorporating: regular B12 injections and a daily probiotic. Chronic intermittent diarrhea means his GI tract is out of balance and these two items will help create a more balanced environment. The B12 has to be an injection because B12 isn't absorbed well enough when taken by mouth.

when i changed his food main diet of weruva wet food he still had issues

I fed him lots of different foods and brands, toppers and treats, but when the vet suggested to limit it to one food he still had accidents

Limiting his diet doesnt really help

It sounds like you're in a relatively stable place and there's no immediate need for a biopsy or endoscopy right now (maybe an ultrasound but the timing is best determined by your vet). You mentioned a few things that make me think a diet focusing on limited ingredients and limited fillers would be a good option right now. Weruva uses a lot of gums and fillers (some varieties use so many gums!) and these ingredients cause GI problems for many cats. Offering a variety of proteins makes it less likely he's developed a protein allergy, and you've already seen that limiting his diet doesn't make a difference.

And it doesn't have to be a prescription diet, it can be canned or homemade food. Many cats are sensitive to filler ingredients (like vegetables, thickeners, many non-meat ingredients) and a lot prescription foods contain these fillers. You could work with a veterinary nutritionist to develop homemade recipes or they can help you find canned food that fits this criteria (there are many canned food recommendations on this site, as well). Or, you can always see how your cat does first and then work with a nutritionist on how to move forward.

A great canned option that comes highly, highly recommended is Rawz. They are free from all gums, thickeners and vegetables. Tiki Cat has a few options (and they are very similar to Weruva) but you need to read the entire ingredient list; some varieties don't have any of these ingredients but many of them do.

There are two recent threads that I highly recommend reading. The original issue may not be relevant to your cat's situation but there is a wide variety of problems and situations in the subsequent comments that may be very helpful. Both discuss discuss digestive problems and various ingredients to incorporate or avoid.

Food Allergy
Best wet foods without thickeners for IBD cat?

 

[Compcat]

What are you currently feeding your cat

What is your cat's name, by the way?

Thanks for the advice and info! Currently as i have been suggested I have limited it down to one brand of food, though i still feed different protiens. The brand I am using now is Soulistic because both cats will eat it just fine, and one can clean up the others plate if he doesn't finish and still adhere to the diet. (My other cat is picky with weruva recipes) as i said i have fed many foods in the past few years. Brands range from dry food American Journey & orijen and wet food soulistic, weruva, wellness, fancy feast, fresh pet, made by nacho, hound & gatos, while earth farms, natural balance, stella & chewy, acana, orijen, canidae, just food for dogs/cats, instinct, merick, tiki cat, solid gold. I only get certain lines from the brands like for example only some of the fancy feast foods have decently appropriate ingredients. I also used freeze dried treats as toppers & bone broths advertised for dogs since you can't really find them for cats.

my boy thats haveing trouble is Gohan and his brother is Echoes.

I think both cats may have some digestive issues. Echoes throws up sometimes and seems to have intolerance to beef since he throws it up, while Gohan has litter box issues.

I am going to pursue talking with a nutritionist. I dont think the problem with either of them has to do with the complexity of the protien, which is what this veteranarian diet would address. I can feed them lots of freeze dried chicken, Canned tuna & even small bits of bacon or lunchmeat, with no problems.

I also plan for the ultrasound when its in the budget. i just wrecked my car so thats not happeneing yet

 

[lisahe]

Thanks for the advice and info! Currently as i have been suggested I have limited it down to one brand of food, though i still feed different protiens. The brand I am using now is Soulistic because both cats will eat it just fine, and one can clean up the others plate if he doesn't finish and still adhere to the diet. (My other cat is picky with weruva recipes) as i said i have fed many foods in the past few years. Brands range from dry food American Journey & orijen and wet food soulistic, weruva, wellness, fancy feast, fresh pet, made by nacho, hound & gatos, while earth farms, natural balance, stella & chewy, acana, orijen, canidae, just food for dogs/cats, instinct, merick, tiki cat, solid gold. I only get certain lines from the brands like for example only some of the fancy feast foods have decently appropriate ingredients. I also used freeze dried treats as toppers & bone broths advertised for dogs since you can't really find them for cats.

my boy thats haveing trouble is Gohan and his brother is Echoes.

I think both cats may have some digestive issues. Echoes throws up sometimes and seems to have intolerance to beef since he throws it up, while Gohan has litter box issues.

I am going to pursue talking with a nutritionist. I dont think the problem with either of them has to do with the complexity of the protien, which is what this veteranarian diet would address. I can feed them lots of freeze dried chicken, Canned tuna & even small bits of bacon or lunchmeat, with no problems.

I also plan for the ultrasound when its in the budget. i just wrecked my car so thats not happeneing yet

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that both Gohan and Echoes are having digestive problems.

Which Soulistic foods are you feeding? I ask because some of them have xanthan gum, which can cause problems for some cats. A lot of their foods have guar gum and tapioca, though those seem to be less problematic. I tend to take a "path of least resistance" approach to ingredients when Edwina has digestive issues: whenever I can take out the most likely suspect first, I do that. In your case, I'd go with trying to eliminate xanthan gum, simply because I recall several other Cat Site members saying their cats have difficulty with it. (Xanthan gum is on Edwina's "suspected" list but we've never made a methodical effort to see if it causes problems for her.) That probably doesn't feel very helpful does it?! Unfortunately, this is why it's so hard to identify the cause of a food sensitivity: it's painstaking work. I use a "Cat Log" journal, recording incidents (vomiting and the like) and the last meal fed before the incident.

Good luck! And I'm very sorry to hear about your car!

 

[Astragal14]

I am going to pursue talking with a nutritionist. I dont think the problem with either of them has to do with the complexity of the protien, which is what this veteranarian diet would address.

This is a great idea. I found it incredibly helpful to meet with someone who was solely focused on my cat's diet and helping him feel better. I met with two different nutritionists because the first one was a firm believer in using prescription diets, which is what I wanted to discontinue feeding.

Does your cat have a food allergy -- or a food intolerance?

Both food allergy and food intolerance can cause similar symptoms, although intolerance more often causes GI signs, while allergies more commonly manifest in the skin, where they can cause terrible itching and rash-like eruptions.

And I think your hunch that the problem isn't with proteins is a good one. A topic I wish I had known more about when starting our IBD journey was the difference between food allergies and food intolerances (or sensitivities). There are many good sources for more information about allergies vs. intolerances, but unfortunately none that I've seen disuse's another important aspect: different levels of intolerance. The second nutritionist I met with (whom we now have a long-standing relationship with) really helped me understand that cats can have varying levels of intolerance, and that some foods can be kept in a diet in small amounts while others must be completely avoided.

Unfortunately, this is why it's so hard to identify the cause of a food sensitivity: it's painstaking work. I use a "Cat Log" journal, recording incidents (vomiting and the like) and the last meal fed before the incident.

All of lisahe 's advice here is perfect! I was only able to determine my cat's intolerances after tracking ingredients and his reactions. And I also recommend being cautious with the Soulistic. My other cat, who has zero digestive problems, loves Soulistic but my IBD cat can't have them. They have many problematic ingredients and in varying amounts, so it's just a matter of time before his GI tract starts to rebel.

Good luck to you and Gohan! And I'm also sorry to hear about your car - I've been there and it's not fun. The good news is you are probably safe to wait a while before an ultrasound. And it may be beneficial to track his diet for a while before an ultrasound, that way you'll have more diet data and information on hand when you see the ultrasound results.

 

[Box of Rain]

Somehow the "prescription" for nearly every health issue that cats face is to put them on a diet that is virtually free of meat, that has inordinate amounts of carbohydrates and relies on protein from plant sources.

I'm pretty skeptical that such diets operate to the long-term benefit of obligate carnivores in most cases.

Bill

 

[lisahe]

And I think your hunch that the problem isn't with proteins is a good one. A topic I wish I had known more about when starting our IBD journey was the difference between food allergies and food intolerances (or sensitivities). There are many good sources for more information about allergies vs. intolerances, but unfortunately none that I've seen disuse's another important aspect: different levels of intolerance. The second nutritionist I met with (whom we now have a long-standing relationship with) really helped me understand that cats can have varying levels of intolerance, and that some foods can be kept in a diet in small amounts while others must be completely avoided.

A big yes to this! I've learned this over the years about my own allergies since there's a sort of cumulative effect. Dust, for example, bothers me but my allergy symptoms from dust exposure are worse if there's pollen in the air, too. I tend to think of (potential) allergen thresholds that will or could lead to symptoms. This is helpful for my allergies, Edwina's food sensitivities, and our other cat's asthma and allergies.

All of lisahe 's advice here is perfect! I was only able to determine my cat's intolerances after tracking ingredients and his reactions. And I also recommend being cautious with the Soulistic. My other cat, who has zero digestive problems, loves Soulistic but my IBD cat can't have them. They have many problematic ingredients and in varying amounts, so it's just a matter of time before his GI tract starts to rebel.

I so agree with Astragal14 about this "just a matter of time" aspect of feeding, too! Given Edwina's various food issues, this is why I stay away from xanthan gum. As I mentioned, I do feed small amounts of guar gum and tapioca (one small meal a day per cat) but if either cat starts to show digestive issues, those are the first ingredients that will go. (And then I might or might not sort out the culprit later! Depending on the overall menu, it might not matter much.)