Cat people - what do we think of Taste of the Wild food? (Info provided)

[Lynn B]

Hey cat people, (and you know who you are... !!!)

I am always on the look out for new dry cat food(s) to add to Boo''s "mix". The Ragdoll forum recently had a thread that mentioned this food: Taste of the Wild, a grain free food. One of the posters said, "it is made in one factory and one factory only, with no other foods being processed there. So, no chance of cross contamination, like the animal food industry had with the food poisionings a few years back." Is that a significant "plus"?

Here is a link:
Taste of the Wild, feline formula

And here is the ingredient list, copied and pasted off their website:

Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

I have read mixed definitions of "meal" products... positive and negative. What do you guys understand the "chicken meal" to REALLY mean??? And what about the rest of the ingredients?

I called the company and they sent me two generous sample packs, and Boo LOVES it. And the little Stinkweed can be fussy, so that''s always a plus.

BUT, before we go any further with this

-- I need a convening of the PS Cat People Club!!!

Thank you!!!

Lynn

 

[Matata]

Remember the golden rule: first three ingredients are most important as they represent the most amount in the product. You have to go all the way to the 6th ingredient -- venison -- before you get to any real protein. Chicken meal? Meh. Also, why would a food supposedly formulated for an obligate carnivore contain vegetables as 2 of the 3 main ingredients?

Wellness Core has the:
- Best protein (and animal source at that) level of all commercial brands so far - matches up w/ a mouse on a DM basis. Excellent!
- Good taurine amts too - more than AAFCO''s puny requirements

 

[happyfeet1988]

Actually, chicken meal is a good thing. You want a protein "meal" as the first ingredient in any food you are feeding. It already has all the water removed (like a 1/3 of its weight) so it is a very dense protein. The 6th ingredient, venison, has not had the water removed, and the amount in the food is surely negligible. I have been on the food rollercoaster with my dog who has allergies, and know a huge amount about pet food. More than I ever wanted to know! Taste of the Wild is highly respected in the Labrador Retriever community, which has some of the most allergic, sensitive dogs on Earth. I am sure your cat would probably do great on it!

 

[MsP]

I have fed Taste of the Wild food to my Ragdoll but I rotate foods constantly and so it was just one bag in the rotation. My cat is probably the least picky eater of all and I change things up frequently because it makes me feel like shes getting variety of the positives and negatives of each food. Her current rotation: Innova Evo, Taste of the Wild, & Blue Buffalo Wilderness.

 

[Lynn B]

Thank you each for the replies so far! I appreciate it!

I guess I need to do some more research on the "meal" THANG... just so confusing to me, because of all the contradictory information I have found about it.

Matata, I absolutely agree with you about the "first 3 ingredients"... thanks for the reminder. And Boo''s main food is Wellness CORE, thank you for the reinforcement, though! And just for interest''s sake, I looked at the ingredient lists of TOTW''s dog food formulas, and I did find it curious that the canine foods have SO much more MEAT than the feline formulas. We all know dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats. I''m thinking it might be a very good food for DOGS; while for cats -- maybe not so much?

HF,
Do you have a source for your statement on the dense protein of the chicken meal? I would love to have more information on that. THANK YOU for your post! Do you have cats, too? I don''t know a THING about dog nutrition, but as I mentioned above, I wonder if TOTW is a better DOG food than CAT food??? They have 3 canine formulas, and only one feline; maybe their cat food formula was a bit of a hasty afterthought?

MP,
I like to mix Boo''s foods, too, for several reasons. Like you, I don''t want to rely on any one food exclusively to provide him all of his nutritional needs. But instead of just changing after each bag (ohmylord, poor Boo would probably have diarrhea for a week at each new bag change if I did that! His GI system is a wee bit *delicate*), I buy small bags of several foods and mix them (equal parts) in a big airtight container. Any new foods are added slowly to the mix to give him a chance to get used to them. And I ike doing it that way because, heaven forbid, if there''s ever a recall of a certain food, it would only be 20% or so of his diet at that time, never 100%.

Thank you all for your comments; I hope to get more opinions, too!

 

[Matata]

I just can''t help it, I''ve gotta nag about this again...but, since all commercial cat food is an attempt to reverse engineer a mouse, just feed him mousies. It''s not icky. Then you don''t have to agonize over all of the nonessential and sometimes unhealthy ingredients in commercial products. Try it, you''ll like it, trust me. Maybe I can come visit and stay awhile and convert both you and Boo to "real" food.

 

[happyfeet1988]

I am a member of the forum: lab-retriever.net/board

I don''t have a definite source, it is just what I have learned from being a member of that forum, as well as talking to my vet. My dog is so allergic to chicken, corn, wheat, and beef. We have had to try many different kinds of foods. There are many professional show breeders on that forum, and many people far more knowledgeable about food than I am. You can check out the Diet and Nutrition section, and learn a ton. It is all about dog food, but from what I''ve read, the nutrition requirements for cats are very similar. You want a median amount of protein for an indoor cat, as well as a few carbs, but you don''t want the bulk of your food to be carbs. Many people feed their labs raw food, and I know people feed their cats raw too. Personally, I wouldn''t probably feed Taste of the Wild. It is made by Diamond, and after all the recalls I have a hard time trusting their product. That, and my dog did horribly on Taste of the Wild. I have a suggestion, if you would like my advice. Have you checked out the Blue Buffalo line of products for cats? Their Blue Wilderness recipes for cats and dogs is fantastic. It is meant to mimic natural prey, and has a minimal amount of potatoes and oatmeal added, as well as some vitamins. Here''s the link: http://www.bluebuff.com/products/cats/wilderness-cat.shtml. Our dog does so well on Blue Buffalo. It is a bit pricey, but since you are already feeding premium food, it is probably comparable to what you''re already feeding. I hope that long post helped!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 5/23/2009 11:51:21 AM
Author: happyfeet1988
I am a member of the forum: lab-retriever.net/board

I don''t have a definite source, it is just what I have learned from being a member of that forum, as well as talking to my vet. My dog is so allergic to chicken, corn, wheat, and beef. We have had to try many different kinds of foods. There are many professional show breeders on that forum, and many people far more knowledgeable about food than I am. You can check out the Diet and Nutrition section, and learn a ton. It is all about dog food, but from what I''ve read, the nutrition requirements for cats are very similar. You want a median amount of protein for an indoor cat, as well as a few carbs, but you don''t want the bulk of your food to be carbs. Many people feed their labs raw food, and I know people feed their cats raw too. Personally, I wouldn''t probably feed Taste of the Wild. It is made by Diamond, and after all the recalls I have a hard time trusting their product. That, and my dog did horribly on Taste of the Wild. I have a suggestion, if you would like my advice. Have you checked out the Blue Buffalo line of products for cats? Their Blue Wilderness recipes for cats and dogs is fantastic. It is meant to mimic natural prey, and has a minimal amount of potatoes and oatmeal added, as well as some vitamins. Here''s the link: http://www.bluebuff.com/products/cats/wilderness-cat.shtml. Our dog does so well on Blue Buffalo. It is a bit pricey, but since you are already feeding premium food, it is probably comparable to what you''re already feeding. I hope that long post helped!

Hey, thanks for the additional info.

Were Diamond products involved in one the past recalls??? That would SERIOUSLY turn me off, too.

I checked out the link you provided for the Blue Buffalo food. I will post the ingredient list here:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Fish Meal, Potato Starch, Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Potatoes, Natural Chicken Flavor, Tomato Pomace (natural source of Lycopene), Oatmeal, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Blueberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Taurine, L-Lysine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Turmeric, Fish Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Calcium Iodate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium.

I know that AmberGretchen is very knowledgable about cat nutrition, and I hope she chimes in here. She tries to avoid potato starch... and I noticed that is the 6th ingredient here. That''s the only "negative" I see... but I don''t have the expertise and "trained eye" that a lot of you guys do.

I am just always looking for another good food to add to the *mix*... not to be his sole source of nutrition.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 5/23/2009 11:30:31 AM
Author: Matata
I just can''t help it, I''ve gotta nag about this again...but, since all commercial cat food is an attempt to reverse engineer a mouse, just feed him mousies. It''s not icky. Then you don''t have to agonize over all of the nonessential and sometimes unhealthy ingredients in commercial products. Try it, you''ll like it, trust me. Maybe I can come visit and stay awhile and convert both you and Boo to ''real'' food.

I do know with 100% certainty that you are absolutely right with that statement.

Are you REALLY feeding your cats raw mice? I don''t think I knew this.

Oh Matata... unless you really come and stay awhile with us, and convert me and Boo... I just don''t think I can *do that*!

 

[Hoytie]

I purchased a kitten from a breeder two weeks ago. I am feeding him Taste of the Wild, which is what the breeder had been feeding him. However, since the kitten''s arrival, he has had very, very loose stools and on and off diarrhea. I have also noted that he has gas and, for lack of a better word, farts often. I have had him checked out with my Vet and a stool sample was tested for worms, etc., which tested negative. The breeder recommended that I ''continue with the Taste of the Wild. The stress of a new home can cause stool changes and it is good to be consistent with the food.'' (I also give him bottled water.) Otherwise, the kitten is very healthy and active. And, yes, he drinks a lot of water so I am not worried about dehydration. I am very frustrated and wonder whether I should gradually change to another dry food. I see that Taste of the Wild does not contain any rice and has quite a lot of vegetables. Any help provided would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lynn B]

Hoytie,

What kind of kitten did you get?!!!

And where are the pictures, Missy??!

Well, OBVIOUSLY I don''t fancy myself an expert on CAT NUTRITION (or I wouldn''t have started this thread!

) but I do know that breeders are NOTORIOUS for feeding foods that really aren''t that *good*. Nutro and Royal Canin, for example, are two very-popular-with-breeders foods that I would NOT feed Boo.

I was never looking to make TOTW Boo''s ONLY food, just looking for another quality food to add to his dry mix. (Which is only about half of his total diet anyway, I feed him Wellness canned food daily, too.) And I am actually leaning towards NOT adding TOTW into Boo''s mix; it reminds me of Eagle Pack food... which I also considered for awhile, but in the end, decided against it; not the worst food(s) on the market by any means, but there are better, and I guess I shouldn''t be adding in foods just to be adding in.

So if I were you, I would absolutely change your baby''s food, but do it gradually. Some of the tried and true (dry) foods that we (VERY FUSSY) PS''ers consistently like are Innova, EVO, and Wellness (CORE and regular), but there are others, too. You can do some searches for cat food/cat nutrition and find some very comprehensive threads about this.

 

[Hoytie]

Hello,

Thank you for the reply. Having just found this site and very glad to. My very active, cute and crazy kitten is a British Blue Shorthair. . . . Regardless of what the breeder has said about sticking with Taste of the Wild for another month, I think I will begin a gradual change to another dry food. I am really not that thrilled with Taste of the Wild. For some reason, the lack of rice and protein and loads of vegetables and fish really irks me. Of course, I am not a doctor and by no means a cat food expert, but what can possibly be harm in at least trying something different in order to hopefully ''bind'' his stools a bit ore. I discussed different brands with my Vet when I took my little boy there and he recommended Merrick, Wellness, Innova, California Natural, Nature''s Variety, Precise, Felidae and Pet Guard. So I will begin a gradual change and mix some Pet Guard in with the Taste of the Wild. If that does not work, I am really at a loss.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 5/23/2009 7:57:25 PM
Author: Hoytie

I purchased a kitten from a breeder two weeks ago. I am feeding him Taste of the Wild, which is what the breeder had been feeding him. However, since the kitten''s arrival, he has had very, very loose stools and on and off diarrhea. I have also noted that he has gas and, for lack of a better word, farts often. I have had him checked out with my Vet and a stool sample was tested for worms, etc., which tested negative. The breeder recommended that I ''continue with the Taste of the Wild. The stress of a new home can cause stool changes and it is good to be consistent with the food.'' (I also give him bottled water.) Otherwise, the kitten is very healthy and active. And, yes, he drinks a lot of water so I am not worried about dehydration. I am very frustrated and wonder whether I should gradually change to another dry food. I see that Taste of the Wild does not contain any rice and has quite a lot of vegetables. Any help provided would be greatly appreciated.

Hoytie - congrats on your new addition! As Lynn said, we LOVE pictures around here (I ADORE blues - I think the color is just breathtaking, your little guy must be impossibly adorable!

).

Anyway, to get back to the topic at hand, I''m just catching up on this thread and I''m sure I''ll have more to contribute, but one thought on the above - some kittens just have digestive stuff, and as long as your little guy is overall healthy and active and growing, I hate to say it, but there may just not be much you can do about it in the short term. All of this is by way of my vet (cats-only, highly respected) - one of our kitties had a very similar problem as a baby - he could clear a room with his farts

So that''s the bad news, but the good news is he will most likely grow out of it. In the meantime, what you are doing is the right thing - as long as he''s otherwise healthy and growing well, and staying hydrated (bottled water is great - you could also get a pet fountain - our kitties LOVE theirs), there''s not a whole lot more you can do.

If the smell is a problem with the litter box, we found that a mix of crystal litter, which does a great job of absorbing both moisture and smell, and feline pine litter, which helps to further cover the smell and absorb ammonia from the urine, was the most effective combo. Might be worth trying one or both with your little guy.

 

[AmberGretchen]

OK, and to respond to the original question Lynn, TOTW is not a BAD food in the same way that Nutro, Royal Canin, Iams, etc... are, but you can definitely do better. I''m going to parrot myself here and recommend Nature''s Variety Instinct - we''ve been feeding the wet food, and the kibble ingredients are unassailable as far as kibble goes. So I think if you''re adding a new one to Boo''s mix, that would be a better way to go, and if its anything like the canned food, our kitties (and my mom''s kitties) go nuts for it.

Matata is right that raw food is considered by many who are knowledgeable to be the best for kitties, however, sometimes raw food just isn''t practical or realistic - my DH and I have very erratic unpredictable schedules and so we need something that doesn''t spoil that easily. Plus, I know this is somewhat selfish, but I''m a vegetarian (since age 5), and while I totally *get* that cats aren''t and aren''t supposed to be, handling raw food kind of stresses me out. Actually, that part has more to do with concerns about food-borne illnesses - the combo of lifetime veggie plus immunologist by training makes me especially stressed about that.

Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand, I believe that a combo of grain-free or nearly grain-free kibble and canned grain-free food is the next best option - we are currently feeding mixed Innova and EVO kibble in the mornnings, then Instinct canned food at night. Its been the best combo so far - the kitties look lean and healthy, and the vet raved about how healthy they all are, and so I think we''ll stick with it.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

I am by no means an expert on kitty food brands but I have been feeding mine Blue Buffalo. I rotate through the various types - both wet and dry. It seems to be working out well [the cats vary in age from 1 to 16 and they all eat from eachother''s bowls!].

 

[Hoytie]

When my little Blue manages to stay still for more than 5 seconds, I would like to take some pictures. But between the running around like a rabbit and the quacking like a duck (yes, a kitten that quacks), it is very difficult to get a good picture. . . . Before the untimely death of my Pixie-Bob, I was feeding him a mixture of Newman''s Organic Dry Food and Innova Dry Food with occasional can of a premium brand. I am just praying this diarrhea will stop soon.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 5/24/2009 11:42:02 AM
Author: AmberGretchen
OK, and to respond to the original question Lynn, TOTW is not a BAD food in the same way that Nutro, Royal Canin, Iams, etc... are, but you can definitely do better. I'm going to parrot myself here and recommend Nature's Variety Instinct - we've been feeding the wet food, and the kibble ingredients are unassailable as far as kibble goes. So I think if you're adding a new one to Boo's mix, that would be a better way to go, and if its anything like the canned food, our kitties (and my mom's kitties) go nuts for it...

...Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand, I believe that a combo of grain-free or nearly grain-free kibble and canned grain-free food is the next best option - we are currently feeding mixed Innova and EVO kibble in the mornnings, then Instinct canned food at night. Its been the best combo so far - the kitties look lean and healthy, and the vet raved about how healthy they all are, and so I think we'll stick with it.

AG, thanks for the reply!

OH AG, you probably think I don't *listen* to you

, but I definitely remember that you were impressed with (and using) the NVI food, but I thought it only came in WET food, no dry (how did I miss that????

) - and I wasn't looking to change Boo's wet food, so I never really gave it another thought for *us*. I am SOOO happy to see that it comes in a a dry kibble, too!!! THAT will definitely be the new one I add into Boo's mix! YAY, I am soooo excited! So thank you for reiterating it here for your (apparently) IDIOT friend!!!

And once we are out of Wellness canned (I have several cases of it!), I will definitely try it for Boo's wet food, too.

THANK YOU AGAIN!!! xoxoxo!!!

Lynn

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 5/24/2009 11:34:53 AM
Author: AmberGretchen

Date: 5/23/2009 7:57:25 PM
Author: Hoytie

I purchased a kitten from a breeder two weeks ago. I am feeding him Taste of the Wild, which is what the breeder had been feeding him. However, since the kitten''s arrival, he has had very, very loose stools and on and off diarrhea. I have also noted that he has gas and, for lack of a better word, farts often. I have had him checked out with my Vet and a stool sample was tested for worms, etc., which tested negative. The breeder recommended that I ''continue with the Taste of the Wild. The stress of a new home can cause stool changes and it is good to be consistent with the food.'' (I also give him bottled water.) Otherwise, the kitten is very healthy and active. And, yes, he drinks a lot of water so I am not worried about dehydration. I am very frustrated and wonder whether I should gradually change to another dry food. I see that Taste of the Wild does not contain any rice and has quite a lot of vegetables. Any help provided would be greatly appreciated.

Hoytie - congrats on your new addition! As Lynn said, we LOVE pictures around here (I ADORE blues - I think the color is just breathtaking, your little guy must be impossibly adorable!

).

Anyway, to get back to the topic at hand, I''m just catching up on this thread and I''m sure I''ll have more to contribute, but one thought on the above - some kittens just have digestive stuff, and as long as your little guy is overall healthy and active and growing, I hate to say it, but there may just not be much you can do about it in the short term. All of this is by way of my vet (cats-only, highly respected) - one of our kitties had a very similar problem as a baby - he could clear a room with his farts

So that''s the bad news, but the good news is he will most likely grow out of it. In the meantime, what you are doing is the right thing - as long as he''s otherwise healthy and growing well, and staying hydrated (bottled water is great - you could also get a pet fountain - our kitties LOVE theirs), there''s not a whole lot more you can do.

If the smell is a problem with the litter box, we found that a mix of crystal litter, which does a great job of absorbing both moisture and smell, and feline pine litter, which helps to further cover the smell and absorb ammonia from the urine, was the most effective combo. Might be worth trying one or both with your little guy.

We had a TERRIBLE PROBLEM with Boo (our Ragdoll) when he was a baby, with CHRONIC loose stools and diarrhea. It was VERY upsetting and problematic! It seemed like ANYTHING could give him a bad episode. Trying to find the best quality foods that didn''t make a bad problem WORSE was a huge challenge. He tested clean for any worms, parasites, etc., at the vet; and was growing, eating, drinking and playing well, though (thankfully!).

Boo is 2 years old now, and *knock on wood* and [crosses fingers]

) I think MAYBE, juuuuuuust MAAAAAYBE, he may have outgrown this! I am soooo happy and excited, because it has been MONTHS since he''s had any episodes. When I got the samples of TOTW the other day and added them into his bowl I thought, "UH OH, I hope I don''t regret this!!!" -- but, no problems!

So, moral of this missive

: hopefully it is just a passing thing for your sweet baby too.

 

[chrono]

Lynn,
Do you have to feed kitty dry? In the wild, their natural diet would be moist so I try to mimic that with grain free canned food. Cats do not drink a lot of water naturally so a wet diet provides that needed hydration. I also try to avoid those with vegetables as cats are true carnivoires.

 

[Hoytie]

Yes, the diarrhea situation is very discouraging. I just hope I am doing the correct thing in the gradual change off of Taste of the Wild. I just have a bad feeling about this food on his digestive system and feel more comfortable with a change. I think once he is older and hopefully his stools are normal, I would feel more comfortable mixing in Taste of the Wild or some other quality food. Other than that, he seems very healthy, surely does not appear to be losing any weight and runs around like he is possessed.

It was recommeneded to me to purchase a scale to monitor his weight. Does anyone else do this and, if so, what type of scale did you purchase? Thanks.

 

[Hoytie]

I just hope it is due to the gradual change in food because my little British Shorthair has very bad diarrhea today. I am really depressed over this. Though it is not slowing him down. I am at a loss. I guess I will give it another day or two and then back to the Vet.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 5/24/2009 5:13:36 PM
Author: Chrono
Lynn,
Do you have to feed kitty dry? In the wild, their natural diet would be moist so I try to mimic that with grain free canned food. Cats do not drink a lot of water naturally so a wet diet provides that needed hydration. I also try to avoid those with vegetables as cats are true carnivoires.

Hi Chrono, thanks for the post!

I do feed Boo wet food, at least twice a day; but I like to always have food available for him, in case of an unexpected delay or long work day, etc., and of course you can''t leave wet food out all day. That''s why we free-feeding dry kibble.

I do believe that it (wet food) is the best for cats as regards the much higher moisture content... but we do have a fountain for Boo and we think he gets enough to drink, because he LOVES to drink out of it (and play IN it!

)

 

[chrono]

Lynn,
You are a great mommy kitty.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Lynn - of course I know that you listen to me, and I''m flattered you think its worthwhile to ask for my advice about all things kitty

To be honest, I didn''t realize the NVI came in a dry food as well until I actually looked it up for this thread. I''ll be eager to hear how Mr. Boo likes it - ours ADORE the wet food, and my mom''s kitties, who normally don''t care for non-fish canned food, went nuts for it as well, so I guess there must be something good going on there

 

[AmberGretchen]

And Hoytie, I''m sorry about your little guys continuing digestive problems. Like Lynn''s Boo, our Ollie had loose stools basically from the time we got him (around 8-9 weeks old) until he was about 2 years old, and then they basically went away. We checked with the vet multiple times, and cleaned him up as often as necessary (he hated it, but we had a system so it would be as quick as possible), got him regular "sanitary cuts" at the groomers (its where they trim all the fur around the behind - makes them much less likely to mess themselves), and kept a close eye on his growth, activity levels, etc...

Now he''s a happy and healthy and full-grown boy, and the digestive issues are gone. One thing that helped slightly was feeding him a TINY bit of low-fat greek yogurt off my finger each morning - we''re talking like 1/4 teaspoon here, just a little bit, and it may have been my imagination, but if your kitten will eat it it probably wouldn''t hurt to try.

I''m so sorry you''re dealing with this, but the most likely explanation is that there really is nothing wrong. Switching him to an even higher-quality food can''t hurt, though, and the gradual transition is definitely the way to go.

One other thing - I never tried this, and you''d definitely want to check with your vet first. I know that when doggies have a similar issue, adding plain canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling) to their food can help firm up the poo. As I said, ask the vet, especially about the amount to add, but it apparently works like a charm in dogs, so might be worth a shot if the vet says its OK.

 

[ladypirate]

We have been feeding our kitties the food that the purebred rescue organization had them on--ARKAT VF Complete. It''s really only a supplement to their wet food though. They are not picky eaters at all, but I''m wondering if we should switch them to a different dry food? I had no idea cat food was such a complex subject!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 5/26/2009 1:57:53 PM
Author: AmberGretchen

...One other thing - I never tried this, and you'd definitely want to check with your vet first. I know that when doggies have a similar issue, adding plain canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling) to their food can help firm up the poo. As I said, ask the vet, especially about the amount to add, but it apparently works like a charm in dogs, so might be worth a shot if the vet says its OK.

OH! The pumpkin!!! I FORGOT ABOUT THE PUMPKIN!!!

AG's post reminded me of what I learned on the Ragdoll forum. Yes, a small scoop (think melon ball size or a little larger) of plain canned pumpkin (double check that, you don't want any seasonings or added ingredients) once or twice a day can really help chronic diarrhea in cats.

It has really helped Boo through several really difficult periods when he was younger. He can be a fussy eater and he loves it!

And, you can freeze it. I would take scoopfuls out and freeze on a small cookie sheet; then place into zipper freezer bags. 30 seconds (or less) in the microwave and you are ready to serve. (And I came to find out that silly Boo even liked it frozen!

)

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 5/26/2009 1:52:19 PM
Author: AmberGretchen
Lynn - of course I know that you listen to me, and I''m flattered you think its worthwhile to ask for my advice about all things kitty

To be honest, I didn''t realize the NVI came in a dry food as well until I actually looked it up for this thread. I''ll be eager to hear how Mr. Boo likes it - ours ADORE the wet food, and my mom''s kitties, who normally don''t care for non-fish canned food, went nuts for it as well, so I guess there must be something good going on there

AG, here''s the ingredient list from the two NVI cat kibble formulas:

Chicken:
Chicken Meal, Chicken Fat, Tapioca, Pumpkinseeds, Salmon Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Montmorillonite Clay, Chicken Liver Flavor, Chicken Liver, Kelp, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Beta Carotene, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Folic Acid), Sea Salt, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate , Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Inulin, Flaxseed Oil, Apples, Chicken Eggs, Cottage Cheese, Cranberries, Freeze Dried Chicken, Freeze Dried Turkey, Freeze Dried Turkey Liver, Freeze Dried Turkey Hearts, Carrots, Ground Chicken Bone, Butternut Squash, Ground Flaxseeds, Broccoli, Lettuce, Spinach, Kelp, Salmon Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Parsley, Honey, Blueberries, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid, Alfalfa Sprouts, Olive Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Persimmons, Duck Eggs, Pheasant Eggs, Quail Eggs, Sage, Clove

Rabbit:
Rabbit Meal, Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal, Herring Meal, Tapioca, Chicken Fat (naturally preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Pumpkinseeds, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Tomato Pomace, Montmorillonite Clay, Sunflower Oil, Natural Chicken Flavor, Brewers Yeast, DLMethionine, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Carotene, Folic Acid, Iodine Supplement), Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Peas, Cranberries, Blueberries, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Inulin, Freeze Dried Rabbit, Freeze Dried Rabbit Liver, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Freeze Dried Rabbit Lung, Dried Kelp, Freeze Dried Rabbit Hearts, Freeze Dried Ground Rabbit Bone


In looking them over here, do they both still get your "2 thumbs up"?!

Thank you so much!

Lynn

 

[Hoytie]

Well, my little Brit just had a bad case of diarrhea. I know I just started the gradual change of food two days ago so I am hoping it is due to that. I even did the not so ladylike task of actually checking to looks for worms, blood, etc. It is strange that this morning his stool was much better. Oy! I think I will try some pumpkin and just pray. This is really a downer.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Lynn - those look good, especially the Rabbit - I''d go with that one

Hoytie - poor little guy, and poor you having to clean up. I''d definitely try the pumpkin and see if that helps to start with.