Shedding Way Down !!!

I could post this in the cat health section but I think it works here too.
Just wanting to report that since talking my Himi off of dry food almost 6 weeks ago, I've noticed his shedding decreasing. He was eating Blue Buffalo sensitive stomach for probably the past 5 or 6 years. We took him right off the dry with no transition after a vet visit for a medical issue (severe vomiting) and after the first week or two of trying different canned foods, we've been feeding mostly Rawz and Stella and Chewy's canned with some homemade Turkey (with Alnutrin) added in the past two weeks. Also some S&C raw freeze dried and S&C selects frozen raw.

Most notably in the last 2 weeks I've noticed far less hair on his comb and brush. We bathed him today, which he tolerates very well but he hates the blow drier and after bath grooming. We have to crate him, blow dry, brush/comb and repeat over and over otherwise there will be blood ... my blood. But at any rate, we do this in the bathroom and normally hair is flying everywhere and we are constantly pulling it out of our noses. There was barely any of that today. It's got to be because of the diet change, nothing else explains it.

There appears to be a significant benefit as well related to his vomiting and IBD but I don't want to jump the gun on judging that quite yet. However, he's been taken off of his 2X weekly Metronidazole maintenance dose and he's doing well so far.

We should have toughed it out and got him off of the dry years ago. He's 12 now and seeing how much better he's doing, I feel guilty for not doing it much sooner.

Just wanted to share and say thanks for the advice and input I've received on the forum. It's been really helpful.

While I’m happy that it appears that your cat is benefiting from the change, I should also point out that the decrease in shedding could just be that he is finished shedding his winter coat.

Cats usually shed most around Fall and Spring, depending on where they live.

Regardless, I do think that you made the right choice for a healthier diet.

Time of year is certainly a factor but it doesn't explain all of it. He's definitely shedding less hair. And we've never given him a bath without hair all over the bathroom, and us, after the blow drier and grooming.

My cats have always been wet-fed and they are shedding machines

Shedding their winter (ha..."winter" is used loosely, more like a week of kind of cool weather) coat is horrible. We are currently undergoing Sheddmageddon or, as my husband calls it, "The Sheddening."

EmersonandEvie said:

My cats have always been wet-fed and they are shedding machines

Shedding their winter (ha..."winter" is used loosely, more like a week of kind of cool weather) coat is horrible. We are currently undergoing Sheddmageddon or, as my husband calls it, "The Sheddening."

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Yes, we're going through that, too, albeit in a different (colder!) climate. I think this spring-that-isn't-spring where we live hasn't helped.

EmersonandEvie said:

My cats have always been wet-fed and they are shedding machines

Shedding their winter (ha..."winter" is used loosely, more like a week of kind of cool weather) coat is horrible. We are currently undergoing Sheddmageddon or, as my husband calls it, "The Sheddening."

Click to expand...

Were down south as well.
But it's all relative. If mine was always fed canned and he was shedding like he is now, I wouldn't know the difference and it would still be an aggravation.
At any rate, he's tearing far, far less than he was as well. I'm guessing that maybe he had to be allergic, or at least sensitive, to something in that dry food.

You’re not imagining things. Krista’s coat was never more luxurious than when she was eating raw. Her IBD was well-managed too. She’s doing well on Rawz now. But we both really miss Rad Cat. She hasn’t taken to any premixes or recipes except a duck I cannot affordably source anymore.

daftcat75 said:

You’re not imagining things. Krista’s coat was never more luxurious than when she was eating raw. Her IBD was well-managed too. She’s doing well on Rawz now. But we both really miss Rad Cat. She hasn’t taken to any premixes or recipes except a duck I cannot affordably source anymore.

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I read that a lot of cat owners here are still very disappointed about the Rad Cat situation and it's absence from the market. It's a real shame.
I'm having some luck now with partially cooked turkey thighs and Alnutrin. But I'm still feeding it mixed in with canned at about 2:1 canned to homemade. I'd like to get that to 50/50 and I think that's possible. But not sure he will ever eat 100% homemade. Maybe a blessing because I'm not sure I want to do that much cooking. That said, I'm comfortable with what he's eating now. He's doing really well so far and seems to be taking to it more and more. He's also gained a full pound, or very close, over the last 6 weeks. He wasn't skinny but he was down over 1 1/2 lbs. from his top weight (about 11.5 lbs) of a few years ago. 10.5 - 11lbs is a good weight for him and he's just under 11 lbs now by my scale.

He has a follow-up with the Vet this morning so I'm going to discuss his new diet, his weight, and the discontinuation of his twice weekly Metronidazole doses (I took him off of that myself). I'm not sure how this Vet feels about feeding a homemade diet. It's the same clinic I've been using but we are new to the particular Vet he saw 6 weeks ago. I should have a better feel for the Vet after today. I do know that he's a dog owner only. Maybe it's silly of me but I've always preferred a Vet that owns cats. Anyway, we'll see how it goes.

Just an update.

Vet visit went really well. His bloodwork was ok last time but Vet had one concern so plan was to run labs again in 4-6 weeks but he decided not to based on previous lab results and his being really pleased with Gizmos exam, appearance and weight gain. Gizmo weighed 9.8 lbs during his last visit 6 weeks ago and was 10.9 lbs. today.

A raw diet can change some bloodwork values that give vets some pause, but are not necessarily bad values. This may be what Gizmo's Dr saw.
https://feline-nutrition.org/health/how-raw-meat-diets-affect-blood-test-results

No, that bloodwork was done 6 weeks ago, prior to the diet change. His total calcium is slightly elevated (11.2). But upon review of his chart, his calcium levels have always been slightly elevated (11.1 - 11.3) going back to all tests (3) over the previous 10 years. I believe that the vet neglected to check the prior bloodwork in his chart before calling me with the latest results 6 weeks ago and recommending the bloodwork be done again in 4-6 weeks . But the follow-up was actually for both a check-up and repeat bloodwork so all is well. Still not sold on this vet but at least he was honest.