2 Cats Diagnosed With Hyperthyroidism

[lisanj]

I have 2 cats just recently diagnosed(last month) with hyperthyroidism. I am trying to do research on what is the best foods(wet & dry) to switch them to.I have read fish products are not good for them, grain free is a good option(which we actually switched them to a couple of years ago), and to look for carageenan free food as well as bpa free cans. This is a lot to absorb. Does anyone have suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Kieka]

BPA is a hard one because it doesn't have to be labeled. You have to specifically call to verify if they are BPA free. This website did do that Which Pet Foods have BPA free cans? and from a brief glance the smaller cans are generally safe.

Carageenan is luckily on the label so that one is easy. Really if you read into carageenan I avoid it in my own diet too. It is highly controversial all around.

Grain free is ideal because cats don't naturally eat grain and get no benefit from it. The fun part about grain free is that in reality is it more you want grain and starch free for ideal health. And when you are dealing with dry food some binder material is needed which is where you get you starch added in by necessity. Cats are obligate carnivores so the more meat only your food is the better. There will need to be some vitamin mix in there to make it a balanced food since in the wild cats would eat the whole animal and get needed nutrition from the whole animal. Some companies use fruits and vegetables but not all fruits and vegetables are cat friendly.

Fish from low quality sources can be high in mercury which can cause mercury to build up in your cat. Different types of fish have different cautions. I wouldn't 100% avoid fish but limit it to once a week and know which fish you are feeding. Look at one of those safe fish cards you can get for pregnant women like this one, New FDA guidelines on fish consumption for pregnant women, and use it as a recommendation for which fish to avoid for your cats fish meals.

It is all enough to make your head spin. I have the added joy of a cat sensitive to chicken and another cat who has decided that his tummy dislikes turkey so a poultry free diet over here.

What I have found is pretty basic. For dry food, limited ingredient foods are your friend. Less fillers all around and less chance of random stuff being thrown in for costs.

If you can afford it, Young Again is really one of the best dry foods out there 50/22 Cat Food in my opinion. High protein, low carb/starch and very little in fillers or unneeded ingredients. Nature's Variety is what my guys have for dry because of the poultry aspect and budget. Natural Balance also has a nice line of dry that is a little more wallet friendly. Evo or Nulo both are higher end with a good dry food.

Wet food, there are more options because they don't need binders so finding something that is high protein and low carb is so much easier. ZiwiPeaks is one I would do if my guys weren't picky beyond belief. Wuvera (which is also BFF and Soulistic) is fairly decent but they have a lot of fish based ones. Fancy Feast classic line isn't a bad choice for a lower budget.

You could also try a dehydrated or freeze dry food if that works. They tend to be very low filler and are often thought of as the next best thing to raw.

 

[lisanj]

Thank you so much for your response. I am sorry you have issues with your furkids too. It really is a lot to take in, so much research and information. I will check out the websites you included and hopefully make a decision.