Bengal cat diet

Tuchi

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I got a bengal kitten last week and haven’t yet figured out what he can and can’t eat. He’s had runny stool since he got here. Breeder suggested a grain-free diet, so I tried feeding him grain-free wet food and it seems to be working. His stool seemed a little less smelly last night and he’s 100% less gassy.

Assuming he IS sensitive to grain, I can’t feed him wet food every meal because I dont work from home, but I don’t know if there is such a thing as grain-free kibble. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
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Tuchi

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Furballsmom

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Can you obtain multiple little ice packs that would fit, and maybe some small lidded tubs you can portion food into, freeze til you need them or just use an ice cube tray that you put into a ziplock bag, and then thaw and transfer the food and a pack in the morning? Or whatever version of this fits for you.

Your kitten needs a LOT of food, in small meals throughout the day and of course overnight. It would be great if more of that could be canned :)
 

lisahe

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Do be aware that "grain free" typically does not mean the dry food is free of carbohydrates, as various starches are generally substituted for grains.
I was going to mention this but you beat me to it, Box of Rain Box of Rain ! Other starchy ingredients that are often used instead of grains -- things like potato and peas -- can raise the carbs very significantly. Some of the vegetable ingredients can also cause sensitivities in cats. One of our cats, for example, can't eat potato, which is used in lots of foods as a filler or thickener.

The only dry food that I know of that lacks carby fillers is Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein chicken. It only has 2.77% carbs, dry matter, which is nice and low. We use it as a treat and topper for one of our cats.

Another thought on leaving out wet food for during the day: some people freeze wet food and just leave it to thaw so the cat can eat it when it thaws.
 

Box of Rain

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I was going to mention this but you beat me to it, Box of Rain Box of Rain ! Other starchy ingredients that are often used instead of grains -- things like potato and peas -- can raise the carbs very significantly. Some of the vegetable ingredients can also cause sensitivities in cats. One of our cats, for example, can't eat potato, which is used in lots of foods as a filler or thickener.

The only dry food that I know of that lacks carby fillers is Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein chicken. It only has 2.77% carbs, dry matter, which is nice and low. We use it as a treat and topper for one of our cats.

Another thought on leaving out wet food for during the day: some people freeze wet food and just leave it to thaw so the cat can eat it when it thaws.
IMS there is one other kibble that was posted about recently than is carbohydrate free (or nearly so). I'm blanking on the name. Perhaps someone will remember?

There are also freeze dried options. Or using wet food in auto-feeders with cold packs.

Bill
 

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tried feeding him grain-free wet food and it seems to be working. His stool seemed a little less smelly last night and he’s 100% less gassy.
I don't disagree with you-all, but in rereading T Tuchi 's original post, the situation with this kitty's digestive system is in flux at this point in time, and a diet isn't squared away yet :)
 

Cat McCannon

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I had no idea grain free kibble was possible. Thanks for the suggestion. I do have a wet food feeder but I ended up hardly ever using it because I forget to freeze the ice pack and dont have time to set it up every morning.
Dry food might be grain-free, but that doesn't mean it's carbohydrate free. Carbs are a key ingredient in dry food. Carbs have no nutritional value for cats and is converted into body fat. Carbs cause a lot of long term health issues in cats.

PS- I see Box Of Rain already brought this up:)
 

goingpostal

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Have you vetted the kitten? It could be worms or something causing the stomach issues rather than the food, poo issues in kittens is pretty common.
 

lisahe

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Have you vetted the kitten? It could be worms or something causing the stomach issues rather than the food, poo issues in kittens is pretty common.
This is so true! Our vet mentioned "kitten colitis" (which is apparently not an official diagnosis or disease but rather a recognition that these things happen with kittens and can't always be figured out) when we first adopted our cats, when they were 10 months old. Worms and other parasites can stay with cats for years so a good, broad-spectrum dewormer is a good idea, just to be sure. (I wish we'd done that!) Also, if the issues keep up, watch out for dehydration, which can come fast in kittens.
 
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Tuchi

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Have you vetted the kitten? It could be worms or something causing the stomach issues rather than the food, poo issues in kittens is pretty common.
I did — kitten got a number of tests, vet didnt find anything. Fecal test results are coming. Im hoping there’s something there or I’ll have to buy the absurdly expensive food intolerance test and figure out what it is my kitten cant eat. I already have one cat whose stomach flips at anything she eats. God save my wallet
 
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Tuchi

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Update: most test results are in, including the fecal. Nothing found, except my kitten has calicivirus. Just the GI PCR is pending now.
 

platty

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I always feed mine on both raw meat with some suppliments (mainly chicken thighs, bone, skin and taurine with a few extra bits thrown in for good measure) and add dry kibble as a snack for the nighttimes they never complain.
 
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