Charlie: The Food Trial Diaries (ibd / Food Allergy (sensitivity) Or Stress)

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FeralHearts

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Have you had a chance to look into something like Koha, Kasiks or even The Simple Food Project?
It's kohapet.com , the other two brands come up in google more easily
Thank you.

I haven't tried Koha but I know where to get it. Kasiks seems to be only available here at a special pet food store I used to go to that closed when one of the owners sadly became ill, but the place that sells Koha is really good at ordering specials foods. Kasiks may be too high in proteins for Charlies Urine issues but still something maybe :-) . The shop keeps some odd hours but I often have a weekday off that I can go by. That's now at the top of my to-do list!

I hadn't heard of The Simple Food Project it looks like only USA but I will send an email and see if it's available anywhere near here.
 
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FeralHearts

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Certain cat food has been in short supply here too. I have been having to physically go on a search for what Mackie needs. Other flavors of the brand are available and they have huge supplies of their dog food! The prices are soaring if I do find it. :livid: Time to start growing our own? Lol If I could, I would! I have been told that trucks can still enter with supplies there soooo... thinking manufacturing shortages. Don’t really know. I am on the search for new foods for Mackie too. Hoping that things improve. They had gotten better for awhile so maybe they will again.:alright:
I think there is a duck issue supply - that's where I am leaning right now - maybe due to covid.

I agree some prices have gone really high. Wellness went up in price again here too.

I've been keeping stashes for 2 months for the kids, I'm thinking or making it 3 or 4 now with what I am seeing. The girls are pretty good with food thankfully. One lucky break there.
 
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FeralHearts

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Good effort - but they reject it. One of the few that all reject. I appreciate it the thought a lot though. So does mister cranky pants. XOXOX
 

Furballsmom

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Here's another, they have canned products. Not sure, but it might be worth checking if you can get it ;
 
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FeralHearts

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Well .. &*^% (yup I said that) but at least after over month of effort I have an answer:

"Thank you for contacting PetSmart regarding the Simply Nourish® Sensitive Digestion Adult Pate Wet Cat Food - Natural Duck and Peas.

We regret to inform you that the Duck and Peas flavor is discontinued and we will not be restocking the item. We sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may cause.

We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter. If you have any other questions or need additional information, please let us know. Thank you for shopping with PetSmart for all your pet supply needs."


My brain just went into serious denial.

This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening.This is not happening.

Okay it's happening. I have to accept that reality - although I am still going to keep calling head office to see if there is some in a warehouse somewhere.

Furballsmom Furballsmom I called the specialty shop and the person who does special orders isn't in until next week so I'll be popping by on my day off and see what can be done about your suggestions.

I went to PetSmart tonight and brought home about 10 different kinds, some he has had before, some are not pate but if he rejects the texture I will blend and try again.

We may be at home cooked and even that has a strong potential to fail but I called the butcher and he's going to try to help.
I called the only other person (besides the nice CS pumpkin girl) that tried to help to say thank you for trying.
 
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FeralHearts

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Still is Charlie hell but thanks for asking :-). LOL - shocker here lol - Rejected, rejected and more rejections from him. The girls and him all rejected one of the NutriSciences ones but I lost the label so I'll probably end up tryin it again lol

I have to try the specialty shop next week as my days off got muddled up so that was a fail for now.

Charlie goes back to see the Doc on the 9th because he's being an extra special arsehat behavior wise and as I have learned with him, that usually means he's not feeling well. He has very few tells but that seems to be one he has when something is running amuck consistently. *sigh* I still have nine more to try so maybe, maybe?

I managed to get him to reluctantly but consistently eat a Simply Nourish Salmon one (wet) - this has a lot less fat than the duck but this brand is not forth coming with information (petsmart brand) and my trust in them is, as you can imagine, quite low - and a Blue Wilderness Salmon (wet) - this one has FAR, FAR more fat than the duck, so it's a concern for sure. Sometimes I can get him to eat a Canidae Salmon and whitefish (wet) if I doctor it up. The Canidae is at least less fat but higher protein so we have to watch that with his urine issues. Notice a pattern here lol The Canidea I think is te texture - it's not a pate, so I have to crush it all up and Doctor it but it seems to be the least of the evils.

So he's not going to starve -at least not right away - but I have to find something he will eat that won't kill him.

Not giving up yet. I really wish companies would voluntarily list % of things like phosphorous though.

I'm researching the EZComplete atm and will ask the doctor when he sees her what she thinks of homemade as I really thing that might be the way I have to go. I'm so uneasy about it though. The ezcompelete gives great instructions though and perhaps I can find a low fat, low phos meat he will eat with it.

He has no idea how lucky we are to have the Doctors we have - and of course you all to keep me sane and on point. XOXOXOX
 
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Furballsmom

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. I really wish companies would voluntarily list % of things like phosphorous though.
I wanted to mention this (my apologies if you're already familiar with it) in case this has been kept up to date/maintained (I'm almost hesitating to provide it now - the last date I can see is Dec 2018 but the owner may have kept up with the data and just not changed that), but are the foods you're working with listed here or could this give you something to work with if you were planning to talk to the companies?
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

I'm researching the EZComplete atm and will ask the doctor when he sees her what she thinks of homemade as I really thing that might be the way I have to go. I'm so uneasy about it though. The ezcompelete gives great instructions though and perhaps I can find a low fat, low phos meat he will eat with it.
I'll tell you what, the one thing that makes this so tempting to me is that you can adjust everything. I've read that people seem to most often adjust the percentage of bone, and be sure to obtain a grinder that can handle the job :)
 
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FeralHearts

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I wanted to mention this, in case this has been kept up to date/maintained (I'm almost hesitating now - the last date I can see is Dec 2018), but are the foods you're working with listed here or could this give you something to work with if you were planning to talk to the companies?
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf
Oh my goodness I didn't even see that. Thank you, thank you thank you - as I have to tell you - I've tried ot do the math myself and I suck at it. I will look through it. 2018 isn't so far off really.

Oh, oh oh I forgot to tell you - I got a new on tonight as well - I finally found a place that sells TIkicat - so I got him - oh you guessed it - Wild Salmon recipe. Really like the look of it. Ash is like 1% dry matter - which means it will be less Phos. Protein is high - but.fat is low and phos low too sooooooo.. (That if it's the same one on the cat Db - I think it is - named slightly different but exact ingredients than it would be a good choice I think.)

It's not a pate but Imma gonna try it anyway. :-) I let you know tomorrow as with Charlie new things are best tried in the AM when he is at his hungriest.
 
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FeralHearts

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Charlie is trying to kill me - UNBELEIVABLY he rejected it. It looks like salmon, smells like salmon, I'm not going to try it, but I bet it tastes like salmon too. I will try it again when he is in a better mood. I didn't doc it up either so that will be a next step too.

I also have a tuna Tiki one to try too. Aloha friends - also looks good for higher proteins and phos looks very low. They list Ash as 0% and that can be concerning as ash is a total amount of certain minerals - some they do need so I have to see if it's complete. I think it is though.

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.
 

Furballsmom

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Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.
By the way, I just had a thought, what would happen if you handfeed him, by which I mean actually getting a little in his mouth with a popsicle stick, somewhat repeatedly?

I have a reluctant eater, and by golly there's one food he's decided is somewhat ok with this method (it's the only way I can get his milk thistle in him so I didn't even think of it regarding actual, normal food).
 
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FeralHearts

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By the way, I just had a thought, what would happen if you handfeed him, by which I mean actually getting a little in his mouth with a popsicle stick, somewhat repeatedly?

I have a reluctant eater, and by golly there's one food he's decided is somewhat ok with this method (it's the only way I can get his milk thistle in him so I didn't even think of it regarding actual, normal food).
Okay try not to kill me on this...

I remember you suggested this before and I was going to do it. EPPS. In my defense with all the chaos the last few months - I - totally - forgot to try this.

I WILL do this. Maybe the one-on-one attention will help. :-)
 
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FeralHearts

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Charlie went to see the Doctor today to get his urine checked because he's been extra Moody lately and as we know with him that usually means Urine issues. He dropped a bit of his extra weight - so YAY! and he's very close to what he should be - 15 pounds and he's 15.5 so unlike Mia, at least my diet plan with him is working.

As for the urine - instead of the icky news I was expecting....

Drum roll please....

NORMAL.
huh?
What?
Normal? Yes, we have normal urine! So I'm taking that as a total win for a change. :yess::yess::yess:

As for food...

No luck yet. Everyone rejected the Beef and Salmon wellness and the Merrick backcountry Real Rabbit cuts.

I did try to hand feeding. He took a nibble at least and of course promptly rejected it. lol

The search continues.
 

Furballsmom

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I've been thinking about you! Hallelujah for normal!!

Try blowing on his nose after you get the food in his mouth/on his tongue to gently force him to swallow, stoke his throat, or any other trick that you can think of...
 
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