Digest Sensitive Foods And Carrageenan...

Erin80

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I have been trying different digest sensitive foods and LID foods with my two since one of them seems sensitive to something (having diarrhea). I've noticed in almost all of them that carrageenan is there...either near the middle or end of the ingredients. Is this not an irritant? Why is this in these foods? At this point I almost feel I should just feed fancy feast since it has such simple ingredients for the most part (just the classics). The only other LID food I bought that I'm happy with is the Instinct that comes in the pouches - it has a very small number of ingredients and seems very basic. I don't like that it's pieces in gravy....I prefer feeding them pate since they are on an exclusive wet diet.
I bought one can of Royal Canin digest sensitive - not to keep them on, but just to try to see how their bodies react to it....and the ingredients look so crappy! Same with Natural Balance....they don't like it anyway, but it's full of peas or chickpeas...and carrageenan.
 

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Hi Erin, I suppose it could be that the carrageenan is causing an upset stomach, but from your other posts it seems that lately you have also been switching foods a lot. The diarrhea could be caused by anything, including rapid changes in diet. If you want, you can get them stable on one variety of food for a few weeks, and then slowly start to expand the range. That way you will know what exactly is causing the change.

Be careful with the NVI LID pouches because a lot of them are food toppers, not complete meals. If it is this then what you are buying is a treat, not a meal. Nature's Variety® Instinct® Limited Ingredient Wet Cat Food - Natural, Grain Free | cat Wet Food | PetSmart
 
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Erin80

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Hi Erin, I suppose it could be that the carrageenan is causing an upset stomach, but from your other posts it seems that lately you have also been switching foods a lot. The diarrhea could be caused by anything, including rapid changes in diet. If you want, you can get them stable on one variety of food for a few weeks, and then slowly start to expand the range. That way you will know what exactly is causing the change.

Be careful with the NVI LID pouches because a lot of them are food toppers, not complete meals. If it is this then what you are buying it is a treat, not a meal. Nature's Variety® Instinct® Limited Ingredient Wet Cat Food - Natural, Grain Free | cat Wet Food | PetSmart
Thank you!
Yes, I have been feeding them all sorts of different wet foods....but I kept reading that switching wet foods was ok (or actually encouraged). It might be a good idea for me to keep them on one, I'm just paranoid that they will then only eat that one and refuse all others.
Nobody had diarrhea today - and for the last two days I've been avoiding foods with fish. It was after Merrick surf and turf that one of them had diarrhea a couple days ago.
Good to know about the NVI! Thanks!! I had no idea.
 

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Wile Wile has a good point ... I heard it can take 8 weeks after removing an allergen or sensitivity for the reaction to stop affecting a cat. So if you are worried they are sensitive to a certain protein, you need to switch away from that protein and feed a stable food for a long time before you can determine if it was causing that. That's one reason why food allergies are so hard to determine. It is good to feed a variety to avoid pickiness, but if the cat's digestive system is having a hard time processing the new foods maybe a slower rotation would be better. I feed Olive a different can every day, but I would never do that with Trin because of his sensitive stomach.

I also avoid carrageenan ... some good foods that are not labeled as LID but still have a small ingredient list are Kasiks (also branded as First Mate in some areas), Rawz canned food, Tiki Cat After Dark if chicken is ok (it also includes Vitamin K, if that is on your no list). The problem I have found with LID labeled foods is a lot of time they add peas as a filler. I know some people have cats with pea sensitivities.

Good luck, food trials are never fun when it's causing diarrhea!
 
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Erin80

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Wile Wile has a good point ... I heard it can take 8 weeks after removing an allergen or sensitivity for the reaction to stop affecting a cat. So if you are worried they are sensitive to a certain protein, you need to switch away from that protein and feed a stable food for a long time before you can determine if it was causing that. That's one reason why food allergies are so hard to determine. It is good to feed a variety to avoid pickiness, but if the cat's digestive system is having a hard time processing the new foods maybe a slower rotation would be better. I feed Olive a different can every day, but I would never do that with Trin because of his sensitive stomach.

I also avoid carrageenan ... some good foods that are not labeled as LID but still have a small ingredient list are Kasiks (also branded as First Mate in some areas), Rawz canned food, Tiki Cat After Dark if chicken is ok (it also includes Vitamin K, if that is on your no list). The problem I have found with LID labeled foods is a lot of time they add peas as a filler. I know some people have cats with pea sensitivities.

Good luck, food trials are never fun when it's causing diarrhea!
Thanks! Unfortunately none of the foods you listed are here in Canada (Tiki is...but none of the After Dark line). I'd LOVE to try Rawz....but we can't get it.

I will definitely slow down the rotation. That's probably part of the problem. That could actually be the entire problem for all I know. They both pooped normally today and we have stuck to turkey only for the past 2 days.

Thanks for the help!
 

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Erin80

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Wile

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Thanks! Unfortunately none of the foods you listed are here in Canada (Tiki is...but none of the After Dark line). I'd LOVE to try Rawz....but we can't get it.
I might have seen the Tiki after dark line in a global pet foods store near where I live. I'll double-check next time I am in the store. Global pet foods seems to be an individually owned franchise, so every store carries slightly different stock.
 
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Erin80

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I might have seen the Tiki after dark line in a global pet foods store near where I live. I'll double-check next time I am in the store. Global pet foods seems to be an individually owned franchise, so every store carries slightly different stock.
Global pet foods is where I found Tiki, but not the after dark line. I bet they could order it in. My cats don’t like tiki though...
 
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Erin80

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Thanks. I guess my question was more why is there carageenan in these sensitive digest foods? I just don’t understand that.
Well, unfortunately, as an old Russian friend would say, "Don't try to find logic!" Meaning (IMHO) there's really no good, rational answer. Carrageenan is just a thickener and gelling agent. It holds everything together and makes it more appetizing.

That said, I don't understand it, either. This is cat food. Though of course pet food companies don't want something to look gross to the humans who dish out the cat food.

I avoid the stuff, too, because our cats have tender little stomachs that I don't want to irritate. I've cut carrageenan from our cats' diet (other than an occasional can of Nutro Natural Choice duck) and our diet (other than an occasional box of Dovebars) because of research showing that carrageenan has carcinogenic or "cancer-promoting" effects. Honestly, I don't think it should be in any food, either for cats or humans. Particularly when you consider how good Häagen-Dazs is without any carrageenan. ;)
 

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I’ve gotten Rawz at Global Pet foods. My kitten didn’t care for it though.

First Mate and Kasiks are at Global too. My kitten didn’t like them either.
 
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