Feeding extremly picky cat with IBD

js124

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My cat has recently been diagnosied. I have always feed him grain free food but it doesn't seem to matter. Loose stools, smelly, throwing up, hairballs
He stopped eating four days(was put on iv) when he got home the only thing he would eat was fancy feast. Now that he is getting back to normal and on presidone te only food he currently will eat is one flavor of blue wilderness and one flavor of Merrick (tuna) can anyone give suggestions? He refuses any prescription. Any flavors? Brands? Thanks
 

zoneout

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You should start to research what a sub-q is and how to give it.  Also research B-12 shots.

Its a frustrating disease.   As for food my only recommendation is raw or reconstituted freeze-dried.

http://ibdkitties.net/

Good luck
 

denice

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I have an IBD kitty that had his first flare when he was 18 months old and has been on a steroid for a little over four years now.  He is almost 12 now.  Each kitty is different.  I personally haven't needed to give subq fluids or B12 shots only the oral steroids.

What food works really depends on the kitty.  It is good to get as wide a variety as possible of proteins to avoid kitty developing an allergy which can happen with feeding one protein exclusively.  I would try simple foods like Nature's Variety LTD, Wild Calling or Hounds and Gatos.  It's really a matter of what kitty will eat.  You could try mixing food with the one that he will eat to try to get him to eat another food.  I would try one new food at a time so if your kitty has a negative reaction you will know what caused it.

The important thing of course is that he eats.  My kitty went through fatty liver disease caused by anorexia which was caused by at that time undiagnosed IBD.  The steroid should at the very least minimize the severity of flares.  My kitty has not had a severe flare since being on the steroid and hasn't had any type of flare for almost 3 years now.
 

jcat

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I second trying simple foods. Our IBD cat does well on single-protein, grain-free canned food and is fed a variety of proteins. He suffers from malabsorption and raw is a definite no-no because it goes through him way too quickly. Obviously it's not the answer for every cat with IBD. I can't recommend brands because we live in Germany, but Mogli does well on goat, rabbit, kangaroo, reindeer, horse, duck and veal. He's allergic to chicken and will vomit if you mix proteins. We stick to one meat a day and very rarely give him any fish.

A vet will probably administer sub-q fluids to a cat that is severely dehydrated due to acute vomiting or diarrhea during a flare, but it's not something that is done on a regular basis just because a cat has IBD. Ours doesn't get B12 shots, either.
 
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zoneout

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Right.... I didn`t say use subq`s or B12 immediately.   But you should understand what they are and what its for as some day you might need them.    It is better to be prepared ahead of time so you can have an educated discussion with your vet.

Good luck.
 

zoneout

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Also, the last thing anybody should do is try to cram when their pet is very ill.   First of all, it stresses you and the pet.   We see it here all the time with scared owners asking for advice when they should have prepared in advance for the eventual day.   Next it will help you communicate AND even catch mistakes your vet makes.  YES I SAID IT.   You should be reviewing what your vet`s recommendations are.   Remember that vets see probably more dogs than cats and can get confused with prescribing meds between the 2.    In my experience,  one vet prescribed Prednisone for my IBD cat when it should have been Prednisilone.  Prednisone is OK for dogs and humans - not for cats.

So that is my point... like the boyscout motto says... be prepared.
 

molanic

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I'm going through this now too. With my cat it was mostly vomiting, but her stools always were soft and foul smelling as well. I got lots of info here about trying to do simpler ingredient foods. We are trying to get off kibble and move towards raw, but it is slow. I tried to find canned foods without grain, beef, fish, carageenan, and very low carbs with little to no veggies. I switched to the Nature's Variety Instinct kibble which uses tapioca as the binder for the meat meals instead of potato like their old food. I think potato is a common problem from my reading and often used instead of grain in grain-free food.

The Instinct chicken, turkey, or rabbit canned food seem pretty good too (low carb and no carageenan). Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau is very well liked but very pricey. The cheapest option but decent is Fancy Feast (Classics only are grain free/low carb).

I think what has been helping the most is this Vet's Best Digestive Aid. It has slippery elm to calm the stomach, psyllium to bulk up the stool and move it along, and probiotics/digestive enzymes. There are probably better fresher sources of the digestive enzymes than this that are more expensive, but it is a start. My cat likes them better than any food or treat actually.


Cats don't naturally have sufficient enzymes to digest a lot of what is in commercial cat food, since they are evolved to eat fresh raw kills. Some are just better at adapting to "cat food" than others. On You-tube there is a vet named Dr. Becker that has lots of informative videos on better pet diet, supplements, home made food, etc. that are worth a watch. I made my kitty bone broth based on her videos and a few others videos/sites and I think it is helping.

I've been venturing into home-cooked since you really aren't supposed to do raw while still on kibble. Home-cooked or raw is actually cheaper than the high quality canned foods, but more work obviously. Raw would be less work than cooking, but I am not at that point yet.

Most vets like human doctors are more focused on medications to treat symptoms than dietary or lifestyle changes to prevent them. There are plenty of people here and on other sites that have vastly improved their cat's condition by diet changes alone. It is good to discuss options with the vet, but I wouldn't take their advice as gospel. It is always wise to do your own research as well.
 
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js124

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Thanks appreciate the advice
My cat is not very sick right now, he's been fine for a month until last week. And he was eating just being super picky.
I will try the natures variety.
He def doesn't need sub q right now and he actually wouldn't do well on them he has a heart condition.
Also my cat is taking presidone. A cat can take that.
Thanks again
 

siold

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My cat has recently been diagnosied. I have always feed him grain free food but it doesn't seem to matter. Loose stools, smelly, throwing up, hairballs
He stopped eating four days(was put on iv) when he got home the only thing he would eat was fancy feast. Now that he is getting back to normal and on presidone te only food he currently will eat is one flavor of blue wilderness and one flavor of Merrick (tuna) can anyone give suggestions? He refuses any prescription. Any flavors? Brands? Thanks
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It sounds like he needs some IV fluids.

My cat, Slim Jim, has IBD.

Feed limited ingredient foods.

Ok…

Don’t force him to eat if he doesn’t want to.

Slim Jim still has flared ups from time to time.
 

molanic

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JS124, I'm assuming that was just a typo ..."presidone", and you meant "prednisone". It can be a tongue twister. I have family members who take it every day for years and still say "prendisone".

What zoneout zoneout was referring to with the prednisone vs prednisolone is summed up with this quote from a vet's site.

"Prednisone is converted by the liver to prednisolone. Animals in hepatic failure should receive prednisolone instead of prednisone. Systemic prednisolone is preferred for use in cats over prednisone because there is some question if cats are able to convert prednisone to prednisolone."

http://www.wedgewoodpetrx.com/learn...nographs/prednisolone-for-veterinary-use.html

I think they have done studies now and found prednisolone is the drug of choice for cats.
 

zoneout

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Absolutely.   When my vet incorrectly prescribed prednisone it did absolutely nothing for my cat.   I kept calling them and they kept saying I should see a dramatic change in her symptoms within a day or two.   That never happened and she passed on not too much later.    So with Prednisone she got no benefit and all of the bad side effects.

Even if cats could convert prednisone into prednisilone,  the issue is that it is not an efficient process in felines and it will take MUCH longer for a cat to reach theraputic levels of the steroid in their bloodstream.   By using prednisilone it bypasses this questionable conversion process and the cat improves much quicker - this is especially important when time is of the essence. 
 
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js124

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My cat is on prednisone. My cat has had no issues taking it. I appreciate what you are saying but I trust my vet. And honestly you come off as a little harsh. I have said my cat is not in ca critical state more than once. I asked for what brands of food
 

zoneout

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No problem.... just trying to help.   I understand your cat is not critical now.   That is why I was suggesting that now might be a good time to learn as much as you can about this disease.   The nature of IBD/IBS is that it lulls you into a false sense of security where your cat might seem fine for months and then eventually it will flare.   

As for food you might have to use enticements.   There are many ways.   Warming, adding tuna water, sprinkling with bonito flakes, freeze-dry toppers,  and a probiotic such as fortiflora all have been successful.

I wish you good luck.
 
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js124

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The first time I posted ever in here you told me not to be at the mercy of others. I asked a question. I don't think that was called for. And then this thread. I am new here so as you say you are trying to help you are also being a little rude. I am not in any false sense of security. My cat has a heart condition as well and that isn't going to away. I have been dealing with this for four years. I asked advice about food. Thanks
 

betsygee

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MOD NOTE:  Please remember to keep remarks impersonal and stay on topic.  The poster's original question was about brands and flavors of foods.
 

riley1

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Do you have the Basic brand where you live?  They make both dry & wet.  This was what was recommended for my cat by the vet for IBD but he would not eat it.  Good luck!
 
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