Food advice for senior cat w/ IBD & multiple chronic issues

Casskitty

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I was wanting to see if anyone may have any food recommendations or food advice for a picky 14-year-old cat with multiple chronic health issues.

My cat has IBD, which the vet and I suspect is food allergy related (we’ve run multiple tests, ultrasound, etc.). But my cat refuses to eat the prescription wet food, or any limited ingredient wet food because he hates pate. Unfortunately all allergy wet food I’ve found is all in pate format. I’ve tried multiple limited ingredient brands and transitioning small amounts and if he even detects pate he will refuse the food.

He will eat the dry version of limited ingredient or prescription food but… he’s also diabetic so he shouldn’t be on dry food due to dry being high carbs. And he has only two teeth for chewing. Still, I’ve tried wetting the food and he won’t eat it soggy.

He has had diarrhea going on a year and a half now, and recently ended up with a severe episode of pancreatitis that was likely brought on by the IBD. I’d really like to get him on some kind of food that is better, but I just don’t know what to do when he refuses to eat pate.

In addition, he also has chronic kidney disease and gets occasional cystitis. Despite his health issues, he’s a happy little senior guy that is still enjoying life, but I think it would be better if we could get the IBD better managed.

Currently, I have him eating Friskies Prime Filet beef flavor, which I know isn’t great quality food but he’s picky with flavors and it’s been one of the few kinds I can get him to eat easily. It also seems to make the diarrhea the least severe. But he still gets episodes of diarrhea where it gets bad and recently lead to pancreatitis, so I’d rather get him on something better.

Any food recommendations or advice is much appreciated!
 

Lazy Orange House Cat

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Look at Weruva and Tiki Cat. They don't advertise limited ingredient diets, but several of their recipes definitely fit the bill. The majority of their foods are shredded in gravy. Weruva Mideast Feast, for example, is flakes of tuna and chunks of tilapia, and their Paw Lickin' Chicken is shredded chicken breast in broth. Tiki Cat does a wild salmon in broth. The foods are plain and simple in any case, and for the most part they contain no carbohydrates, but plenty of juice.
Have you considered asking your veterinarian for a TLI test? Pancreatitis and a year of diarrhea is a lovely red flag.
 
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Casskitty

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Look at Weruva and Tiki Cat. They don't advertise limited ingredient diets, but several of their recipes definitely fit the bill. The majority of their foods are shredded in gravy. Weruva Mideast Feast, for example, is flakes of tuna and chunks of tilapia, and their Paw Lickin' Chicken is shredded chicken breast in broth. Tiki Cat does a wild salmon in broth. The foods are plain and simple in any case, and for the most part they contain no carbohydrates, but plenty of juice.
Have you considered asking your veterinarian for a TLI test? Pancreatitis and a year of diarrhea is a lovely red flag.
Thanks for the food recommendations! I’ll look into Weruva and Tiki Cat. I just looked at the Tiki Cat options in particular and it looks like it would work perfectly for my picky old guy.

I don’t believe he has been tested but this is something I’ll definitely bring up with his vet to check at his appointment this week. I appreciate the info about it.
 
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