Food Recommendations

[Rose-Petal]

Hi,

My cat has is prone to urinary problems (he had a urinary blockage last year which almost took his life). I moved him from nasty store dry food to Hills Prescription Urinary Multi stress wet food. My cat has allergies, and he itches himself a lot and has visible greasy / flakey skin. His feet are very itchy and he bites his back paws to the point they bleed in between his little toes.

I made another post asking for recs for changing his cat litter, which I'm in the process of doing. Having further looked into his food ingredients it contains cereals and other stuff. See below the food he has and take a look at the ingredients and let me know if anything can cause his issues? If so, can you recommend a new safe food please? I'm from UK.

Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Metabolic Urinary & Weight Care Wet Cat Food | Pets

Thanks in advance.

 

[vampiric_conure]

Blue Buffalo is supposed to be good, though it can be a bit rich for some critters... Poor guy. Hopefully, you can resolve his issues soon!

 

[maggie101]

Instinct original wet
No fish try venison
Pricy!

 

[maggie101]

bluebuffalo has carrageenan. Any canned with 1 protein and check the ingredients.

CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat is one site I use
Orijen is another brand
weruva steak frites is low phosphorus and highly suggested on Tanya's website

 

[Rose-Petal]

Thanks so much all.

I had a look at Blue Buffalo, specifically their urinary wet food, there was one review that said it didn't help crystals and it scared me a bit to try it.

I'm looking up the Instinct Original too.

I'm looking at the brand "Blink" which I just saw at my local Pets at Home when I visited (specifically the chicken one)

(Edited to remove the long link)

 

[Rose-Petal]

So sorry idk why the link showed so much info

 

[Rose-Petal]

I've been discussing natural food products and have made a plan to completely stop using his Hills diet, because it contains so much rubbish and awful ingredients that could be causing his issues. I will list what I plan to use below. Please can you have a look and let me know if it all looks ok / safe ?

Food I'm hoping to swap (will gradually):

Applaws Natural Adult Wet Cat Food Chicken Broth | Pets

I hope to add the following into his food as well to give him a boost / the best care:

Plaqueoff ProDen Health Care Powder Cats/Dogs | Pets

Pets at Home Scottish Salmon Oil for Dogs & Cats | Pets

(As he is prone to urinary blockages, I want to at least use something that helps)

Feliway Cystease Urinary Tract Supplements Adult Cats | Pets

Also, when his skin is back to its healthy self, I'm hoping to use this brush below, which supposedly helps furballs:

FURminator Cat Undercoat Deshedding Tool | Pets

Let me know what you all think of my plan??

 

[Krienze]

I've always had issues with Hills whenever I've tried to give it to my cats, either vomiting it up or weight gain issues.

Just had to deal with a blockage situation so I switched their food to IAMS urinary tract health dry/Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Food Wet. Was a lil concerned about IAMS as a brand, but my vet stressed to me that he believes ANY urinary food is better than any regular non-urinary health food.

 

[Rose-Petal]

I've always had issues with Hills whenever I've tried to give it to my cats, either vomiting it up or weight gain issues.

Just had to deal with a blockage situation so I switched their food to IAMS urinary tract health dry/Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Food Wet. Was a lil concerned about IAMS as a brand, but my vet stressed to me that he believes ANY urinary food is better than any regular non-urinary health food.

I'm sorry you've had to deal with a blockage situation. I hope your cat is okay.

I've sworn by Hills Urinary Multistress c/d chicken (something along that name) this last year because I thought it was helping him, but having looked closer at the ingredients I am shocked at what it contains - sugars, salts, wheat, cereals - all things that are bad and could be causing his skin allergies.

I did try to find an alternative urinary food, but most of them contain the same amount of rubbish as Hills. I've tried to include some form of urinary supplement when I plan on switching his diet, which is why I included the Feliway urinary capsules, but if I notice any glimpse of a blockage, I'll immediately have to put him back on Hills I suppose. :/

 

[DeesCats]

R Rose-Petal , do be aware that the Applaws product you linked is considered a complementary food to be added in addition to either dry or another canned complete cat food that provides the necessary vitamins, minerals and taurine.

 

[Rose-Petal]

R Rose-Petal , do be aware that the Applaws product you linked is considered a complementary food to be added in addition to either dry or another canned complete cat food that provides the necessary vitamins, minerals and taurine.

Yes, I noted this. I had an alternative in mind though, how about this one? It's complete.

Lily’s Kitchen Tasty Cuts Wet Cat Food In Gravy | Pets

 

[DeesCats]

I'm actually not familiar with the brands that you have in the UK so I can't help there.

I've not had any cats that had urinary issues so also can't advise on what food brands will help reduce the issue with crystals or blockage.

 

[Rose-Petal]

Oh, thanks anyway...

My kitty is my world so I want him to have the best.

 

[Krienze]

I'm sorry you've had to deal with a blockage situation. I hope your cat is okay.

I've sworn by Hills Urinary Multistress c/d chicken (something along that name) this last year because I thought it was helping him, but having looked closer at the ingredients I am shocked at what it contains - sugars, salts, wheat, cereals - all things that are bad and could be causing his skin allergies.

I did try to find an alternative urinary food, but most of them contain the same amount of rubbish as Hills. I've tried to include some form of urinary supplement when I plan on switching his diet, which is why I included the Feliway urinary capsules, but if I notice any glimpse of a blockage, I'll immediately have to put him back on Hills I suppose. :/

Thank you!

I believe he will be okay, thank you for the well wishes. <3

Yeah, I used to kind of obsess over ingredients but as i've found, sometimes some of the "best" food cause some of the worst problems. >.< so now I'm just trusting my vet and going with urinary care foods.

 

[FriendofFerals]

bluebuffalo has carrageenan. Any canned with 1 protein and check the ingredients.

CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat is one site I use
Orijen is another brand
weruva steak frites is low phosphorus and highly suggested on Tanya's website

YES....Blue Buffalo in all varieties has carrageenan among other thickeners. After two of my my cats suddenly got "IBD" after years on Blue Buffalo and my vey advised a "hydrolyzed diet since they are likely allergic to all proteins" (even though I'd only tried BB chicken, duck and turkey....)

The common denominator was not the protein but the additive. I switched to Koha Limited Ingredient Chicken Pate and Weruva Phos Focused toppers, OMG Gracy Chicken and Salmon, and Weruva Press My Lunch Chicken Pate and all the IBS cleared up with in 6-9 weeks. They were 'sensitive' to an ingredient, not "allergic" to a protein. I was being told my cat is severely allergic to chicken (without a protein allergy test) and now he eats chicken all day with no problem, in canned food and even straight boiled chicken breast...the problem was the preservatives and thickeners. He's somewhere between 17-20 yrs old, so can't blame the old cat for having a sensitive tummy.

As for Weruva Steak Frites-- it's great. But I have one CKD cat who doesn't know how to get food in his mouth that isn't pate, and another with no teeth who likes it but prefers CHICKEN....But that's a great option if your cat will tolerate stringy pieces of beef. Can't believe mine won't. It's a great low phos option.

 

[Rose-Petal]

YES....Blue Buffalo in all varieties has carrageenan among other thickeners. After two of my my cats suddenly got "IBD" after years on Blue Buffalo and my vey advised a "hydrolyzed diet since they are likely allergic to all proteins" (even though I'd only tried BB chicken, duck and turkey....)

The common denominator was not the protein but the additive. I switched to Koha Limited Ingredient Chicken Pate and Weruva Phos Focused toppers, OMG Gracy Chicken and Salmon, and Weruva Press My Lunch Chicken Pate and all the IBS cleared up with in 6-9 weeks. They were 'sensitive' to an ingredient, not "allergic" to a protein. I was being told my cat is severely allergic to chicken (without a protein allergy test) and now he eats chicken all day with no problem, in canned food and even straight boiled chicken breast...the problem was the preservatives and thickeners. He's somewhere between 17-20 yrs old, so can't blame the old cat for having a sensitive tummy.

As for Weruva Steak Frites-- it's great. But I have one CKD cat who doesn't know how to get food in his mouth that isn't pate, and another with no teeth who likes it but prefers CHICKEN....But that's a great option if your cat will tolerate stringy pieces of beef. Can't believe mine won't. It's a great low phos option.

Thanks for this, I'm definitely not going to try the BB.

Unfortunately, I'm from the UK so the Weruva brand isn't here.

I did suggest Lily's Kitchen above, if anyone can take a look at the ingredients please?

 

[maggie101]

YES....Blue Buffalo in all varieties has carrageenan among other thickeners. After two of my my cats suddenly got "IBD" after years on Blue Buffalo and my vey advised a "hydrolyzed diet since they are likely allergic to all proteins" (even though I'd only tried BB chicken, duck and turkey....)

The common denominator was not the protein but the additive. I switched to Koha Limited Ingredient Chicken Pate and Weruva Phos Focused toppers, OMG Gracy Chicken and Salmon, and Weruva Press My Lunch Chicken Pate and all the IBS cleared up with in 6-9 weeks. They were 'sensitive' to an ingredient, not "allergic" to a protein. I was being told my cat is severely allergic to chicken (without a protein allergy test) and now he eats chicken all day with no problem, in canned food and even straight boiled chicken breast...the problem was the preservatives and thickeners. He's somewhere between 17-20 yrs old, so can't blame the old cat for having a sensitive tummy.

As for Weruva Steak Frites-- it's great. But I have one CKD cat who doesn't know how to get food in his mouth that isn't pate, and another with no teeth who likes it but prefers CHICKEN....But that's a great option if your cat will tolerate stringy pieces of beef. Can't believe mine won't. It's a great low phos option.

My cat coco has no health Issues but cannot eat shredded only pate. Maggie will only eat weruva. She has ibd. The ingredients in weruva are not great but she loves it

 

[Rose-Petal]

I purchased this food, which is natural and complete:

Lily’s Kitchen Tasty Cuts in Gravy Cat Food Chicken | Pets

I'm going to try and slowly introduced it, and see how he goes. He loves chicken as it's his favourite meat. He hates fish though and runs away from anything with fish. (The salmon oil I plan to introduce will be deep hidden in the food so hopefully he won't smell it)

I'll let you know how he goes.

 

[maggie101]

My cat peaches does not like fish but loves salmon oil

 

[Rose-Petal]

Cats are very funny creatures sometimes