Grain Free Diet And Loose Stool

[emilielavoie88]

Hi!
I have a 8 months old kitten who seems to not tolerate grain free diet... I honestly don't know what to do! When I got her, she was on Royal Canin's kitten food. Because I thought she was intolerant to chicken (I don't know anymore. I thought that at first because she seem to have itchy ears and she also has mild chin acne. But her skin seems ok, not red at all.. anyway.), I decided to change her food and after reading that grain free is better for cats, I switched her (too rapidly) to Acana Pacifica. I made the switch too fast, in like 48 hours (I didn't know you needed to do it slowly, my bad). She started to have loose stool in about 10-14 days. I went to the vet, we switched her to Royal Canin gastro. In 2-3 days, everything was fine again. I let her on that food for about 2-3 weeks to make sure she was ok, and then switched to Petcurean Go (dry) (with duck, and fewer ingredients because I wanted to see if it would make the itchy ears and acne go away). I made the switch VERY slowly, in about 1 month! 3 days ago, I started to give her only the Petcurean food, and today I saw in her litter that her stools were not as ''dry'' (I'm sorry, I speak french and I'm not sure how to say that). It isn't all liquid at all, but it's sarting to do like with the Acana one (that time it started to be more ''soft'' and more and more until it was liquid. I can always give her grain free + royal canin, but I would like to find a food she would tolerate

Have you ever had a cat who reacted like that to grain free? I know canned food is better for water consumption, but I would like to start by knowing what to give her in dry food and then starting to give her some wet food! But I really don't know what to give her!! And I'm sure I did the transition slowly enough! The last few days, in her 3/8 cup per day, she only had like 12 bits of the Royal Canin, so I thought that it didn't make a difference at that point... but I guess it did.

 

[duckpond]

Honestly i dont worry about grain free, or not. I worry about carbs, and i dont care if the carbs come from Grains, peas, potatoes, fruits or veggies, i try to stay as low carb as possible. I feed Dr. Elsy's dry, chicken, or sometime Farmina the with pumpkin line.

My cats have never had a problem with grains, some do. 1 of my 4 does have a problem with potatoes or peas. The other 3 can eat anything. Different cats, different digestive systems.

I do also feed wet, i think wet is very good for cats.

I would not panic over one softer poo. Sometimes they have a bad tummy day, just like we do.

If it continues, or gets worse then you may need a vet visit, or to check about different food. i would not have thought it would make a difference at the point you were at either, but it may be that the Go food is just not agreeing with her?

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I would try Blue Buffalo sensitive stomach or some other formula that is created for sensitive tummies. Also, I think she had too many changes in diet over too short a time period.

As for wet, mine do well on Fancy Feast pate formula. Purina Beyond makes a good grain-free wet, too, in pate formula.

It is really difficult, they have very complex digestion and it can be hard to find the right dietary fit.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Long time ago I switched our cats from a grain inclusive lowish quality dry food to a middle of the road grain free diet and the diarrhea came out of one cat like a fire hose =(
I don't think this food is bad. But it didn't agree with her, and grain free usually = legume heavy.
If you can find a grain free food she likes and does well on, I say go for it! But if you can't, and you find a grain inclusive food that she likes, eats readily, has normal bathroom habits on and has energy and a nice coat, etc., I wouldn't freak out.
My obsession in life is food and what it is and how it works in our bodies (animals, too!), but don't forget that other things in life contribute to longevity and health too, like fresh air, love, play time, low stress life, etc. =)
Feed what you find she does well on but don't forget the other stuff that matters for health, too.

 

[Daisy6]

I think you have adjectives mixed up. Solid poop/stool/feces is either hard or soft.

Grain-free food is always better, especially in cats with digestive sensitivities. Your cat might have itchy ears for another reason not related to her diet. Have you and the vet discussed this possibility?

 

[maggiedemi]

Yes, my cats both got really loose stool from grain free dry foods. They are fine with grain free wet foods.

 

[lisahe]

Yes, my cats both got really loose stool from grain free dry foods. They are fine with grain free wet foods.

My cats have never had a problem with grains, some do. 1 of my 4 does have a problem with potatoes or peas. The other 3 can eat anything. Different cats, different digestive systems.

This can, indeed, be very individual! And pretty much all dry food has some carby ingredient in it that makes the meat (or meat derivatives) extrudable, so it can be made into cute shapes that allegedly appeal to cats. I'm not a fan of any of those ingredients -- cats aren't really adapted to eat them -- but maybe it would help to look at the ingredient lists of the foods you've fed so you can identify which might have had the least bad effect? That might be impossible but I thought I'd mention it.

Personally (and I'll admit I'm strongly in favor of feeding only wet foods), since you're intending to feed wet food anyway, I'd suggest slowly introducing wet food with a very simple recipe, something with no grains, potatoes, peas, or other vegetables high in carbohydrates. Something like that -- a food that's thoroughly meat-based -- might be the most likely to clear up the stool problem if it's not a specific meat/protein that's causing it. Sorting out what exactly causes symptoms can be difficult but very often just taking out the carbs -- grain-based or otherwise -- resolves the issue. That's one of the reasons I'm so strongly in favor of wet foods only: beyond the fact that our vet recommends it for avoiding digestive issues, that really did minimize our cats' stomach problems and it's helped a couple friends normalize their cats' digestion, too.

No matter what you decide, good luck!

 

[Daisy6]

My vet also recommends eating wet food every day, but for a different reason: old cats who need it for medical purposes will refuse to eat anything from a can if all they ate previously was kibbles. That happened to my first cat.

 

[emilielavoie88]

Personally (and I'll admit I'm strongly in favor of feeding only wet foods), since you're intending to feed wet food anyway, I'd suggest slowly introducing wet food with a very simple recipe, something with no grains, potatoes, peas, or other vegetables high in carbohydrates. Something like that -- a food that's thoroughly meat-based -- might be the most likely to clear up the stool problem if it's not a specific meat/protein that's causing it. Sorting out what exactly causes symptoms can be difficult but very often just taking out the carbs -- grain-based or otherwise -- resolves the issue. That's one of the reasons I'm so strongly in favor of wet foods only: beyond the fact that our vet recommends it for avoiding digestive issues, that really did minimize our cats' stomach problems and it's helped a couple friends normalize their cats' digestion, too.

Thank you all very much for your answers! In fact, the only ingredients that are the same in the Acana and the Petcurean are the lentils, the chickpeas and the peas. Because the Petcurean is hypoallergenic, there are few ingredients and it makes it easier to compare. I can't be 100% sure, but maybe she has problems with legumes (there were no legumes in the Royal Canin one). But I think I'll take your advice and start giving her something more meat based, and wet. Reading all these things on the internet makes me anxious haha, I read that there a some links between wet food and hyperthyroidism so I didn't really know what to do.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Thank you all very much for your answers! In fact, the only ingredients that are the same in the Acana and the Petcurean are the lentils, the chickpeas and the peas. Because the Petcurean is hypoallergenic, there are few ingredients and it makes it easier to compare. I can't be 100% sure, but maybe she has problems with legumes (there were no legumes in the Royal Canin one). But I think I'll take your advice and start giving her something more meat based, and wet. Reading all these things on the internet makes me anxious haha, I read that there a some links between wet food and hyperthyroidism so I didn't really know what to do.

I'm not a huge fan of legumes, but that's my personal thing. Nothing scientific about it.
Wet food is great! If she will eat it.
I've never heard any link between wet food and hyperthyroidism, unless you're feeding a large amount of beef trachea without any guarantee the thyroid hormone has been removed.
Cats have low thirst drive, desert animals, etc. They don't drink a lot of water, and if they do, there may be an issue starting up (diabetes etc.)
Sometimes the more we know, the more paranoid we become. Don't be afraid to read stuff but keep common sense in mind and realize cats eat mice, birds, rodents, etc. in the wild and those things are moisture rich.
Best to you!

 

[lisahe]

Thank you all very much for your answers! In fact, the only ingredients that are the same in the Acana and the Petcurean are the lentils, the chickpeas and the peas. Because the Petcurean is hypoallergenic, there are few ingredients and it makes it easier to compare. I can't be 100% sure, but maybe she has problems with legumes (there were no legumes in the Royal Canin one). But I think I'll take your advice and start giving her something more meat based, and wet. Reading all these things on the internet makes me anxious haha, I read that there a some links between wet food and hyperthyroidism so I didn't really know what to do.

Yes, it could well be the legumes -- some cats do have difficulty with that. (As do some humans... lentils and chickpeas, in particular, can cause flatulence!)

Another twist is that even though a food is hypoallergenic, that doesn't necessarily that a cat won't be sensitive to it s o even the hypoallergenic Petcurean could be a problem. Negative reactions to foods can be similar even when the causes are different. Here's an article that explains a bit about allergies and intolerances. I saw another good one recently (about allergies and sensitivities) and can see if I can dig that one up, too, if you want!

I bet what you saw about the link to wet food and hyperthyroidism concerned BPA, which can be in the can coating, right? That's definitely something to watch out for; fortunately, a fair number of companies have eliminated it from their cans. Fish can also contribute to thyroid disease.

I hope some wet food might help out. Do you need suggestions or do you already have ideas on what to feed? Are you in North America? (I think so based on the brands you mentioned!) Also, what is your cat's name?

 

[Daisy6]

I never heard of a direct connection between what food a cat eats and HT, but one symptom is a ravenous appetite. If your cat loses weight despite eating a lot your vet will certainly order a T4 test.

There is a direct link between food and CRF, however, and HT fools people into not realizing the kidneys are failing.

 

[duckpond]

I have also read about the link to canned food, and HT. I also seem to remember it had to do mainly with the coatings used in the cans. The article seemed to suggest that cats eating wet are a little more prone to HT, where as cats on dry are a little more prone to Kidney issues.

 

[Daisy6]

Cats are not "a little" more prone to CRF on dry food. Kibbles alone can cause CRF if the cat eats nothing else.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Yes, it could well be the legumes -- some cats do have difficulty with that. (As do some humans... lentils and chickpeas, in particular, can cause flatulence!)

Another twist is that even though a food is hypoallergenic, that doesn't necessarily that a cat won't be sensitive to it s o even the hypoallergenic Petcurean could be a problem. Negative reactions to foods can be similar even when the causes are different. Here's an article that explains a bit about allergies and intolerances. I saw another good one recently (about allergies and sensitivities) and can see if I can dig that one up, too, if you want!

I bet what you saw about the link to wet food and hyperthyroidism concerned BPA, which can be in the can coating, right? That's definitely something to watch out for; fortunately, a fair number of companies have eliminated it from their cans. Fish can also contribute to thyroid disease.

I hope some wet food might help out. Do you need suggestions or do you already have ideas on what to feed? Are you in North America? (I think so based on the brands you mentioned!) Also, what is your cat's name?

Some dogs do poorly on grain free diets for that reason (legumes) and tolerate grains better. Some do not. It's a crap shoot and a game of playing "what works, what doesn't."
Sadly some owners consider random diarrhea from a cat or dog "normal", or "that's just how they are" and won't switch because they're loyal to a brand of food. Loyalty to a company is great, but if it's not working, there's no harm in trying something else, or even emailing the company to see if they offer a different formula that might work.
We feed lamb (raw) but one of our dogs won't touch it. I have no idea why but I figure he knows better than we do so we don't give him lamb. He's happy, healthy, charming/annoying (depends on the day) and just...does not like lamb.
I dislike certain foods and would have a serious problem if someone forced it!

 

[lisahe]

Some dogs do poorly on grain free diets for that reason (legumes) and tolerate grains better. Some do not. It's a crap shoot and a game of playing "what works, what doesn't."

Unfortunately, this is literally true all too often! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)

 

[Daisy6]

Sadly some owners consider random diarrhea from a cat or dog "normal" or "that's just how they are" and won't switch because they're loyal to a brand of food. Loyalty to a company is great, but if it's not working, there's no harm in trying something else, or even emailing the company to see if they offer a different formula that might work.

It could be ignorance ("They use clumpable litter so I can't tell the difference"). It's more likely to be considered normal for the cat if the symptom is vomiting (stress, eating too fast, etc.) as you can easily see undigested food and brown liquid on the floor. But I agree people do tend to deny a cat's diet is the culprit even if it is a kibble addict pooping outside the litterbox.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Unfortunately, this is literally true all too often! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)

Yes, a crap shoot on the walls, on the furniture, on the ceiling (how do they manage to crap on the CEILING?!!!)

 

[mani]

Mod Note: quite a few posts in this thread have been removed as they took the thread off topic and became quite heated.
Please remember this is a member's thread, they are asking a question, and personal spats are unhelpful and impolite.

 

[Azazel]

Two of my cats get diarrhea if they eat anything with peas in it. I definitely agree with the others that this could be your culprit and also suggest a wet diet with simple ingredients. Let us know how it goes!