Human grade probiotics for cats - Enteric/time release Capsule or No Capsule/powder on wet food?

[sherv]

Hello Miamha, thanks for letting me know about the side effects you experienced with the anti-biotics. Good to know and gives me some comfort that perhaps this might be temporary, although he was scratching occasionally before. And your description of what they do is so true!! Benny also shakes his head if I lose grip! I do always have a cloth right next to me when I administer, one end damp, other dry, to wipe any foam or drool and dry afterwards, he seems to appreciate that part. I think I have figured out that best way for Benny is to administer half of the 1.3 ml, then another half right after in the same session. Any more than half is too much for him to handle whereas the 1/2 dose x 2 seems more manageable for him. Did that this morning and actually went much better. That said, not easy getting the plunger at exactly half each time, so I am considering having two syringes at the ready, each with half dose.

And just a quick update, this morning his stool was firm and solid for 4th time in a row over 4 days. BUT, about mid morning, he went again and there was one firm piece, but also about tablespoon of soft. It was already covered by the time I got to him in his litterbox, so tough to tell. Hopefully just an anomaly as part of the process of his body working to address this issue.

 

[Miamha]

Sounds like a big improvement! So many things can cause itching. Thank goodness for vets!

 

[pipperoo]

Hi sherv,
I'm so happy to hear that Benny's stools were firming up. I hope that has continued.

The antibiotics I gave Pip were liquid form. She hated them. It was difficult to get the full dose in her and I'm sure that we didn't do a complete course because of that. NOt to mention, I am sure my anxiety rubbed off on her: i was anxious about giving her meds, i was anxious about her health.

As far as the S. boulardi, I would probably dose about one capsule a day. No rhyme or reason - I would just crack open a capsule, sprinkle about half on her food and repeat morning and night. I definitely didn't do any homework as to the amount and I don't know why!

Sounds like things are on the right track. I'm so happy for you and Benny.

 

[sherv]

Hi everyone,

So we are on day 12 of antibiotics. Generally his stools have been firm with the odd one having a tiny bit of soft stool at the end or the last part of firm piece being a bit more wet and lighter tan colour...akin to the colour of the diarrhea he had. What I have noticed is this: When is bowel movements are spaced by approximately 24 hours (roughly once a day), his stools are mostly firm and darker in colour. However, approx every 3 days, he will have two bowel movements in a day, so spaced about 12 hours apart, and its the 2nd of the day that will have a combination of firm and some soft with no form and having that lighter tan colour. Not sure what it means but it seems the longer the process from consumption of food to bowel movement, the firmer the stool is. Is this because his body needs more time to absorb the nutrients? No idea.

So, I have been giving him 1 capsules of the S boulardi and 1/4 capsule of probiotics twice per day. He also gets 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin with his morning and evening wet meals. I think the fiber helps too. Still on the Instinct LID kibble and can...both turkey.

Scratching comes and goes, but notice alot more grooming lately, although it is that time of year and thank goodness for the Furminator because every morning I am combing out mini Bennys!! But I do wonder if his increased grooming is because of his shedding season. No signs of redness, bumps rash etc.

Sleeping seems to peak on some days, more than normal. A few days this week, slept around 18 hours, more than his normal, which is about 12-15. The meds don't make him sleepy, but wonder if his body is working to adapt to medicine and in turn takes more out of him.

So 2 more days to go until meds are finished. Yay! Although because of the odd stools, vet did suggest that we might do another week. Booo! She also communicated, through one of the technicians, that next step is to try the hydrolyzed soy protein food by Royal Canin. She is still stuck on that.

I am expecting to speak with her Saturday on the last day of meds, and by then will have 14 days of stool results (and pictures) to help determine if we have kicked this, another week of meds is required, or something else is still awry. I think I am going to suggest not changing anything and keeping him on same LID diet for another couple of weeks and see if he reverts, gets better or stays the same.

If not totally cleared up after the 2 weeks on no meds, maybe I bite the bullet and try the vet food and see if protein digestion/absorption is truly an issue. At least, we check that box.

I don't know. While I think the meds may have helped address one issue, my gut tells me something else is also going on.

Until next time.....

 

[sherv]

Well, kinda at my wits end. 14 days of meds, and it seems he hasn't fully kicked this. Tonight, last day of meds, and his stool started firm and darker, but ended with about a tablespoon of loose unformed lighter tan colour stool, with minor traces of blood. Ugh. So, likely means giving him another week of meds which is becoming more and more difficult each day...he really hates this stuff. If still nothing, then either the hydrolyzed protein prescribed food, or a different food vet recommended....LID Rayne. I looked it up and of course it too is vet only. Figures. And a whopping 43% of calories come from carbs!!! Whaaaat? How are vets prescribing this [email protected] intended!

I have enough meds for an extra day and half so will have to ask for more tomorrow to do a full 21 days...just to be sure.

 

[pipperoo]

Hey Sherv,
I moved house this past weekend so I didn't keep up on the thread. i hope Benny continues to improve. Are you still using the pumpkin?

Pip required 2 x 10-day courses of antibiotics to finally kick her pudding poops. After the first 10 days, it looked like things were good, but a couple of days later, the very loose stools started up again, so then we did the second 10 days.

And yes, dosing a cat with bitter bitter antibiotics is no fun for either party.

good luck!

 

[sherv]

Congrats on the house move! Hopefully it was a positive move and experience.

Oh boy, what a ride this had been.

So decided to get more meds to up to 21 day course from 14 day, and his stool got worse in first half of this week. I think the administration of the meds, even though I encouraged him and spoke to him and coaxed him, was simply too stressful. He was even more lethargic, sleeping much more, not overly playful, eating less and hiding under the bed because he knew the times meds were coming, morning and night. Contacted the vet, sent pictures of stool, suggesting that the worsening stool was likely stress related and with his change in behaviour, should we stop. She agreed we should stop, so last dose was Wed morning. Thursday, perfectly normal stool, and had my crazy zoomies baby back. Still he is hiding a bit, but what a change in demeanour only a couple of days after stopping the meds.

All that said, he is still having some stool issues. I would say about 85% is firm and darker in colour, but it seems the end of his bowel movement will have firm with end lighter in colour and wetter verging on the soft stool. Or, there will be a blob at the end, thinking maybe tsp, of soft unformed, sometimes with a bit of blood. It's only been a few days, so I am going to give it a week or two with no additional changes except meds having stopped, to see what happens. Still giving him 1 SB capsule 2x per day and 1/4 capsule of the probiotics 2x per day. Also, yes, still giving about tsp of pure pumpkin with his wet, 2x per day.

He is still scratching, but hard to know if it is excessive as I don't have a baseline to compare against. Tried to check for skin irritation, but its hard through his thick coat, even on front of neck. Nevertheless, we could not see anything...no flea dirt, fleas, bumps redness, dander...nada. We do have topical Revolution Plus from the vet that we have not given him yet because he has been outside very little. Reason I mention, if there are mites that are causing his itching, that would take care of it. But, one thing at time.

While I think the meds may have addressed part of his problem, I don't think it completely solved all the issues. Time will tell. We are just happy that our gentle but crazy playful boy, is back with us.

As an aside, whoa....he is shedding like crazy! I am using med/long hair Furminator and getting half of a tightly packed golf ball per session. Most from his big floofy tail!! However, I think I need a comb for more sensitive areas like his belly.

Thanks for reading everyone!

 

[pipperoo]

Sounds like things are headed in the right direction. You are probably right--little guy needs a break from all the fussing and fretting. Here's to continued improvements--we're rooting for you both.

 

[sherv]

It's been over a week since we stopped administering the Metronidazole. First couple of days after stopping, stool seemed normal. Unfortunately, since then, it has been a combination of normal and soft unformed, usually in the same bowel movement, with the first bit firm and darker, and the last little bit, soft and unformed. Also, still seeing the same pattern: if the longer the time between bowel movements, the more normal his stool seems to be. The shorter the time, the more soft stool appears. Particularly noticeable when he has two bowel movements in one day (eg morning and evening). When this happens, the evening stool has significantly higher ratio of soft stool to firm. So while I think the Metronidazole did help, it has not solved all of Benny's issues.

I had to stop the S Boullardi (+MOS) because Benny was refusing to eat his wet food. I had to chase him around to get him to eat bits of his two wet meals at a time. I remember reading a post before buying that some cats did not like the MOS addition. Well, seems to have proven true with Benny. As soon as I stopped, he eats most if not all his wet meal in one sitting. So far, no significant change in his stool with the elimination of the SB, but it has only been about 3 days. Still giving the 1/4 capsule of probiotics and pumpkin.

We have noticed that the scratching has diminished somewhat though. Always hard to tell since we don't see him every min of every day.

So we are now back to food, and the question of whether he is sensitive to animal protein altogether, or has a specific protein sensitivity. To test the former, would have to go with hydrolysed protein food as suggested by our vet, which in Canada, is only available through vets...the Royal Canin (or Hills I suspect). Frankly, both are junk as far as nutrition and ingredients, they use hydrolysed soy protein as the substitute, which is not good long term, and carbs galore. To test the latter, I need to find a food that is limited ingredient AND a novel protein, like rabbit, kangaroo or some other. But, it's difficult and the LID rabbit I was hoping to feed him is still not available from Instinct/Natures Variety. Of course, the other option for the latter, is homemade. Just not sure I am willing to take that leap just yet.

So I am at the point where I may just bite the bullet and put him on 8 weeks of the Royal Canin hydrolyzed food, just so I can check that box if it doesn't make a difference. Of course, further blood work was also suggested by the vet.

I just hope Benny is feeling okay. His rambunctious play returned after stopping the meds, but some days, he is slow to engage in play. I also wonder though, if he is developing another hairball. Still grooms alot. We keep telling him that he's spotless, as if he knows what the heck we are saying! He coughed up a huge one many weeks ago and prior to doing so, he also seemed somewhat out of sorts. I have been "ferminating" him at least once a day and have enough hair to stuff a small pillow LOL!

Anyway, haven't decided how to proceed yet. Will update again once I do. I am hoping that there is a positive end to this journey, and that maybe, just maybe, documenting our journey will help, even just a little, some other feline experiencing similar issues.

 

[pipperoo]

Thank you for all the updates. I know its exhausting for both you and your cat to go through this.

Maybe give his "system" a rest for a bit--see if he adjusts to a new normal. If you try the vet rx food, a slow transition might be necessary to not further upset his digestive system.

Hairballs are upsetting too. About once a month, Pip would get a bit withdrawn - eat less, crouch more. She would be needing to pass some hairy stool and would be right as rain after. I brush her several times a week, but she is a shedding machine. I've resorted to giving her Vaseline (I am not a vet, this is my own home remedy--the inventor of vaseline ate a tablespoon a day into his 90's). Frankly, she really seems to love it--or knows when she needs it as she will happily lick it off my finger. It "greases the chute" as my old vet used to say, and gives the stool an easier passage. I am not recommending this- I'm just saying what I do!!!!!

 

[sherv]

Hi everyone,

I have been absent for a while because after my last post, we continued on the LID turkey diet but as I was running out, I decided to contact Natures' Variety Instinct myself to get an update on the availability of the rabbit, which was a novel protein for Benny. I learned they had produced a large batch and it had gone out to distributors. Called my supplier in Toronto, they were unaware but they called their distributor who had literally received a bunch of cases of the rabbit cans that very day. Long story short, ordered fed rabbit for about 8 weeks with no real change. Some firm stool, but continued with soft at the end, sometimes blood and a bit of mucous. So, I bit the bullet and went with the RC Hydrolyzed Protein dry, which is based on soy, and is partially broken down for easier digestion. Vet recommended go dry only for 8 weeks, then look at introducing same food in wet. Benny has compensated by drinking a lot more water at his fountains, which was good to see. Previously, he liked his wet almost like soup...so was getting a ton of water without visiting the fountain.

Well, about 2 weeks in and firm stool except once (but likely because I broke down one evening and gave him some crappy temptations hairball treats!!). In fact, by about day 5 of transition, already started see improvement. We continued with the pure pumpkin, about 1/3 teaspoon twice daily to provide assistance with potential hairballs, which he has shown signs by twice over the last several weeks by hacking, but only producing some fluid. The other issue now is that his bowel movements are much more infrequent, which make sense, but some days, he's pushing 48 hours. Earlier this week, he went almost 60 hours, but then had bowel movements two days in a row. So we have to keep an eye on him not getting constipated without any wet in in his diet.

So, one could conclude that Benny's system is unable to fully break down proteins. Vet was right all along. Also seems the Metronidazole might have solved part of the problem, but not all of it, which goes to show how complex diagnosing an issue in a pet can be.

Anyway, I am happy because we seem to have solved the issue, and poor Benny no longer needs his hind end wiped after each bowel movement LOL! However, I detest the fact that I am hamstrung by the current racket here in Canada where specialty food can only be purchased through vets. More importantly, is that while this food solved one problem, it raises concerns because the food quality is sub-par, has lots of carbs, and is based on soy which some suggest can have other long term side effects in cats (liver damage, hyperthyroidism). So, for now, going to stick with it, but need to do more research on other potential alternatives.

Oh, and another pet peeve. This RC food is fairly expensive, I would say 30% more than the instinct I was feeding Benny. One would expect quality, both in the food and packaging. Well, about 1 week in, the zipper seal on ~10 lb bag detached from one side, leaving me no way to properly seal the food and maintain freshness. While this also happened on one bag of Instinct, their immediate response was to send a coupon for replacement bag. RC response? Basically, they are aware they can be problematic, and thanks for the feedback. That's it. I even replied saying that the response was not what I was expecting from them....crickets ever since. Unbelievable. So called animal hospital where my vet works and told them to get me a new bag. Of course, they called RC and received a positive response. They are providing vet with a replacement, but now there is supply shortage so it may be a while. So continuing to use the current bag in the meantime. The sooner I can get away from supporting this company, the happier I will be.

If anyone has any ideas or is aware of any information, posts, research etc on alternatives to soy based diet for felines whose digestive system has difficulty breaking down proteins, please let me know.

Until the next time...

 

[She's a witch]

There’s no way that a dry only eating cat will compensate for the loss of water by drinking it. He drinks, because he’s dehydrated. Is there a canned version of that food?

I don’t know why your vet thinks Benny can’t break down proteins. Benny is a cat, cat is obligate carnivore and protein is at the basis of their nutritional needs. He’d be an anomaly in the cat world if he couldn’t digest protein. I’d be super worried if my cat was derived of meat but I do understand your relief that you don’t have to deal with diarrhea - this is exhausting. I’ve been there and I don’t want to go there ever again so I’m happy you get the break you deserve.

Both clostridium and it’s treatment ruins cats microbiota completely, metronidazole especially wipes everything that is beneficial, and some research shows that the negative changes may be long lasting or even permanent, which may lead to IBD (which in turn may lead to lymphoma). If I were you, I’d focus on rebuilding his gut flora, to fight dysbiosis. Very strong probiotics are a must imo, I had great success in replenishing my cat’s gut flora with Visbiome + s.boulardi plus prebiotics. Or even I’d consider native probiotics that Animal Biome offers?

Also, I’d be willing to bet my money that he’ll be much better on raw food- but it isn’t something that everyone is comfortable with. Id personally be more uncomfortable with feeding my cat moisture depleted (it’s dangerous especially for male cats), meat depleted food for a longer time.

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you for posting your update and it was good to see that there has been some improvement, actually for both of you! I certainly have had to clean enough rears in my day, so I sympathize.

There have been a lot of complaints about RC prescription food. I recall in February a friend who purchased it for her dog received a very vague letter from them about their difficulties with supply, which solved nothing. Just having done a quick check of availability in my area showed only one store with a few in stock....everyone else sold out/out of stock. Apparently they do not worry about customer service if you were not offered a replacement for the damaged products.

So, the soy may be helping the sensitivity, but as you say, the fact that it is dry and has questionable ingredients ticks the boxes for some other problem in the future.

 

[sherv]

There’s no way that a dry only eating cat will compensate for the loss of water by drinking it. He drinks, because he’s dehydrated. Is there a canned version of that food?

I don’t know why your vet thinks Benny can’t break down proteins. Benny is a cat, cat is obligate carnivore and protein is at the basis of their nutritional needs. He’d be an anomaly in the cat world if he couldn’t digest protein. I’d be super worried if my cat was derived of meat but I do understand your relief that you don’t have to deal with diarrhea - this is exhausting. I’ve been there and I don’t want to go there ever again so I’m happy you get the break you deserve.

Both clostridium and it’s treatment ruins cats microbiota completely, metronidazole especially wipes everything that is beneficial, and some research shows that the negative changes may be long lasting or even permanent, which may lead to IBD (which in turn may lead to lymphoma). If I were you, I’d focus on rebuilding his gut flora, to fight dysbiosis. Very strong probiotics are a must imo, I had great success in replenishing my cat’s gut flora with Visbiome + s.boulardi plus prebiotics. Or even I’d consider native probiotics that Animal Biome offers?

Also, I’d be willing to bet my money that he’ll be much better on raw food- but it isn’t something that everyone is comfortable with. Id personally be more uncomfortable with feeding my cat moisture depleted (it’s dangerous especially for male cats), meat depleted food for a longer time.

Actually, my dealing with diarrhea became part of routine...a pain in the rear (no pun intended), but totally doable and it just became "normal" routine. Benny is awesome...he actually announces when it's time to go and usually waits for one of us, so staying on top of his poop and ensuring he was not running around smearing poop stuck to us rear on carpets and floors was not an issue. My concern is more about what Benny is feeling given we know cats are magicians when it comes to hiding discomfort and pain.

I agree that dry only is not ideal. However, I can understand her approach to taking it one step at a time. She did indicate that after 6-8 weeks of dry, presuming improvement in his stool, then we will introduce the canned version of the same food, or perhaps a duck, for another 8 weeks to determine impact. Not sure why we would add duck when that is not a novel protein for Benny. I suppose this is trial and error to see how his body reacts.

In terms of probiotics, I was giving Benny both SB plus MOS by Jarrow and NOW Probiotic Defense, which is why I had begun this thread. Purchased those two in particular based recommendations in said thread. Neither had any significant impact on his stool issues. At one point, I was giving him 2 capsules a day of SB, and I was giving him about 1/2 capsule of probiotics daily...both split between morning and evening doses. He stopped eating his wet with SB, even at reduced doses, so stopped that. Then I stopped probiotics to eliminate all possible factors and go back to basics when LID nor any other efforts seemed to be fully working. I suppose now that his stool has improved, it could be a good time to reintroduce. After all, I have almost two full bottles of the probiotics and one of the SB. However, other than the bit of pumpkin, which he may not eat if he senses either probiotics or SB, not sure how to give it to him. Open to any recommendations.

Raw is not ideal for us, but willing to give it a try if that is my only alternative. I am not sure Benny will go for it...he can be rather finicky. I had looked into a quality grinder at one point and am willing to make the $300-$400 investment to make larger batches and freeze in portions if it does in fact work for him. For now, I am going to finish this trial with the vet to see where it leads us, but as I said, I do not see Royal Canin as my permanent solution.

 

[She's a witch]

Actually, my dealing with diarrhea became part of routine...a pain in the rear (no pun intended), but totally doable and it just became "normal" routine. Benny is awesome...he actually announces when it's time to go and usually waits for one of us, so staying on top of his poop and ensuring he was not running around smearing poop stuck to us rear on carpets and floors was not an issue. My concern is more about what Benny is feeling given we know cats are magicians when it comes to hiding discomfort and pain.

I agree that dry only is not ideal. However, I can understand her approach to taking it one step at a time. She did indicate that after 6-8 weeks of dry, presuming improvement in his stool, then we will introduce the canned version of the same food, or perhaps a duck, for another 8 weeks to determine impact. Not sure why we would add duck when that is not a novel protein for Benny. I suppose this is trial and error to see how his body reacts.

In terms of probiotics, I was giving Benny both SB plus MOS by Jarrow and NOW Probiotic Defense, which is why I had begun this thread. Purchased those two in particular based recommendations in said thread. Neither had any significant impact on his stool issues. At one point, I was giving him 2 capsules a day of SB, and I was giving him about 1/2 capsule of probiotics daily...both split between morning and evening doses. He stopped eating his wet with SB, even at reduced doses, so stopped that. Then I stopped probiotics to eliminate all possible factors and go back to basics when LID nor any other efforts seemed to be fully working. I suppose now that his stool has improved, it could be a good time to reintroduce. After all, I have almost two full bottles of the probiotics and one of the SB. However, other than the bit of pumpkin, which he may not eat if he senses either probiotics or SB, not sure how to give it to him. Open to any recommendations.

Raw is not ideal for us, but willing to give it a try if that is my only alternative. I am not sure Benny will go for it...he can be rather finicky. I had looked into a quality grinder at one point and am willing to make the $300-$400 investment to make larger batches and freeze in portions if it does in fact work for him. For now, I am going to finish this trial with the vet to see where it leads us, but as I said, I do not see Royal Canin as my permanent solution.

As a general rule, I never add meds or supplements in the cats’ food to avoid potential aversion. I serve then separately, as a dessert with a bit of meat only baby food or lickable treat. Not sure if your boy could have those though. Chicken only baby food could be a safe thing to try as it’s very gentle (no other additives, Beechnut or Gerber’s). My guys would eat anything with this stuff.

 

[sherv]

As a general rule, I never add meds or supplements in the cats’ food to avoid potential aversion. I serve then separately, as a dessert with a bit of meat only baby food or lickable treat. Not sure if your boy could have those though. Chicken only baby food could be a safe thing to try as it’s very gentle (no other additives, Beechnut or Gerber’s). My guys would eat anything with this stuff.

Yeah, that's good advice. I may try adding it to his pumpkin and see if he eats it. Not sure I want to introduce any new food during this trial even though baby food is a good choice for a pure food..

Any thoughts on quantities of probiotics or SB? This has never been absolutely clear to me.

 

[sherv]

Hi everyone, quick update. Still on the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic kibble. His stool has been completely normal since starting this food as mentioned in a previous post, and the absolute foul smell of his poop was gone. I have been continuing the pumpkin with added probiotics, morning and evening.

Since his stool was stabilized, I figured no better time to start some trials by introducing one ingredient at a time to his diet and observe impact, primarily proteins. I started with pure wild salmon canned in water, no added salt. Gave him about 1.5 tablespoons a day for about 8 days. Impact? Nothing. Poop remained the same, no noticeable adverse side effects. Took a break for a couple of days, then gave him baked chicken thighs we bought from grocery store. Again, ~1.5 tablespoons per day split morning and evening for about 8 days. Impact? Nothing. Firm stool, in fact slightly dryer than without chicken. Colour was a was darker due to food source (kibble is really light so produced light coloured tool in comparison), and with a bit more noticeable odour. Now, it is possible that 8 days is not enough time for his system to react, but history has shown that if he eats something that doesn't agree, his body reacts relatively quickly. So I am hoping it was enough time, but I suppose its possible it was not.

I did a comparison of all the foods he has had since we adopted to find any commonalities between them. It turns out common ingredients between them all are both peas and tapioca. The Royal Canin has neither. I have heard of felines being allergic to peas, but tapioca is not an allergen of which I am aware. Nevertheless, we are moving to peas next and just began the trial today. We are mixing it with the pumpkin and he seems to like it. Next is to try tapioca. I will report results.

Our search continues, and hope we can pin point the source soon so we can determine how to proceed with his diet. Poor Benny hasn't had any treats for so long as we need to keep a strict diet to figure this out. He's a trooper and the best cat ever. Love our floof to death.

Thanks for reading.

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you for the update! You are really doing a great job of systematically eliminating and testing what seems to work for Benny. He is very lucky that he has someone to test every bite of food that he eats, but then you are lucky to have him. Please let us know the next step in this process.

 

[sherv]

Hi all, so the peas had the most impact on his stool but not enough for me to conclude that it is the culprit of his soft stool that he had since, essentially, we adopted him. The stool changed colour, as could be expected when changing a major ingredient of his diet, and it was a little "wet" on the surface. One had a tiny big of mucous. We tried the tapioca by adding a bit of the flour to his pure pumpkin and probiotics. If anything, had the opposite effect...a bit of constipation as his frequency went from 24-36 hrs to about every 2.5 days, so we stopped.

Conclusion? None. Have no idea. Nothing we thought could have caused his stool issues had any real impact. I suppose one could conclude that perhaps his system is limited in its ability to digest protein, and the limited amounts we were giving via the chicken and salmon was not enough to tip the scales. Who knows.

Next step?

1. We are re-introducing wet for 6 weeks while continuing with the Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Soy Hypoallergenic kibble. We are going with the Farmina N&D (they have a digestion can that contains hydrolyzed herring, although we also bought duck and pumpkin), and the other is Fromm given both have limited amount of filler ingredients and binding ingredients (neither has peas or tapioca). Two days and he has had two absolutely amazing stools!!! Whaaaaaat? Am I getting excited about my cat's stool? Oh boy....I think I need a life LOL! But seriously, it was darker, dryer and very firm and not at all odourous...what one might describe as almost the perfect cat stool! Now, it is only two stools so I am reserving early judgement.

2. Presuming he continues on this path of stool perfection for 6 weeks, then the next step would be to find a quality kibble with equally few "other" ingredients and acceptable level of calories from carbs, then slowly transition him onto that kibble from the RC. Then, we would observe impact over the subsequent 6-8 weeks.

Side note, Benny was so happy to get the wet food! Poor guy has been a test subject for months and deprived of treats and good wet food. We mix the tablespoon of pumpkin and the probiotics with it and he absolutely loves it.

Until next time...