IBD cat: rotate food, yes or no

[mphscat]

So for those of you with IBS/IBD cats, do you rotate their food, yes or no and why? I have one IBD cat (though last ultasound now shows no intestine enlargement) so all my cats are on limited ingredient Nature Variety rabbit. When I asked the vet if I should rotate flavors among the limited ingredients he said absolutely not because if the IBD flares up again, I wouldn't have a novel protein left to try.

Your thoughts/experience?

Thanks!

 

[bonepicker]

Sorry I know nothing

So for those of you with IBS/IBD cats, do you rotate their food, yes or no and why? I have one IBD cat (though last ultasound now shows no intestine enlargement) so all my cats are on limited ingredient Nature Variety rabbit. When I asked the vet if I should rotate flavors among the limited ingredients he said absolutely not because if the IBD flares up again, I wouldn't have a novel protein left to try.

Your thoughts/experience?

Thanks!

. I am not familiar with IBD. I had a cat that puked, I took her off dry and rotate her wet foods. Perhaps someone with IBD experience will answer.

 

[stephenq]

So for those of you with IBS/IBD cats, do you rotate their food, yes or no and why? I have one IBD cat (though last ultasound now shows no intestine enlargement) so all my cats are on limited ingredient Nature Variety rabbit. When I asked the vet if I should rotate flavors among the limited ingredients he said absolutely not because if the IBD flares up again, I wouldn't have a novel protein left to try.

Your thoughts/experience?

Thanks!

my vet said the exact same thing.  You introduce one  novel protein, and feed that as long as it works an then you move no to the next.  There are  lot of threads on IBD in the health forum.

 

[mphscat]

Thanks for your answers. There is SOOOO much conflicting information out there. Some articles (ex ibdkitties.net) I've read says that the rotation helps the body (intestines) NOT turn on itself...then you have the theory to use one novel protein at a time. Since my vet is not a nutritionist, I was interested in your thoughts as well. Many thanks, as always!

 

[tabbysia]

I have a cat with IBD, and I do rotate foods to get her to keep eating. I have learned through trial and error that if I keep feeding her just one food that she likes, she quickly gets tired of it and stops eating, and there are not many foods that she will eat. I have found four or five that she will eat with some consistency. I do feed the same two (now possibly three) brands but change up the proteins with each feeding. She eats lamb (her new favorite), rabbit, duck, chicken and (sometimes) salmon. She has not had any problems. I just stick with foods that are free of grains, carrageenan, corn, wheat, and soy.

Keep in mind that none of this is being done on the advice of my vet. It is just what works for me, from personal experience.

 

[ldg]

I admin two IBD groups on FB. What I've seen is that if foods are not rotated, kitty will often get picky and stop eating - and then you're really up a creek without a paddle. And once they stop eating that protein, it can be basically impossible to get them to eat it again.

If you want to stick with one protein, look for as many foods with limited ingredients with that protein, and consider making homemade (cooked or raw, either way) to include in the rotation if there aren't enough brands available with limited ingredients. GoHolistic discusses her rotation in this thread, you may find it helpful:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/274500/best-rotation-to-prevent-food-allergies

Though what seems to work best is having at least three proteins in rotation so kitty doesn't develop a reaction to any of them, as they're not fed exclusively. For instance, rabbit, turkey and pork. Or venison, duck and turkey. Whatever it is. This way you still have other novel proteins to turn to, and every six months you can rotate some of the proteins out and others in, so kitty doesn't ever develop the tolerance. Just based on observation of - at this point - dozens of IBD cats.

As I've mentioned making homemade, this is the TCS official thread to be considered as re: homemade food: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/282314/recommending-a-homemade-diet-hold-your-horses

 

[bonepicker]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mickNsnicks2mom View Post

even expired (well beyond expiration date) can be used by at least some shelters. they use the well past expired dry cat food for local wildlife.

@2Cats4Me -- i order all my cat food online, and i do order a good portion of it from chewy dot com. as long as they'll refund your money when you receive damaged (dented cans, etc) and too close to expiration date cat foods, i'd still order from them. but i'd make sure to always check the expiration dates when i receive new foods. i do that now, always check expiration dates on my newly received cat food orders.

i do understand how this would be really annoying though. it's just one more thing that needs doing, and i have more than enough to do already. I feed Pride rabbit, duck or lamb chunks. Merrick duck and chicken Pates, nutro natural chunky chicken loaf, tiki cat puka luau shreds and NB catatouille, Fussie tuna and Prawn. Red Barn Tricky Chicky., Wellness Devine duos chicken/ duck.

 

[mphscat]

I get another NV limited source (turkey) and Rube likes that MUCH BETTER than the rabbit which I think he was just simply tired of. My 14 year old didn't care for the rabbit AT ALL and I noticed she lost weight so she's thrilled with the turkey as well. With six cats, it's hard to make everyone happy but I seem to have found the solution for now.

 

[aonecatlover]

Hello what brands are you using if you don't mind me asking?

 

[mphscat]

Nature Variety Limited Ingredients. Great products and I buy mine through Chewy.com so great price and home delivery!!

 

[denice]

I fed my IBD kitty chicken exclusively for a long period of time.  He never was able to tolerate beef and I didn't want to feed a lot of fish.  He is now allergic to chicken.  It showed up as a yeast infection in his ears rather than as gastric issues thankfully,  Now I have to use all foods with the more novel proteins  I do still give him a little fish occasionally as a treat.

 

[bonepicker]

That is why I rotate different proteins. My cats like chicken, duck, turkey, liver, rabbit.

 

[mphscat]

Well rotation in will be! Rube decided that he is SICK OF TURKEY so I opened a can of NV and he devoured what I put in his bowl. I need to find one more flavor to put in the rotation and I think it may be the NV pork because I have given him bites of pork chop that did not make him sick.

 

[bonepicker]

I fed my IBD kitty chicken exclusively for a long period of time.  He never was able to tolerate beef and I didn't want to feed a lot of fish.  He is now allergic to chicken.  It showed up as a yeast infection in his ears rather than as gastric issues thankfully,  Now I have to use all foods with the more novel proteins  I do still give him a little fish occasionally as a treat.

I give fish once a week also.

 

[mphscat]

Sorry, I meant to say in my post above I opened a can on NV rabbit. So on the rotation, he has rabbit, turkey and I'm thinking pork. That would leave me venison, duck, bison "just in case" I needed another novel protein