Senior 11+ and Freeze Dried Raw Question?

[Deex2]

Hello all
I was wondering if any of you use and or know of any freeze dried raw that are safe (phosphorus friendly) specifically for senior cats?

I'm aware of the quite a few FDR brands but most of the ones I've looked at have ground bone, which significantly ups the Phosphorus.

 

[maggie101]

4Best for Seniors: Feline Natural Chicken & Lamb Freeze-Dried Cat Food

Buy on Chewy Buy on Amazon
Read Our Full Brand Review

• Made In: New Zealand
• Guaranteed Protein: 48% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 139
• Typical Cost Per Day: $5.40

In theory, raw cat food can be exactly what senior cats need — rich in highly digestible animal protein, helping to support lean muscle mass without stressing your senior’s body. But in reality, raw cat food tends to have too much bone and phosphorus, qualities that make it a poor choice for seniors at risk of reduced kidney function.

Unlike the other foods on this list, this Feline Natural recipe does not contain any ground bone. This helps to keep its mineral balance in check, making it a kidney-friendly alternative to more phosphorus-heavy foods. It’s not a therapeutic diet and not recommended for cats with kidney disease, but it is an appealing option for seniors.

Besides its conservative bone content, this food honors feline nutritional needs with a heavy concentration of easy-to-digest chicken muscle meat, lamb organs, heart, and blood. Finally, the food contains New Zealand green mussels, a source of omega-3 fatty acids that could help to fight inflammation associated with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Ingredients
Chicken, Lamb Heart, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Lamb Blood, Flaxseed Flakes, New Zealand Green Mussel, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Lamb Heart, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Lamb Blood, New Zealand Green Mussel
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:

• Easily-digested protein helps to support senior muscle mass
• Controlled phosphorus is easy on aging kidneys
• Calorie-dense to keep senior cats strong
• Low carbohydrate content
• Contains green lipped mussel, a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3s

What We Didn’t Like:

• Very expensive

 

[Deex2]

4Best for Seniors: Feline Natural Chicken & Lamb Freeze-Dried Cat Food

Buy on Chewy Buy on Amazon
Read Our Full Brand Review

• Made In: New Zealand
• Guaranteed Protein: 48% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 139
• Typical Cost Per Day: $5.40

In theory, raw cat food can be exactly what senior cats need — rich in highly digestible animal protein, helping to support lean muscle mass without stressing your senior’s body. But in reality, raw cat food tends to have too much bone and phosphorus, qualities that make it a poor choice for seniors at risk of reduced kidney function.

Unlike the other foods on this list, this Feline Natural recipe does not contain any ground bone. This helps to keep its mineral balance in check, making it a kidney-friendly alternative to more phosphorus-heavy foods. It’s not a therapeutic diet and not recommended for cats with kidney disease, but it is an appealing option for seniors.

Besides its conservative bone content, this food honors feline nutritional needs with a heavy concentration of easy-to-digest chicken muscle meat, lamb organs, heart, and blood. Finally, the food contains New Zealand green mussels, a source of omega-3 fatty acids that could help to fight inflammation associated with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Ingredients
Chicken, Lamb Heart, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Lamb Blood, Flaxseed Flakes, New Zealand Green Mussel, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Lamb Heart, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Lamb Blood, New Zealand Green Mussel
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:

• Easily-digested protein helps to support senior muscle mass
• Controlled phosphorus is easy on aging kidneys
• Calorie-dense to keep senior cats strong
• Low carbohydrate content
• Contains green lipped mussel, a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3s

What We Didn’t Like:

• Very expensive

Yes I saw the ad, but is this something you feed or have fed your cat(s)??? Oh, and thank you

 

[maggie101]

Yes I saw the ad, but is this something you feed or have fed your cat(s)??? Oh, and thank you

No I have not but have been considering it for my cat that's senior only 6.5 pds,used to be 7 though I worry about moisture. I guess add water and also give it canned

 

[Deex2]

No I have not but have been considering it for my cat that's senior only 6.5 pds,used to be 7 though I worry about moisture. I guess add water and also give it canned

Oh I see. My 11+ year old primarily has always eaten dry food. I try to get him to eat canned/wet food at least every night which he usually will albeit not always a lot but at least he eats it. For the last few months i have been incorporating some freeze dried raw from another company in with his regular kibble so at least he will get more protein vs mostly carbs from the plain kibble and it has been working. My other two cats will eat them dry or soaked usually, but they were raised eating canned/wet food so that hasn't been an issue with them. The other freeze dried raw i use i believe is Instinct, which is fine but it has the ground bone in it. The ground bone, from my understanding raises the phosphorus level so I'm trying to steer clear from that. One of my 2 year olds has had struvite crystals and she is supposed to be on a low phosphorus diet so the way i look at is is they all 3 get to be on a low Phos. diet. The food you mentioned is good in that it doesn't use ground bone so I think I'll give it a try, but OMG the pricing is ridiculous.

 

[Deex2]

Oh I see. My 11+ year old primarily has always eaten dry food. I try to get him to eat canned/wet food at least every night which he usually will albeit not always a lot but at least he eats it. For the last few months i have been incorporating some freeze dried raw from another company in with his regular kibble so at least he will get more protein vs mostly carbs from the plain kibble and it has been working. My other two cats will eat them dry or soaked usually, but they were raised eating canned/wet food so that hasn't been an issue with them. The other freeze dried raw i use i believe is Instinct, which is fine but it has the ground bone in it. The ground bone, from my understanding raises the phosphorus level so I'm trying to steer clear from that. One of my 2 year olds has had struvite crystals and she is supposed to be on a low phosphorus diet so the way i look at is is they all 3 get to be on a low Phos. diet. The food you mentioned is good in that it doesn't use ground bone so I think I'll give it a try, but OMG the pricing is ridiculous.

Another line to consider, or i'm considering is Fresh Is Best

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I have two almost 15 year olds and feed freeze dried Stella and Chewy, Fresh is Best, Instinct and Feline Naturals. Just today I got the results of one of their bloodwork and it's almost perfect!

Did your Vet say something about trying to keep the phos. low? That is normally associated with existing kidney disease, that's why I ask. When one of my previous cats was diagnosed with kidney disease, at that point I was feeding fresh raw and the only thing our Vet said was to not feed bone but substitute it with some other form of calcium, which I did. That cat was 13 years old when she was diagnosed.

 

[Deex2]

I have two almost 15 year olds and feed freeze dried Stella and Chewy, Fresh is Best, Instinct and Feline Naturals. Just today I got the results of one of their bloodwork and it's almost perfect!

Did your Vet say something about trying to keep the phos. low? That is normally associated with existing kidney disease, that's why I ask. When one of my previous cats was diagnosed with kidney disease, at that point I was feeding fresh raw and the only thing our Vet said was to not feed bone but substitute it with some other form of calcium, which I did. That cat was 13 years old when she was diagnosed.

Thanks for sharing. Phosphorus levels are also associated with struvite crystals, which one of my cats had. I want to avoid kidney issues in my 3 cats if possible so i'm trying to avoid most of what you mentioned, however I am using up my Instinct food (FYI most places this month Instinct FDR is BOGO free). I'm familiar with all the foods you mentioned, all use ground bone except the most expensive (of coarse) the Feline Naturas. The fresh is best I believe uses ground fish bone, but still bone. Im glad your cats are doing well!!! Sorry to hear about your 13 year old kitty.

 

[maggie101]

I have two almost 15 year olds and feed freeze dried Stella and Chewy, Fresh is Best, Instinct and Feline Naturals. Just today I got the results of one of their bloodwork and it's almost perfect!

Did your Vet say something about trying to keep the phos. low? That is normally associated with existing kidney disease, that's why I ask. When one of my previous cats was diagnosed with kidney disease, at that point I was feeding fresh raw and the only thing our Vet said was to not feed bone but substitute it with some other form of calcium, which I did. That cat was 13 years old when she was diagnosed.

So what other form of calcium?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So what other form of calcium?

I used powdered egg shell. At the time, Radcat was still available, which was frozen 100% nutritionally complete raw made using egg shell powder rather than ground bone. They've since gone out of business, which was a real shame.

 

[maggie101]

I used powdered egg shell. At the time, Radcat was still available, which was frozen 100% nutritionally complete raw made using egg shell powder rather than ground bone. They've since gone out of business, which was a real shame.

D Deex2 ez complete and cooked ground beef is another idea I
will probably try again. I think it has egg shell

 

[lisamarie12]

4Best for Seniors: Feline Natural Chicken & Lamb Freeze-Dried Cat Food

Buy on Chewy Buy on Amazon

Unlike the other foods on this list, this Feline Natural recipe does not contain any ground bone. This helps to keep its mineral balance in check, making it a kidney-friendly alternative to more phosphorus-heavy foods. It’s not a therapeutic diet and not recommended for cats with kidney disease, but it is an appealing option for seniors.

Ingredients
Chicken, Lamb Heart, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Lamb Blood, Flaxseed Flakes, New Zealand Green Mussel, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Did Feline Natural confirm that they don't use any ground bone in this product? According to AAFCO's guidance on understanding ingredient lists re: poultry, pet food companies are not required to list ground bone in their ingredient list for poultry:

"Poultry: the clean combination of flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from the parts or whole carcasses of poultry or a combination thereof, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails."

What’s in the Ingredients List? - AAFCO

 

[lisamarie12]

The ground bone, from my understanding raises the phosphorus level so I'm trying to steer clear from that. One of my 2 year olds has had struvite crystals and she is supposed to be on a low phosphorus diet

I would contact Feline Natural directly and ask re the phos percentage on a dmb for the freeze dried raw chicken/lamb recipe. Chewy questions/answers lists 1.6 phos dmb which is kind of high if you want to stick with lower phos although that percentage was given in 2019 so it might be different today.

 

[Deex2]

I would contact Feline Natural directly and ask re the phos percentage on a dmb for the freeze dried raw chicken/lamb recipe. Chewy questions/answers lists 1.6 phos dmb which is kind of high if you want to stick with lower phos although that percentage was given in 2019 so it might be different today.

So if you think 1.6 phos is high, do you happen to know more or less what is considered a safe low phosphorus range? Please don't refer me to a chart, just wondering if you know a range.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So if you think 1.6 phos is high, do you happen to know more or less what is considered a safe low phosphorus range? Please don't refer me to a chart, just wondering if you know a range.

I would say you would want to keep it at 1.0 or below if you are looking for LOW phos. And I agree with the above poster that I'm not convinced that Feline Naturals doesn't have bone in it. There is nothing in their ingredient list for calcium that I can see, so I'm thinking it's part of "chicken".

 

[Deex2]

I would say you would want to keep it at 1.0 or below if you are looking for LOW phos. And I agree with the above poster that I'm not convinced that Feline Naturals doesn't have bone in it. There is nothing in their ingredient list for calcium that I can see, so I'm thinking it's part of "chicken".

Thanks for the info, I thought low(er) phosphorus would go up to at least 1.3 or so, no?

Also I contacted Feline Nat. and they said only their Lamb FDR meal has ground bone in it? Nutritional Information – Feline Natural USA I just sent them another question asking about calcium.... if no bones are included... stay tuned.