PrimalX - Pet Food

PET FOOD
by Nicole Gilbert

The recent, ongoing, pet food recall has raised questions about the food we are feeding our pets. Prior to the recall, I began researching this issue because one of my own cats has IBD, (irritable bowel syndrome) and I was hoping to find something all three of my cats could eat that would not cause my oldest digestive distress.

I share my findings with you, in the interest of keeping kitties everywhere healthy, happy and safe. Keep in mind that the following recommendations are for healthy cats; diabetic cats have special considerations.

First we'll look at by products. What exactly are they? Are they okay for your cat to eat? This is a tough question to answer because "by-product" is a bit of a catch-all phrase. By-products can contain organ meats, which are a healthy thing for a carnivore. They don't cause allergic reactions and they come from animals, not plants. They can also, however, contain things like feet and feathers, which do not add nutritional content to the food. Sometimes by-products contain meat that has been rejected for consumption by humans, possibly because they show signs of disease. Since there is no way to tell what is in any given by-product in any given portion of cat food, it's an iffy situation.

What you definitely want to avoid in your cat's diet is corn gluten meal and wheat gluten. Unfortunately, a great many cat foods contain these, and/or soy products. All of these ingredients can cause allergic reactions in cats. Additionally, cats don't digest grain products for the most part. They just go in one end and out the other. They are, however, relatively cheap which is why they are added.

For years I believed that cats did not need canned food and would do well on a diet of dry only. I could not have been more wrong. In fact, I've discovered that a steady diet of the same, supposedly high-quality, dry food may have contributed to, if not outright caused, my Goblin's IBD. Cats do not need any dry food at all. If they are fed canned food according to recommendations, they will thrive. They don't need food available all the time either. Cats of all types in the wild do not have a continual source of food and cat biology does not require it.

Some people have heard, sometimes even from vets, that dry food helps get rid of plaque. Dry food shatters on impact with a cat's teeth, so it's difficult to imagine how it could be scraping away at plaque. Apparently, the grinding type of chewing motion a cat's jaws are designed for can cause them to have bits of dry food lodged between their teeth which causes dental issues rather than avoiding them.

Cats need canned food for primarily three reasons. Cats have a very low thirst drive and will not be stimulated to drink as much water as they need from a water dish. As a result, many cats are under-hydrated. Cats on a canned food diet get enough liquids and so are properly hydrated, which helps protect their kidneys and other vital organs and functions. Most canned foods get the majority of their protein from meat, not plants, and are therefore healthier and more appropriate for a carnivorous animal. Lastly, canned food is generally lower in carbs than dry food. Yes, kitties have to watch their carb intake too!

Now that we've covered some things to avoid, what should you look for in the ingredient list on the can? The first listed ingredient should be a meat, such as "beef" or "turkey." Not a by-product, not a "meal" but an actual meat. There shouldn't be any grains, but rice, oats and barley are not as detrimental as corn, wheat, yeast and soy because they aren't commonly allergens nor do they cause a spike in blood sugar. Any grains in the food should be listed no earlier on the ingredient list that the fourth ingredient. To illustrate the joys of feeding your cat a grain-free, canned food diet, I'll share with you the effect it had on my own kitties. Goblin, as mentioned before, has IBD. She is also 18 years old. Since switching to Wellness brand, grain-free varieties of canned food and eliminating dry altogether, she has stopped vomiting altogether. She sleeps in little catnaps like she should and is more active and alert, rather than sleeping very deeply for hours on end.

All three of my cats showed noticeably shinier, softer hair within three days of completing the switch. Grainne no longer has flaky, dry skin. All three are more active. At the risk of being indelicate, the litter box contents have changed as well. There is significantly more liquid content, which along with the hair improvement, indicates that they are finally properly hydrated. Solid content is smaller and dryer, indicating that they are actually digesting what they eat, rather than having it pass right through them. All four of us are very pleased with our results!

Remember when changing your cat's food to do so gradually, increasing the ratio of canned to dry over a period of several days to a week. There is a fair chance that your cat will refuse to eat the new food. This is normal and he or she will capitulate after a few days. Being underfed for a couple of days will not harm a healthy cat.

A few recommended brands of canned cat food:

Without grains (best):
Wellness (grain-free varieties), Nature's Variety, Innova EVO, Avoderm Select Cuts

With grains (okay), but without corn, soy or wheat:
Felidae, Innova, Newman's Own, Trader Joe's (easy on the tuna, cats shouldn't have too much fish)

If you're concerned about cost, do what I do: feed Wellness primarily but throw in some Trader Joe's now and then to keep the cost more manageable.

P L E A S E S P A Y O R N E U T E R Y O U R P E T S ! ! !
In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 cats
In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs
Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year: 3–4 MILLION
~Humane Society Of The United States

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D I S C L A I M E R: Please be advised that I am an animal lover... not a veterinary practitioner.

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