Hill's blahblah Feline W/D: New Question-- p. 2

[Grataan]

[QUOTE=mvp;5961240]
Thanks, all.

This thread explains a lot-- mainly that I’m a sucker, hoping and trying to make a relationship with a new small animal vet work. It proves expensive to switch.

Sadly, the bag is open. Otherwise I’d return it and begin my search for a vet anew. (I think I’d be seen as a cheap, non-compliant a-hole if I did that and continued to patronize this practice. I’m stupid but no masochist.)

Also very sad, I read the ingredients on the Hill’s W/D bag and found all kinds of grain way up at the top. The vet claimed that the high-fiber content was what was doing the job in this cat food. I suspect eating it will be like the fat man eating celery. No calorie-hound is fooled by celery!

Catness will be ok. I agree with the poster who said that owners who watch their animals know them pretty well. I’m confident that I can switch insulins and maybe diet without sending Kitteh in insulin shock. We will go slowly, and I’ll report back.[/QUOTE]

Both Hill’s Prescription and Royal Canin Veterinary diets are 100% money back guaranteed-if you change your mind or your pet won’t eat it you can return it to the clinic for a full refund even if there is 1 kibble left in the bag or 1 tsp left in the open can.

[mvp]

Update and New Question, not in that order.

Question: Can Catness be allergic to this hoity technoscience stuff?

She seems itchier than usual and it’s not obviously fleas.

Update: Didn’t take the crap back for the refund. It costs more in fuel to get to vet’s office and back than it’s worth. Kitteh does eat it. Kitteh also eats Meow Mix with no complaints. Itching and flakey skin over her back seem to be increasing as the transition away from her grocery store junk cat food goes on.

I have few brain cells to put into sussing out my cat’s deal. Can you all lend me some?

Cat says, “Thanks.”

[ASBJumper]

[QUOTE=mvp;6004117]
Update and New Question, not in that order.

Question: Can Catness be allergic to this hoity technoscience stuff?

She seems itchier than usual and it’s not obviously fleas.

Update: Didn’t take the crap back for the refund. It costs more in fuel to get to vet’s office and back than it’s worth. Kitteh does eat it. Kitteh also eats Meow Mix with no complaints. Itching and flakey skin over her back seem to be increasing as the transition away from her grocery store junk cat food goes on.

I have few brain cells to put into sussing out my cat’s deal. Can you all lend me some?

Cat says, “Thanks.”[/QUOTE]

So, you’re still feeding her the “crap?”

Stop feeding her the “crap”.

Switch her over to a high-quality, high-protein, GRAIN-FREE wet food. Supplement with yummy species-appropriate treats like raw (or cooked) beef & chicken, tuna, mackerel (Evanger’s whole mackerel in a can is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids and provides a good jaw workout), etc.

Then report back!

[mvp]

[QUOTE=ASBJumper;6004135]
So, you’re still feeding her the “crap?”

Stop feeding her the “crap”.

Switch her over to a high-quality, high-protein, GRAIN-FREE wet food. Supplement with yummy species-appropriate treats like raw (or cooked) beef & chicken, tuna, mackerel (Evanger’s whole mackerel in a can is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids and provides a good jaw workout), etc.

Then report back! ;)[/QUOTE]

Yes, but Kitteh was less itchy when eating the “SlimJims and Cheetohs” of cat food. She now gets more wet food and this Hill’s stuff… and gives you the old “grooming with sound effects at 4 am” behavior that I can’t.stand.

I’ll continue to move her in the healthy direction, but I’m confused because so far it seems worse, not better.

[Simkie]

Because she’s allergic to it? It’s still got a lot of items that cats be be allergic to. If your cat is allergic to corn (common!) or chicken (also common!) the W/D is going to trigger that. Just because it costs a lot of dollars doesn’t mean it’s not going to trigger a potentially annoying and frustrating allergic response.

Meow Mix looks to be mostly corn with some chicken, so my guess would be that the chicken isn’t sitting well. The W/D might have more than the Meow Mix, which is why the cat is worse.

[mvp]

[QUOTE=Simkie;6004301]
Because she’s allergic to it? It’s still got a lot of items that cats be be allergic to. If your cat is allergic to corn (common!) or chicken (also common!) the W/D is going to trigger that. Just because it costs a lot of dollars doesn’t mean it’s not going to trigger a potentially annoying and frustrating allergic response.

Meow Mix looks to be mostly corn with some chicken, so my guess would be that the chicken isn’t sitting well. The W/D might have more than the Meow Mix, which is why the cat is worse.[/QUOTE]

Thank you.

As I say, I’m really not a cat nutritionist, so it helps to have someone else think about this for me. Sorry to be such a slacker.

I can’t believe carnivore cat might be allergic to chicken, but I’ll do an experiment with both of these dry foods while I have 'em on hand and see if I get a clear answer.

[GraceLikeRain]

Well you went from feeding a low quality food to another low quality food (it just cost 3x as much unfortunately).

Your cat might be getting itchier because the new food as an additional item like soy or is lower fat. This does not mean that the meow mix was good, just that it contained slightly less harmful ingredients.

Going grain free is 100% worth it. I am feeding raw now but I used to feed both my dog and cat grain free (Orijen 6-fish and EVO) on a college budget. It’s frustrating to waste money but the longer you feed low-quality food, the longer it is going to take to see an improvement.

[Simkie]

If you can, the 95% meat diets are GREAT for figuring out allergies. You feed one thing. Before Grain does them (although there is EGG in all, I think, which does set off some cats), EVO has several and so does Evanger. These are also fabulous options for a diabetic cat.

[mvp]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;6004381]
Well you went from feeding a low quality food to another low quality food (it just cost 3x as much unfortunately). [/QUOTE]

D’oh!

I’m the Homer Simpson of the High End Cat Care world.

Kitteh did have some Before Grain wet food while at Grandma’s house. (My mom dotes on her cat and my cat scored while we were visiting for Thanksgiving.) I think she was less itchy. I’ll get on that.

ETA: I believe the Hill’s W/D was meant to be diet cat food, so it wouldn’t surprise me if it had soy and other useless but allergy-inducing whatnot in it.