Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as well

Understand that it's preferred to avoid dry, but for many reasons I want to include itin the curriculum so to speak.I want better quality non by products however.
I know Binkys list is old. Looking at it, Wellness Core seems to be best quality and lower carb. Also available in small as well as larger bags which is plus.

Was wondering if Natures Variety Instinct dry foods or Lotus Dry foods comparible as I stink at conversions cat(2)_steam would appreciate input. We had just opened a bag of instinct dry food, would love to use it if carb levels comparible,
http://m.naturesvariety.com/Instinct/cat/kibble/duck

Lotus dry food bag shows protein 35% min, fat 19% min; fiber max 3.5%

http://lotuspetfoods.com/dry-cat-chicken.php or http://lotuspetfoods.com/dry-cat-low-fat.php

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

The "recommended" dry foods to feed, if necessary for whatever reason, are Innova EVO, Nature's Variety Instinct, and Wellness Core.

Nature's Variety Instinct is on Binky's dry food list, listed as Nature's Variety Raw Instinct (the old name) in the Other section. This is the chicken formula. It's 7% carbs. The other Instinct dry foods are newer and haven't made it onto the chart yet.

Innova EVO dry is 8% carbs.

The Lotus dry food contains rice which can raise blood glucose levels.

There are other grain-free dry foods out there but while grain-free may still contain sources of carbs and sugars.

Do your cats like crunchies? There are crunchy low carb treats that you can feed instead of dry food. The Poultry Crispies treats sold only at OnlyNaturalPet.com is a good one.

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

Keep in mind that because of the way dry food is manufactured, even lower carb food can raise blood sugar levels in a diabetic cat. Bandit's blood sugar shoots up from even an handful of EVO dry at 8% carbs, but he can eat canned foods at 8 and 9% carbs with no effect on his blood glucose. That's because dry food has to use some sort of starch to bind the food together, and some cats are sensitive to the source of the carbs--not just the number. You're also inviting complications from other dry-food related diseases like kidney disease and urinary tract disease. Infection and secondary health conditions can also complicate diabetes.

What problem are you encountering that necessitate you feeding dry food? Perhaps the members here can give you some advice on how to solve that, instead. One of the most common reasons people still want to feed dry don't think they are home frequently enough to feed smaller canned meals, and don't feel comfortable leaving the cat all day without food. I work two jobs, so I am in this boat--I freeze portions of the canned food and use an auto feeder to release it at the appropriate feeding time.

Dry food may seem like a convenience now, but when you factor in the inconvenience of the difficulty of regulating your cat's diabetes from the food or other health complications, it actually makes things more difficult for you in the long run.

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

Squeem thank you, Julia understood. We were just diagnosed so trying to figure things out, just know I see hills as bloody crap nailbite_smile so trying for alternatives as well as still in bargaining point adjustmentwise. Have a general 18 year old kitty with additional questions. Starting insulin next week I guess at which time nail beds will be bloody from biting. ( mine not hers) still thinking if went out of town overnight mode, sight off for appointment. Back later.

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

I recently purchased a bag of this:

http://www.youngagainpetfood.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=92100&mcat=cats

I have to travel most every weekend, and I thought it would be good to have on hand in case Beauregard's sitter isn't available. I tested him before and after eating a small sample (to make sure he'd even eat it in the event I have to resort to that...) and a meal-sized portion. There wasn't much change in his BG levels, comparable to the level of an increase he gets after nibbling on his Fancy Feast or Cowboy Cookout. Beauregard is OTJ though - this food might have a different effect with a kitty who is getting insulin and of course a dry-food only diet is not good for any kitty.

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

None of my cats have EVER been dry food only, I am down to just Missy now, when she was young she had some type of allergy food intolerance leading to bald patches, :razz: but led us on the journey for better quality foods. She's always had and relished her canned food twice a day. That's a food I was not familiar with so bookmarked it to look later.

Coming to grips with things slowly. And apologies all between my typos, and iPad spell check some things worded strange Mmissy is 18 but general good health, aside from elevated liver enzymes, arthritis and hypertension as of last year...
She is not a weak sickly weight loss elderly cat. She's never been overweight either, average weight is 11 lbs which vet likes closer to 12 lbs but she's stable weight.

Glad she can still have bonito flakes as all protein and her tuna bark which is simple dried tuna 'bark' from tigertail foods.
Of course when on q 12 insulin shots she couldn't be left over night unless we had someone that could give shots. confused_cat

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

Because my cat has food allergies I am limited in what I can feed him. The vet convinced me to give him Royal Canin gastro intestinal dry. I can't say he loves that dry but he often won't eat the raw chicken if no dry on top. I'm talking a level teaspoon of dry. On this diet he looks healthy and we've had very few 'events' that mimic pancreatitis. His numbers are not great. Of course if we want something to be true we usually set about finding reasons to make it so. Within this context I believe LB looks well on this diet. His diet would consist of 15% dry. His skin is much better. I don't like the dry food. I prefer not to use it. I think my boy is carb sensitive. He's been in the cattery for 34 nights and they ignored my feeding regime and gave him dry at night. His numbers are now much higher and I'm having trouble getting them down into an ok range. If you want to get your kitty off insulin you will scrap dry food.

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

Initially we grappled different foods with vets suggestions, her coat grew back over a LONG time, never did figure what sensitive to, but now she can eat all foods, and doesn't loose her coat. Never had itchy areas, just bald skin :roll: .

Once coat regrew, she had occasional hot spots on her tummy, which went away, after I unintentionally exposed her indirectly to tea tree oil, which I was using for my skin.

Hotspots healed and never came back but she developed nausea and vomiting, bloodwork showed elevated liver enzymes, why she was on low dose Prednisolone 3x/ wk. along with Sylmarin, and my addition of Aloe Juice. (plain, unflavored.)

Still has eaten a variety of proteins but coats good. Some foods she won't touch but think we want to try Tiki cat and others again.

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

I've just recently come to suspect grass as part of the problem for my cat. Him sitting on grass seems to make him very itchy. He lost his tummy fur a long time ago - before any problems with itching/FD. I'm now thinking grass. I wonder if he knows that as he generally avoids sitting on the grass now but sat there the other night for an hour and was very itchy for hours afterwards. After he stayed in the cattery his fur was much better.

What did you do with the tea tree oil? I didn't realise it was a global thing? We use it here in Australia but I would never put it on LB. He gets an ikky tummy if I give him any oils which is a pity as he has dandruff on his back which to me indicates that he needs oils in his diet.

Re: Search for best dry to use if need want to use dry as we

I have excema which stress exacerbates, and work changed to assigned uniforms, never had issue with material but for months felt like sitting on fire ants itched and burned so. Woke up with arms and back and hands bleeding, obviously scratching more then sleeping, was exhausted. Tried a soapess soap, (lather less ) with essential oils, read that tea tree helped with excema, so started using a hair cleanser and moisturizer, helped skin but nearly took missy :cry:

Once my rest improved realized missy had lost weight, took to vets, liver enzymes were off roof and I put 2+2 together no more tea tree oil in my house tyvm. As she climbs in arms if sitting watching TV, lay on head as I fell asleep, she got dosed too.
Cleared up hot spots even indirect use but don't recommend it.

Still use Wen but stick to fig, pomagranite lavender and such, nooooo tto.