Please help with UK food

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Teetee (UK)

Teetee (UK)

Member Since 2019
Please help me with what food i can give my newly diagnosed cat, i am in the UK and i just don't know what to buy, he hates the prescription food and won't go near it.
The vet suspected his condition a couple of weeks ago after blood tests, the first blood test without fasting was reading at 8.2 mmol/L glucose levels, (148mg/dL) we had a second one done after fasting and that came back at 15.3 mmol/L glucose levels (275mg/dL).
The vet said that we should try a diet and weight loss program for a short while to see if we can bring the levels down and if not then it would have to be insulin.
He is over weight at 6.6kg but he is a big cat and he needs to lose about 1.5 to 2 kg, also he has high cholesterol, so hopefully the diet will bring that down as well.
What is the best low to zero carb food that i can get here in the UK from the supermarket or pet shops, i have looked on the forum but it's just so confusing, my head is spinning, please help.
 
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Hi teetee, welcome to the forum.

I completely understand how you're feeling as I was the same way a few weeks ago. I was having trouble figuring out which was the best food within my budget but everyone on here was very helpful.

You definitely don't need the prescription food. It's often way too expensive and not any better than some other foods in the supermarkets.

Below is the link to the UK thread that has information on everything from food to insulin if you want to take a look:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...other-need-to-know-stuff.137376/#post-2318126

This is a list of all the foods available to buy from shops and online in the UK:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J5JpMe6TDXrHq_aTl9hUtHy6Gs9oRBqlz4nPGKxtySA/pubhtml

If you're looking specifically at buying from a supermarket or a pet shop, then it really depends on your budget. Something like Nature's Menu is a very good quality food and it can be found in places like Waitrose or Pets At Home but it isn't cheap. If you're on a low income like me then something like Butchers Classic cans is a good option and can be found in Asda, Sainsbury's, and Pets At Home. They're about £2.60/£2.80 for a pack of six cans and my cat loves them. They're free from all the extra cereals, grains and sugars that a lot of the food has and even his coat is looking better and shinier on it.

Obviously every cat is different and it may take a few tries before you find the right food for your little one but you will get there. :)
 
Hello, and welcome,
You've had some good advice above.
teetee said:
The vet suspected his condition a couple of weeks ago after blood tests, the first blood test without fasting was reading at 8.2 mmol/L glucose levels, (148mg/dL) we had a second one done after fasting and that came back at 15.3 mmol/L glucose levels (275mg/dL).
The vet said that we should try a diet and weight loss program for a short while to see if we can bring the levels down and if not then it would have to be insulin.
He is over weight at 6.6kg but he is a big cat and he needs to lose about 1.5 to 2 kg, also he has high cholesterol, so hopefully the diet will bring that down as well.
Click to expand...
With those blood glucose levels it's certainly worth trying a lower carbohydrate diet first. But the results you get (in terms of reduced blood glucose levels) will depend on the difference in carb level between what you're feeding now, and what you switch to.
Getting kitty to lose a bit of weight should help the blood glucose levels too. And low carb wet foods are good for helping kitties to lose weight.

What exactly have you been feeding your kitty up until now?

Eliz
 
Cherish4 said:
Hi teetee, welcome to the forum.

I completely understand how you're feeling as I was the same way a few weeks ago. I was having trouble figuring out which was the best food within my budget but everyone on here was very helpful.

You definitely don't need the prescription food. It's often way too expensive and not any better than some other foods in the supermarkets.

Below is the link to the UK thread that has information on everything from food to insulin if you want to take a look:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...other-need-to-know-stuff.137376/#post-2318126

This is a list of all the foods available to buy from shops and online in the UK:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J5JpMe6TDXrHq_aTl9hUtHy6Gs9oRBqlz4nPGKxtySA/pubhtml

If you're looking specifically at buying from a supermarket or a pet shop, then it really depends on your budget. Something like Nature's Menu is a very good quality food and it can be found in places like Waitrose or Pets At Home but it isn't cheap. If you're on a low income like me then something like Butchers Classic cans is a good option and can be found in Asda, Sainsbury's, and Pets At Home. They're about £2.60/£2.80 for a pack of six cans and my cat loves them. They're free from all the extra cereals, grains and sugars that a lot of the food has and even his coat is looking better and shinier on it.

Obviously every cat is different and it may take a few tries before you find the right food for your little one but you will get there. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply Cherish4, at the moment i am looking at Lily's kitchen wet food trays as they are 0% carbs, also Natures menu Kitten Food (chicken). Butchers classic is maybe too high in carbs, i really want him on 0% carbs to get his readings down quicker if that makes sense.
That list of foods is a great help, thanks.
 
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Elizabeth and Bertie said:
Hello, and welcome,
You've had some good advice above.

With those blood glucose levels it's certainly worth trying a lower carbohydrate diet first. But the results you get (in terms of reduced blood glucose levels) will depend on the difference in carb level between what you're feeding now, and what you switch to.
Getting kitty to lose a bit of weight should help the blood glucose levels too. And low carb wet foods are good for helping kitties to lose weight.

What exactly have you been feeding your kitty up until now?

Eliz
Click to expand...

Hi Eliz, thanks for the reply,
Yes weight loss and a good diet is what we are going to try first and fingers crossed that will bring his blood glucose levels down, also his cholesterol levels too.
At the moment he is on Felix good as it looks senior mixed selection in jelly, Hi-life it's only natural the original one in jelly, but he's not keen on that, also we have Whiskas senior in jelly. He hates food in gravy for some reason. But as of tonight he's on Lily's kitchen, fingers crossed he likes it.
 
teetee said:
Thanks for the reply Cherish4, at the moment i am looking at Lily's kitchen wet food trays as they are 0% carbs, also Natures menu. Butchers classic is maybe too high in carbs, i really want him on 0% carbs to get his readings down quicker if that makes sense.
That list of foods is a great help, thanks.
Click to expand...
Actually I think Butcher's is one of the lowest-carb foods you could get, so perhaps get a few tins of that, and some Lily's and Nature's Menu, to see what your kitty will actually eat. As you know, they can be quite fussy creatures and what one cat loves, another will stubbornly refuse. So you can try the lowest-carb possible food, but you may have to be prepared to try a slightly higher-carb one if it's more acceptable :)

It's a good idea to try a different diet before starting insulin, in case food alone makes an appreciable difference, but don't be too down-hearted if it doesn't work. Treating a diabetic cat isn't rocket science once you understand the basics, and there is all the information and support on this board that you could ever need.

Good luck and keep us informed!
 
teetee said:
Hi Eliz, thanks for the reply,
Yes weight loss and a good diet is what we are going to try first and fingers crossed that will bring his blood glucose levels down, also his cholesterol levels too.
At the moment he is on Felix good as it looks senior mixed selection in jelly, Hi-life it's only natural the original one in jelly, but he's not keen on that, also we have Whiskas senior in jelly. He hates food in gravy for some reason. But as of tonight he's on Lily's kitchen, fingers crossed he likes it.
Click to expand...
Aha! Your post crossed with mine. Felix As Good As It Looks (AGAIL) is known to raise blood glucose in some cats so yours may be one of those. I would certainly cut it out for now and concentrate on others. Actually, the Whiskas in jelly should be fine, even if not 0% carbs, it's still better than varieties in gravy (which contain starch/sugars - the main thing to look for on food labels is the absence of "various sugars").
 
Diana&Tom said:
Actually I think Butcher's is one of the lowest-carb foods you could get, so perhaps get a few tins of that, and some Lily's and Nature's Menu, to see what your kitty will actually eat. As you know, they can be quite fussy creatures and what one cat loves, another will stubbornly refuse. So you can try the lowest-carb possible food, but you may have to be prepared to try a slightly higher-carb one if it's more acceptable :)

It's a good idea to try a different diet before starting insulin, in case food alone makes an appreciable difference, but don't be too down-hearted if it doesn't work. Treating a diabetic cat isn't rocket science once you understand the basics, and there is all the information and support on this board that you could ever need.

Good luck and keep us informed!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice Diana, regarding the Butchers classic i looked at the list that Cherish4 provided and saw that it was 7.6% carbs and thought it was high, i'm still learning, bear with me, my head is spinning and i'm so confused and not to mention worried.
 
teetee said:
Thanks for the advice Diana, regarding the Butchers classic i looked at the list that Cherish4 provided and saw that it was 7.6% carbs and thought it was high, i'm still learning, bear with me, my head is spinning and i'm so confused and not to mention worried.
Click to expand...
Argh...ok, now I'm not sure what's going on. @Elizabeth and Bertie , isn't Butcher's what we've been recommending for years as being very low carb? And therefore one of the best options for a diabetic cat???
 
Diana&Tom said:
Aha! Your post crossed with mine. Felix As Good As It Looks (AGAIL) is known to raise blood glucose in some cats so yours may be one of those. I would certainly cut it out for now and concentrate on others. Actually, the Whiskas in jelly should be fine, even if not 0% carbs, it's still better than varieties in gravy (which contain starch/sugars - the main thing to look for on food labels is the absence of "various sugars").
Click to expand...

Thanks, Felix is definitely of the list, looking at the list the Whiskas 'Oh so' range is quite low in carbs, the senior is 3.1%
Can i ask, am i looking for low carbs foods that don't contain various sugars.
 
Diana&Tom said:
Argh...ok, now I'm not sure what's going on. @Elizabeth and Bertie , isn't Butcher's what we've been recommending for years as being very low carb? And therefore one of the best options for a diabetic cat???
Click to expand...
Hi Diana, yes, Butcher's is an old fave on this forum, and still good. But there are just a lot of low carb foods out there now, popping up like crocuses; so lots and lots of choice. :)
 
teetee said:
Thanks, Felix is definitely of the list, looking at the list the Whiskas 'Oh so' range is quite low in carbs, the senior is 3.1%
Can i ask, am i looking for low carbs foods that don't contain various sugars.
Click to expand...
Yes that's right, low-carb foods with no "various sugars" that can raise bg.
I'm sorry if the Butcher's issue is confusing - I've asked Elizabeth and she says Butcher's is technically higher in carbs than some other foods, but it doesn't have added sugar so may be better than some lower-carb foods that do have added sugar... it's a question really of finding how your cat metabolises the various foods. It can seem a bit of a minefield but once you start ruling out a few and are left with just two or three perhaps, it feels easier.
 
@teetee - the Lily's Kitchen is certainly a good bet. It's nicely low carb, and not too high in calories. It's a very different texture to the Felix etc though, in that it is a sort of pate type. If your kitty doesn't take to it immediately you could try mixing some of it into your kitty's current food, and then increasing the amount.
I'll have a look down the list for you for other low carb supermarket foods. Back soon...
 
Aha, the Sainsbury's 'Delicious' pouches in jelly that Diana often recommends also look like a good bet. They also have the advantage of being quite low in fat and calories....
Also 'Blink!' pouches from Tesco, Morrisons, and maybe elsewhere... But they're around a quid for an 85g pouch... (These are also lower fat and lower calorie, and the ingredients look nice...)
Also the (even pricier) Thrive complete 75g tins. These are also lower fat and lower calorie. I've used these to help my new diabetic kitty to shift some weight (in her case it's the only low carb wet food she will eat!)
 
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Elizabeth and Bertie said:
Aha, the Sainsbury's 'Delicious' pouches in jelly that Diana often recommends also look like a good bet. They also have the advantage of being quite low in fat and calories....
Also 'Blink!' pouches from Tesco, Morrisons, and maybe elsewhere... But they're around a quid for an 85g pouch... (These are also lower fat and lower calorie, and the ingredients look nice...)
Also the (even pricier) Thrive complete 75g tins. These are also lower fat and lower calorie. I've used these to help my new diabetic kitty to shift some weight (in her case it's the only low carb wet food she will eat!)
Click to expand...
Yes I'm rather fond of Sainsbury's Delicious! Not me personally, obviously :) but it does actually look like proper food, nice shredded chicken, and not mashed-up mush which so many cat foods do. You can buy single pouches or boxes of six, works out at about 60p per pouch.
I've never heard of Blink so have just looked it up and that looks rather nice too, 50% chicken content.
All of this is partly down to how much you can afford to spend and how strongly you feel about premium nutrition. Whiskas, Felix etc are the UK staples - cheap and readily available, but they are quite poor quality, sadly, with only about 4% meat. Nature's Menu works out at about 65p per pouch. Lily's is a tad dearer I think.
You'll soon become a cat food label addict like the rest of us!
 
Thanks for the replies, you've been a fantastic help, i'm on my way to pets at home to get some lily's kitchen, however could someone explain if the carrageenan in lily's kitchen is dangerous for him.
@Elizabeth and Bertie i will try the Thrive complete 75g tins as well, where do you get yours from?
 
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teetee said:
however could someone explain if the carrageenan in lily's kitchen is dangerous for him.
Click to expand...
There have been kitties who are sensitive to carrageenan. It is thought that it can be an inflammatory agent. I got in touch with Lily's about this a couple of years ago, and they said their carrageenan wasn't in a form (or quantity) that caused issues... However, there has been at least one member here who said their kitty did have issues with it.
 
Yes... some cats can have issues with all sorts of things so it's very much trial and error. We'd all love to have a cupboard of two or three different foods that our cats will eat and do well on, but it's not always that simple. So try Lily's and see how you get on with it, and have a couple of back-up ideas too... we've mentioned some.

If you shop online, have a look at www.fetch.co.uk where you'll see most of the brands we've mentioned and more. They deliver free if you spend £29 (which is easily done!).

If you're aiming to try a new food soon, remember to transition gradually to avoid the risk of stomach upsets. Add a little to the existing food, and gradually increase the proportion of the new until a meal is 100% new food.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!
 
Well he ate all of the Lily's chicken no problem, he's having a nice nap now.
I have seen Thrive complete at Holland and Barrett online at buy one get one half price, 2 75g tins for £1.48, but it's only the fish ones if anybody is interested.
 
teetee said:
Well he ate all of the Lily's chicken no problem, he's having a nice nap now.
I have seen Thrive complete at Holland and Barrett online at buy one get one half price, 2 75g tins for £1.48, but it's only the fish ones if anybody is interested.
Click to expand...
Wow - I had no idea Holland and Barrett sold cat food. They must be branching out! One of our members here manages a H&B branch - I will ask her. Meanwhile, good news about the Lily's :) If it's a lot lower in carbs than the usual food, it should make at least some difference to bg.
 
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