Karen and Chispa (GA)
Very Active Member
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/11-17-chispa-156-amps.295777/#post-3221133
Good evening to all! (or more likely good morning to most, by the time you read this)
First, a shout-out to @Staci & Ivy for suggesting I try the "roll method" after a string of fur shots. Staci, thanks to your suggestion, the last five out of seven preshots have been blue, and green nadirs are becoming the norm once again. With the lower numbers, her water consumption is HALF of what it was before, which also means she's making it to the litterbox twice as often, and more importantly, I'm sure it's much easier on her kidneys. Chispa and I both thank you!
Second, huge thanks to @Wendy&Neko for the link to a long and detailed article on probiotics that sent me down a cat nutrition rabbit hole. I'm copying the link here for anyone who's interested:
https://www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org/probiotics-for-cats---why-and-which-ones.html
One very important article I found while in the rabbit hole was about pet food regulations and labeling. I wouldn't recommend actually reading the article unless you are prepared to be shocked and completely grossed out by what goes into some pet foods (it's SO much worse than the chicken feet and beaks we already knew about). To spare you the details, I'll pass along my executive summary of pet food labeling:
1. The 95% rule: An ingredient used as the name of the food has to be at least 95% of the contents (so "Tuna Cat Food" is 95% tuna).
2. The 25% rule: An ingredient used with a qualifying word like "dinner" or "formula" has to be 25% of the contents (so "Tuna Formula Cat Food" or "Tuna Dinner in Gravy" could be only 25% tuna).
3. The 3% rule: If "with" is part of the product name, that ingredient has to be at least 3% of the contents (so "Cat Food with Tuna" might contain only 3% tuna, and this is perfectly legal).
This could be a clue to Chispa's weight loss. The Evanger's "Rabbit Dinner" I've been feeding her may well be 75% cranberries and squash and all the other fruits and vegetables that follow rabbit in the long list of ingredients. It would also explain why the phosphorous content of this food is so much lower than that of the Instinct Original Rabbit that I also feed her, as well as the difference in cost (about half).
I'm beginning to understand why some people feed their cats a homemade diet. I couldn't do it -- I don't eat meat, and there's no way I'm going to grind up animal parts in my kitchen -- but it would solve a lot of the problems and confusion that come with commercial foods.
Good evening to all! (or more likely good morning to most, by the time you read this)
First, a shout-out to @Staci & Ivy for suggesting I try the "roll method" after a string of fur shots. Staci, thanks to your suggestion, the last five out of seven preshots have been blue, and green nadirs are becoming the norm once again. With the lower numbers, her water consumption is HALF of what it was before, which also means she's making it to the litterbox twice as often, and more importantly, I'm sure it's much easier on her kidneys. Chispa and I both thank you!
Second, huge thanks to @Wendy&Neko for the link to a long and detailed article on probiotics that sent me down a cat nutrition rabbit hole. I'm copying the link here for anyone who's interested:
https://www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org/probiotics-for-cats---why-and-which-ones.html
One very important article I found while in the rabbit hole was about pet food regulations and labeling. I wouldn't recommend actually reading the article unless you are prepared to be shocked and completely grossed out by what goes into some pet foods (it's SO much worse than the chicken feet and beaks we already knew about). To spare you the details, I'll pass along my executive summary of pet food labeling:
1. The 95% rule: An ingredient used as the name of the food has to be at least 95% of the contents (so "Tuna Cat Food" is 95% tuna).
2. The 25% rule: An ingredient used with a qualifying word like "dinner" or "formula" has to be 25% of the contents (so "Tuna Formula Cat Food" or "Tuna Dinner in Gravy" could be only 25% tuna).
3. The 3% rule: If "with" is part of the product name, that ingredient has to be at least 3% of the contents (so "Cat Food with Tuna" might contain only 3% tuna, and this is perfectly legal).
This could be a clue to Chispa's weight loss. The Evanger's "Rabbit Dinner" I've been feeding her may well be 75% cranberries and squash and all the other fruits and vegetables that follow rabbit in the long list of ingredients. It would also explain why the phosphorous content of this food is so much lower than that of the Instinct Original Rabbit that I also feed her, as well as the difference in cost (about half).
I'm beginning to understand why some people feed their cats a homemade diet. I couldn't do it -- I don't eat meat, and there's no way I'm going to grind up animal parts in my kitchen -- but it would solve a lot of the problems and confusion that come with commercial foods.
