Any experience feeding By Nature brand?

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Kathy and Kitty

Kathy and Kitty

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Kitty has been OTJ four months (knock wood!), but food is still an issue. He had more energy when I pushed Evo 95% on him, but even mixed 50-50 with FF, he didn't like it.

Now he's back on FF classic Chicken Feast. He gained back the weight he lost, and he is less energetic.

I think I've tried everything -- Sophisticat. 9 Lives. Wellness. Cowboy Cookout. I want to stick with very low carb.

Now I have By Nature, which is 95% Chicken and Chicken Liver, no corn/no wheat/no soy. Does anyone here feed it? Would love to know how it affects BGs.

Thanks.
 
Cole eats several of the "By Nature" varieties: chicken/turkey, turkey/liver and the occasional beef/liver. It is dusted with fortiflora or freeze dried chicken, because she doesn't really like it that much, but most other foods have a terrible "end" result, if you catch my drift. Still, several of the other non-diabetic cats eat the By Nature very willingly -- Lee especially likes it. As far as BG, I don't see any particular impact from the By Nature.

I find that lack of energy comment to be a little worrisome. At 13 years old, there could be other things like hyper-t starting up. Or it could be that Kitty's arthritis is getting more painful. I'm not sure from your remark if Kitty put back on weight he needed to have, or if he put back on excess weight. Anyway, I think a vet visit and a 'senior' blood panel could be a good idea and could help put your mind at ease.

laur
 
Thanks, Laur!

Kitty lost maybe a pound while he was eating the FF + Evo blend, and it was weight he could afford to lose. He looked good, and he had more pep.

Within a couple of days of dropping the Evo, he was droopy again -- in a way that I always attributed to the diabetes. Other kitties got their energy back when they went OTJ, but not Kitty.

I think it's the food, which has not smelled or looked the same since Purina messed with the formula last year. But he just won't accept other brands.

I've ordered Dasuquin to replace the Cosequin he has been on; I hope to get it this week. And he'll be seeing the vet for his check-up in September.

At least I can report that his BG was 93 this evening. Yeah, I was worried!
 
thanks for the update. I have heard good things about the dasuquin. And that's a lovely morning BG. What exactly does Kitty do that makes you say he is droopy? Is it posture or just the activity level? Any chance of a photo or little video? LOL I do love to see the kitties.

Have you tried fortiflora? Due to its content of 'digest', you can get a cat to eat darn near anything -- testament to how the food companies are able to get cats to eat horribly inappropriate junk with a sprayed coating of digest. If they really hate a food, they will eat it with a sprinkling of fortiflora on every layer.

If Kitty likes real chicken and doesn't mind textured food, check out the Soulistic cat food at Petco. It's literally shredded chicken breast. The bigger cans are much more cost effective. Most of mine like it a lot. Another alternative is Weruva Paw Licken Chicken. Actually I think Weruva and Soulistic are affiliated somehow. Anyway it is chicken that looks and smells like chicken -- unlike By Nature or Evo.

good luck,
laur
 
Just a few words in regards to my experience with the By Nature products. Spot really enjoyed them and ate them up. I knew they were low carb, so that is why I bought it. However, I did notice that his BG's went up when he was eating it. Of course, he was used to eating the Sophisticat brands..and I only bought the 0-2% flavors. I switched back to Sophisticat and look where he is at now...OTJ!
 
ARGH! Deb, that is EXACTLY what I'm afraid of.

Kitty was very happy with FF Tender Beef before Purina messed with the formula. After literally weeks in green, he suddenly rose to mid-blue. I thought our OTJ attempt was done for. Then I switched the food, and there was green again.

Kitty didn't care for Sophisticat, but Jill has mentioned that I may have been trying to switch too quickly. I need to add little amounts.

Here's my strategy of the day :-D : I forgot that Evo makes beef flavor. I was turned off to beef after the FF experience, but maybe he would like the Evo beef -- and being Evo, maybe it would be better for him. Worth a try.

Laur, what I notice is that he moves more slowly. He does have arthritis, but while he was eating Evo, he was walking a little more quickly, playing with more gusto, pouncing on the toy-under-the-tissue-paper, that kind of stuff. He just now seems tired. He eats, plays, purrs, preens (and poops and pees!) -- all five Ps. Just with less energy. I'll see if I can take a video, and then go to tech to get ideas about how to upload it! Thanks for the idea.
 
Did you try the sophisticat Supreme? Little cans like FF. Tess wouldn't eat regular Sophisticat, but loves the Supreme, especially the Poached Trout 0% carbs. :razz:
 
Yes, we tried Sophisticat. :roll:

Tried By Nature and was rewarded with a small barf. :YMSIGH: So I opened one of the remaining cans of old formula FF chicken feast (THANK YOU AMY & SIX), and he scarfed it right up. He is being very finicky.

I went out and bought some beef + chicken in the Wellness. He used to like the FF beef, before they changed the formula last year.

And of course, the Dasuquin arrived -- so now I'm wondering whether to introduce both a new food AND a new supplement... probably not a good idea.

Darn this kitty's finicky tummy!!! I told him he will have to go to the vet if he doesn't have a chat with his stomach. We'll see if that helps.
 
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