Bad idea to switch up foods?

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Essex

Essex

Member Since 2020
Two weeks ago, I finally got Smudge on to pate (lots of different brands and flavours but all <6 carbs) by adding a homemade broth to give it a more gravy-like consistency. The problem is, she will eat it for several feedings and then refuse it. If I switch to a different brand or flavour of pate, she'll eat the new one for several feedings, and then refuse it too. If I wait a couple of days I can reintroduce the ones she refused, and she'll eat them, so its not that she hates any particular one, its just that she's fickle and wants variety. So frustrating.

I dont have a problem with switching up her food, but my vet thinks it may be the reason we cannot get her stabilized. Vet has suggested a drug that will increase Smudge's appetite and get her to stick with one brand/one flavour, but I'm not big on that idea. Smudge has never had a poor appetite, and in fact, she's put on a 1.5 lbs in 2.5 months. I'm just not sure that an appetite stimulant would encourage her to stick with one kind of food.

Advice?

You can see by her spreadsheet that she's all over the place, mostly trending high. I took her in last week to have blood and urine tests run, and there is no indication of any infection, no protein in her urine, her kidney values have remained stable, and she is bright and happy. Neither one of us can figure out why her BG remains so stubbornly high. On Monday this week, we increased her insulin to 1 unit twice daily. I suppose its technically too early to tell if its working, but her pre-shot numbers this week have not been encouraging.

It's impossible for me to test her more often through the week as I'm gone 10 hours a day.
 
Essex said:
If I wait a couple of days I can reintroduce the ones she refused, and she'll eat them, so its not that she hates any particular one, its just that she's fickle and wants variety. So frustrating.
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Sounds like a typical finicky cat to me!! That's why lots of us have shelves and shelves of different types and flavors of cat food...just hoping we'll find one that the cat will eat!!

We understand that work keeps you from being able to test during the day. Can you get at least a "before bed" test on the PM cycle?
 
I mostly use Fancy Feast pates, but I switch the flavor every time I feed my Billy. He'll do the same thing, not eat if he has too much of the same flavor and there's a couple he won't eat at all. I don't blame him. I wouldn't eat the same dang thing day after day either.

When your schedule allows, get those mid-cycle tests. I know you may have to wait until the weekend due to your long shifts at work. It's possible Smudge needs a small increase, but impossible to tell without the nadir test. I know you recently had to decrease, but that's how it goes sometimes. Sometimes the pancreas needs less help, then it needs a rest. It's also possible Smudge's level is dropping too low during the day with that 1/2 a unit increase you did recently, and what you are seeing is some big bounces. In that case, do make sure he has plenty of food available when you are away from home, as he will naturally want to eat if his level drops.

You're signature says you are feeding some low carb dry. Is that still the case and what brand?
 
Lisa and Witn (GA) said:
I never have any issues switching foods, though generally it is usually the same brand. As long as they are not high in carbs and she is not experiencing any digestive issues such as constipation or diarrhea, I don't think it would be a problem. Are you using the food lists to compare the values to make sure they are similar? http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/links-to-food-charts.174182/
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She doesnt throw up, nor does she have any bathroom issues.

I used Dr Lisa's food list to figure out which brands I could find here in Canada, but I also check every new kind by doing the calculation to figure out the carb values on a dry matter basis, just in case the Canadian version of the food is different.
 
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Chris & China (GA) said:
Sounds like a typical finicky cat to me!! That's why lots of us have shelves and shelves of different types and flavors of cat food...just hoping we'll find one that the cat will eat!!

We understand that work keeps you from being able to test during the day. Can you get at least a "before bed" test on the PM cycle?
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I can absolutely add in an evening test. I'd like to do this at the +4 mark, as that's when I give her another small meal, and I dont want the food affecting her number.
 
Juls and Billy said:
I mostly use Fancy Feast pates, but I switch the flavor every time I feed my Billy. He'll do the same thing, not eat if he has too much of the same flavor and there's a couple he won't eat at all. I don't blame him. I wouldn't eat the same dang thing day after day either.

When your schedule allows, get those mid-cycle tests. I know you may have to wait until the weekend due to your long shifts at work. It's possible Smudge needs a small increase, but impossible to tell without the nadir test. I know you recently had to decrease, but that's how it goes sometimes. Sometimes the pancreas needs less help, then it needs a rest. It's also possible Smudge's level is dropping too low during the day with that 1/2 a unit increase you did recently, and what you are seeing is some big bounces. In that case, do make sure he has plenty of food available when you are away from home, as he will naturally want to eat if his level drops.

You're signature says you are feeding some low carb dry. Is that still the case and what brand?
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The dry food is the ProPlan Diatetic Management (DM). I realize it's high at 18% carb, but she rarely eats it because she doesn't like it and since I increased her wet food, she has even less interest in the dry. I put out up to 1/2 cup a day of dry food between my two cats. The dish is not often emptied, and it's mostly my other cat eating it.
 
Essex said:
The dry food is the ProPlan Diatetic Management (DM). I realize it's high at 18% carb, but she rarely eats it because she doesn't like it and since I increased her wet food, she has even less interest in the dry.
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That could be doing it, keeping the BG numbers high. Even a few pieces could be making a difference.

What happens to cat #2 if you take away all dry food? Will she/he eat the canned food?

Essex said:
I used Dr Lisa's food list to figure out which brands I could find here in Canada, but I also check every new kind by doing the calculation to figure out the carb values on a dry matter basis, just in case the Canadian version of the food is different.
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You want to share what carb calculation you are using?
 
Deb & Wink said:
That could be doing it, keeping the BG numbers high. Even a few pieces could be making a difference.

What happens to cat #2 if you take away all dry food? Will she/he eat the canned food?

You want to share what carb calculation you are using?
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I just tested her (+4) and she was 7.3! I want to celebrate, but is that too rapid a drop from her PMPS of 18.3?

To calculate the carbs, I add the guaranteed analysis percentages from protein, fat, fibre, moisture and ash, and subtract that total from 100 to get the carbs on a wet matter basis. Then I divide that number into the moisture and multiply that number by 100 to get the dry matter basis. Of the foods I have tried, this method has been pretty accurate against Dr Lisa's food list, with some coming out even lower.
 
Essex said:
I just tested her (+4) and she was 7.3! I want to celebrate, but is that too rapid a drop from her PMPS of 18.3?
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That is kind of fast. If you are up at +6, you might want to take another test. If you aren't up at +6, you'll want to set an alarm to wake yourself up and get that +6 BG test.

Because she might just keep on dropping.
 
I should also point out my vet recommended keeping her on a dry food - IN VERY LIMITED AMOUNTS - as we didnt want to make sudden multiple changes given her age and other health issues (pancreatitis, arthritis). Our goal is to remove the dry food once shes stable.
 
Essex said:
I should also point out my vet recommended keeping her on a dry food - IN VERY LIMITED AMOUNTS - as we didnt want to make sudden multiple changes given her age and other health issues (pancreatitis, arthritis). Our goal is to remove the dry food once shes stable.
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Then you get her a bit more stable first. Then see if you can take away the dry food.
 
So an earlier nadir for Smudge last night, 3/11/2020, on the lantus.

Hope you got a good night's sleep.
You have to use the SLGS (Start Low Go Slow) dosing method for lantus. That is because of the dry food. So you could update your spreadsheet (SS) to state the dosing method. There is that space at the top, in a pale orange color. Where it says Dosing Method (SLGS or TR): Enter SLGS after the semicolon.

Even older cats can live for many years with feline diabetes. They may simply have a few more health issues than young cats, but you manage those other health concerns and "treat the whole cat."
 
Essex said:
I dont have a problem with switching up her food, but my vet thinks it may be the reason we cannot get her stabilized. Vet has suggested a drug that will increase Smudge's appetite and get her to stick with one brand/one flavour, but I'm not big on that idea. Smudge has never had a poor appetite, and in fact, she's put on a 1.5 lbs in 2.5 months. I'm just not sure that an appetite stimulant would encourage her to stick with one kind of food.
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I'd be leary of an appetite stimulant also. It's not as if Smudge won't eat. The fact that Smudge is being picky, finicky, selective, seeking variety is pretty typical for a cat.

People don't like only one flavor of food. Imagine eating only oatmeal for the rest of your life. :blackeye: Cats like variety too.

If you start putting the foods you feed and quantities on the SS in the Remarks column, we could look for patterns. Note what is fed in the AM cycle, note quantities and the times fed in the + hour format. Do the same for the PM cycle. Then we could look for patterns between the food fed and the BG numbers. Sometimes that is helpful. Include any treats too.
 
Bazooka Gems said:
Hi Essex,
If you'd like to try out homemade cat food, give our recipe a go. The amount of moisture in these gently cooked wet food recipes are good for kidney disease. Start with the calorie calculator to figure out how much you need to feed according to Smudge's age, weight and body condition score: https://kafkasorganic.com/pages/feeding-guide

A few modifications might be needed for kidney disease like reducing protein amount to reduce phosphorus. But you can start small and ramp up depending on how he's doing on it. Let us know if we can help by contacting us through the website.

Good luck on Smudge's recovery!
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Do you have a diabetic cat?
 
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