feeding advice when cat physically intolerant of wet food

[Carol & Murphy (GA)]

I've posted before but trying again to see if any new ideas pop up, as my cat is continuing to have wild bounces and eating issues.
I adopted Murphy 5 years ago at age 5- he came from the shelter with kibble but I am a believer in canned food so I started feeding him fancy feast pate (pre-dates diabetes by 5 years) - he ate it but after a day or two stopped eating everything -after a day, began eating dry and wouldn't look at the canned. I tried again every month or so with new flavors of fancy feast, Science diet canned, Iams canned, they-sell-it-at-Petsmart-I-tried-it canned. Always the same thing- even when I start feeding it to him in small amounts, building up slowly - he loves it, but after a day or two, he would become ill. He would resume dry food with no problems. My vet said that it is rare, but some cats just don't seem to tolerate canned food. Wonder if it could be the fat content?
Since his diabetes dx, I immediately retried fancy feast (same scenario), had high hopes for Evo but it made his blood sugar spike - now going slowly with Young Again (feeding 1 Tbls/day to see how he tolerate it) - I'm also going very slowly trying to introduce novel protein venison canned (starting out with about 1 Tbls 1-2x/day) I tried Tiki Cat chicken (he won't eat it ) When he gets hairballs, he goes off his food and develops food aversions very easily. right now, I am feeding him a combination of 100 calories of Royal Canin glycobalance, and the rest of his 110 daily calories a combination of Young Again and the venison. He seems going in the right direction, but last night, he wouldn't eat the YA and he dipped below 100, and now has a big bounce (589). If he has food allergies say to chicken or something else, wouldn't the same proteins be in dry food? I am not understanding this intolerance to canned food?

 

[BJM]

He may have a food intolerance or allergy to something that is in the foods you have tried. Manufacturers add all kinds of stuff that cats wouldn't eat in the wild - guar gum, carageenan (a noted inflammatory!)
A raw diet has helped some cats with inflammatory bowel disease - you might check out the recipe at Cat Info if interested.

 

[granadilla]

There are some hypoallergenic foods like Royal Canin (main ingredients are duck and potato) that are specifically made for cats with allergies. There are also limited ingredient foods (Natural Balance is one brand that comes to mind). You could try a novel protein DRY food and see if he tolerates it. Then you will have identified one variety of protein that works. Then if you're feeling adventurous, you could try that same protein in wet food. But if he can't do wet, he can't. Good luck, I had a kitty with food issues due to gastritis and I know how challenging it is.