? Food question...

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KenP

KenP

Member Since 2016
I have been trying to use the Waggers TenderMoist low-carb kibble, which has 300% more moisture than regular kibble and carbs are at 7.5. Though Ginger will eat it, she will only eat it if I chop it, add water, mash it in, and then keep adding water every few hours to keep it moist. (Yes, she has me well trained). She usually takes several hours to consume a 1/4 cup...sometimes doesn't quite finish when time for her next feeding. It would be great to see her eat it more readily. So...after 12 years of dry food...I am thinking about trying canned food. Apparently, she ate it readily at the vet. I'm suspecting she may have some dental issues as well, which may keep her preferring the moist version. I have the cat food chart w/nutrition info that someone on here kindly gave me, and I know a lot of people on here are using Fancy Feast or Friskies by Purina. I'm not trying to feed my cat GMO ingredients or grains and want to keep it low-carb (and affordable!), so please share your thoughts and experiences. I'm not too enthusiastic about canned food...b/c I've just always felt it was nasty. And of course, it is not convenient to travel and leave several wet food feedings for the cat.

I'm also wondering if anyone on here has connected their cat's diabetes or kidney problems (Ginger has misshapen kidneys) with using Blue Buffalo food? I used the dry kibble for a few years prior to her developing these issues. She also developed constant sinus problems on the Blue Buffalo, no matter the season, which she no longer has. Did not have these issues on IAMS for 9 years previously...though she was younger then of course.

Thanks for your feedback! :)
 
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Unfortunately, this food is still only about 30% moisture, at best. Canned food is 75-85% moisture, and you have the option of adding more water to canned food. The Waggers does not contain enough moisture to keep a cat properly hydrated, which is very important for diabetic cats, and especially crucial for cats with kidney and urinary tract issues. The food also contains ground pecan shells as a filler, which is not good for your cat to eat, and could be a source of carbs that may negatively affect her blood sugar.

There are a lot of GMO free canned foods--Wellness, Weruva, Tiki Cat, BFF, Ziwipeak, Organix, and Evangers are some that I can think of off the top of my head. There's a food chart here that lists many canned foods and their carb breakdowns. Their websites have storefinders, or you can order by the case on Amazon and it's not terribly expensive. I've found that the smell of a premium canned food like Wellness or Weruva is not as stinky as those with byproducts like Fancy Feast or Friskies. But if it still bothers you, you can always put it in the fridge before you open the can, and then there is virtually no smell at all when the food is cold.

You can freeze canned food and put the frozen food out for when you travel, or in an automatic feeder to be released at a specific time. Canned food can be just as convenient to leave out for your cat as dry if you can use can autofeeder. I have one for both of my cats, and they are great when I'll be gone for their meals when I'm at work, asleep in bed, or even gone the whole day for travel (with multiple frozen meals set at once).

However, given her dietary needs because of her diabetes and her kidney issues, if you can't find a GMO free canned food that fits her needs in your budget, then I would consider feeding a food that may not be GMO free but would have little to no GMO ingredients. The main GMO offenders are corn and soy, so most low carb cat foods would either not contain GMOs or very minimal GMOs even if they can't claim to be GMO free.

KenP said:
I'm also wondering if anyone on here has connected their cat's diabetes or kidney problems (Ginger has misshapen kidneys) with using Blue Buffalo food? I used the dry kibble for a few years prior to her developing these issues. She also developed constant sinus problems on the Blue Buffalo, no matter the season, which she no longer has. Did not have these issues on IAMS for 9 years previously...though she was younger then of course.
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It's not a specific dry food that causes kidney issues--it's all dry food. The problem is that dry food is moisture depleted, and cats do not have thirst drives like people or dogs do. It's been proven in several studies that they never make up for the loss of moisture in their food at the water dish, no matter how much they drink, because cats don't start drinking until they are already dehydrated and need to get the bulk of their moisture in their food. Chronic dehydration can present problems over time with their urinary tract and kidneys.
 
Finally tried canned food...Authority was the only brand at PetSmart w/low carbs, no GMOs or crap, and decent cost. Got 5.5 oz cans for 90 cents. Will aim for 1/2 can 2x day. Will post how her BG does after this transition over the new few weeks! :) Smell is...more nasty then dry for sure...and that was just for chicken. Haven't tried the fish flavors yet. :(

How long can I leave the food in the dish...only 4 hours?

And will the cat eat the other 1/2 cold from the fridge...or do I put it out an hour before feeding to warm up first?

And is it okay to mix up the varieties?...I bought about 5 different Authority flavors...wondering if that will mess up her gut...should I stick w/just 1 or 2? I'm thinking there is variety in the wild, so it shouldn't hurt...but I'm not a canned foot expert. Thanks!!
 
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We have lots of people that leave food out all day...adding extra water will help keep it from drying out

As far as eating it cold, that depends on the cat...some will eat it straight from the fridge but most seem to like it room temp or warmer. A short zap in the microwave or adding some warm water will help take the chill off if Ginger doesn't like it cold. Just make sure to stir it well if you nuke it since microwaves don't heat evenly

It's fine to rotate flavors...most cats like variety!
 
I obtained a tight plastic lid to cover the can after removing the 1st 1/2. Must I refrigerate the 2nd 1/2? Could it be okay in the pantry w/tight lid for 12 hours? My home is never warmer than 75 deg F. Thanks!
 
KenP said:
I obtained a tight plastic lid to cover the can after removing the 1st 1/2. Must I refrigerate the 2nd 1/2? Could it be okay in the pantry w/tight lid for 12 hours? My home is never warmer than 75 deg F. Thanks!
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if your wanting to feed throughout a lot of people get automatic feeders and use either a freezer pack or freeze the food and put it in before they leave to let it thaw through the day. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GEWHNS/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20
 
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