Need help choosing new food

[Jenni]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for some healthy food options for my kitty. He is 17.5 years old and was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago. Recent blood test shows early signs of kidney disease. According to the vet, there are no cat foods out there that address both issues. Food best for diabetes is bad for kidneys and vice versa.

Smudges has been on Wellness chicken and herring wet food and Blue Buffalo Wilderness kibble. He has never like wet food but would eat it most of the time but has refused it more and more recently and throws up regularly if he eats it. He has always had a sensitive stomach but vomiting every day unless he eats kibble.

So, do I just give him kibble to keep him happy and healthy with the likelihood that I will have to increase his insulin due to higher carb content? I've tried a few different wet foods with the same vomiting result if he eats it at all.

Right now, he is getting 1.25 units of Lantus 2x/day. Help!

 

[Becky & Baby Girl GA]

Tanyas guide to CKD article has info on both.
https://www.felinecrf.org/diabetes.htm
I know some of the members here are treating both & hopefully they will chime in with what they feed.

 

[Becky & Baby Girl GA]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/112NvvzgxEBOtkb42rA0XR8GeShw9xXs9kccf9-olK7I/pubhtml Updated list of food per Jamila.

 

[Jenni]

Still looking for help choosing a food for both diabetes and kidney disease, please.

 

[Sharon14]

For wet food look for one that is low carb, low phosphorus. On THIS food chart carbs under 10 and phos under 200. Some good ones are Tiki Cat, Weruva and Whole Earth Farms Duck. For dry, try Dr Elseys clean protein. https://www.drelseys.com/learn-more/chicken-recipe/

 

[Jenni]

The foods mentioned above are high protein which are bad for a cat with kidney disease. I understand there is no ideal food on the market to treat both diabetes and kidney disease so I need to find some middle ground (low protein, low phosphorus and low carb). I would be interested in hearing from others who have experience with diets that benefit both diseases successfully. Smudges has been refusing wet food and when he eats even a bit he vomits every time for the last couple of weeks. He handles kibble without problems.

 

[Sharon14]

Tanya’s site, that Becky linked above, is a great resource for CKD info. Here’s the link again
http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm
Since your cat is in the early stages of kidney disease, protein restriction is usually not recommended.
Having said that, this food is low carb(4), low protein
https://www.chewy.com/hi-tor-veterinary-select-neo-diet/dp/36200

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

The foods mentioned above are high protein which are bad for a cat with kidney disease

Restricting protein in early stages of CKD is "old school"....newer research has found that good quality protein helps keep muscle on them. Restricting protein leads to muscle wasting and keeping weight on kidney cats is important