Need to find low-fat cat food

[Saoirse and Stanley]

Hello everyone,

I am wondering if anyone can help me out with this. The vet just figured out that my diabetic cat and his sister both have high cholesterol/lipids which is probably genetic, and this is causing diabetes and pancreatitis. Because of this, they need to be on an extremely low-fat diet. I checked the Janet and Binky food charts and the lowest I can find still has 28% of calories from fat. This doesn't seem very low. Any suggestions? Will I need to make my own food? Thanks for any advice!

 

[Kathyh]

No answer, but a possible intermediary, mix ground chicken or lean ground turkey half and half with canned wet food.

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

Here is a list of low fat canned foods from the old FDMB board which may help you out.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,1230626

 

[Lisa dvm]

The vet just figured out that my diabetic cat and his sister both have high cholesterol/lipids which is probably genetic,

Mistakes are often made in assuming that cats have "high" cholesterol/lipids. You did not state how "high" the values were but what people - including my colleagues - need to understand is that the labs so-called "normals" are generated on cats eating species-inappropriate diets of high carb dry food - not meat-based diets.

My own cats' cholesterol values are often double the upper end of the lab's 'normal's.....a word I use loosely.

and this is causing diabetes and pancreatitis.

You and your vet could very well have this backwards since diabetes is known to cause alterations in the fat values in the blood. A 'chicken and egg' thing.....

Because of this, they need to be on an extremely low-fat diet.

Again, you may be jumping to a very erroneous conclusion.

I checked the Janet and Binky food charts and the lowest I can find still has 28% of calories from fat.

28% is very low but do you really want to drown your cat in carbs with a diet like that? That will be very counter-productive.

Will I need to make my own food?

I make my own cats' food...I don't feed any commercial diets. That way, I can control the ingredients AND the composition...ie....the calories that come from protein/fat/carbs.

 

[Lana & Yoyo]

I am wondering if anyone can help me out with this. The vet just figured out that my diabetic cat and his sister both have high cholesterol/lipids which is probably genetic, and this is causing diabetes and pancreatitis. Because of this, they need to be on an extremely low-fat diet.

If your vet thinks your cat's diabetes is caused by high cholesterol, you need to get a new vet. FAST.

Diabetes in cats and humans is caused by eating more carbohydrates than their bodies can handle. Cats are carnivores. Carbs are cheap and much of the commercial cat food is mostly carbohydrate. Cats evolved in the Sahara Dessert. They ate lizards, mice, and once in a while a bird or maybe a snake. In that environment, cats just were not able to evolve an ability to deal with a plant based diet.

Once you have completed several months on a very low carb diet, I think the cholesterol will resolve itself.

Good luck.
Lana