Question about EVO Dry Low Carb

[Jaye and Chester]

I was just at a pet expo and was talking with the Evo representative. We talked about the whole diabetic cat/wet food/low carb/high protein thing. I was hoping he has some EVO cans because I just ran out and Chester (kitty) really likes the chicken/turkey. He didn't, but showed me a dry variety they had. I immediately balked at dry, explaining that dry has too high carbs, even though Chester prefers dry to wet food.

The dry sample he gave me has no gluten, 50% protein and only 7% carbs. I was surprised. Not as low as the canned, of course, but well under 10%.

Sometimes Chester needs to snack during the day and prefers dry. I can always count on him eating dry.

What are your thoughts on this as a supplement...something I can leave him in an autofeeder when worried that he might go too low while I'm at work?

I gave him three pieces of the kibble and he's trying to pull the bag out of my hands as we speak!

 

[Mary & Stormy Blue]

Stormy Blue is a diet controlled diabetic. He is also 14.5 years of age. He eats low carb Evo 95% and Evo canned cat and kitten - but he does NOT eat enough of it to keep from losing weight. So he gets about 1/8c of the Evo kibble every day and his numbers are always - ALWAYS - between 60 to 80.

Samantha, Stormy Blue's insulin dependent diabetic half sister, one year his senior, also gets Evo kibble as a supplement for the same reason as Stormy Blue.
Samantha's main food is low carb canned - usually Fancy Feast - and she is getting really good numbers on .5u Lantus with this diet. She has Evo kibble, 9about a tablespoon), in her dish at night so she has food available to her after everyone has gone to sleep.

Sugar Cat, either 19, or 20 years of age has "skinny old cat" syndrome. Not a diabetic, but needs extra calories, she gets 1/4c of the Evo kibble per day in addition to her canned food diet.

Evo kibble - the chicken and turkey one - is just over 600 calories per cup.

~M

 

[squeem3]

Sometimes Chester needs to snack during the day and prefers dry. I can always count on him eating dry.

What are your thoughts on this as a supplement...something I can leave him in an autofeeder when worried that he might go too low while I'm at work?

I gave him three pieces of the kibble and he's trying to pull the bag out of my hands as we speak!

Why not just leave canned food in the timed feeder so your cat can snack on it? Many people here do that. Canned food does not go bad if it is left in a timed feeder. Most cats will eat up the entire portion as soon as the tray is available. There are timed feeders that use ice packs or you can freeze canned food into portions and put that into the feeder.

Some diabetic cats are ok with a few pieces of dry. Others get a huge spike in bgs.

For crunchies, try a low carb treat. Poultry Crispies are hard and crunchy just like dry food but healthier: http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/product_d ... bc3b05dbda I'm sure there are other similar low carb crunchy treats you can feed.

 

[Jaye and Chester]

Yes, I have one of those autofeeders that holds an ice pack, but sometimes Chester just doesn't like wet food, no matter what variety. That's what he gets, but sometimes it's a struggle. That's why I was wondering if a dry that actually does have low carbs would be good to have on hand, knowing that he will almost always go for dry if available. Other than the benefits of having an obviously higher moisture content than dry, if the two foods have similar carb counts, I'm curious as to the reason not to supplement with a little of this particular dry food. The quality should be there since it's Evo, I'm assuming.

 

[Ronnie & Luna]

Hey Jaye

have you tried warming up the wet food a bit?
I add a little warm water to the food, or you can warm it up slightly in the microwave.
Smells more appetizing to them.


You tired sprinkling "chicken dust" (freeze dried treats, low carb too)? Low Carb Kitty Treats

 

[Michele and Peeps]

My Peeps was diet controlled on dry prescription M/D. Her food was then changed to dry Evo Turkey & Chicken with no noticeable changes in her numbers. It could possibly help, but just be aware that 8% carbs is still quite a difference if he's used to 2% wet.

 

[chriscleo]

my cats all adore EVO dry. it has a higher fat content than the wellness core dry, which i think is what appeals to them. yes, it is lower carb (i'd trust janet's list over what the rep said, as to whatever the "as fed" percentage of carbs is), but remember that dry food is extremely dehydrating. coupled with the fact that cats have a low thirst drive, it really is not the best food to give. what dr lisa says about health problems associated with dry food will apply to evo as well.

in my mind the only time to give it is if you have a cat who hasn't eaten for a day. it is SO easy for cats to get hepatic lipidosis when they don't take in enough nourishment. even a few days of vomiting and no eating was enough to start cleo's liver values rising pretty rapidly. so if you have a sick kitty who is refusing all food, evo dry is a good choice. not one cat in my house doesn't like it (which says something coz they all have different tastes). i try to keep it only for cleo because she has nausea associated with chemo and balks at eating a lot. hard to do in a multi-cat household, tho. and man is it expensive!

 

[Jaye and Chester]

mso if you have a sick kitty who is refusing all food, evo dry is a good choice. not one cat in my house doesn't like it (which says something coz they all have different tastes). i try to keep it only for cleo because she has nausea associated with chemo and balks at eating a lot. hard to do in a multi-cat household, tho. and man is it expensive!

Wish I'd known that with my sweet little Feluk cat, Mickey Maglio (GA). It was a constant struggle to get enough calories into him. We kept him going for over eight years, though, after diagnosis and I'm thinking that was pretty wonderful.