My two Tonks, Lila and Kusha (12 yr-old siblings) have both been diagnosed with diabetes in the last month. They have been on a raw diet (Bravo ground venison with TC feline powdered supplement) for the last six years. Both are considerably overweight because we did not take away their dry food when we switched to raw. Now of course they are on a diet. Am not quite sure how much I need for weight loss but am currently feeding at 2oz twice a day, a bit of dry food for Kusha since he is 16.5 lbs (Lila is 12lbs). My vet is giving me trouble over the diet. He heard some research recently about how 80% of cats on Purina or Hills diabetes diets went into remission within 8 months. He thinks I should feed one of those but wants me at a minimum to try to mimic the protein/fat/carb ratio of those diets (dry matter protein/fat/carb around 52%/22%16%). I can't get that info from Bravo, but I am confident that the protein is higher and the fat and carbs lower in the venison. I don't know what the supplement adds re fat and carbs if anything. I'm going to start adding fish oil because Lila is scratching a lot. I'm wondering if I should actually add more fat to their diet since the venison is so lean. Any recommendations about changes I should make to their diet?
raw diet question
- Thread starter LilaKusha
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Hillary & Maui (GA)
Very Active Member
Can't comment on the raw diet you are using. I will say stick to what you are doing and don't waste your money on the prescription foods.
Christie & Willie (GA)
Very Active Member
I would agree. Is the vet talking dry food? Folks here have found that feeding dry food makes blood sugar regulation exceedingly difficult for most cats. 16% carbohydrates (on an as-fed basis) is actually pretty high, and is the type of food that many of us would use to bring our cat's numbers UP, not down! We shoot for foods under 10%, and many of us with carb sensitive cats shoot for under 4%.
From what I see on the websites, the Bravo food is just venison meat with no other ingredients. The TC instincts supplement powder doesn't appear to contain any thing that would add significant carbohydrates (maybe a little from the whey protein). I previously used a similar product (Feline Instincts) and I know it didn't add any meaningful carbs.
Unfortunately, our vets take only one 2 hr course on pet nutrition in vet school... and it is often taught by a pet food manufacturer rep (in the Hills or Purina lecture hall, no less), and if you look at the major vet conferences, you'll find that the only panels on pet nutrition are led by industry representatives. They also profit greatly if they can get you to switch to a prescription diet (not to be too cynical). So, unfortunately, they really do believe that those foods are the best of the best.
In contrast, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone here feeding a prescription diet... folks here use everything from Walmart's Special Kitty to Fancy Feast to Merrick and Wellness to raw.
I also feed raw venison, though I'm lucky... my dad is a hunter, so I get mine for free.
Because Willie had both diabetes and a skin condition and is 15, we had Dr. Lisa create a diet specific to his needs. She also has a recipe for normal cats available on her website (scroll to the bottom of the page). FWIW, I've found that the supplements I use in creating that diet are MUCH less expensive than the TC powder. I spent under $50 to purchase regular sized containers of all of them back in February and I've yet to have to replace anything, though I do give Willie the same fish oil that I use, so that wasn't included.
I say keep doing what you're doing. What insulin are you using? Please consider stopping by our insulin specific forums for more information on how your insulin works, protocols to follow to help increase your likelihood of success, etc.
From what I see on the websites, the Bravo food is just venison meat with no other ingredients. The TC instincts supplement powder doesn't appear to contain any thing that would add significant carbohydrates (maybe a little from the whey protein). I previously used a similar product (Feline Instincts) and I know it didn't add any meaningful carbs.
Unfortunately, our vets take only one 2 hr course on pet nutrition in vet school... and it is often taught by a pet food manufacturer rep (in the Hills or Purina lecture hall, no less), and if you look at the major vet conferences, you'll find that the only panels on pet nutrition are led by industry representatives. They also profit greatly if they can get you to switch to a prescription diet (not to be too cynical). So, unfortunately, they really do believe that those foods are the best of the best.
In contrast, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone here feeding a prescription diet... folks here use everything from Walmart's Special Kitty to Fancy Feast to Merrick and Wellness to raw.
I also feed raw venison, though I'm lucky... my dad is a hunter, so I get mine for free.
Because Willie had both diabetes and a skin condition and is 15, we had Dr. Lisa create a diet specific to his needs. She also has a recipe for normal cats available on her website (scroll to the bottom of the page). FWIW, I've found that the supplements I use in creating that diet are MUCH less expensive than the TC powder. I spent under $50 to purchase regular sized containers of all of them back in February and I've yet to have to replace anything, though I do give Willie the same fish oil that I use, so that wasn't included. I say keep doing what you're doing. What insulin are you using? Please consider stopping by our insulin specific forums for more information on how your insulin works, protocols to follow to help increase your likelihood of success, etc.
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