Royal Canin formula changes?

[hellolucy]

Lucy was diagnosed with IBD (assumed, no biopsy has been done) and the vet put her on the canned Selected Protein diet about two years or so ago. She became so much better, much less itching, it seemed to help her tremendously.

I have noticed she has been itching for the past few months. Reading reviews on the Royal Canin site, many of the recent ones are negative due to a formula change that added cellulose power. The reviews complain of the exact same thing Lucy is experiencing - itching, much less interested in the food than she was before, black spots on her chin. I submitted an email to Royal Canin - no response. Chat said they do not have any information about formula changes or ingredients (which seemed pretty strange to me). Lastly, I called in and the representative said 'no, we have not made any formula changes'. Something just seems a little off here in that it is so difficult to obtain information from the company, and was wondering if anyone else has recent experience with this, or has noticed their cat's reaction change to a Royal Canin food as well?

Lucy has gone through SO many different foods trying to find one, and am feeling a bit defeated that the one food that worked really well for her seems to no longer be a great option.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I have a few thoughts.

First, itching isn't really a symptom of IBD. Vomiting and diarrhea are symptoms. Itching can be a symptom of allergy. IBD can be related to a sensitivity to certain proteins or the gums and carrageenan that is used in many cat foods. The common recommendation is to switch a cat to novel proteins. My IBD cat had the classic GI symptoms and a biopsy diagnosed the IBD. Gizmo had been fed either chicken or turkey canned food and I belatedly learned that this is a common food sensitivity for IBD cats. He's now fed a rotation of raw pork or venison along with ZiwiPeak venison or lamb and rabbit. Along with a very low dose of prednisolone, his IBD is well controlled. This site, Raw Feeding for IBD Cats, is very good for information about IBD even if you're not feeding a raw diet. They also have a Facebook page and the members are very helpful.

Cellulose fiber is a fancy name for sawdust. Given that is it wholly unnecessary for a cat, since cats are obligate carnivores, there's a good chance that a plant product may be causing the itching. Alternatively, this could be an environmental allergy. Omega-3 can help but it takes a while to be effective. You could also speak to your vet about allergy meds.

The black spots on her chin are likely feline acne. If you're not already doing so, switch to glass or china bowls. It may help to clean your cat's chin area with a gentle, antibacterial soap.