Cat Diet Question..

[MariaM]

My Cat Cosmo is a DLH, and is about 8 years young. Typically he has always been a large cat, despite measuring out 1/4c food 2x/day. However, I have 2 cats, and Bailey is a DSH and thinner. So Im guessing cosmo must be getting more than Bailey. Cosmo has had urinary blockage twice and was on CD/Urinary dry food. But we switched a couple months ago to N&D Quinoa Urinary food. I am now noticing Cosmo is drinking more water than usual and seems to be getting fatter! He is an indoor cat, pretty sedentary unless he is playing with our dog. Other than that, nothing else out of the ordinary. Cosmo is a very affectionate boy and I'm hoping nothing serious is going on.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Maria and welcome to HA!

Have you tried offering any wet or fresh food to Cosmo? The dry food, and extra weight can increase urinary blockages.

Will he play any interactive (hunt-catch-kill-eat) games with Cosmo? Does your dog enjoy playing with him? If so, definitely promote this wonderful happiness and calorie-burning activity which will improve his happiness and health!

The Happiness Protocol in Your Pet's Life

At HA! we are committed to much more than helping pets become dis-ease free. We promote restoring and maintaining vitality, balance, energy, & happiness.

www.holisticactions.com

This article might also give you some ideas of next steps:

Your Cat's Urinary Problems Are NOT Inevitable

Urinary problems in cats are a huge problem. Here, we’re going to show how a vitality, balance, and homeopathic approach allowed Simba’s guardian to help him.

www.holisticactions.com

Also, holistic cat vet extraordinaire @Dr. Jean might have other ideas.

 

[MariaM]

Thank you for your response.. do you know when I should be concerned or how to tell if the water intake is excessive?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're welcome Maria!

The excessive drinking is probably related to eating a dry food and should substantially reduce if you switch to canned or fresh.

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Oh gosh, those urinary issues... they're painful and frustrating!

My #1 rule for a cat with any history of urinary tract issues is NO dry food. Urinary diets are often higher in calories (carbs), so even worse. (Though I'm a bit surprised that *anything* is more fattening than c/d!) I agree that the water intake is most likely related to the dry food and the obesity.

You may also have an issue with amount. I fed my entire 40# dog 1/2 cup of food twice a day (and dog food is far lower in calories), so you are probably supporting a much bigger Cosmo with that amount. (Package directions are based on active colony cats, and primarily intended to sell you more food, not keep your cat healthy!)

If Cosmo has the ability to eat more than his own food, feed them separately. (In his previous home, my 40# definitely-not-skinny dog ate all of his food... and most of the other dog's. He was 65#--basically a furry sausage with feet--when I took him back to Ft. Collins with me and put him in the fat dog study in vet school. Somehow, I forgot to ever give him back, lol!)

So, to start, definitely get Cosmo (and Bailey) moving toward a canned or raw diet. Either one will do for now. I do recommend raw food, but a lot of cats converting from dry prefer canned; maybe because it's cooked, or smells better, or something. Here's how: Switching Foods | Little Big Cat

In my experience, urinary flare-ups are always stress-related. Could be inter-cat issues, construction noise down the block, change in weather... stress is in the eye of the beholder, and we may not always be able to suss out what it is. But I have two main recommendations for that: flower essences, and Play Therapy.

Hope this helps! Keep us posted!!

 

[MariaM]

Thank you so much Dr Jean! I'll try switching to the wet food and should I go by the can directions? With hos weight I don't want to drastically cut calories but do it gradually instead?

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

With canned food, just give him as much as he wants. Don't worry about calories. Since it's so much more satisfying to his needs, he is less likely to overeat it, though he may love it so much he will. But since it's mostly water, as opposed to highly concentrated dry, he will eat less calories overall. I did have one cat who gained a little weight on canned, but she finally regulated herself and did well. His body knows what to do when given the right nutrition!

 

[MariaM]

Can you recommend a few companies or brands you like?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

That's a great question Marie! I'll be very curious to hear what Dr. Jean says.

Personally I usually say it depends on local availability but now I think Chewy can deliver almost any food to your doorstep.

Dr. Jean's awe-some article can help you decide on a brand:

Selecting a Good Commercial Pet Food | Little Big Cat - Dr. Jean Hofve

Updated March 2024 Holistic veterinarians agree that the very best diet for your animal companion is one that you make yourself. A homemade diet, carefully balanced nutritionally, and using raw and organic foods, is closest to what Mother Nature intended. However, many of us do not have the...

littlebigcat.com

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

The specific brands and flavors I recommend are in my ebook, "What Cats Should Eat." You can also go to www.catinfo.org and check out Dr. Pierson's charts to find the foods lowest in phosphorus, which is becoming known as a huge issue for kitties. High phosphorus foods damage kidneys even in healthy cats! But IMHO even the worst canned food is better than the best dry food. That's how bad dry is for cats. For more, see: 10 Reasons Why Dry Food Is Bad for Cats & Dogs | Little Big Cat

 

[MariaM]

Wow! That was a lot of info! I feel like I need ti be a food scientist to sort it all out ?

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

LOL well I try to make it accessible, but it truly is complicated!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Dr. Jean, you are unquestionably the expert!

I wonder tho if is it difficult (and complicated) because the "complete and balanced" myth is a myth:

The 100% Complete Pet Food Myth | Wysong

www.wysong.net

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Well, yes, that's part of it. Randy originally wrote that 30 years ago, and it's only gotten worse since! When you look at the AAFCO standards, they require about 40 nutrients. But look up any food in the USDA database, and they list 100 nutrients! We know more than we used to about pet nutrition, but anyone (particularly pet food makers) who tells you they know everything is just pulling your leg!

 

[MariaM]

If I'm interpreting the info correctly, seems like fancy feast is a good choice? Good protein and lower in phosphorous?

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

I've got no problem with Fancy Feast per se. but because it's entirely by-product based, it's not ideal. It does have the least carbs of anything. Watch the phos though. A hunting cat does of course eat all the guts--but not *only* the guts, they don't throw away the meat! Look for a good meat-based food to alternate with. Fancy Feast does have a definite taste advantage; most cats eat it readily. It's fairly inexpensive and easy to get. I hear supply chains are so screwed up right now that smaller brands are not producing or just failling. Purina will never die, so good ol' FF will always be around. I also use Wellness and a few other better brands that I sneak in, but. Perry prefers the FF. Kids! I tell ya!! He's starting to be more willing to eat people snacks and other things, it's all a process... He loves his Only Natural Pet crunchies, but they're in a puzzle toy so he has to REALLY want them. If he'll put in the work, I'm okay with it.

 

[MariaM]

Great! Thank you so much! I'll look for wellness brand, if you want to share some others that would certainly help as well

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Gosh, so many have shut down, I don't know what's out there any more! For raw, I use Stella & Chewy, I think Primal is good too. It's hard with canned since so many foods *within* an otherwise pretty good brand have high phosphorus, menadione, or other problems. I would use phosphorus as a fail-safe decision point.

My cat Perry has a lot of problems including finickyness, so he gets mostly Wellness but lately I've discovered Fancy Feast broths, soups, and gravies to top it with. I just put a little spoonful of soupy stuff on top, it usually works. If you have to use the by-product based products in the meantime as a transitional tool, well that is perfectly fine!