food suggestions for Mr. Cyrus

Hello,

I have been giving Cyrus FF canned along with Hills c/d dry. I know, I know, Hills c/d is BAD. I understand that since also has had 2 UTI's, the vet said we have to prevent that problem before we can help the diabetes food wise. I am trying REALLY hard to just stick with canned. Cyrus is just not having it. I warm up the canned in the mircowave....after I put it in his feeding area, he looks at it, looks at me, then follows me around EVERYWHERE. I limited the dry food yesterday....he was cranky. When I went to bed, he followed me and kept pawing at my face. If I try to lock him out, but then he will keep pawing at the door. So the moral of my question is: Is there a non-prescription dry food that I can give Cyrus that is good for urinary problems and also low carb?? I am picking up more FF today. I have tried all of the classic kinds. He will eat it, but on his terms. I am starting to wonder if Cyrus lives in my house or I live in his :lol:

I am just about out of the Hills. Other than that, Cyrus seems happy. I had to re-schedule our insulin consult, so for now he is still getting 5 mg of Glipizde/2 xd daily. I am actually looking forward to starting the insulin, I hate pilling him when I already have to give him a steroid pill. His pre-eating BG #'s have been anywhere between 250-350.

Thanks everyone!! HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Heather and Cyrus

 

Heather,

Talk to your vet about using m/d dry. Minou, my civie, has FLUTD and I had a really hard time getting her switched to canned. She is also a frequent vomiter. She would vomit the c/d dry, Angus would eat her vomit, and his BGs would sky rocket. My vet suggested I switch Minou to m/d because it is lower in carbs and has the same target urine pH as the c/d. I did eventually get her onto canned.

Karen

 

The only low carb dry foods are Innova EVO, Nature's Variety Instinct, and Wellness CORE. None will help with any medical issue, though.

Have you seen Dr. Lisa's web site on how to transition dry food addicts to canned food? http://catinfo.org/TipsforTransitioningPDF12-18-09.pdf Her web site also tells why dry food can cause all sorts of problems, from diabetes to obesity to urinary problems. You can use a grain-free dry food to slowly transition your cat to at least mostly canned food. Keep trying different brands of food. There has to be one that your cat likes. Leave a spoonnful of canned in a bowl all day and see if your cat eventually eats it. Some cats turn their noses up at it right away but eventually will give it a try.

 

May I inquire as to why you are giving steroids? I ask because steroids can cause diabetes and certainly doesn't help with a diabetic cat.

Might there be another alternative to the steroids?

 

I have to give steroids because Cyrus has Stomatitis with a full mouth extraction. We have tried EVERYTHING non-steroid and nothing worked. I wish I could get him off of steroids, but then his gums flame up and it is just horrible!!

 

So sorry to hear that. Wish there was an alternative for him.

 

Talk to your vet about cranberry for those UTIs. I had a cat one with re-curring UTIs and the cranberry (sprinkled some of the powder on soft food from an opened capsule, 1/10th the dose for humans), the cranberry helped to regulate the PH in the cat's bladder. I'm not suggesting it as the sole treatment, but think it may be worth discussing with your vet as an additional aid (and so the PH level in the bladder does then not necessarily have to be controlled by one specific type of food, thereby opening up your food possibilities)

Lots of fluids do any UTI good, so the advice already given about soft foods is good advice...

Good luck!