Which food? Just some questions.

Hey there everyone, I introduced my cat Kyo (Male) a few weeks ago. Things have progressed quite nicely. We have stabilized our financial situation and we were able to bring him back in for another vet visit.

With a change of diet on Fancy Feast Classics, Kyo has stopped drinking and peeing like a horse, and seems to be doing very well. He's even gaining his weight back. Aside from the occasional mushy poo and very stinky number twos due to his diet change, he is comfortable for the time being. Now when we took him back, we tested him at home and his levels were at 276 after eating a snack to stay still for the test. We met with a tech at the vet and they told us to start him on a prescription food for diabetic cats. Now I remember a lot of places saying NO DRY FOOD. So I went with a canned food. Now here's the problem.

I was told to look out for products like wheat gluten, and corn starch stuff like that that he shouldn't be eating. We bought this food called Royal Canin Diabetic over the counter at the vet's. We brought it home (I didn't get a chance to read the cans before we dropped $32 on the pack because I was holding my cat) and on the back here it says there is Wheat Gluten, gelatin-by product, wheat flour, and modified corn starch. It's also in gravy. Big-nono's which I learned through researching here and on the internet. The Fancy Feast Classics I've been feeding him have none of that in it. The only thing I saw that looked questionable was guar gum. There is no wheat gluten, or any plant bi-products in it.

Now the Vet is telling us to feed him this food we bought (Royal Canin) for a week and then buy insulin and start him on it in a week, but I have a bad feeling about that Royal Canin food. We're worried it'll cause his levels to spike upward and he'll start peeing and drinking like crazy again, plus he will not eat it. He sniffs it and turns his nose up at it and walks away. But he digs into the Fancy Feast Classics. My partner says that Kyo seems to know what he needs, and to just trust his taste on this. Plus I do not feel good about feeding him so much plant bi-product after reading about how awful it is for him.

We're really at a loss. Should we listen to the vet, or keep to his diet that has been helping him recover?

 

If you want to see the carb content of what you got from the vet - visit Dr. Lisa's website, she has all that info on her food chart.

ROYAL CANIN
Calorie Control 5.8 oz Pate 55 30 14 280 1.03 92/5.8 oz
50 25 25 240 0.99 49/3 oz
Calorie Control - High Fiber 32 40 29 160 0.74 141/6 oz
DD - DRY 29 33 38 200 0.82 287/cup
Gastrointestinal High Energy 32 49 20 260 1.39 189/5.8 oz
38 32 30 280 1.36 64/3 oz
32 51 17 170 0.92 196/5.9 oz
35 49 16 310 1.64 173/5.9 oz
31 44 25 280 1.52 161/5.6 oz
Recovery RS 38 56 7 250 1.32 183/5.8 oz
Renal LP Modifed 6 oz Pate 21 66 14 80 0.47 219/ 6 oz
21 58 21 80 0.48 84/2.5 oz
Urinary SO 5.8 oz Pate 32 47 21 170 0.81 142/ 5.8 oz
33 46 22 170 0.84 76/3 oz
Urinary SO Moderate Calorie 41 34 25 190 0.84 60/3 oz


This didn't turn out well - look at her site it's listed on page 30 of the food comparison chart.
ALL Royal Canin is high carb food - so if you are wanting your cat to not need insulin - these foods will not work.

The Fancy Feast pates are low carb (under 10%) and will do what you need, for a lot less money too!

Personally, I would return the prescription food - it is way too expensive and not low carb. Many vets are unfamiliar with proper feline nutrition and believe what the food manufacturers tell them. If you look at it from a common sense aspect - even for human diabetics or humans wanting to lose weight, etc. it's all about low carb diets....it's the same for cats.


All you have to say is that the cat doesn't like it and they should refund you. If not, contact Royal Canin directly and ask for a refund. The when the vet pushes other prescriptio food, just say no thanks....I don't discuss food with my vets.

And when my cats go into the vets - I provide the food with instructions on what they are allowed to eat.

 

Do not listen to your vet, return the unused food, and feed FANCY FEAST since your kitty already likes it and it's the right food for a diabetic cat. Just tell the vet he won't touch the food. :razz:

 

The FF Classics are just fine. I also avoid grains/glutens/starches in the diet we feed Eddie, and we feed FF as well. Some cats are sensitive in any number of ways to those types of ingredients. I think you're perfectly within your right to tell the vet that the prescription food is not going to work. PLUS, you've been seeing positive changes with the FF! I'd be surprised if they tried to force it on you if you told them it was outside of the budget, kitty won't eat it, etc.

 

What you wrote in this last sentence in your post, tells me you already know what to do. Feed him the food that has been making him better (and says you money by the way).

 

Do your kitty a favour. Take the rx food back to the vet. There are many many many people that have brought their fuzzy family members into remission with FF. If the vet wont take it back, I would throw out the rx food before i fed it to my diabetic cats, or donate it. I didnt have positive experiences with purina dm rx food either. FF has been working miricles with my darling sugarboy so far, but admitedly I am still very early in my adventure.

Another thing it seems that many vets seem to fail to realize is the importance of the cat actually wanted to eat. This makes makes things like giving shots easier and is heathier if they eat prescribed amounts. I truely beleive that the importance of the desirability of the food should be underestimated.

Ty

 

I almost feel like we should talk to FF and Lantus, encourage them to market to the diabetic cat community.

 

Yeah, we threw out the Royal Canin last night after reading everyone's replies.

My cat is plenty happy with the Fancy Feast Classics, and they're a lot cheaper too. He's about 12 1/2 pounds right now, and I feed him 1 can of Fancy Feast Classics every 6 hours. He's supposed to get 4 cans a day, and he won't eat 2 in one sitting. He's the type of cat that likes to eat throughout the day, instead of two big meals.

Every time my partner and I go to that vet, I feel like we get tricked into either panicking or buying something we don't need. When he was first diagnosed, the vet made it sound like my cat was dying. The second visit, the tech was calm and collected and explained everything in detail. We headed to the counter with smiles, but had the food shoved on us before we left...I'm getting very frustrated with this vet, and it comes highly recommended. My partner says that this is just how vets are. You have to watch your back :YMSIGH:

 

You need to be educated, when dealing with the vet or any doctor for that matter. Before going into to panic mode (I know it's not always easy) - take in the information the vet says and then say, you will think about it, you need to research it and make sure it's right for you or something along those lines, that won't necessarily offend, but doesn't make you buy today.

Kind of like the car salesman - the "special" price is only good for today. If you walk away the price goes away too. Really?! I'll come back next week or month and get the same price or deal or a better one, cause now you're more desperate......

There are times when it's in your animal's best interest to 100% follow vet advice, but if it's not a life or death situation and you are not sure in your own mind, then take the information and walk away. You can always call and come back and get whatever it is they want you to get. Not only that, you can get a prescription and order whatever it may be online, as you can usually buy it cheaper than at the vet's office.

And don't throw the Royal Canin in the trash. Rather - return it to the vet for a refund. It's guaranteed and 100% refundable. All you have to say is your doesn't like it.

AND if you have the canned food, keep a couple cans and put it in your hypo tool kit - you do have one correct? viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2354 Since it is a higher carb food, you can use it for hypo emergencies...Of course Fancy Feast gravy lovers works as well and is lots cheaper!