Friskies Diet

I'm looking to see if anyone has any recommendations for the type of Friskies to feed to Mus. The brand is affordable for me and I'm trying to make sure that I'm making good choices as to what my little guy is eating.

I know that he should be eating 10% or less in carbs, 40% or less in fat, and 50% and up in protein. I recently got him the Tasty Treasures (which have liver in them), since the protein is on the higher side. Unfortunately, he's lost a bit of muscle since before his diagnosis so I was hoping that the protein could help him gain some back and I saw that the carbs for the cans -according to the list- are 14%. I've already bought quite a few cans of these.

What Friskies are usually the best?

 

Looking at your signature it looks as if Mus is not on any insulin?
Is that correct?
Has Mus been diagnosed with diabetes?
Are you home testing the blood glucose (BG)?
If you are trialling a food change first, it is important that you are also testing for ketones in the urine while you are doing this.
This is because diabetic cats that are not getting insulin can develop ketones and this needs to be addressed straight way and insulin started.
To test for ketones you need to get a bottle of Ketostix from Walmart or a pharmacy, collect a urine sample, and dip the test strip into the urine and read the result exactly 15 seconds later. There should be no ketones. If there are you need to tell the vet and insulin needs to be started.
Re the Friskies
Have a look at this FOOD CHART

 

The Friskies paté varieties are fine - turkey & giblets, liver & chicken, country style, poultry platter, chicken & tuna, mixed grill. That is if you can find them. Try to avoid fish flavors.

 

Previous post
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/glucose-meter-opinions-update.273169/#post-3039271

 

Hello, is this avoiding fish flavors with any food or just the Friskies? And why?

 

yes with any wet food
Its due to high levels of mercury and other chemicals in the kinds of fish used in cat food.

 

With any food, and I really should have said avoid feeding too much fish as most cat foods contain some anyway. A little bite of tuna occasionally as a treat or to tempt an inappetent cat is fine. Fish that ends up in cat food is whatever is not suitable for human consumption, so there's that.

Fish can have high levels of mercury, high levels of phosphorus (not good for older cat kidneys) and is known to be so addictive that some cats will refuse to eat healthier meat foods. Also, the Merck Veterinary Manual lists fish as a top food allergen for cats.

Fish can be high in PBDEs, fire retardant chemicals known to affect thyroid function and may be linked to hyperthyroidism. A 2016 study that evaluated feline blood samples and cat food found that the type of PCBs and PBDEs derivatives found in the cat food and cat blood came from marine organisms. Additionally, they were able to show just how feline physiology could convert the type of chemical present in the food into the sort that was found in the cats’ blood.

 

He's not on insulin currently. I have an appointment coming up where the doctor and I will discuss which one to put him on (I'll be asking about the generic Lantus). He was diagnosed by a previous vet and prescribed Novolin, but I didn't agree with her treatment (I'm so thankful that I found this forum and didn't just blindly follow what she told me). I am currently testing with a pet meter to show the results to my new vet, I think he's wanting a baseline before prescribing any dosage.

I purchased some Ketone testing strips from a local pharmacy earlier today and did a little test just to see where he's at. At 15 seconds it was a light tan color which the bottle says means no ketones (I'll see if I can test him again at a later time).

Thank you for your input! I'm always looking at the PDF and the Friskies pates seem to have a lot more fat than protein (which I hear isn't ideal). I still have quite a few cans of the Tasty Treasures Prime Fillets (14% carbs and two of the flavors have liver). I bought them to give him a little more protein, but then I read that too much liver isn't good, so I won't be feeding those everyday. Took 3 trips, but I found some liver-less pates (Turkey & Giblets, Poultry Platter, and Country Style). There's so much that I need to look out for and I feel like I'm always finding a new restriction.

 

That is good. Keep testing daily until insulin is started