Cat food question- I am so confused.

[ceile]

I have been feeding my 14 y/o diabetic and 3 y/o beastie Felidae Platinum. I chose that food because it is senior formula and I had 2 seniors and one youngin. Well, my diabetic has been out of sorts for the last few weeks and I did some more research on what I have been feeding them- it's low fat, low protein. Diabetics need the opposite- high everything but carbs. So my question is: is there a senior food that is also a good diabetic food (he can't gain any weight- he's already 16lbs)? And is there one that is safe for both 14 y/o and 3 y/o? It's so hard to find straight answers when it comes to our pets' food...

[onestepforward]

1. This is what I feed my senior cat:

"BLUE Healthy Aging Chicken & Brown Rice" dry cat food. The protein is 32% and fat is 15%. It's made by Blue Buffalo and is only sold at Petsmart. It is expensive, but I like the high protein and no corn, wheat or soy.

Here's a link with more information:
http://bluebuffalo.com/cat-food/bc-healthy-aging-chicken

They make other cat food formulas too, including their "wilderness" line. These are also high protein (up to 40%) and no corn, wheat or soy. I would think this would be good for a 14 and 3 year old.

Hope this helps!

[ceile]

2. Thank you!

I actually thought Felidae was high protein- that's why i started feeding it to him in the first place. Bad mommy. Guess I'll be heading out to Petsmart this evening.

[onestepforward]

4. You're welcome!

The "Wilderness" line would probably be the best for both kitties. It's expensive, but they do have frequent sales.

Wishing the best for you and your kitties

[MadrasT]

3. I have had really good results with the "Wilderness" line

I used that specifically for cats that required very high protein and had grain allergy issues.

[ginnyinWI]

5. wet or dry food?

The main thing to do when getting carbs out of a cat's diet is to take away the dry food, because it is so grain-based.

My cats aren't diabetic but tend to get fat on dry food, so I avoid it as much as possible and feed canned food or fresh meat.

The fattest cat went from 15 lbs. down to 9 lbs. (normal) within about 3 or 4 months just from that change alone.

[ceile]

9. Both.

The old guy eats anything, but the little one really only eats dry. She might take a few licks of Fancy Feast, but that's it.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. My cat became listless and rough-coated on Fancy Feast

He revived considerably with Wellness.

[roody]

6. I feed my oldsters Wellness canned "dog food."

It is 95% human grade meat. The turkey does not have bones in it. They also like the lamb, beef, and chicken, but it sometimes has little bones. They don't care, only I do. I mash it with hot water to make it watery and often put some kibble on top.

[Autumn Colors]

7. The "Wellness" cat food brand has one line called CORE

It's high protein and no grain, etc. They make it in both wet/canned and dry varieties. I see the dry version in a lot of places, but have only seen the canned kind at one little pet supply store here.

One human food you can give to a cat that's good for them is hard-boiled eggs, but only if you know they're not from places where the chickens are given hormones/antibiotics, etc. If you have an organic, free range place to buy eggs near you, you can give them to them as a treat maybe once a week or so.

[ceile]

8. I have never heard that.

Eggs....huh. I never would have thought of that.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Cats love eggs. Mine especially like them scrambled.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. +1. For my cat, eggs are a treat like ice cream

I found this out when I first got him. I was making an omelet for breakfast and put the shells in the sink.

All of a sudden, this gray streak leaped into the sink and started licking the shells.

I took the hint.

(And I get all my eggs from the local food co-op, so they're organic and cage-free.)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Recently they have informed me that they prefer their eggs raw.

So every few days they get a raw egg with dinner. I think their coats are looking better lately.