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Hey, Katie K-9!KatieK9@readthecitizen.comwww.KTK9.com 651-429-5433 |
Hey, Katie K-9!
I know you answer questions about dogs, but I have a cat question. My cat Fred is 6 years old, a totally inside cat, and is fixed.
Lately he has been throwing up his food every so often. He has been fed the same food since I rescued him five years ago. I feed him Science Diet dry food. Do you have any ideas why he has started doing this? Should I change foods?
Cindy
Hey, Cindy and Fred!
Cats are desert animals. Translated, they get their moisture from what they eat. And they are truly total carnivores - they do not do well eating any types of grain. Cats cannot drink enough water to compensate for all the dry food. Inside cats that are fed just a dry cat food diet wind up having many health problems over time, the most common being diabetes, crystals in their urine, kidney problems, and throwing up hairballs and their food.
A vet once told me that if owners of inside cats gave them a mouse or two a day, their cats would be the healthiest cats around and live longer with a lot fewer problems. Dry cat foods are made with meat and grains and are very high in carbohydrates.
Cats with diabetes will have a hard time stabilizing their insulin levels with a high carbohydrate diet. If you have a fat cat, switch over to canned food and they will lose weight! More carbs, more weight; fewer carbs, a skinnier cat.
The bottom line here? Cats kept exclusively inside and cats with health issues should be fed a grain-free GOOD canned cat food. I recommend "Wellness" - they have several different grain-free recipes, which you can find at any Chuck & Don's pet food stores. There is one in Forest Lake. You can also give them 1/2-to-1 teaspoon of plain yogurt a day to help their digestive system.
When switching over to a canned food diet, some cats will love it and just go for it. Other cats are addicted to the carbohydrates and will have a harder time. You can make a gravy with warm water with some of the canned food. Pour it over the dry food; slowly put less dry and more canned food until your cat has transitioned over to the canned. The cost equals out: fewer vet bills and a healthier cat. Always feed the canned food at room temperature, and never cold out of the refrigerator, put a bit of warm water over the canned food if it is cold.
Here's to a happier, healthier Fred!
Katie K-9
Send in your dog questions to "Hey, Katie K-9!" by mailing them to The Citizen, P. O. Box 393, Hugo, MN 55038 or e-mailing them to Katie at KatieK-9@ReadTheCitizen. com. Visit Katie's dog obedience school website at www.ktk9.com.