I got this email from Stephen, and it contains several issues and misconceptions, which I need to straighten out:
My mom is the owner of a beautiful 11 year old, mostly white, longhair cat with a very bushy tail named Lulu. Unfortunately, Lulu has been allergic to something ever since we have her (a little over 7 years). Whether it’s the environment (she’s strictly a house cat and there are no other pets in the house) or food, I’m not sure. The vet refers to her problem as a “lick granuloma” because she’ll lick her hind leg until there’s a wound and will scratch other areas of her body and the malady responds to steroid treatment. Most recently she had a big wound on the side of her face and under her eye. We’ve tried antihistamines, antibiotics and corticosteroids (Prednisolone and currently, Triamcinolone). Our vet isn’t a fan of Depo Medrol shots because of the chance of an adverse reaction. He prefers pills because they’re removed from the bloodstream faster. He’d like to try Cyclosporine as that’s known to reduce the allergic reactions, but I have trouble giving her pills and I’m afraid of its effect on her kidneys.
We’ve tried to change her daily diet from Fancy Feast (only the wheat gluten free flavors) but she would rarely eat anything else other than cooked kosher chicken or Boar’s Head Low Sodium Turkey Breast (that’s how we used to administer her pills). The vet tried Hills or Royal Canin prescription rabbit (now discontinued) and she wouldn’t eat it.
I’ve read a lot about allergic cats and many seem to respond to rabbit protein or a raw food diet. Our vet isn’t too keen on raw food because of the chance of toxoplasmosis (also mentioned on the Cornell Vet School site), and since my mom is an elderly woman, the measuring of the meal (even if bought pre-frozen may be too much for her. She has enough trouble administering the correct dosage of Petromalt.
I know you recommend Weruva and about a month ago, a holistic pet food store I went to gave me a can of Paw Lickin’ Chicken. Well, Lulu just loved it. We switched her over from her Fancy Feast canned (only Gourmet Chicken or Turkey & Giblets) and Natural Balance Duck and Green Peas Dry diet to strictly Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken.
The problem is that since we made the switch, she’s been constipated. (She’s also currently taking 2 tabs of .5 mg Triamcinolone/day). Her last bowel movement was last Wednesday (approx. 5 days after her previous one and it was helped by Petromalt), and she hasn’t pooped since (today is Sunday or 4 days later). I’ve given her two doses of Petromalt since then. She urinates several times a day but doesn’t show any inclination to defecate nor does she strain. She’s not lethargic, seems very happy, drinks on occasion (but not as much since the switch to Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken), and has a good appetite (almost three cans per day). The vet said to continue with the Petromalt and doesn’t seem to think the Triam tabs are causing the constipation. I know there’s preservatives and a bunch of different proteins in the Fancy Feast, but is it possible that Fancy Feast along with the water she consumed after eating her Natural Balance Duck and Green Peas Dry Food was helping her regularity? Has anyone else mentioned constipation when switching to Weruva? There was one post about it on the Only Natural Pet Foods Store website.
I certainly had my work cut out for me with Stephen:
Well, well – your beautiful Lulu certainly has been put through the wringer, hasn’t she, poor dear? I am ever so glad you reached out to me Stephen, on Lulu’s and your mother’s behalf, because there are quite a number of things about which you have been misinformed or haven’t been encouraged to think for yourself, logically.
The first thing to do with any cat not feeling well is to get them off any dry food immediately and switch them to the highest quality, least processed food possible. Instead, the vet bombarded her with various drugs (all of which can cause digestive problems, just as with people). The allergy your cat presumably had was quite likely a bad REACTION to highly processed commercial carbohydrate-laden food. Fortunately, you have gotten to the right nutrition with your own good sense. If you read any of the Q&A’s on my website – or the many blogs on the subject – you will see how soon a cat’s physical appearance and health improves when she goes onto any wet food – but especially a high quality one like Weruva that has no hormones or antibiotics in the free-range chicken. You’ll also see that drinking a lot of water is not natural for a properly fed cat and many stop needing to drink altogether once they get off the “kitty crack” that was dehydrating them from the inside-out.
It’s too bad that Cornell has done so many cats the disservice of continuing to promote dry food only for them – despite all scientific facts showing they are obligate carnivores whose digestive systems were not designed to handle highly processed carbohydrates. It is also promoting foolishness to think that there is toxoplasmosis in the carefully prepared and frozen raw diets being sold to many satisfied feline owners. If anything, the food-borne risk of infection would be from salmonella, but companies like Feline’s Pride, Oma’s Pride, Nature’s Variety and many others have very clean track records. Wild Kitty brand had a moment where salmonella seemed to be in one of their batches and they discovered it, disclosed it and dealt with it without any harm to cats. Compare this to the ingredient disasters with commercial pet food and it is shameful. Really, that detractors of raw feeding of cats have managed to spread needless fear (raw food is considered the “gold standard” by great vets like the Official Vet of CAT CHAT®, Elizabeth Hodgkins, who also breeds and shows Ocicats, and many other highly educated and dedicated professional cat owners and breeders). The food comes in a frozen plastic container which your mother would keep in the refrigerator, using a spoon to put some on a small saucer for Lulu – the spoon gets rinsed and put in the dishwasher, as does the saucer after 15 minutes on the floor. The food doesn’t touch a surface or anyone’s hands. With the severe skin problems she has, a diet like this could turn her around fast.
Of course the Weruva is sensational food, too.
As for the constipation. keep in mind that when you stop giving an animal dry food which is made of indigestible plant fiber (which goes in one end and out the other) and highly processed carbohydrates, you change their bowel habits. As you yourself guessed, the body is now USING this high protein diet as the body was intended to – utilizing all of it. The definition of “constipation” is also misunderstood – people think it has to do with frequency, but the basic definition is of hard, dry stool and difficulty passing it or straining. You noticed yourself that Lulu seems happy and comfortable and has no problem defecating, albeit infrequently. This is yet another of the great benefits of getting a cat off kitty crack and onto wet food – less stool, smaller stool, less smelly stool.
And how about that professional opinion to keep giving her Petromalt?? In Lulu’s honor I did some up-to-date research on Petromalt and you will find one of my most recent a blogs on the topic. I have been saying for years that if a cat has hairballs or digestion that needs a little boost, the healthiest thing to give her is a natural substance – either a pat of butter or better yet, a few drops of Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil on her food or put on her leg for her to lick off.
The omega-3 fatty acids will also be of great help in healing her poor skin and maintaining its health going forward, as long as you avoid forever any dry food — think outside the bag and her body should have a chance to naturally get her straightened out. Needless to say, the sooner you can get off all those meds, the better her body can cope. Remember that chronic use of steroids (cortisone) requires a slow weaning off them.
Tracie
The Cat Bible by Tracie Hotchner
I hope that maybe you will write another book too.