Self Regulation?

[Louie'sDad]

I reckon that I'll give the bland diet a go.
Sheeken and rice has been suggested.
I'd be beholden to ye iffen ya give me the recipe.

 

[John Popp]

Let me see if I got this right.. You're trying to light your cat's @ss on fire??

Wait a second, you might be on to something. I've often claimed that Chongo goes through life as if his tail were on fire, and anything flammable coming from the aft quarters would certainly just be like jet propulsion. It's all starting to make sense.

 

[John Popp]

Actually, being that Chongo is from the same breeder and I'm sure a part of the lineage is the same, he does have a very sensitive stomach. Food changes are very tough, and straight up Royal Canin Kitten 36 Kibble or Evo Turkey and Chicken kitten formula (not real fond of it) will give him loose stools and often severely gassy, clear the room bombs. I could not get any canned food in him early on as it was just running right through him, be it the food that was provided to me (Evo Turkey and Chicken Kitten Formula) or any of the other high quality foods the local pet stores had. That's when I went with a raw diet for him as was sent along with him as when he first came home, and from there I have been able to tinker with what I can feed him.

Anyway, here is a set of brief notes.

• He does not like turkey in any form, I'm talking hunger strike levels of dislike.

• If more than a third of his food is the Evo or Royal Canin kibble, loose stools, count on it.

• Raw food, he doesn't tolerate a lot of egg in it and also doesn't like fish oil.

• Cooked salmon to provide the same quantity of fish oil as the capsules, loves it.

• Gizzards, no way, he can discern if you even waved one above his food.

• Loves the reduced protein food given to our eldest cat where about 20% of the protein has been replaced with butter and pumpkin.

• Wild Trax supplement, hates it and it needs to be disguised well and at about half the recommended rate, never sprinkled on food.

Prefers cooked poultry over raw and I've taken to a quick jaunt in the oven before grinding chicken thighs (less than 10 minutes).

• Duck, definitely loves it and I mix it with some pureed peas (about 5-10%). Looks gross, and it's more of a treat than a staple food.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head and the comments about reducing some protein rang a bell as Chongo will always make a dive for his big buddies chow. Wanting to make sure he gets the protein he needs, I dissuade him from eating it, but he definitely likes it.

Lastly my ventures into raw came of necessity as opposed to any want of grinding up raw chicken and the like. He was doing fine on the Raw Holly and Dale provided me, although as soon as I was out that's where the loose stools started to occur. I scrambled, trying to get him to eat anything that he wouldn't have digestive issues with and not until I got back to raw as a basis could I successfully transition him to anything else. I'd also compare some notes with Rascal as he's got a few from Holly and Dale.

Hope that helps!

 

[admin]

So maybe that line of SV's from SE have sensitive tummies...I will say this and I stand by it...doesn't matter who the breeder is...sending kittens home before 12 weeks is just not a good idea and sending them home at 8/9 weeks is even worse...mine were still weaning from their mom at that age...and that very well could be part of the sensitive stomach issue...

That is all I will say on the matter though...I don't want to get into some big debate about it, since we already have a thread on the subject!

 

[John Popp]

Could very well be Paige, although they have also mentioned some of their other kittens having sensitive stomachs before they have left there. That's where I got the duck and pea idea from and it seemed to work well despite not being something I intend to feed on a regular basis. Also, no issues at all with feeding the raw they had provided, only when I ran out did the issues start to occur and I didn't provide a good enough transition period.

One thing I will say is that I was very much discouraged from feeding raw when I left there. I thought it was kind of strange as they also provided me a with a frozen bag, a thawed bag along with the Royal Canin kibble and the canned Evo. Our issues started as soon as I was out of the raw, and although I can feed him anything now, be it raw, canned or kibble, I just can't feed him all kibble or all canned for a day without having an issue. So for us, the key is always making sure we have some raw available and then he tolerates everything else fine.

BTW, first time he has been left on his own for two days with my sister checking in twice a day. She fed them on her way to work and spent an hour with them in the evening. When I got home this afternoon, there were 32 items other than toys strewn across the living room and dining room. Blankets, shoes, slippers, socks, oven mitts, and a few other items. A kitty kegger and I can't believe my sister was so irresponsible as to have left this gone on.

 

[admin]

John, it is strange to me that they would let their kittens go home that early and with tummy issues...enough said.

As for your sister - OMG is all I can say...that is some serious stuff strewn about

 

[SV Dad]

What.
Didn't you ever light farts?
Methane, ya know!
If he lets go a real looong one, it singes my eyebrows.
It's how I keep the fur trimmed in the hind parts.

Really? That umm, South Park episode on "Cheezing", was a joke ya know..........

 

[John Popp]

Chongo didn't have stomach issues when he first came home, it was a week after and when I ran out of the raw and began to replace the raw with the canned provided. Just the same, I would think that a cat being sent home from a breeder would be able to tolerate the food provided and recommended. In Chongo's case, that didn't happen.

Also just got off the phone with my sister (she had knee surgery today) as I just had to find out if this was all created today or if she left everything for me to see. She said it was the same every morning and evening and she did her best to put things where they belong each visit. He is just a total nut job and has definitely been performing since I came home. I think he just wants to make sure he gets to go to the beach with us this summer.

 

[admin]

Chongo didn't have stomach issues when he first came home, it was a week after and when I ran out of the raw and began to replace the raw with the canned provided. Just the same, I would think that a cat being sent home from a breeder would be able to tolerate the food provided and recommended. In Chongo's case, that didn't happen.

Also just got off the phone with my sister (she had knee surgery today) as I just had to find out if this was all created today or if she left everything for me to see. She said it was the same every morning and evening and she did her best to put things where they belong each visit. He is just a total nut job and has definitely been performing since I came home. I think he just wants to make sure he gets to go to the beach with us this summer.

LOL John!!! He probably missed you so much and wants to remind you why you love him

 

[SV Dad]

(shaking head) This is making my head spin again. The youngest cat (of the 3) I got from SE was at 10 weeks. They made sure the kitten was off the mom and was eating totally on their own without issues. I was sort of put on call as to when I could pick up my boys. (I live fairly close to them.) The next piece of data that isn't fitting, I picked up Mayhem and they gave me samples of canned food. I do not believe he was on raw. When did this start? Both of the boys had sensitive stomachs, but I attributed that to the new home, water, and adaptation. They both regulated within a few weeks. Now these cats really have no issues now, feeding Fancy Feast and dry food. But it took some experimenting to find the right brand to not have issues. (We used the previous experience with the then 5 year old female and her sensitive stomach.) It ain't busted now and I sure do want to try anything else at this point.
But the gas........ it is getting old revarnishing the woodwork every couple of months.........