Cat Chat Feline Forum

lamb, yeast or peas. You wouldn't think it was that difficult, would you! So far I have had to discard James Wellbeloved, Arden Grange, Orijen, Acana, Bozita... At the moment we are down to Nature's Menu (but she only likes the beef one), Hills Prescription i/d, but only occasionally, and Animonda Carny from Zooplus. Most of the others I've tried have met with disapproval and an upturned nose because she doesn't like paté style foods. Am trying not to give her dry food because of the constipation issue, and so far that bit of the strategy seems to be working.

I have also tried feeding her home cooked chicken with brown rice and pumpkin with a little turmeric, which goes down a storm. But if I were to feed her that on a regular basis, she would need a multivitamin, and so far I haven't managed to find one that doesn't contain yeast. Any ideas, anyone?

this supplement might fit the bill
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/supp ... omposition" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

as for wet food, I find this one http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cann ... omposition" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; causes no ill effects in Trigger, who seems to have problems with most regular wet cat foods

When I was looking for cereal free I found Sheba Classic Terrines (trays), Terrine Fusion Fish Selection (box of pouches) were ok so might be worth checking for the other ingredients, although the Classic Terrines are like a very rough pate so not sure they'd be to Millie's liking. Some of Almo Nature, Encore and Thrive are cereal free too so again worth checking. Most of them can be bought individually so you wouldn't need to buy a box! I don't think all are complete so would need to be fed in conjunction with complete or with a supplement.

Thanks all. We've tried her on the Miamor before and it's unfortunately not to her liking (did I mention her middle name is Fussy?). I'm also slightly concerned with the Grau paste because it says it contains 'vegetable by-products' and without knowing what they are, I'd be reluctant to give it to her. Does anyone have any Grau products with a customer services email address on? I've been trying to find one online, but can't. I could check with them then.

And thanks for the list, Julia. Most of the foods that are suitable for her seem to be complementary rather than complete, so I think it's going to be a bit of a slog. At least we have the two at the moment that she will eat, and I've just had confirmation from Butchers that their Classic catfood doesn't contain any of her allergens, so that's one more she will eat. She's not keen on Sheba. She is actually a right royal pain in the backside with food!! However, we have steered her away from the six allergens for the last couple of weeks, and she is definitely livelier and her coat is better. I caught her surfing the banisters again this morning, and she hasn't done that for months (I had hoped she'd stopped altogether, but obviously not!).

I note Grau list yeast as an ingredient in their FLUTD paste, in addition to vegetable by-products, so I think it same to assume the herbal paste doesn't contain yeast

here's Grau's German website, complete with email details - http://www.grau-tiernahrung.de/products ... asp?mid=56" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

how's your German? but nothing to lose if you try a basic message in English

Did German A level 30mumble years ago, but haven't spoken it since, so I think we can safely say it's non-existent!!! Can do French or Spanish though!

It's not just the yeast - it could be something like pea puree or potato starch. I've found both of those in several foods since I've been paying more attention.

Thanks Kay, will see what happens.

I've alerted a German speaker amongst us, Meriad may be able to help with some translation

If it's to send an email or call them, then yes, happy to help

Ooh, that would be helpful. I just need to know if the supplement that Kay provided the link for above contains yeast, soya, peas, oats or potatoes (or derivatives of). Unlikely to contain lamb. Thanks Meriad.

Trying to find a multi-vitamin/mineral something or other that isn't going to make Millie ill again.

As a matter of interest, how squeamish are you? Would you consider trying a total raw food diet for your girl? I am fairly certain that if you get things like heart and kidneys and meat from the butcher and mince it all yourself you won't need to add anything to it.

But looking at the ingredients this additive doesn't contain any yeast? http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/supp ... omposition" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also do a pure Taurine supplement: http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/supp ... omposition" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And Taurine is probably one of the most important additives

andtiggertoo wrote: Most of the foods that are suitable for her seem to be complementary rather than complete,

The taurine supplement I gave the link to should be all you'd need to add to these foods

given the time difference I'll give them a ring tomorrow morning and see what they have to say

I must have missed the taurine supplement, and you're right, that probably is all I'd need to give her.

I am reasonably squeamish, as in I can't handle offal! Nor can I eat it. So I'm not sure a raw diet is very practical. Plus I am away for quite large chunks of time and sometimes she has a catsitter for two or three weeks at a time. It would be difficult to get someone to feed her raw food, i think.

Thank you for offering to ring Grau, Meriad. I do appreciate it.

I try to feed cereal free, but have never had to go into ingredients to this extent, so all I can do is wish you luck!

Meriad - if you haven't already, please don't worry about ringing Grau. I sent an email in English yesterday and they have got back to me saying the paste contains none of those ingredients. Thank you for offering.

OK, I've just spoken to a very nice lady and she has confirmed that although the description says vegetable by products it is a 100% herb mix and none of the ingredients you mention are in the paste. Apparently under German trading standards herbs fall under vegetables hence the reference to vegetable by products... she listed most of the ingredients and they are alfalfa, anise, nettles, St Johns Wort, rosemary and cayenne/capsicum.

Apparently you can also buy Grau products from http://www.myhillspet.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope this helps

LOL Snap - you must have posted as I was typing

but at least we now have double confirmation which is always a good thing

Good effort all round, the benefits of a good forum

Thanks so much, Meriad. You got far more information than I did! Better to know what's in these things.

I've never had to go into foodstuffs in such detail before either. Fred was allergic/sensitive to wheat, so after he was diagnosed with feline asthma we fed him grain-free food, but that was a breeze compared to this. I had a rootle through the pet shop in Islington this morning, and couldn't find any dry food, apart from Lily's Kitchen, which Madam won't eat, that didn't have any of the allergens in it. She likes crunchies every now and then for a change, but she's going to have to wait a bit longer for them!

Is sweet potato allowed? If it is, Canagans is a good quality cereal free dry food that might be worth a go... http://www.canagan.co.uk/catchicken.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scrap that it's got normal potato in too!

It's everywhere!! Honestly I get quite excited when I get halfway down an ingredients list and none of them is listed - but one of them will be somewhere!

I love this forum! No matter how bizarre the query help is on hand!

Well done Ria and Julia

I am so grateful that for all the worries mine cause, eating is easy (cat food by the cats, not me eating them )

I may have spoken a bit too soon. She was scratching for England last night, didn't want her breakfast this morning, and then threw up copiously on the kitchen floor. She hasn't had any food with her list of allergens in for at least 10 days, so there must be something else that's upsetting her as well.

I did put Advantage on her neck on Monday, so I'm wondering if that has upset her. I know she is allergic to fipronil, so we can't use Efipro and a few other deflea treatments. Anyone know if it would take 36-48hours to upset her?

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

oh dear Poor both of you - is there a chance she may have found something to eat that she shouldn't have?

Also, can I ask, does she have fleas or a flea allergy?

No fleas that I'm aware of, and I don't know if she has a flea allergy. When she came to us last year the charity had put Efipro on her neck that came out in a huge sore, but I don't know if she had had fleas before that. She was always an indoor cat until she came here. Now she potters in and out of the back door, but our small back garden is a big enough world for her!

And always possible she has found something in the garden to eat. She is a bit like a toddler and everything she finds has to go in her mouth, so I have to go and clear up any fallen flower heads before I let her out in the mornings.

It does seem odd that she was doing well, and then suddenly this. I'd be tempted to carry on with the new diet, watch her like a hawk, and see if this was just a mystery blip. Hope so. xx

Me too. She is generally a much happier cat. She has been tearing up and down the stairs, in and out of the back door, and playing with a sheet of newspaper (now several smaller sheets of newspaper), none of which she has done for a couple of months, so I'm assuming she is feeling better in herself.

Could it just be perhaps she ate some grass which has made her sick? Definitely worth sticking to it if she's happier, which is lovely to hear