Meat trial: The plot thickens...
Our non-vegan food trial continues - here's an overdue update! We've decided to extend the trial to 60 days - we hit the 30-day mark and it was pretty clear that 30 days wasn't really long enough to see what effect the diet change was having. So regretfully, we're continuing to feed them animal-based foods for now. Fortunately we found a couple of brands of hormone-free, organic food that seem to have some integrity in their manufacture, and which the cats all like. We're still grossed out, the cats are still loving the tastes and textures, and results have continued to be very mixed.
Sid and Zora's skin stuff has really cleared up, though Sid is still somewhat itchy and has started over-grooming her arm a bit. This change could be due to the increased oiliness of the food (we'd only just started supplementing their vegan food with flax oil when this trial began, and are continuing to give them a little now and then). It could also be that they just healed up on their own - Zora's problem was, after all, just a scratch she was worrying at, and Sid's problem is cyclical - it tends to clear up and then come back. To complicate matters further, all of the cats are very happy and energetic because it's warmer out and they can go onto the porch anytime they want, and sun themselves in the open, breezy windows. Just having our home opened up to the fresh air and sunshine may have changed the balance of allergens around here, and their happy mood is probably good for their health.
Snow still seems to be having some gum sensitivity - her gingivitis isn't clearing up yet. (Neither, we assume, is Zora's, but I'm too afraid to look in her mouth - she's not as easy-going as Snow is!) And now - this is the kicker - Snow is having pee issues. This really flummoxed us. I mean, they say a vegan diet can cause urinary problems, and that some cats, no matter what their diet is, are just prone to them genetically. Here Snow has been eating meat for weeks, has no history of blockages or infections, and is suddenly having trouble.
She's definitely peeing all right - just not as much as she'd like to (she keeps squatting with no result, like she'd like to pee more). We're giving her Dasuquin, a supplement that's supposed to make peeing more comfortable, and that's helped. I was able to test the pH and it was a little high (7.0) but I want to test again to make sure of it, and then check with our vet before giving her any DL Methionine. How on earth her pH could be so high on a meat diet, I have no idea.
That's all I've got for now - confusion! Until I can get a pee sample to our vet I guess we'll remain confused. I'll post another update soon...
Previously:
Non-vegan cat food for 30 days, week 3: Meat vs. wheat
Non-vegan cat food for 30 days, week 2: Natural schmatural
Non-vegan cat food for 30 days, week 1: Raw meat is gross
A non-vegan cat food 30-day trial
Sid and Zora's skin stuff has really cleared up, though Sid is still somewhat itchy and has started over-grooming her arm a bit. This change could be due to the increased oiliness of the food (we'd only just started supplementing their vegan food with flax oil when this trial began, and are continuing to give them a little now and then). It could also be that they just healed up on their own - Zora's problem was, after all, just a scratch she was worrying at, and Sid's problem is cyclical - it tends to clear up and then come back. To complicate matters further, all of the cats are very happy and energetic because it's warmer out and they can go onto the porch anytime they want, and sun themselves in the open, breezy windows. Just having our home opened up to the fresh air and sunshine may have changed the balance of allergens around here, and their happy mood is probably good for their health.
Snow still seems to be having some gum sensitivity - her gingivitis isn't clearing up yet. (Neither, we assume, is Zora's, but I'm too afraid to look in her mouth - she's not as easy-going as Snow is!) And now - this is the kicker - Snow is having pee issues. This really flummoxed us. I mean, they say a vegan diet can cause urinary problems, and that some cats, no matter what their diet is, are just prone to them genetically. Here Snow has been eating meat for weeks, has no history of blockages or infections, and is suddenly having trouble.
She's definitely peeing all right - just not as much as she'd like to (she keeps squatting with no result, like she'd like to pee more). We're giving her Dasuquin, a supplement that's supposed to make peeing more comfortable, and that's helped. I was able to test the pH and it was a little high (7.0) but I want to test again to make sure of it, and then check with our vet before giving her any DL Methionine. How on earth her pH could be so high on a meat diet, I have no idea.
That's all I've got for now - confusion! Until I can get a pee sample to our vet I guess we'll remain confused. I'll post another update soon...
Previously:
Non-vegan cat food for 30 days, week 3: Meat vs. wheat
Non-vegan cat food for 30 days, week 2: Natural schmatural
Non-vegan cat food for 30 days, week 1: Raw meat is gross
A non-vegan cat food 30-day trial
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