Hi

many of you know we recently had a major scare when one of our kittens reacted severely to the katmine anaesthetic that was used for the neurtering

well...long story short, our Shadow regained sight, stopped the seizures and is doing remarkably well.

I feed the kitties Eukaneuba dry and wet food, but last week our pet store had ProPlan on promotion and as I have heard it is a premium catfood, I decided to get a few cans of the kitten food. Well, Shadow had a definite reaction as soon as he had eaten some....started quivvering and drooling

I contacted our new vet who asked me to read the ingredients out to him.....you could have blown me over when I realised there is added artificial COLOURING & FLAVOURING to a can of ocean whitefish and tuna kitten food.

.


The vet told me that many pet products have this in
.


I know from my own son's severe reactions to artificial colouring & flavouring that it is very bad for neurological probelms, but I never dreamed they were adding it to catfood!!

Anyway, Shadow is a ok again and back on the healthy stuff from Eukanuba!!

Say, if you still have the package... check the glutamate content. monosodium glutamate.

Glutamate is a neuro-stimulant..some animals cannot handle it. (and some people cannot handle it either!). It is an inorganic form of glutamine, which floods the nervous system quickly..as the body cannot handle it. The normal glutamines in food are organically bound and metabolized slowly.

for example Iams Kitten soft:
Eukanuba kitten moist:
Kitten Eukanuba kibble:
ProPlan kitten moist:
I am wondering if this is MSG--- artificial flavor? Wonder if it is worth emailing them about?.

If indeed Shadow is sensitive to MSG...that would mean...drum roll...
no human foods as treats unless you know there is no MSG in them. (ie no processed lunch meats etc).

You know there is a backlash going on with Iams...PETA and others are
"after" them. But you know, their food saved our oldest cat. We feed Eukanuba kibble only in this house. (but we do other brands for soft, and rotate--since ours won't eat Iams soft at all, for some reason). It was after Iams lead the pack with Omega-3 technology that Science Diet finally reformulated its products. Prior to Iams research Corn was the first ingredient in Science Diet kibble! Imagine corn for cats!

Poor lil shadow..
.

He sure has had to deal w/alot in his lil lifetime!!
I hope that never happens again..Who would have thought food can do this!
I am gonna go read the ingredients on our kitties food.
My spouse would never allow me to buy expensive kitty food!!
I am very very lucky to have them..period!!
Off topic~
I love your siggy pic chemar.Just adorable
.

Mrs D i just dont know what we would do without you around here..
You are such an asset to our community!

.
to you both!

Hi Kell,

My hubby always used to complain about the "better food" I was buying for the cat. The cat is now 21. He has eaten IAMS all his life. When I was hospitalized hubby had to clean the litter box. He was not happy. Then we got a new dog. Well, of course she's on Eukanuba. He complained again about the cost. UNTIL HE FIGURED OUT MORE NUTRITION STAYS IN THE DOG AND THERE'S LESS POOP. The fur is softer and they have a better type of energy.

It's kind of difficult to explain this to someone without experience. But in the long run the general health is better too. My husband is a farmer and recognizes this in his cattle. He is very specific in the quality of feed for his cows now, and my critters get the good stuff to eat too.

Good luck. I hope you can convince him.

Hugs and Prayers

I agree completely...

Our first 3 cats (for the first 20 yrs of our marriage) were always sick.
Always...it was something. We fed Purina then (that is all there was).

These 3 we have now, have had very little vet visits. Sheba was having problems until I started Iams here just over 10 yrs ago. The savings in vet bills has been tremendous! Oreo's only visit was when she was attacked by a fisher/marten one summer on our island. Otherwise she has never been sick...in 6yrs. Tippy only had one vaccine reaction, and some tooth work. Tippy is 11. Sheba, had the allergies to Science Diet, and a mystery GI event, and a seizure 2 yrs ago, but otherwise at 16+ she is holding in there and
just has some limping/arthritis. I can really see the vast difference in vet visits bills with these 3!


They are happier, more active, beautiful coats, etc. So I too, believe that the couple of dollars more for the dry premium Eukanuba, is vastly worth it.
We don't do the premium soft however, since our cats don't like it. The benefits of the Eukanuba dry still hold...when using the less expensive Friskies, soft.
We give both types.

And not only is there less "poop", but it doesn't "smell" so awful either. LOL
that is a benefit for us!

interesting discussion and one I am so in agreement on!

MrsD
I just corrected my post as I had left out that my son reacts to both artificial colouring AND FLAVOURING of which yes, MSG is one of the biggest offenders!
We have a recent thread running at Latititudes on MSG and how so many companies now "mask" it's presence on their labels by calling it other things
.

.


here is a good link for finding these other names for MSG

.


ps mrsD, what IS "titanium dioxide color" anyway???

I started on the premium cat foods in 1991 when my cat got FUS. We always used the Science Diet prescription for him. We've kept with it since. I think the best part of Science Diet is the less fillers = less poop.

Big hugs to your kitties Chemar.

I'm glad that Shadow is doing ok again, that had to scare all of you!