Gluten Free Cat Food

[lindalee]

I've been searching and cannot find this thread. Need to get my cat Hannah another cat food. Thanks, LL

[Guest nini]

I can't remember the brand we get! I recognize it in the store but since I don't have the bag here (the foods already in the hoppers) I can't remember what it's called... having a brain fart day.

[psawyer]

Open Original Shared Link You might want to read the whole thread.

[Guest GlutenFreeGirlfriend]

How did you find out your cat should be eating gluten free?

[eleep]

I switched to Science Diet indoor catfood -- because I didn't want to gluten myself, not my cat! There's too much catfood dust and such flying around every morning when I feed her. However, my cat's litterbox seems much more pleasant to empty out these days!

eleep

[Felidae]

My cats eat Natural Balance green pea and venison.

[Carriefaith]

My cat eats Science Direct hard food and Friskas soft food (there are a few that don't have wheat). I don't want to contaminate myself since I wash out my cats dish in my sink.

[lindalee]

How did you find out your cat should be eating gluten free?

He's been going to the bathroom alot! I think it would be better for him (he's older) plus I won't have to worry about getting gluttened.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I really don't want to take a chance and give him gluten accidently - so your specific suggestions are greatly appreciated. LL

[BRUMI1968]

Cats are carnivores and don't need any grains - grains just flummox their systems.

INNOVA brand makes EVO food, which has ZERO grains. That's what I feed my dog. They are a very reputable company. The food is expensive, but you do feed less. In fact, if you overfeed, you'll have troubles with poop issues. But if you follow the instructions and/or adjust out, I think it's good food.

You could also feed your dog raw food, but that is even more expensive, and grosses lots of folks out. Good for the kitties though.

[jenvan]

We usually use Eukanuba, but just got an Iam's this time. Just read ingredients...both have formulas with no gluten ingredients.

[lindalee]

We usually use Eukanuba, but just got an Iam's this time. Just read ingredients...both have formulas with no gluten ingredients.

Where do I find the list for Gluten Ingredients? LL

[psawyer]

Pet food labelling in Canada and the US is subject to the rules of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a non-government organization. Open Original Shared Link

Unlike human food, gluten sources will always be clearly identified. I have never seen rye in cat or dog food, but wheat, oats and barley are not uncommon. You can generally avoid wheat by buying higher quality foods (at a higher price). Many of the better foods contain barley, however, as it is seen as a premium source of carbohydrate (energy) in the food.

Read the label. If there is a gluten source, it will be easy to spot.

[Guest GlutenFreeGirlfriend]

Oh jeez, I feel stupid haha. I thought you guys were talking about getting gluten free cat food because your cats needed it, not because of handling it. Our vet thinks my cat has some trouble digesting his current cat food, so I thought maybe he needed to be gluten-free too!

[jerseyangel]

Oh jeez, I feel stupid haha. I thought you guys were talking about getting gluten free cat food because your cats needed it, not because of handling it. Our vet thinks my cat has some trouble digesting his current cat food, so I thought maybe he needed to be gluten-free too!

Don't feel stupid! It is entirely possible that your cat could be gluten intolerant

[BRUMI1968]

Really, cats are only meant to digest meat. I always find it kindof ironic that we feed animals so much of what they can't really digest in a healthy way - like cows and corn, like cats and grains ... then again, a lot of humans eat what they weren't possibly meant to digest either (high fructose corn syrup, etc.)

A good brand is Innova's EVO brand. Grainless kitty cat food.

[Guest GlutenFreeGirlfriend]

Really, cats are only meant to digest meat. I always find it kindof ironic that we feed animals so much of what they can't really digest in a healthy way - like cows and corn, like cats and grains ... then again, a lot of humans eat what they weren't possibly meant to digest either (high fructose corn syrup, etc.)

A good brand is Innova's EVO brand. Grainless kitty cat food.

Thanks! Maybe I'll try that! Has it made a difference with your animals? The problem we have with my cat is that he throws up a lot. We joke around and call him a "bulimic kitty" because he gorges himself on his food and then vomits, but it may be that the food is just not agreeing with his little kitty stomach.

[BRUMI1968]

I'm not sure. I feed by dog grainless food, and he seems to do fine.

The best my dog was, though, was when he was getting raw food. His farts stopped stinking, his poop was awesome (to pick up - or just leave there if it was in my yard because it basically turned to white powder and disappeared). It was going along great. He lost weight, his coat was great....was nice. Then suddenly he didn't want to eat it anymore. WE think part of it was that he was in pain from an arthritic elbow, and that was making him cranky about a lot of things. Then he got D, ... I don't know, I'm so frustrated with feeding him.

I'm actually trying to go back to raw food because his gas is not only bad for us, it seems to be keeping him awake now too.

Anyway, I think the animals do well on it.

[jenvan]

Where do I find the list for Gluten Ingredients? LL

It is always listed on the package...but go here to see the different Eukanuba formulas, then click on the pink ingredient tab at the bottom to see the ingredients: Open Original Shared Link Go here to see Iam's formulas and then choose one and that page will list the ingredients: Open Original Shared Link Hope that helps ! I prefer Eukanuba...

[susan p-r]

I've been searching and cannot find this thread. Need to get my cat Hannah another cat food. Thanks, LL

We've used Iams and Felidae; we are now using California Natural. California Natural is a dry cat food with the fewest ingredients. I chose to switch foods for the sake of my cat, who is struggling with her own autoimmune disorder. Both of my cats like all three foods; we have also used Innova's canned cat food, but they don't like the potato and carrot chunks in it! Our dog eats Canidae, which is also made with non-gluten-containing ingredients. We got started on the gluten-free food originally to reduce my husband's allergic response to our first cat - the healthier cat meant less dander and thus fewer allergy symptoms!

[mesmerize]

We've used Iams and Felidae; we are now using California Natural. California Natural is a dry cat food with the fewest ingredients. I chose to switch foods for the sake of my cat, who is struggling with her own autoimmune disorder. Both of my cats like all three foods; we have also used Innova's canned cat food, but they don't like the potato and carrot chunks in it! Our dog eats Canidae, which is also made with non-gluten-containing ingredients. We got started on the gluten-free food originally to reduce my husband's allergic response to our first cat - the healthier cat meant less dander and thus fewer allergy symptoms!

Have you found that your kitties gained weight at all with California Natural? I started getting that for my cat after doing a bunch of research on dog & cat foods when I got my puppy... After about 2 months though, my cat had gained a TON of weight, she's literally turned into a little butterball overnight! I even took her to the vet and they said it must just be the food. So I switched her to a different brand that has a "light" formula... I guess maybe she just liked the California Natural toooo much?

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks! Maybe I'll try that! Has it made a difference with your animals? The problem we have with my cat is that he throws up a lot. We joke around and call him a "bulimic kitty" because he gorges himself on his food and then vomits, but it may be that the food is just not agreeing with his little kitty stomach.

He sounds like mine, mine was also losing patches of hair and was grossly overweight at about 26 lbs. We changed to the Evo dog food and suddenly that was all he would eat, He wouldn't even eat the canned food anymore. So we had my health food store order the grain free for cats and he has stopped vomiting at least 6 times a day (and boy does that get old fast!) and it has only taken about 2 weeks and he doesn't have any bald spots anymore. And best of all I don't have to wash my hands 10 times just to feed and clean up the dishes. Grain Free is the way to be - Unless your a bird.

[Felidae]

Oh jeez, I feel stupid haha. I thought you guys were talking about getting gluten free cat food because your cats needed it, not because of handling it. Our vet thinks my cat has some trouble digesting his current cat food, so I thought maybe he needed to be gluten-free too!

My cat is allergic to chicken. He had problems digesting his food for quite a while before my vet and I figured this out. There's a lot of research on this topic currently.

[Guest GlutenFreeGirlfriend]

My cat is allergic to chicken. He had problems digesting his food for quite a while before my vet and I figured this out. There's a lot of research on this topic currently.

Yea I'm not sure what's up with my cat! Does he need to be allergy tested to figure it out?

[gfp]

Thanks! Maybe I'll try that! Has it made a difference with your animals? The problem we have with my cat is that he throws up a lot. We joke around and call him a "bulimic kitty" because he gorges himself on his food and then vomits, but it may be that the food is just not agreeing with his little kitty stomach.

Other than making sure you change slowly I think any cat is better off on an all meat diet, its just not equiped to digest anything else. Human, dogs and pigs are all omniverous and have problems with gluten, pigs also have a disease very similar to celiac disease with soy protein, of course there is far more money avaialble to research this than celiac disease! If omnivores have problems then I'm sure its far more of a problem in something with a digestive system as specialised as a cat.

A bit of throwing up is OK, it could be he's not getting any fibre outside his food (does he have access to grass?)

On the opposite scale if he's hunting for himself then it could be he swallowed a whole head or something, our cat did this a couple of times and bird heads with sharp beaks seem to be particualrly painfull when the stomach fills up so they try and vomit it out. We went through a lot of panic until the vet stuck her finger in his stomach and said he'd be fine and would digest the bones over time. (also blood in stool so we were really panicking)

[Guest nini]

Thanks! Maybe I'll try that! Has it made a difference with your animals? The problem we have with my cat is that he throws up a lot. We joke around and call him a "bulimic kitty" because he gorges himself on his food and then vomits, but it may be that the food is just not agreeing with his little kitty stomach.

my one cat was actually dx'ed with bulimia! Once we switched his food, the binging and purging stopped! The brand we use is One Earth Naturals... I switched his food because he was losing his fur in patches, he was also losing weight and was very lethargic and throwing up A LOT... the vet actually suggested gluten intolerance!

I couldn't remember the name of the food earlier, but we had to get more yesterday, so there ya go. within a week of switching his food, the vomiting stopped and he started gaining weight again and got his energy back.