Could Daughter Get Glutened From The Cat?

[Virgie]

My husband thinks daughter could be getting glutened from the cat because the cat's food has wheat in it and then she pets the cat. Do you think this is so? He wants to get rid of the cat but the kids love the cat and it would be very hard on them. He doesn't want to buy gluten free cat food either. If the cat is making my daughter sick then yes I would want to get rid of it but not unless I know for sure. Cause we all love the cat so much.

Virgie

daughter 13 dx Celiac 9/07

son 18 UC,EE, IBS

[Ursa Major]

Yes, it is very likely that your daughter gets glutened by the cat. Cats lick themselves all over to wash, and if the cat eats food with gluten in it, there is gluten on the cat's fur.

Why won't your husband buy gluten-free cat food? Cats can't tolerate gluten any more than we can. Cats aren't meant to eat any grain at all! Only meat and some vegetables. The only reason there is wheat in cat food is, because it is cheaper than meat. It is terrible for the cat's health.

If you would buy gluten-free cat food, you'd likely add years to the cat's life span. And your daughter could pet the cat without worry.

[JenPen]

Yes, it is very likely that your daughter gets glutened by the cat. Cats lick themselves all over to wash, and if the cat eats food with gluten in it, there is gluten on the cat's fur.

Why won't your husband buy gluten-free cat food? Cats can't tolerate gluten any more than we can. Cats aren't meant to eat any grain at all! Only meat and some vegetables. The only reason there is wheat in cat food is, because it is cheaper than meat. It is terrible for the cat's health.

If you would buy gluten-free cat food, you'd likely add years to the cat's life span. And your daughter could pet the cat without worry.

Hello-

I totally agree with Ursa. Cats don't need grains! Mine have been on raw meat for over two years now and are healthier than ever. Their weights have regulated, their teeth are great and they have much less (and much less stinky) poo. I originally started the diet because one of them developed IBD and couldn't handle any type of kibble (oh the irony!). Now that I know about it, I hear of cats with nasty poo all the time. It's because they can't process the grains. I know a raw diet is a big commitment though and is not for everyone. You can find cat food that is rice based and/or very high in protein. Just check out the pet stores near you.

Also, you may want to check your litter. It took me a month to realize that my "Swheat Scoop" litter was causing cross-contamination.

Yahoo has a newsgroup called "Rawcat" if you want more information on raw feeding

Jennifer

[Virgie]

What do you feed your cat then?

Thanks for any info.

Virgie

Yes, it is very likely that your daughter gets glutened by the cat. Cats lick themselves all over to wash, and if the cat eats food with gluten in it, there is gluten on the cat's fur.

Why won't your husband buy gluten-free cat food? Cats can't tolerate gluten any more than we can. Cats aren't meant to eat any grain at all! Only meat and some vegetables. The only reason there is wheat in cat food is, because it is cheaper than meat. It is terrible for the cat's health.

If you would buy gluten-free cat food, you'd likely add years to the cat's life span. And your daughter could pet the cat without worry.

[jerseyangel]

Virgie,

I think it is a concern, but you don't need to get rid of the cat--I feed mine Science Diet Senior Formula. It's very easy to find at any Petco or Petsmart.

[Jestgar]

I buy the costco brand. Its gluten-free and the first ingredients are all animal products

[ravenwoodglass]

It is a concern but please don't give away her kitty, we have to give up far to much. We use Innova Evo. It seems a bit pricey when first purchased but my kitties eat less of it and as an added benefit that the litter boxes are so much nicer to clean.

[blueeyedmanda]

added benefit that the litter boxes are so much nicer to clean.

I never heard of this, are we talking about better smelly stools or just the overall stuff, if you don't mind me asking.

[jumjum15]

Hi,

we use innova evo for our dog, simply for the health benefits, and her poos are so solid you could build houses with them! And not smelly at all. And she does eat less, I've noticed.

This was way before we were looking at celiac for my son, so now I'm extra glad we switched.

-Ella and James - about to stat his first gluten-free trial.

[Juliebove]

Our cat went gluten free when there was that tainted pet food scare. It took us a while to find food that she really liked, but we finally did and she has lost some weight. She had been overweight. I think she is much healthier now.

[dandelionmom]

Our pets are all gluten-free (we feed California Natural). The food is pricier but since you feed less of it (because there are less fillers) our pet food budget hasn't gone up (we used to feed Iams, a much poorer quality food). And as previously mentioned, the cats' boxes are so much less stinky. Plus, they're healthier, have less hair ball issues, and shed less.

[Adelle]

Both our dog and our cat are on Innova Evo. It's WAY better for them. Ninja (the dog) had BAD skin issues (when we got him from the shelter, he was really flakey and sick). His skin is so soft, he's not sick anymore, I won't feed anything else!! It LOOKS more expensive, but it really isn't!! You end up feeding so much less, that the bags last way longer. The cat (Calico Jack) eats just under 1/2 of a cup/day (we're trying to get her to put on weight cause she is a little thin still), and the dog eats 1 and 2/3 cups per day (at the shelter he was getting 2.5 cups of science diet each day).

Just a word of caution, the regular Innova line (as in NOT Evo) has barley in it.

It is really best for the animals to be gluten-free as well, AND you don't have to worry about getting CC'd!!!!

Oh and check your litter. A TON of them have wheat in them!!

[moonlitemama]

I just switched to Friskies Signature Blend. It doesn't appear to have gluten in it. I'm sure it's not the best food out there, but it's better than what we were using & the price is still reasonable.

[Virgie]

Thanks everyone for all the advise. I am now looking into the various brands. The nearest vet has some called Feline ZD which costs $18.33 for a 4lb bag. Have also looked into California Natural & the Innova Evo brands. I will definitely look into the Friskies too as I do have coupons for that brand.

Thanks again everyone. She is still get glutened from something so it could possibly be from the cat. Appreciate all the advice.

Virgie

I just switched to Friskies Signature Blend. It doesn't appear to have gluten in it. I'm sure it's not the best food out there, but it's better than what we were using & the price is still reasonable.