Does my cat really need prescription cat food?

Question

My kitty and I went to the vet today because of issues he has been having lately. Turns out, they found something that was causing his small intestines to become inflamed. He is also an obese cat, he currently weighs 18.6 pounds. Here is a description of the new cat food he eats...

ROYAL CANIN Veterinary Diet™ feline Limited Ingredient Diets canned and dry formulas are specifically designed to manage adverse reactions to food using novel protein sources and a single carbohydrate source which are not commonly found in feline diets. By avoiding known allergens, this diet greatly reduces the chance of an allergic reaction in your cat.

Each formula is 100% nutritionally complete and balanced, highly palatable, highly digestible and meets the requirements for feline adult maintenance.

Four novel protein sources available:

Green Peas & Duck

Green Peas & Lamb

Green Peas & Venison

Green Peas & Rabbit

Nutritional benefits (as compared to typical commercial pet foods):

Limited Ingredients: Each diet is formulated with a unique protein source and a single carbohydrate source.

High digestibility: Ensures optimal nutrition absorption.

Reduced Inflammation: Enriched with long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils to help reduce inflammation in the skin and digestive tract.

Supplemental antioxidants: Helps prevent free radical damage.

The thing is, it costs 2.09 for one 5.5oz can, which only lasts a day! Most wet cat foods costs under 50 cents! Is there any food out there he could in to substitute this?

Answer 1

Though many canned foods can be obtained at low prices the quality is very poor.

Trying alternative protein sources can help some cats if they are truly allergic to the most common protein sources (poultry).

First off I suggest you get some Wellness canned food which is pure meat (no grains).  Grains are the most common cause of intestinal upset in cats.  My local pet discount store sells that for around $1 a can and sometimes have it on special for less.

Another product my vet recommends is Phytomucil which you can order from http://www.animalapawthecary.com  It contains marshallow, licorice, and slippery elm powder among a few other things.  It really helps to soothe an inflammed intestine and comes in liquid form so it is easy to give to a cat by dropper two to three times a day.

You might try those two things for several weeks to see if they can help your cat and enable you to avoid expensive "prescription" foods.

Answer 2

Nope, not in this case.  Not in most any case either.

Your kitty apparently has a sensitive system and is overweight which is very serious.  That does need to be addressed.  And there's nothing wrong with offering a novel protein.

But you can fnd much better food.  RC has some very crappy ingredients.

My suggestion to you is to switch to a better food.  One possibility is Natural Balance venison & green pea canned food.  It's around $1 for a 5.5 oz can.

This food is low carb and doesn't contain any ingredients likely to cause further problems.  It's fairly popular so will likely be easy to find.  It will also help with weight loss.  You could feed up to 1 full can per day and your cat will likely still lose weight!

That's just one suggestion.  There are other lines with novel proteins such as Prairie, Instinct and Evo.

DRY FOOD DOES NOT CLEAN THE TEETH.  Why do people still believe this?  I know this wasn't what you asked but whenever I see someone blithely passing along this "fact" I feel compelled to set the record straight.

Please do not use dry foods.  Of necessity they contain items that are not going to be good for your kitty.

And please do not feel guilty about asking this question and wanting to pay less.  We're not all made of money.  And as I and others correctly stated, you do not need to buy the RC, or any prescription diet.  

And one last thing - if you'd like to add a fish oil, buy it separately instead of relying on processed food to deliver it.  

Fish oil:

Only Natural Pet Icelandic Salmon Oil (pump) (http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/O...

Good for hairballs, good for skin and coat.

Selection: You typically won't use human fish oils - at least not the ones in liquid form - because they have added citrus flavors to many of them. You don't want to use cod liver oil - at least not on a very regular basis - because it has too much vitamin a. Plain old fish oil or salmon oil is best. I prefer it in liquid form as opposed to capsules for ease of dispensing. You want it to say that they've done everything possible to remove mercury. I prefer one with the fewest additives, especially not rosemary. Or propyllgallate.

For ease of use, I prefer to buy it in liquid form in a squeeze bottle or pump.

Dosage: I give a squirt every day. It's not measured but probably comes to somewhere around 1/4 tsp.

Answer 3

The special diets are designed to help with certain issues and, of course, the manufacturers label will assure you that it is the best thing since sliced bread. If your cat is overweight and has been diagnosed with organ inflammation, this is most often caused by diet. Dry food is the major cause of these issues. It lacks moisture, generally has low quality proteins, high in carbs and fat and includes lots of additives - all of which are not good for cats.

First, to control weight, you want to feed predetermined portions instead of free feeding.

Next, you could try feeding a 'high quality' food like Wellness. It is about $1 a can. There is growing evidence that a high quality diet is better for cats.

Answer 4

So you're complaining about $10 a week for your 'loved' one? How much do you consume yourself in a week? THink you can do without those Starbucks coffees or snacks or eating out? Feeding your cat that 50cent cat food would be like you eating at McDonalds all the time.

Answer 5

Royal canin prescription diets are some of the best on the market, Science diet prescription may have an equivalent diet but the price is probably comparable.  If you have insurance, sometimes it will cover a doctor prescribed diet.  Also the companies will sometimes do studies and offer their foods for cheaper, it may be worth contacting the company and/or your vet to see if there are any assistance programs available.  Also it may be worth asking your vet about any other diets with the same formula that would work for inflammatory bowel disease in your kitty.  Hope that helps :)

Answer 6

Usually this is prescriberd for IBD. Prescription foods generally aren't needed or wanted for anything as  they are all poor quality and there usually is a better option

You don't ever want to feed dry food. It is responsible for most problems cats have

I do not know what your cat may be allergic too but what i would do is start off with a canned food that has no grains. These cans won't be as cheap as commercial  but will be species appropriate

  If your cat ends up needing a novel protein like rabbit then i would consider a raw food diet



  

Answer 7

I don't know what type of cat food you are typically purchasing, buy in FL even Friskies cost more than that by the can. That aside, I would strongly recommend you try the Rx diet for about a month and see if you see a difference. You should shop around for a better price on the food. If you can find a better price, your vet should be willing to match the price, or they have to, by law, provide you with a Rx, or permission to the provider to sell it to you.

I work at a vet, and have dealt with many animals who have food irritations. Many of them are very similar to human food allergies and sensitivities.

A cat or dog cannot not tell you how they feel, but I can tell you a story. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 22. I spent many years with open bleeding wounds & severe pain throughout my digestive tract, very expensive medications not to mention many, many horrific tests. I was always sick. I lost jobs over it, and even went through vocational rehabilitation that the government payed for.  Seven years later, and many doctors later, I decided to go to an alternative doctor. My first visit to her I was covered in an eczema flare up, so bad that it had gone into my ears and collapsed my ear drums. Her first response was to test me for food allergies. Long story short, I am allergic to most everything Americans base their diets on. Including Gluten, which is in bread, pasta, crackers and most manufactured foods, and even sugar cane. After I cut all those foods out, my life changed.

I tell this story to my clients when they are having the questions you are having now. There are many things to consider when you make this decision.

One, how much money will it cost you in medical expenses compared to the cost of the food? Secondly, how much will your furry friend suffer because of an extra $.75 a day?

This may sound harsh, but I have had three cats on Rx food for nine years.  They have not been sick a day in their life since.

I suggest you try it. If it helps, it gives you some options. You could talk to your doctor about making your own food. Plain boiled chicken & rice. Most good vets are open to the fact that we can't all spend hundreds of dollars a month on pet food, but want our pets to be healthy. Talk to them about cooking at home for your pet, or what other options you have. Make sure they know you are understanding what they are telling you, and you can most likely find a diet for your kitty that will help your cat and be nice to your wallet. From what you have posted in your question, you certainly have an understanding of what is going on with the food.

I hope that what I have told you was helpful, and did not seem angery. Good luck and best wishes for you and your cat!

I'd like to add, that I started this response before you had any answers. After reading your answers, I'd like to add that dry food is an option you should try. It is more cost effective, and is better for your cats oral health. Cats do not tend to have health issues from eating dry food unless they do not drink enough water. Make sure your cat always has a good source of water that it likes to drink.