Parenting-Furkids
Cats => Cat Food And Nutrition => Topic started by: Lola on March 25, 2014, 10:57:33 AM
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Another study shows AAFCO’s “Complete and Balanced” really isn’t, and the lie could be killing your cat.
Snip...
Researchers at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University recently completed a study on 45 brands of canned cat food. They were troubled by the disturbingly large number of recalls – five in the previous five years – citing thiamine (or Vitamin B-1) deficiency as the reason for the recall (another was called while the study was in progress!), and they decided to conduct a test to see how prevalent thiamine deficiency was in regular pet foods.
The researchers selected only cat foods that carried one of the above AAFCO labels, and they tested two cans from each brand: one that included fish and one that didn’t. (Side note: Raw fish contains high amounts of an enzyme called thiaminase, which destroys thiamine). Their results were shocking. Despite the AAFCO “Complete and Balanced” assurance, a wide range of thiamine concentrations was found in the foods, and a substantial percentage of the products tested below the amount recommended for adult cats.
http://catcentric.org/2014/03/24/another-study-shows-aafcos-complete-and-balanced-really-isnt-and-the-lie-could-be-killing-your-cat/
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Soooo . . . thinking out loud here . . . would it be a good idea to add a B-complex vitamin to the food if feeding mostly/all canned? Or would that be toxic? B vitamins aren't typically a problem for humans, since they're water-soluble, but I'm not sure about cats and don't want to assume anything.
This is why I keep trying to add more brands to Pookie's rotation. I didn't have a chance to try to goat milk yet. I want to do it when I'm home and can keep an eye on him, so hopefully this weekend.
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Maybe just B12. Go to ibdkitties.net Lisa has a page written up about B vitamins :)
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This company has a capsule that's just B-vitamins that says it's for cats:
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Thorne-Research-Basic-B-ComplexVET/110035.aspx
It says cats get 1/4 capsule a day.
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http://ibdkitties.net/vitamins.html
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Maybe just B12. Go to ibdkitties.net Lisa has a page written up about B vitamins :)
Well, it is thiamine, B-1 in the study that is showing up deficient. I have spoken to my vet about Vitamin B for Mazy cat (the one with the digestive problems being discussed elsewhere). She will not prescribe B-12 or B complex shots without testing levels first. Mazy is due for bloodwork in June and I have told her I want the added lab test to check her B levels.
I have a B complex vitamin (for humans) I was using to supplement with when I first started prey model raw. I stopped using it because it was causing Mazy to have trouble peeing. When she got the B complex added to her meal, the next morning when she peed she would hesitate and hesitate, and wince when the pee finally started flowing. So I stopped it.
Since Mazy takes pepcid on a pulse regimen (two weeks on, two weeks off) I am concerned about B-12, too. However egg yolk does provide a good amount of B vitamins, and she gets that twice a week, the other two get yolk once a week.
Anyway back to the topic, I've always tried (with the exception of mazy cat) to feed a wide vareity of brands and formulas for this reason (possible shortages or excesses in the foods) and also to avoid trouble when recalls happen, or foods get discontinued. But, again coming back to Mazy cat, for her, it's just not been do-able.
..Off to read the links on vitamins provided....
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Soooo . . . thinking out loud here . . . would it be a good idea to add a B-complex vitamin to the food if feeding mostly/all canned? Or would that be toxic? B vitamins aren't typically a problem for humans, since they're water-soluble, but I'm not sure about cats and don't want to assume anything.
Vitamins B and C are both water soluble, so you can't overdose with it. A, D, E, and K are the ones that can be overdosed since they are fat soluble.
Vit. B acts as an appetite/energy booster so I use it all the time in calves that need a boost. When I have given it to cats that are on fluids it also really seems to boost their appetite. For the cats I give them a B-Complex capsule 1x a day...same amount I give the calves. I've never noticed any bad side effects and just use the type meant for people.
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Thanks Mo!
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I just read AC's article today, on her blog.
I didn't think about it being bad timing...with MC and Mazy's situation. My apologies.
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Vitamins B and C are both water soluble, so you can't overdose with it. A, D, E, and K are the ones that can be overdosed since they are fat soluble.
Vit. B acts as an appetite/energy booster so I use it all the time in calves that need a boost. When I have given it to cats that are on fluids it also really seems to boost their appetite. For the cats I give them a B-Complex capsule 1x a day...same amount I give the calves. I've never noticed any bad side effects and just use the type meant for people.
That's what I thought, but wanted to be sure. Thanks, Mo! Great to "see" you! :-*
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Well, it is thiamine, B-1 in the study that is showing up deficient. I have spoken to my vet about Vitamin B for Mazy cat (the one with the digestive problems being discussed elsewhere). She will not prescribe B-12 or B complex shots without testing levels first. Mazy is due for bloodwork in June and I have told her I want the added lab test to check her B levels.
I have a B complex vitamin (for humans) I was using to supplement with when I first started prey model raw. I stopped using it because it was causing Mazy to have trouble peeing. When she got the B complex added to her meal, the next morning when she peed she would hesitate and hesitate, and wince when the pee finally started flowing. So I stopped it.
Since Mazy takes pepcid on a pulse regimen (two weeks on, two weeks off) I am concerned about B-12, too. However egg yolk does provide a good amount of B vitamins, and she gets that twice a week, the other two get yolk once a week.
Just tossing this out there, instead of using a B-complex, maybe just add the B12 to her food? I used to crush a sublingual (for humans) form and add it to Pookie's food. I don't know why I stopped doing it -- maybe to see if that's what was making his lip swell (it wasn't). And if B1 is a concern, maybe add that as well. It could be that it was something else in the B Complex that was causing the pee issues, and the individual supplement(s) might be ok.
None of this solves the problem of finding foods that she can tolerate, though. :( grouphug
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This came up on my news feed on FB today http://consciouscat.net/2014/03/26/canned-cat-food-thiamine/
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This came up on my news feed on FB today http://consciouscat.net/2014/03/26/canned-cat-food-thiamine/
From the link above:
Study showed thiamine deficiency in 12 out of 9o foods
Thiamine (vitamin B) is an essential nutrient necessary for carbohydrate metabolism, muscle concentration, and never conduction. Thiamine is only stored in the body in very small quantities, and cats depend on their diet to provide a steady source of this vitamin. Thiamine is naturally found in meat, especially muscle and organ meats, as well as nuts, legumes, and brewer’s yeast. After two to four weeks of a thiamine deficient diet, cats may exhibit signs of thiamine deficiency, which can include increased salivation, loss of appetite and sometimes vomiting. Advanced signs of thiamine deficiency include dilated pupils, a slow heart rate, aggression, and neurological symptoms such as a rigid neck or head.
A recent study by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University highlights how little the AAFCO statement really means when it comes to choosing pet food. The Winn Feline Foundation reports that researchers analyzed 90 canned cat foods from 45 different brands. The study was prompted by five recalls of cat food during the last five years.Thiamine levels were below the minimum requirement set by AAFCO in 12 of 90 foods and below the minimum recommended allowance of the National Research Council in 14 of 90 foods. Paté style foods had significantly lower thiamine levels than non-paté style foods, and smaller companies (less than $1,000,000 in retail sales) had significantly lower thiamine levels than larger companies (more than $2,000,000 in retail sales.) Neither fish or non-fish flavor or country of manufacture had a significant effect on thiamine levels. Researchers did not reveal the brands included in the study.
Sooooo, canned feeders really should be adding vitamin B-1 to cat meals. ??
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I don't know Lola. The deficiency apparently shows up pretty quickly: (taken from the qoted section in your post):
After two to four weeks of a thiamine deficient diet, cats may exhibit signs of thiamine deficiency, which can include increased salivation, loss of appetite and sometimes vomiting. Advanced signs of thiamine deficiency include dilated pupils, a slow heart rate, aggression, and neurological symptoms such as a rigid neck or head.
My point being...we'd know if they were deficient based on this, so is supplementation necessary? Or perhaps just add in a little raw meat to increase thiamine intake?
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So raw anything would definitely give them the amount needed? Ours get hearts and gizzards as snacks, and Stella & Chewy's is in their rotation... but not every day.
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I read that lean raw meats like beef and pork are the highest in thiamine, but all meat contains it. Egg contains thiamine too. Hearts and gizzards also supply B vitamins, including thiamine, but not a lot. I am not an expert, but feel fairly comfortable with the feeding regimen I've got going now.
Jennie and Queen Eva get a 1.15 (give or take) ounce prey model meal every other day, containing a muscle meat, liver, and egg shell calcium. The meats in rotation are beef (cut depends on what was on sale when I bought it), chicken breast, chicken thigh, turkey breast, turkey thigh, chicken gizzard, and Cornish hen, all parts.
Those two get Stella & Chewy's usually three meals a week. Jennie gets a bone in wing part on Sundays. They get raw egg yolk (balanced with egg shell calcium) once a week. Queen Eva gets one ounce of Rad Cat daily (three proteins rotated)
The rest of their foods are canned, the bulk (up until now) being By Nature Organic, chicken, turkey and turkey&chicken, with Jennie also getting some Weruva (until it is used up) and Tiki Cat. Other brands come and go, the current extra brand being Wild Calling.
I am still using up, very occasionally, some Castor&Pollux and Natural Balance. They love the stuff but it is very high carb (both brands) and they both contain spinach. When it is gone it won't be replaced, but I can't afford to give away any more food. And the poops after they've had those high carb foods..PEEEEEEEE-EWWWW!
I've just read that beef liver also contains a lot of thiamine. I use chicken liver. Hmm...maybe I should rotate that with beef liver..the freezer section at my grocery store does carry it.
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An all raw diet is looking easier and easier...
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An all raw diet is looking easier and easier...
Or maybe home-cooked, since she has tolerance issues? :-\ I think Amber was looking for some good, balanced home-cooked recipes, but I'm not sure if she ever found any.
grouphug
Ooops, sorry, this was in reference to the other thread about a food being discontinued. My bad.
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Other than using Alnutrin with cooked meat, I haven't. Sorry.