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Carrageenan is used in laboratory experiments to induce stomach irritation in lab animals, that's why many of us are choosing to not feed it to our animals.
I'll look into guar gums further when I have more time.
"In all probability, the high viscosity of the guar gum supplement was responsible for the impaired protein digestion and amino acid absorption. Further research is warranted to investigate whether partially hydrolysed guar gum is useful to potentiate the desirable in vivo effects of this fibre supplement."
Now all I have to find out, figure out, is which type of guar gum is used in [each] cat food. I probably have a website for that already, it just takes time. I think for sport though, I'll call some pet food customer service centers (again, when I have time) and ask them first. I'll let them to get back to me when they know the answer.
Carrageenan is used in laboratory experiments to induce stomach irritation in lab animals, that's why many of us are choosing to not feed it to our animals.
I'll look into guar gums further when I have more time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by leanansidhex
"In all probability, the high viscosity of the guar gum supplement was responsible for the impaired protein digestion and amino acid absorption. Further research is warranted to investigate whether partially hydrolysed guar gum is useful to potentiate the desirable in vivo effects of this fibre supplement."
Now all I have to find out, figure out, is which type of guar gum is used in [each] cat food. I probably have a website for that already, it just takes time. I think for sport though, I'll call some pet food customer service centers (again, when I have time) and ask them first. I'll let them to get back to me when they know the answer.
Thanks Leanan. I've had to make my peace with guar gum, (and pea flour and even menadione sodium bisulfates as the last ingredient) for now, but am glad you are doing some digging for us.
These types of ingredients are one of the reasons I feed my cats partial raw diet. So at least they aren't getting this kind of stuff with every meal, you know?
And Wildnfree, it's also another reason to feed a rotation. If you can't get completely away from certain things, you can feed at least some foods that don't have some things anyway. It can drive you crazy, I know it often does me, but adding in the raw has helped a lot. Has helped my cats, and has helped my own peace of mind.
Leanan, thank you for bringing up the sources. I'll have to be like catsmom and make peace too.
Catsmom, I wouldn't mind doing a raw diet with my cat ( like my dogs ) but apparently they are a bit more picker than dogs, plus it seems as though they require more vitamins and nutrients. However I think I will do the hamburger once in a while when I feed the dog(s). Until then I will just continue with the rotations with the foods as instructed.
Leanan, thank you for bringing up the sources. I'll have to be like catsmom and make peace too.
Catsmom, I wouldn't mind doing a raw diet with my cat ( like my dogs ) but apparently they are a bit more picker than dogs, plus it seems as though they require more vitamins and nutrients. However I think I will do the hamburger once in a while when I feed the dog(s). Until then I will just continue with the rotations with the foods as instructed.
It took about 6 months totally to transition my cats to a raw diet. It took a couple of years for ME to be ready, before I started, but with raw fed dogs, you are already half way there! I went at their speed not mine My are only about half raw fed, give or take depending on the cat, combo of commercial and home made prey model, the other half canned.
There isn't anything wrong with starting with a little taste of raw now and then to get him use to it. The important thing to remember is that anything unbalanced should be kept to less than 15% of his total daily intake. This is because the balance between phosphorus and calcium is very important in a cat's diet.
There is a lot more to it than that of course, as you've guessed, and if you do decide to go with raw I can direct you to some useful web links. I'm no expert, but am satisfied with the regimen I've got my girls on, for now. (that will probably change as time passes)
By Nature Organics is also very good. I used to get it at Petsmart, but they don't carry it anymore. PetPeople has it, but they've been bought out by Petco, so they probably won't have it anymore. I just buy a can of each flavor at a time, because I don't want to order cases of food.
By Nature Organics is also very good. I used to get it at Petsmart, but they don't carry it anymore. PetPeople has it, but they've been bought out by Petco, so they probably won't have it anymore. I just buy a can of each flavor at a time, because I don't want to order cases of food.
That's the canned brand I use most often. It does NOT contain carrageenan, though some of the on line stores list it in the ingredients, it is an error I have been nagging them to fix. Really the only questionable items are organic pea flour, organic guar gum and that darn menadione sodium bisulfate (artificial vitamin K). I hate that stuff, but it is listed as the last ingredient....and I have had to make my peace with it, for now.
I buy all my canned food on line. (there is no local source for anything good)
It took about 6 months totally to transition my cats to a raw diet. It took a couple of years for ME to be ready, before I started, but with raw fed dogs, you are already half way there! I went at their speed not mine My are only about half raw fed, give or take depending on the cat, combo of commercial and home made prey model, the other half canned.
There isn't anything wrong with starting with a little taste of raw now and then to get him use to it. The important thing to remember is that anything unbalanced should be kept to less than 15% of his total daily intake. This is because the balance between phosphorus and calcium is very important in a cat's diet.
There is a lot more to it than that of course, as you've guessed, and if you do decide to go with raw I can direct you to some useful web links. I'm no expert, but am satisfied with the regimen I've got my girls on, for now. (that will probably change as time passes)
Ha thanks, I've done raw with the dogs for 8 years now and I still learn new things. If you have the links I would love to read them. Eventually I would like
everything in the home to be raw fed it would make things easier.
I don't have a meat grinder so that's why I didn't push the raw on my cat. I just noticed he was in my dogs bowl one day eating the leftover raw hamburger. I started giving him some as a treat and he just devoured it. So when I do prepare hamburger he gets a serving.
One more thing is there anything I can give my kitty for his coat/skin? He's still biting and scratching.
Moved I agree I might just have to buy a couple of cans, along with some others.
You don't need a grinder if you feed prey model. I don't feed home made raw ground, I feed prey model. I use a calcium supplement instead of bone, but that is a personal preference.
Other vets who promote raw feeding are Dr Elizabeth Hodgkins, Dr Karen Becker, and Dr Jean Hofva, you can google for info from them, they have a lot of articles floating around, some are on commercial sites (selling something) but not all.
PS I am just now starting to use a digestive enzyme with one of my cats. It's only been 8 days, but I am extremely happy with the results so far. And I am one of those who thinks all cats should be taking a probiotic, raw fed or not.
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If you have the links I would love to read them. Eventually I would like 
