Q: My 15 1/2 year old Norwegian Forest cat has kidney disease but is doing very well on (and is very happy with) the recipes from Andi Brown’s “Whole Pet Diet” supplemented with Vita-C, Vita-Mineral Mix and Dream Coat. However, he still has a problem with periodic and severe constipation.

Despite slowing down with age, he’s happy to run around playing with me and puts of with lots of petting and massage, so his circulation gets stimulated. I do brush him regularly, but as his coat is very thick and he’s a meticulous groomer, he still ingests quite a bit of hair, which doesn’t help. I just yesterday tried tripling the amount of pumpkin in the Spot’s Chicken Stew I made, so I’ll see how that goes – but at the same time, I don’t want to inadvertantly aggravate his kidney disease.

Is there anything else I can add, increase or even cut back on in his diet that will help his situation?

Thanks for your help and keep up the good work!

A: We love that you have been using the recipes for your cat! There are many natural remedies for constipation that you can try and will not adversely affect his kidney function.

• The most important thing you can do for him is to increase the amount of water he drinks each day (this will also be excellent for his kidney function!). Even though most cats with kidney disease drink large amounts of water, they are losing excessive amounts of this water in their urine and live in a perpetual state of mild dehydration–making constipation a very common finding in cats with kidney disease. You can add more water to the stew to make it more brothy. Many cats will drink more if a free flowing cat drinking fountain is used. Some cats are attracted to large amounts of water and placing several large bowls out in various perching locations will often increase water consumption. I lived with a cat with kidney disease for years and used to leave my bathroom sink on so there was a constant drip–he loved it and it helped maintain his hydration.

• Fiber — sounds like you are trying this approach already. If the additional pumpkin doesn’t work, there are other natural fiber sources (such as psyllium) that you can try.

• Probiotics — these live bacterial organisms promote intestinal health in many ways. All Halo dry cat foods have probiotics or you can purchase a probiotic supplement from your veterinarian.

• Electrolytes — many cats with kidney disease become depleted of certain electrolytes and minerals. Both potassium and magnesium are important for normal digestive tract function. Low levels of one (or both) can lead to severe constipation. Ask your veterinarian to check his levels and recommend a natural supplement if appropriate.

• Acupressure/acupuncture — ask your veterinarian for information on this traditional healing practice that involves the application of finger pressure or acupuncture needles to specific points on the body to facilitate ease of defecation.

• Exercise may be just what the doctor ordered! It has been shown that regular exercise reduces the severity and frequency of constipation. Try a laser pointer session or some interactive cat toys to get him off the couch.

• If all else fails, there are laxatives and other prescription medications that can facilitate easier movement of stool through the colon. If none of the other remedies work, ask your veterinarian for advice.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted.
Dr. Donna Spector

Click here to read complete article Natural Remedies for Constipation.

Q: I am curious as to what the ash content is in the spot stew (dry) for cats…my male cat has had 2 UTIS and issues with urince crystals in his bladder. My vet said it is from his diet….I said ‘WHAT?” “I feed him a cat food that is $20.00 a bag and all good stuff! It can’t be! He said I need to find out how much ash and magnesium is in the food because that’s what is causing them. If someone could get back to me I would appreciate it. Thank you…….Jeannie

A: Hi Jeannie, thanks for writing. Please read my article on Feline Urinary Problems. It was once thought that crystals and urinary problems were related to the ash content of the food, but all recent research has disproven this. All specialists in this field now agree that ash is minimally important and the very best thing we can do for cats with urinary problems is feed a pH neutral diet (which Halo is) and increase the amount of water they drink. The article gives ideas on how to increase water intake–but start with canned food only.

Hope this helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Q: Interesting article on pet obesity. I have been looking for some answers to my “fat cat problem”. I have two cats, one 4/5 and the other 10. Both need to lose weight but, when I have chosen a higher quality holistic food in the past they just keep gaining weight. My other option was the “vet” food option (Medical and Hills Prescription). I personally do not like the “vet” options. The ingredient list makes my stomach turn. I copied a portion out of one of the other articles (see below) on this website but and confused about how I figure out how many calories a day my cats will need.

What does the #30 represent and what does #70 represent?

“Inactive 10 year old, 13 pound (5.9 kilogram) domestic shorthair cat. Ideal weight is determined to be 9 pounds (4.1 kilograms). The calories that an average 9 pound cat requires each day are calculated as follows: (4.1 x 30) + 70 = 193 calories”

How do I find out how many calories are contained in the food I am feeding. Currently my ten year old is eating the Halo Seafood (dry). I would like both cats to be on the same food and be able to lose weight. Any advice you could give would be most appreciated.

Thanks
Terri

A: Terri, Thanks for your questions. I will try to clear up any confusion.

Once cats become overweight or obese, their metabolism slows down and it takes very few calories to keep them fat. Cat owners and vets alike often make the mistake of feeding too many calories and then are frustrated that even though they had chosen a “diet” food or a high quality holistic diet, their cat is not losing weight.

It is imperative that a cat’s IDEAL body weight be determined. This is usually around 8 or 9 pounds for most domestic cats (yes, even most of those 16 pound cats should only weigh 8 or 9 pounds…unless they are a purebreed larger breed cat).

Then the following formula is used to calculate calories:

[Ideal weight (in kilograms) x 30] + 70 = number of calories needed at ideal weight.

Than take that number and multiply it by 75% (0.75) to get the number of calories that your cat can eat each day in order to reach that ideal body weight.

The numbers 30 and 70 are just the nutrition formula for figuring out calories…you use the same numbers for every cat.

So lets say for example a cat currently weighs 12 pounds but his ideal body weight is 8 pounds. This means that he is 50% overweight.

8 pounds is 3.6 kilograms.
(3.6 kg x 30) + 70 = 178 calories. Then 178 calories x 0.75 = 134 calories.

This means he should eat approximately 134 calories in order to reach his 8 pound goal weight. He should lose approximately 1 to 2% of his body weight each week. So since he is 50% overweight it is going to take 25 to 50 weeks (6 months to 1 year) to lose this weight safely.

Some cats that are very lazy or very overweight need even further calorie restriction than this. So if you find your cat is not losing weight after 2 weeks on the new plan, see your veterinarian for advice. A common diet pitfall is treats. It is imperative to count the calories in treats and if you are giving treats, you have to decrease the amount of food you are feeding accordingly. Halo lists the calories in each of their cat treats for ease of calculating how many your cat should have each day.

The amount of calories in the seafood dry food is 400 calories per cup. So in the example above where the cat can have 134 calories, they would be able to eat 1/3 level cup of food for the entire day. Remember this is just an average calculation and if a cat doesn’t lose weight after 2 weeks with the calculated calories, talk to your vet about a further decrease.

Cats should also be examined by a veterinarian BEFORE they start any diet regimen to make sure they don’t have medical diseases predisposing them to obesity (such as diabetes, etc) and to make sure the rate of weight loss is safe for your particular cat.

Good Luck and hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Q: How do I transition my dog or cat to a new food?

A: Most pets require 7-10 days to adjust to a new food because their intestinal tracts contain unique bacteria and enzymes that need to adapt to the proper digestion of a new food. It is recommended that dogs and cats eat a combination of dry and canned food every day. Their bodies are made of 75% water and they rarely drink enough water to support excellent hydration and organ function. I recommend that 25 to 50% of their daily calories come from canned food. You can feed it all at one time during the day or break it up into 2 meals…whatever is easiest for you.

Follow these guidelines for either dry, canned or preferably a combination of Halo food*:

Click here to read complete article.

Q: Is Halo Puppy food ok for large breed dogs? I was told to get puppy food catered for large breeds and to try to stick to a fish diet for the coat.

A: Halo puppy food is perfect for large breed dogs. Work with your veterinarian to determine the amount of calories your dog should eat each day to avoid excessive growth spurts–which can be detrimental to bone development in very large breed dogs. It is not necessary to stick to just a fish-based diet for the health of your dogs coat. A high quality natural diet that contains no artificial colors, preservatives or additives and includes beneficial additives such as omega fatty acids will keep your pets coat healthy for years! You should also include an essential fatty acid supplement (like Halo, Dream Coat) to achieve optimal coat and skin health.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Q: My dog is obsessed with sniffing other dogs. Its become such a problem that we have a hard time taking him to the dog park or beaches, which he loves. How can I break him of this behavior? Thanks!

A: Often what starts as friendly sniffing can turn obsessive when a dog owner has a strong negative reaction. Many dogs start this behavior as an “attention-getter”. Although the attention they get from their owner is negative, it is attention none the less. As hard as it is, the best tool here is to ignore the behavior and the dog often starts performing the behavior less frequently as it is not getting the desired affect from you. Tough it out…if you get angry with him and reprimand him…the vicious cycle will start all over again. Also take a large assortment of play items with you to the parks and beaches–distract his attention from other dogs if the behavior starts up.

Good luck.
Dr. Donna Spector