Feline Diabetes
Diabetes in cats can be notoriously difficult to treat well and can definitely be life-threatening. Yet studies have shown that cats that have their dietary carbohydrate levels decreased also require a greatly reduced level of insulin to help them cope with the disease.
In order to reduce the onset of feline diabetes or to help in controlling and existing diabetic problem, it may be wise to check what ‘fillers’ are included in the commercial tinned food you feed your cat. Many brands will contain high levels of cornstarch, grains, cereals as these are cheaper than meat. You may also want to cut dry kibble from the diet completely as well.
Feline Asthma
Many cats are allergic to grains and cereals in their diets. Yet far too many commercial canned foods contain high levels of grains or cereals. This can be enough to cause allergic airway disease, such as feline asthma.If you speak to your vet about this debilitating illness, you’ll learn that many cats lose their symptoms almost immediately upon being put on a grain-free, high protein diet. This includes removing any dry kibble from the diet.
Obesity
Obesity related illness and disease in cats can be potentially life-threatening, and yet the advice often given is to reduce the amount of food given to the cat in an effort to reduce the calories they receive.
Unfortunately obesity in cats can often be attributed to a poor diet that is too high in carbohydrates, such as wheat grains or corn starch, and too low in good quality animal protein. Dry kibble is also very high in calories and can lead to even further weight gain.
Blocked Urinary Tract/Cystitis
Cystitis is a very common health problem in cats that is also extremely painful. This type of inflammation often causes cats to urinate in places they normally wouldn’t. If left untreated, cystitis can lead to blockages within the urinary tract that could rupture the bladder and cause other potentially life-threatening problems.
Removing dry kibble from a cat’s diet and increasing the amount of water given with food can go far in avoiding this painful problem. Finding a well-hydrated source of protein-rich food will also help alleviate symptoms.
Your Cat’s Current Diet
Cats tend to hide health problems until the symptoms are quite advanced. By that time, whatever ailment is disturbing them may be too late to treat effectively.
Many veterinarians report that owners come in with their sick cats, telling them the cat was “just fine” prior to displaying symptoms for the first time. Those symptoms include many of the serious illnesses mentioned in the previous chapter, like diabetes, blocked urinary tract, kidney stones, but can also include cancer or tumors.
This is because the disease may have been progressing silently and below the surface, until it’s gotten so bad that clinical symptoms can no longer be hidden.
The key to helping your cat remain healthy and to reduce the risk of disease and illness that could easily have been avoided is to feed your cat species-appropriate food.