I have a 13 year old cat that has motility issues that have led to constipation. His veterinarian has recommended that I switch his diet and some of the suggestions were Hill's, IAMS, and Royal Canin. I'm not particularly fond of any of those brands.
I tried the wet foods suggested by All About Cats, but he refuses to eat them, and wet food in general. He'll eat a small amount, but nowhere near what he needs.
Currently I'm thinking about Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein. Would that be a good option for a cat with motility issues or should I look for another brand? If so, are there any suggestions?
Thank you!
Originally Answered: [Sticky] Cat With Motility Issues
Originally Answered: [Sticky] Cat With Motility Issues
I would stay away from Dr. Elsey's Cleanprotein. My cat, also anti-wet-food, was on Cleanprotein for a while, and began throwing up. My vet said that the 59-60% protein level was much too high, was unnatural, and strained his digestive system. In addition, they changed the formula of the food at some point, apparently after the All About Cats review, and it changed color and was arriving crumbly. So I ditched it. He's been on Open Farm Homestead Turkey & Chicken since and is doing great.
Originally Answered: [Sticky] Cat With Motility Issues
@mitchellregenbogen I'll have to give it a try. Thank you!
Originally Answered: [Sticky] Cat With Motility Issues
Hi Gordon,
Thanks for reaching out with your question.
In general, cats with constipation benefit from a wet diet (extra moisture) with a good fiber source (either in the diet or added). But many cats, similar to yours, prefer dry food so we work around that. If you aren’t keen on those diets, then I’d recommend any good quality dry diet that has low carbohydrate and good protein sources; https://cats.com/best-dry-cat-food . I would also recommend adding in a prebiotic/probiotic supplement with this; https://cats.com/reviews/best-probiotics-cats .
Some cats can benefit from further supplementation e.g. extra fiber, laxatives. I would discuss this with your veterinarian as they know your cat’s case best.
As your cat prefers dry food, it might be a good idea to try using a cat fountain and experimenting with different types of water bowls. This can help them to drink more water which would help the constipation.
I hope this helps and that your cat is doing well,
Aisling