The Role of Diet in the Prevention of FIC

We here at Jenesis Pets have an immense amount of respect for the work of Dr. Joseph Bartges and would highly recommend that everyone watch this particular video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntes1OxvnAY . We love his revolutionary approach to feeding cats but I do want to stress that this applies mainly to all of you new kitten owners. This is a way to ensure that you triumph over the inherent pickiness and aversions to food that is so common amongst our adult feline friends. Dr. Bartges regales us with the tale of his two kittens – feral cats adopted early on. They certainly picked the right household as they are daily fed a smorgasbord of delectable delights. They also have their diet switched up regularly so as to avoid ever becoming too used to any one thing. The end goal here is to have a cat that can be given anything that is good for it, especially and including #medicinalingredients and that their caregiver will have the freedom to place said ingredient in any number of choices without risking an #aversion developing – much less a downright avoidance of the necessary carrier food.

We realize that many of these wonderful and creative ideas come with equally creative price tags but as always, we here at Jenesis Pets believe that each of you is doing your best and we trust the process in you. If this article does nothing but broaden your horizons as far as what you thought was possible, we’re happy! If you have just adopted a #newkitten, and have the means to provide a living, clean, variety-filled meal time, amazing!!

If timing and budget allows, #nutritionaldiversity looks like changing things up daily or weekly and avoiding getting into routines. A wide variety of textures (especially) and flavors should continually be offered. Consider blending some chicken and kale into a puree, feeding raw eggs, offering heavy cream, sardines, other low-mercury, canned fish, treats and more along with their wet and dry cat food. Remember that their ancestors ate very low carbohydrate content, some occasional greens and a plethora of rodents - bones and all.

Adult cats can get locked into a diet which can make change, a headache or a near impossibility. If you find yourself here at this point, there are a few tricks that one can try. Mixing their old food with whatever you are trying to introduce, SLOWLY, can fool them into not noticing the change. If they refuse canned or higher moisture food, adding a bit of water or chicken broth to their same old dry food can tease them into trying some canned once in a while. Having a new kitten in the home that will eat anything can sometimes be what it takes to entice a “set in his ways”, adult cat to try something new. You never know when a real need to be flexible will arise due to a food recall or again, the need for a certain medication or prescription diet.

As referenced earlier in regards to getting #backtonature, another tip is to encourage them to “hunt” for their food. Cats are incredibly cerebral, clever and motivated creatures (when they are not napping) and so often, our pets lack the stimulation needed to get them out of boredom and into truly living. There are #interactivefeedinginstruments and toys that bring their true nature out and make them work hard for the “reward” of the chase. Tap into those hunting instincts, cat parents!

Avoiding #boredom is huge key – among those who research #FIC for a living, the jury is out on what impacts FIC most – diet, environment/enrichment, or stress. Cat owners in decades past have not appreciated their feline pet’s need for #enrichment in the form of play, toys, chasing, stalking, and conquering.

But as you will continually hear, the #roleofmoisture in FIC kitties is massive. Feral cats and our fur baby’s ancestors, naturally ate a very low moisture diet consisting of #protein and bones etc. This is actually not a problem in the average cat. Cats don’t tend to drink a lot especially if their homemade food contains a lot of moisture. The higher the moisture content of their solid food, the less water they will drink. This ISN’T a problem if they are average, young and healthy. However, in our FIC-prone, house cats, it seems to be a major trigger. A higher moisture diet does not ever hurt our kitties and it can definitely act as prevention for future bladder problems arising. Then you never have to go through the hassle of STARTING a new, higher moisture diet.

Here at Jenesis Pets, #prevention is our motto! Expensive #vetbills, heaps of pain and worry, and the headache of trying to react, can all be avoided with a few smaller, monthly expenses for a higher quality diet and a #preventativesupplement like ours. Certain supplements like antioxidants (vit C), probiotics and omega 3’s (which our felines lack the ability to use in their bodies when we add them from things like flaxseeds. These omegas, EPA, DHA etc need to come from marine life – these are the only sources that their little bodies can put to use in their cell membranes to prevent inflammation) are just the beginning. Most plant sources of the vitamins and minerals our cats need, are not absorbable for them and the high heat required to stabilize these products, kills most of the goodness off.

Current pet diets are “sufficient” for AVERAGE cats. What you need to decide is whether you want an average cat (if you are starting from kittenhood) or if you cat IS average! Average cats have a wide safety margin and I myself have had several cats who just went through life on the cheapest brand of dry food and clean water with nary a vet visit. FIC kitties are just not that way. We are so grateful for the continued research being doing by the good doctors like Joseph Bartges (DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVN), Tony Buffington (DVM, MS, PhD), John M. Kruger (DVM, PhD, DACVIM) and more and while much of what we know is still theoretical, progress is being made. Some of these theories include viral causation, #neurogenicinflammation, #inappropriatestressresponse (potentially due to in utero events!) and more. When animals are under stress and they possess the proper stress response, it is dealt with and shaken off. When they lack the appropriate stress response, the stress has to target something – this can be the urinary tract, the skin, the bowels or any other system in the body. This is why calming herbal supplements can be so beneficial. A change in diet, more often than not can bring relief BUT the change itself can bring about unnecessary stress if your cat is too set in their ways. A cat (unlike most children) WILL starve if you attempt to force a change and they don’t like it.

Thus, the purpose of this article; the younger you start, the easier it is to introduce new foods, which makes them more likely to try everything you offer – and this can be a matter of life or death in the case of a sick kitty. This approach to feeding keeps them lean, motivated and interested. The crux of it all is that getting involved with your cat is the best medicine. Become a “pet detective” for your unique feline. If you only see your pet when he or she comes out to eat, this is most likely not a happy cat. Much love to all my cat parents!

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