Interesting article about cats gut PH

[MarkB]

Interesting article on cat' gut PH and carbs increasing PH which can cause gut problems. Makes you wonder if somtimes when we think cats have a cereal intolerance, it could just be that their stomach acid is too weak.

Also the bit about not mixing a raw diet with a commercial diet http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/ans ... ic-acidity

[Crewella]

That is interesting, thanks Mark. I've never tried my lot on a raw diet (except the odd chicken wing), but I do try to keep the cereal content down and several hunt and feed themselves.

[MarkB]

Same here Helen. Very few of my cats have ever be real meat eaters, but I try to go for higher meat content. Quite frustrating that they tend to go for the mid-range stuff over 80% meat type food. I know we have to compromise at times, but I would never give them the basic dry food. It seems easier to feed high meat content wet, given that even things like Felix and Whiskas don't contain any carbs

[Crewella]

Actually, Mark, I was going to message you - I recommended Butchers Classic to a friend whose cat might have a cereal intolerance, saying it was cereal-free, and also told her that I thought some of the Felix pouches possibly were as well. She rang Purina to check, and apparently they told her that none of their foods are completely cereal-free. Surprised me, that did.

[MarkB]

Me too Helen - especially given that none are listed on the packaging.

The Lidl premium in jelly pouches/Zooplus Catessy in jelly pouches don't have cereals listed and being German,I bet that means there aren't any, as they are very strict about ingredient lists for everything.

Last week, a woman on hedgehog forum, recklessly advised someone to spray a ring of WD40 around her bowls of hedgehog food to keep slugs and snails away from it because, as she said "I have heard that it is made from fish oil and therefore safe" - I told her that it was an urban myth and I knew that it contained petroleum distillates. I googled for more info and someone mentioned that due to German laws on ingredient lists being clear, where in other countries they are quite vague, product sold in Germany states Naptha and Paraffin being some of the ingredients (that i can remember)

[Crewella]

Oh good grief - WD40!!!!!!

When I have a minute, I will follow up on the Purina thing - it's piqued my interest.

[MarkB]

I have a feeling that your friend spoke to a customer service person who was winging it. I forget where it was, maybe youtube, where they called various customer service departments and so many of the staff weren't clued up on the company products.