High-Protein, Low-Carb Foods Win Again

Dietary therapy has been considered important in the management of many feline gastrointestinal disorders. Low fat diets were for a long period of time the major recommendation for feeding cats with acute and chronic diarrhea. However, a recent double-blinded clinical trial showed that dietary fat did not affect the outcome of diarrhea in cats.

The current study, conducted by Nestle Purina PetCare Co., looked at the clinical efficacy of a new therapeutic diet for cats with diarrhea. Researchers assigned 16 cats with chronic diarrhea to be fed diet X (Hill’s Prescription i/d Feline) or diet Y (Purina Veterinary Diets EN Gastrointestinal Feline Formula) for 4 weeks while fecal scores were recorded daily for the last week on each diet. The process was then repeated by switching each cat to the alternate diet. Diet Y is a canned food formulated to contain high protein, low carbohydrate, moderate fiber (with both soluble and insoluble fibers), and a source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids provide a relative anti-inflammatory effect and may be beneficial in some types of GI disease. Fecal scores improved significantly when both therapeutic diets were fed, but diet Y showed the best results. When fed diet Y, 47% of the cats developed normal stools with dietary change alone.

For more information on chronic diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome in cats, please see Ann’s site.

Information on this site is for general information purposes only and is provided without warranty or guarantee of any kind. This site is not intended to replace professional advice from your own veterinarian and nothing on this site is intended as a medical diagnosis or treatment. Any questions about your animal’s health or diet should be directed to your veterinarian.