My Maine Coon female has had some loose stools lately and she doesn;t have worms, or cold (URI) she is healthy. I did change their dry food to the same brand but new formula with stuffed morsel (Whiskas) they also eat Iams dry as wellas canned. I wonder if the new dry food could have done it????? I am showing her May 6-7 and certainly don;t want to have to give her another show bath the night of the show :(((((..She is getting one on Thursday show is Saturday so no need for 2nd bath (I hope)

Cindy

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

Answers

Yes, the new dry food could have given her soft stools. I am not familiar with the Whiskas dry food you describe, but anything that is "stuffed" is similar to the semi-moist foods and has to have added preservatives and softeners in it. Any kind of additive can be a cause for an allergic reaction.

I tell my kitten buyers it's ok to feed well known grocery store brands of canned food (Whiskas, Nine Lives, Friskies Buffet) but that the dry food should only be premium brands that are bought at Pet Stores and Pet Supply Vendors (Iams, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Nutro, Bil-Jac, Science Diet, etc.)

Now I always mix my brands, and I do understand the need to *extend* the more expensive dry food with a less expensive one. A wonderful very economical premium brand is Diamond Cat Foods. It comes in a Maintenance and a Professional formula. I feed the Professional formula. It is wonderful, and mixes well with the other premium foods. In Texas, it can be bought through feed stores. It is less expensive because they do not advertise. I believe in the western part of the U.S. the same or a similar product is called something like Nutra Nuggets. I would suggest you search for something like this (the Diamond Professional Formula runs about $11.95 per 20 pound bag) rather than using a grocery store brand. The grocery store brands just can't seem to eliminate all the dyes and additives from their dry foods.

Just my opinion, but I hope it helps.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000