Sad Cats

I've had some trouble in this area, and I've found some things that work. My little Bugsy seems to be allergic to about as much as I am. She might be a foster cat, but she's become more my cat than a foster! She started having terrible diarrhea and had to go on special food. It turns out she is allergic to grain in her food. She won't eat meat so far, but I keep trying to tempt her.

I began keeping track of what happened on my blog and did a couple of articles in the ezine about it. In the end, I found some foods that work and some that don't. Missy Bugsy Bits is doing much better, now. I wanted to share my experiences with you and the articles that steered me in the direction I went. I want to share the foods that work with you, too. I have raw food in the freezer, now, and some canned in the cupboard to tempt her with. She is becoming very interested in meat, now. That works in my favor. She still turns her nose up when it's offered, but she wants to be included in the feeding times and comes into the kitchen to get a tidbit. 

One thing that surprised me was that cats ignore fruit and all sugars! They developed a mutation several thousand years ago that removed the tastebuds from their mouths for sweet. They just don't even notice it. It doesn't taste bad, it just "isn't." That would be very disconcerting for me! Grains are mostly sugar so that explains a lot of it. 
Cats really need meat. That's what they crave. It's what makes their fur shine and their weight stay healthy. However, there are problems with a straight meat diet, too. Whether raw or cooked, cats need taurine for ocular, neurological, reproductive, and cardiovascular health. There are several supplements on the market that provide taurine, but sometimes knowing how much to give can be a little confusing. 
It seems that cats often have allergic reaction  to wheat, corn and soy products. Many people also suffer this affliction. For some, it is life threatening. Think of what it must be for a cat who is always hungry! If nutrition is not absorbed through food because of diarrhea or other digestive upsets, where are we to get it?