Cat Question
Okay, this is probably a small problem, but any problem with my fur-babies concerns me. This morning Sidra came and sat with me like she usually does on the couch as I was eating breakfast (I use a TV dinner tray to eat in front of the TV). The sun was shining in the window but not directly on us. Sidra looked at me with blinky eyes and I noticed that it was different than normal, it seemed like the light was bothering her, but the light wasn't that bright. And I noticed one of her eyes watering. So she seemed like her eyes were bothering her. So I waved my hand in front of her face and she watched it okay, so she can see, but she seems like her eyes are bothering her. Scooter, my male cat, looks okay, no problems with him.
Now here is the tickler. About a month ago I switched the two of them to the Evolution diet, a vegan dry cat food. So I was wondering, could she be having some kind of ill-effects from the new cat food? Should I put them back onto the meat-based cat food? Or do you think she was just being Sidra and I am worrying too much? Other than that little incident this morning she seems perfectly fine, still running around and playing like normal.
Just want advice.
Hi Snowqueen, I'm sorry to hear about your baby... I sure hope she's okay. I've done a lot of reading on cats (I've been obsessed with cats practically since I was born, I love them) and most of what I've read would suggest that cats are true carnivores, in that they need animal meat for basic bodily funcitons.Cats (and other carnivores) organs function diffrently than omnivores (plant eaters). I really don't know how much truth there is to that, I've never asked a professional about it or anything. I'm by no means an expert, just your basic cat lover. I would certainly consult a vet or animal nutritionalist if you're concerned about the diet in anyway. Good luck!
Aw, sorry your baby isn't feeling well! Yeah, I agree, it doesn't sound like anything serious, but I would definitely keep an eye on it. If it gets worse or gets weepy and/or oozy, call your vet.I would probably consullt the vet about the diet too and make sure you don't need to supplement it with anything. I'm not familiar with veg*n diets for cats as we feed ours regular food, but I have read some of the same things about cats typically not doing well on a veg*n diet. But it may also depend on the cat, there's no "one-size fits all" for any of us. I do hope that Sidra is feeling better soon. Give her some lovies. :)
I don't know about the eye/food connection, but since Cat has developed kidney disease I've read a lot about that and dry food aggravates it. Cats get some moisture through food, so when they only eat dry food they are getting their full moisture and it contributes to kidney problems. I think it's the biggest concern if cats eat dry food only. Cat doesn't like moist food, so he was an exclusively dry food cat.
Here is an update.
I went to the dentist and came back home a few hours later. I looked at her and she was back to normal, wide eyed, no leakyness anymore. So now everything looks okay again. I think I was concerned for nothing. May have been an allergy or somehing, maybe it was something I put on that I normally don't. I have no idea, but everything is okay now.
I found out that she likes Seiten too. That cat will eat anything, I swear!
Thank you for all your advice! I may go ahead and put her back on normal cat food though, because I am nervous about it, and that Evolution cat food is so darn expensive! Cats don't eat near as much as I do so I am not contributing to the horrible animal industry that bad.
:)
SQ
I'm so happy to hear that your kitty is feeling better...yay! Perhaps she just had something in her eye that caused an irritation.
Cats, like humans, can catch colds and have allergies. But she may just have stuck her nose into something that irritated her eyes...dust or whatever.
I caught more than one cold from my lovely Saul, and he from me. He used to make me laugh when he'd rub his prickly nose with a paw when he had a cold...he was an albino so rubbing this little pink nose with the pink paw, and watching his silver eyes go crosseyed in concentration, was rather a treat! ;D
One of the funniest sounds in the world is a cat sneezing. Or a baby sneezing, for that matter.
HH
my HFS gal told me to sprinkle or spray a little water on my dry cat food so that she would get moisture thru her dry stuff. My cat does not like wet food either!
lately she has been drinking my water at night-sticking her whole head into my glass. it drives me batty because i wake up thristy and my water is all gone!
i dont think they are supposed to drink that much water, like a dog...so I hope nothing is wrong!
I don't know about the eye/food connection, but since Cat has developed kidney disease I've read a lot about that and dry food aggravates it. Cats get some moisture through food, so when they only eat dry food they are getting their full moisture and it contributes to kidney problems. I think it's the biggest concern if cats eat dry food only. Cat doesn't like moist food, so he was an exclusively dry food cat.
HH
my HFS gal told me to sprinkle or spray a little water on my dry cat food so that she would get moisture thru her dry stuff. My cat does not like wet food either!
That is a very good suggestion! I do know cats have a high rate of kidney infections because they tend to not drink enough water. My cats like wet food, so I have no prob. there. Another thing that helped me is I got one of those fancy, trickling water fountains for my kitties. They LOVE it! They are always drinking water out of that thing and I've had for like 8 years so they do last a while!
another thing I was thinking is my kitty also gets a watery eye, but as a kitten (I found her as a sickly stray) she had a bad eye infection and that is the eye that always waters. I figured it was connected to that....
Anyway, so glad your kitty is doing well! :)