3.5 ounces on a food scale, or a heaping, generously packed 1/2 cup, baked skinless organic chicken
1 cup pure spring water
3 heaping tablespoons oat bran from a health food store
1/4 teaspoon Dr. Goodpet's Feline Formula Digestive Enzymes (pancreatic enzymes)
1/4 teaspoon Dr. Goodpet's Maximum Protection Vitamin & Mineral formula
1/8 teaspoon ground psyllium husks as needed only
The phone number for Dr. Goodpet is 1-800-222-9932 or 1-310-672-3269.
MASH and BLEND ingredients thoroughly.
Make sure you squeeze the chicken with your fingers into very small pieces.
The smaller pieces of chicken will make it easier for your cat to digest his meal.
A cat with pancreatitis has trouble digesting large meals.
Divide this portion into four small meals a day. Approximately 1/4 cup each.
Keep refrigerated; then bring to room temperature gently in microwave before serving.
In case of an attack:
This diet has kept Aleksandr out of the hospital. Occasionally he still has an
attack of pancreatitis. I will tell you what I do.
I give him 1/4 tablet metoclopramide (1/4 of a 10 mg tablet, or 2.5 mg) every 12 hours to keep him from vomiting. Check with your vet for the right dosage for your cat's weight. If your cat loses control of his bowels or bladder after administering this medication, it may be the result of giving him too much of this medication, which must be accurately based on your cat's weight to avoid this side effect. Be sure to doublecheck with your vet regarding dosage if this occurs.
I withhold all food and water for 24-36 hours to give his digestive system, including his pancreas, a rest. Going longer than that period of time without food can cause serious liver problems in cats. Do not try it. He may need to be in the hospital with an IV to receive nutrients.
I keep him warm and quiet.
I administer subcutaneous fluids, approximately 80 ml of Normosol, to help him flush the toxins from his body and make him feel better.
Read "The New Natural Cat" by Anitra Frazier to learn how to administer subcutaneous fluids.
To decrease stomach acid, I give him, and check with your vet on the dosage for your cat, 1/4 tablet of Pepsid A/C every 24 hours, that's once every 24 hours!
If for any reason he worsens, such as continued vomiting, I take him to the hospital.
Pancreatitis is not an illness to play around with. The digestive enzymes will start digesting the cat's own organs. You can end up with a cat with diabetes or worse.
When in doubt, take him to the veterinary hospital.
Sometimes the cat must be hospitalized, given IV fluids, have blood tests, etc.
Read and learn about pancreatitis so that you know what to do.
Things to Remember:
Remember not to feed or give liquid to a cat that is having a pancreatic attack!
Do not ever feed the cat fat of any kind.
Fat can cause a cat with pancreatitis to have an attack.
Before de-boning the baked chicken, drain the chicken broth and its fat .
You may freeze the organic chicken broth, and skim all fat from the top.
The broth without fat makes a nice treat for a cat that is NOT suffering from a pancreatic attack.
It can be mixed with food and, without the chicken fat, is acceptable for Aleksandr's diet.
Keep track of your cat's weight regularly. Aleksandr has gained a bit of weight so I am going to decrease his food intake by no more than 10%. If your cat is obese, you want to make gradual changes in food intake, or you could end up with life-ending, irreversible liver damage in your cat. Talk with your vet before putting your cat on a diet, and read books such as the section on obesity in Anitra Frazier's "The Natural Cat" for more insights.
Why I use this diet:
For two years, I turned to traditional veterinary medicine for help.
Aleksandr was on foods like IAMS, Hills Prescription, Science Diet, Eukanuba, and medications like propulsid.
He continued to worsen.
I took matters into my own hands and bought Anitra Frazier's book, "The New Natural Cat."
I studied other books as well.
I took Aleksandr to see a holistic, homeopathic vet.
I no longer believe in annually vaccinating indoor-only animals as I believe it compromises their immune systems.
Aleksandr has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, megacolon, and tested positive for the heartworm antigen some years ago. Recently, he tested negative for the heartworm antigen. A positive test for the antigen means a cat has been exposed to heartworms, but doesn't necessarily have them, although the cat could have them, and thus needs a repeat test after some time has passed. Aleksandr has never tested positive for heartworms, only the antigen once. Since his first test, when I was made aware of the importance of protecting cats against heartworms, he has been on monthly medication, Heartgard, to prevent heartworms. Talk with your vet to learn more about heartworms in cats.
With alternative treatments, I have seen Aleksandr blossom into a healthy cat.
He still has problems with allergies, but I am working on that.
A special Thank-You to Dimend Abyssinians for the wallpaper used on this page,
and to artist Glenda Moore at CatStuff for the graphics used on this page.
Aleksandr's Special Diet
