Fran H  says:
18 months ago

I saw where you said you were concerned about brewers yeast and plants. We have been using a product (not the same brand) for probably 15 years to repel fleas on dogs and cats. There are separate formulas for each.

It is a pill that contains mainly Debittered Brewers Dried Yeast and Dehydrated Garlic. The brand I have right now also contains Omega 3 fatty acids, B-complex and a list of vitamins and minerals that look like my multi-vitamins. Our two cats love them and look forward to their daily dose.

This product is amazing. We live in Texas and haven't had a flea in all these years. But now I'm wondering if it might have something to do with my Siamese's sensitive stomach. He is 5 yrs old and has had vomited nearly every day of his life. Our other cat, a mix breed, is about 6 months older and has never had a vomiting problem. Both are neutered males. Since the first kitten visit, our vet has said that he is perfectly healthy and just has a sensitive stomach and pretty much just blamed it on the breed. He had us try several varieties of the "vet" brands, but none have helped.

He is an extremely finicky eater. Won't touch people food or cat snacks or canned food. We gave up on the vet food, thinking maybe it was to "rich" for him, and had better luck with Purina One but still no cure. We decided to try Meow Mix. It was OK for a few days, but then the vomiting started again. With each food change we mix them for several days, increasing the new food's %.

They have dry food and water available 24/7 and are never at the bowl at the same time - so there is no reason to gulp. Most of the time, shortly after he eats he will heave a few times and then throw up a tube of undigested dry food. You could almost put it back in the bowl. Other times, it may take a few hours and the vomit will be more soupy and frothy. Sometimes there is grass mixed in with this type - sometimes not. While he looks skinny compared to other cats, he is heavier than most Siamese and is otherwise healthy.

He is a "touch me not" kitty. He will beg and cry for attention then move just out of reach as soon as you touch him - unless he's in the mood. Loving is on his terms only - but there is plenty of that. He hides from most people until they come often enough that he recognizes their voice. He is very sensitive to noises and movement. There is no reaso, that I know of, for him to have any of these quirks except for the Siamese breeding and the fact that most of the time it is just me and the 2 cats, so it's pretty quiet. None of this is new. He's been like this all his life and my last 2 Siamese were the same.

I've gotten way off, but other than searching all your great information for a food to try that Is good and that I've ever heard of, what are your thoughts on the Brewers Yeast/Garlic pills.

The bottle does not give an amount for the garlic. They get 2 x .5g pills a day which is a little much (1/10# weight), but we didn't think it would hurt. It says they can take it along with multi-vitamins. 1 pill contains 36.0% Crude Protein (Min) plus 30 other vitamins & minerals.

Thanks again for all your efforts,

Fran

Fran H  says:
18 months ago

Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I breathe a huge sigh of relief, being able to safely continue the garlic pills. Now to find a food source without the grains and other bad stuff.

Many Thanks,

Fran

Fran H  says:
18 months ago

Susan,

I checked out every brand at my local grocery stores and found ZERO dry foods that didn't have corn. Unbelievable!!! I then went to PetCo, and skipping their main selections, went straight to the expensive end. There I found several possible brands. Being on a tight budget, I picked a small bag of the least expensive brand - Natural Balance.

Quincy (the one that vomits every day) was very curious about the new smell I had brought home, and was all over the bag. So, I opened it up right then and put a few pieces out on the floor. Amazingly for him, he scoffed them up. I put a few more out and you would think he hadn't eaten in months. I couldn't believe it.

I mixed the Natural Balance in with their old dry food to ease the change and keep them from eating too much, too fast. As usual, the food is always available. For the first 2-3 days, Quincy ate every couple of hours. I have NEVER seen him eating like that. My guess is that he wanted the good stuff before it went away. Now he is eating more like a normal cat. Regular, not all the time. You can't help but notice that they are picking out the Natural Balance and leaving the old stuff alone, as much as possible.

It has now been 6 days since I got the Natural Balance. The FANTASTIC news is that Quincy has not vomited (even grass) once. Two days is a nice surprise. Six days is unbelievable! I am SOLD! I got rid of the corn and I guess either the NB has enough greens that he does not feel the need to eat grass, or else he doesn't have to eat grass to fix an upset stomach. In either case, it is working.

Our other cat, Gilligan, is also loving it, but he is a hunter and a great deal of his diet comes from our adjacent forest. He always brings home goodies for Quincy, but I think the whole idea of "hunting" is foreign and disgusting to him.

Last night, my husband made the comment that Quincy is now a totally different cat. He really is. He seems happier and more relaxed. He is not as skittish as he was. He still talks a lot, but he doesn't seem to be complaining or begging - except when there is nothing left in the food bowl but the "yucky old stuff". I believe he is even gaining some weight.

After 5 years, Quincy is finally a happy cat. I feel terrible that we didn't find this solution sooner - poor baby, and I am furious that the main stream cat food manufacturers are getting away with killing our pets. I will pass this on to all my friends and family. Maybe if enough people boycott these brands, they will change.

Thank you so very much for your web site, your information and your help. It is appreciated more than you know.

Fran