Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Test Samples

A while back when our cat Pepper had intestinal issues, the vet sent us home with a bag of easy-to-digest prescription food.  It took Pepper about a month to finish that bag, then Hubby Tony started filling his daily food container with the regular brand that he's been eating for several years.  Within two days Pepper was howling in intestinal distress again.  

I called the animal clinic to ask what we should do.  The vet wasn't available, but when the technician said I could come and buy another bag of the prescription food  I immediately changed my shoes and got in the car.  (I know, what we do for our pets!) 

The first time we bought it the cost of the prescription food was just one of several charges on the vet bill, and I didn't stop to figure out how much it cost.  By itself, though, the high cost of the special kibble was obvious.  As the technician was running my charge card I asked her if she had any suggestions.  She said that maybe Pepper had developed an intolerance for an ingredient in his normal food and we might want to try other brands.

The cats have been eating the same holistic cat food for several years, which we buy at a branch of a chain pet food retailer, Each of the branches are owned by independent franchisees, and the staff at the store is extremely friendly and helpful. Last week I stopped in to see if they could give me any advice about choosing a new cat food.

I found an associate in the cat food aisle and explained the situation.  She said she'd look in the back and see if they had any sample sizes we could try.  This is what she came back with!


Each of the bags weighs between four and six runes.  Tony is trying one at a time, mixing it in with the prescription food to see how Pepper likes and tolerates it.  It will take quite a while to get through all the bags (unless Pepper says it's OK to share some with his brother Jackson).

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9 comments:

  1. The Happy WhiskMarch 3, 2015 at 7:54 PM

    We do for our pets, too. The cost though sure can be, yow. Glad you got samples. Hope they help.

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    Replies
    1. Kathy GMarch 4, 2015 at 8:25 AM

      We're going to see which foods Pepper tolerates, then compare prices and find the cheapest one :-)

      Delete
    2. The Happy WhiskMarch 4, 2015 at 2:52 PM

      Sounds like a great idea.

      Are you into making homemade pet foods at all? There's a company out there that sells some sort of vitamin and mineral packet to go on home-cooked pet foods. I don't know the name or how it really all works.

      But .. figured I'd toss it out there in case these samples don't work.

      Delete
    3. Kathy GMarch 4, 2015 at 3:18 PM

      Hmmm....I think I have enough trouble making food to keep the humans in the house fed.

      Delete
    4. The Happy WhiskMarch 5, 2015 at 1:29 PM

      Understandable. Wasn't sure, and I don't know enough about the program, but I wanted to put it out there.

      Delete
  2. ChristineMarch 3, 2015 at 11:23 PM

    Let us know how this turns out. I know there is a blood test for allergies in people now. It's expensive but potentially worth it for some people.

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    Replies
    1. Kathy GMarch 4, 2015 at 8:26 AM

      I love my cats, but I'm not one of those people who treat them just like humans and go to extremes for them.

      Delete
  3. TeriMarch 4, 2015 at 10:32 AM

    Cat food companies are known to change up their blends... and they never let the consumer know unless you ask their corporate directly. When we were breeding Ocicats, we'd use the same brand & type. Then all of a sudden on a new bag there would be hurking and tummy issues. I'd call the company and directly ask, "What have you changed?" The answer was usually 'corn'. They would either start adding it or really up the amount they were using. (It's a cheap filler that cats have a hard time digesting). Lamb and rice is a good mix for sensitive stomachs.

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