Help with kitty diet - health issues

[MissPurryJess]

I love this forum, and I browse and lurk frequently. I have a few questions about my kitties' diet in relation to health issues, and while I've found some amazing information on the boards, I was hoping the experts could help me with a specific situation.

I'll try to be as succinct as possible! I have 2 kitties, a boy and a girl, Fitzy and Daisy, they're littermates and about 6.5 years old (they're rescues). They each weigh about 9 lbs., so they're at a good weight and don't seem to overeat.

Until the grain recall, I was completely ignorant regarding what my babies needed. :sad: They had been on Science Diet Z/D Dry, and then we switched foods - we tried a few different types of foods (Innova Evo dry, Innova Evo wet, Wellness wet, Natural Balance wet), but finally settled on 1/6 of a can of Innova Evo 95% Duck (per each cat) twice a day with a pinch of psyllium mixed in and Now! Grain-Free Senior/Weight Management Formula dry whenever they want it (we leave a little bit in their bowls all day).

Here's the problem: Daisy Mae has hard stools, and Fitzy has a tendency to vomit. Fitzy used to have loose stools, but since he's been eating the Innova Evo 95% Duck, his stools have been well-formed. His issue is that he eats too much at once and then pukes it all up! We clean up piles of kibble vomit at least once a week - this week he's vomited 3 times (twice kibble, once bile). He also does this horrible hacking thing - the "I need to puke up a hairball but I'm not going to yet" kinda hacking. I freaked out and thought he may have lung cancer or something, but the vet said he was in great health and his lungs sounded good, and suggested giving him Laxatone (which he abhors and we have to put it in a syringe and force feed it to him), but I haven't seen a marked improvement yet. He hasn't hacked up any huge hairballs lately, but there has been some hair in his vomit. I'm so worried about him - I was hoping you guys would have insight on that. He's always had a sensitive tummy - he vomited a lot as a baby, so this isn't a new thing.

And then there's Daisy Mae - she has hard stools! Which is why we tried the Now! dry food - the nutritionist told us it was high in fiber and low in fat, and that it should help her. No dice. That's also why we give them psyllium powder - the vet thought it may help with her stools, but I don't really think that's working, either.

Otherwise my babies are in good health, their fur is nice and shiny and there's no dandruff or allergies or anything, just the vomiting and hard stools that I'm worried about. Please help me - I love my babies more than anything in the world and I want to make sure they're as healthy and happy as possible. Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated!

Whew, I'm verbose.

[14+kitties]

Have you tried eliminating the dry food out of their diet all together? Possibly adding a small amount of pumpkin or butternut squash or Slippery Elm to their diet? If you are worried about weight loss increase the wet food a little. Give it a few weeks and see if that helps. Also, a little yogurt on the side never hurts.

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Have you tried eliminating the dry food out of their diet all together?

I haven't tried - we have a weird food dynamic with these guys. Fitzy will only eat little bites at a time, so after Daisy is done wolfing down her wet food, my husband and I have to police the area to make sure she doesn't devour all of Fitzy's food. If he eats more than 1/6 of a can at a time, he vomits. I'm worried he wouldn't be getting enough food without the supplemental dry kibble.

Possibly adding a small amount of pumpkin or butternut squash or Slippery Elm to their diet?

I've heard about the pumpkin thing - how does this help them? This will probably work with Daisy but I'm not sure about Fitzy - he's so picky. Is it an added source of fiber or something?

If you are worried about weight loss increase the wet food a little. Give it a few weeks and see if that helps. Also, a little yogurt on the side never hurts.

Daisy will eat yogurt, Fitzy will not (I've tried). I'm interested - how does this help them? We always have tons of plain low-fat organic Greek yogurt around, so this would be easy to incorporate into Daisy's meals.

[sugarcatmom]

Can you try leaving wet food down all the time instead of the dry? That way the novelty might wear off with Daisy so that she doesn't eat it all at once, and then Fitzy can snack on it when he wants. I would also eliminate the psyllium husk, which can actually make constipation worse for some cats, especially if you aren't adding extra water along with it.

As for the Now Senior kibble, there are better options. Even though it's grain-free, it's still high carb because of all the potato starch. If you absolutely have to feed dry, something like Wellness Core or Innova Evo would be better (except that you might have to measure the portions because they're pretty high in calories).

[14+kitties]

I am far from being the food guru here. I am sure SCM or growler or L4H will be along soon to answer your questions a little more fully. Let's see if I can help you out a little first.

Giving plain yogurt will help repopulate good bacteria in kitty's intestinal tract.
This site explains the benifits of pumpkin and squash for our pets.........

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1817/

[14+kitties]

Oooopps, sorry SCM!!

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Oooopps, sorry SCM!!

Nothing to apologize for!! The yogurt/squash advice is great.

[growler~GateKeeper]

I also say cut out the psyllium the one and only time my cat had food with psyllium mixed in it gave her such bad constipation - never again. Try salmon oil instead, I have found for my cat that works even better than the butternut squash.

Is Fitzy a long haired?

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Can you try leaving wet food down all the time instead of the dry? That way the novelty might wear off with Daisy so that she doesn't eat it all at once, and then Fitzy can snack on it when he wants. I would also eliminate the psyllium husk, which can actually make constipation worse for some cats, especially if you aren't adding extra water along with it.

This may sound daft, but how do I leave wet food out? Do you mean leave larger portions in the morning and let them free feed? I'm worried about Daisy eating too much at once - if Fitzy doesn't get to it, she'll devour all of it. But I like the idea of them having access to it all day, I'm just not sure of the logistics.

I had no idea that psyllium husk could constipate kitties - no more psyllium in Daisy's food, that's for sure. I think it has helped Fitzy a bit because he used to have loose stools, but thank you for that tip because Daisy certainly doesn't need anything that will bind her up more.

As for the Now Senior kibble, there are better options. Even though it's grain-free, it's still high carb because of all the potato starch. If you absolutely have to feed dry, something like Wellness Core or Innova Evo would be better (except that you might have to measure the portions because they're pretty high in calories).

The nutritionist suggested it because she said it was high in fiber and chicken-free (Fitzy has a sensitivity to chicken), but I'm definitely open to a new dry food. If you have a grain-free/chicken-free dry food you'd recommend, that would be great. Do you think it's important for their dry food to have a lot of fiber?

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

I am far from being the food guru here. I am sure SCM or growler or L4H will be along soon to answer your questions a little more fully. Let's see if I can help you out a little first.

Giving plain yogurt will help repopulate good bacteria in kitty's intestinal tract.
This site explains the benifits of pumpkin and squash for our pets.........

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1817/

I really like the idea of adding pumpkin to their diets - do you think 1/4 tsp will be good to start? I know Daisy will eat it (she'll eat just about anything), and hopefully I can hide it in Fitzy's food.

You guys are awesome - I appreciate your help so much. Do you think the pumpkin will help with Fitzy's vomiting? I think removing the psyllium and adding pumpkin and some yogurt sound like a great first step for Daisy, I'm just curious if it will help with Fitzy's vomiting, too.

ETA: growler, just saw your post - Fitzy is a short hair. Do you have a certain brand you'd suggest for the salmon oil? I'm literally tossing the psyllium tomorrow when we break out the pureed pumpkin. Speaking of which, is canned pure pumpkin okay? I have quite a bit of it.

And because they appreciate your help, here they are, in all their glory - Daisy Mae is the tortie and Fitzy is all black:

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

I am far from being the food guru here. I am sure SCM or growler or L4H will be along soon to answer your questions a little more fully. Let's see if I can help you out a little first.

Giving plain yogurt will help repopulate good bacteria in kitty's intestinal tract.
This site explains the benifits of pumpkin and squash for our pets.........

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1817/

OMG. I eat my words - Fitzy is devouring his food with the pumpkin! I put 1/4 tsp in each kitty's dish and they both loved it.

So do I give them 1/4 tsp each once a day or twice a day? And how much yogurt should I give Daisy?



ETA: Quick question - how do you keep the pumpkin fresh? I have a big can of it, so I put a little scoop in a tupperware container to use for this week, and then I used a cookie scoop to make little pumpkin puree balls to freeze - the idea being that I'll just defrost one little ball per week. How do you guys keep it fresh?

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

I really like the idea of adding pumpkin to their diets - do you think 1/4 tsp will be good to start? I know Daisy will eat it (she'll eat just about anything), and hopefully I can hide it in Fitzy's food.

ETA: growler, just saw your post - Fitzy is a short hair. Do you have a certain brand you'd suggest for the salmon oil? I'm literally tossing the psyllium tomorrow when we break out the pureed pumpkin. Speaking of which, is canned pure pumpkin okay? I have quite a bit of it.

And because they appreciate your help, here they are, in all their glory - Daisy Mae is the tortie and Fitzy is all black:

I'm using Grizzly Salmon Oil it is liquid so it must be refridgerated {the butternut squash (same principle as pumpkin) worked for a while for my cat but she has crf and the extreme water balance issues that come with that so the salmon oil has been far more effective in her situation} and sugarcatmom prefers to use salmon oil in capsules instead of a liquid - depends on what works for you. You might want to see how the pumpkin does for Daisy Mae and Fitzy first, before adding salmon oil, since you already have that on hand.

Pure canned pureed pumpkin is fine as long as it is not pie filling that has too much spices and such. 1/4 tsp twice a day is fine to start. The pumpkin works to rebalance the water level in the bowels so if there's too much or too little the natural fibre works it out/in.

Aww Daisy Mae is gorgeous , she looks a bit like my grrl and Fitzy handsome little guy

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

ETA: Quick question - how do you keep the pumpkin fresh? I have a big can of it, so I put a little scoop in a tupperware container to use for this week, and then I used a cookie scoop to make little pumpkin puree balls to freeze - the idea being that I'll just defrost one little ball per week. How do you guys keep it fresh?

I used to scoop each serving in ice cube trays & freeze it, then dump them in a freezer bag that way you can just take out what you need per meal for each cat it only takes a tiny bit of extra water to thaw the frozen slice

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by growler

I'm using Grizzly Salmon Oil it is liquid so it must be refridgerated {the butternut squash (same principle as pumpkin) worked for a while for my cat but she has crf and the extreme water balance issues that come with that so the salmon oil has been far more effective in her situation} and sugarcatmom prefers to use salmon oil in capsules instead of a liquid - depends on what works for you. You might want to see how the pumpkin does for Daisy Mae and Fitzy first, before adding salmon oil, since you already have that on hand.

Pure canned pureed pumpkin is fine as long as it is not pie filling that has too much spices and such. 1/4 tsp twice a day is fine to start. The pumpkin works to rebalance the water level in the bowels so if there's too much or too little the natural fibre works it out/in.

Aww Daisy Mae is gorgeous , she looks a bit like my grrl and Fitzy handsome little guy

I agree, I think I'll stick with pumpkin puree for a while and see how that goes. The ingredient list on the can was "pumpkin", I double and triple checked to make sure there weren't any additives. I'm really hoping this works out for her - I want her to be comfortable and I know she has a hard time in the litterbox right now. But it's good to know that there's an alternative if they don't respond to this in a while.

As far as yogurt, how much is a good amount to give her? Fitzy turned his nose up at it (which isn't surprising), but Daisy LOVED it. I gave her like, 1/2 tsp. Should I start out with 1/2 tsp. once a day, or does she need a larger serving? It was cute, I put it on a little plate for her and she had "dessert" after dinner.

I love the pumpkin puree in the freezer idea - that's brilliant. I think my little scoops will work for now, but next time I'm definitely doing the ice cube tray trick - less messy.

Awww, you have a tortie, too?! Daisy is a unique little girl - she has quite the personality! Fitzy is my baby - the little guy is always in my lap, in my arms, or in bed with me.

MAN I love cats!

Thanks again for all the great info.

[growler~GateKeeper]

I've never given yogurt cuz I can't stand the stuff myself so i'll leave that for others.

Yes I have a tortie she's in my avatar pic and can be seen here

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by growler

I've never given yogurt cuz I can't stand the stuff myself so i'll leave that for others.

Yes I have a tortie she's in my avatar pic and can be seen here

I couldn't get the link to work, but she's so cute in your avatar! I think torties have the best facial expressions - all of those colors, they're just so expressive.

I love yogurt.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Sorry I guess that one's not accessible this one should be though in sunlight the colours don't show quite as sharp

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by growler

Sorry I guess that one's not accessible this one should be though in sunlight the colours don't show quite as sharp

How weird - that link isn't working either, I just keep getting a blank page. Does she have a catster page?

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

This may sound daft, but how do I leave wet food out? Do you mean leave larger portions in the morning and let them free feed?

That's what I do. I understand how this might be harder to do in a multi-cat household though. Right now I just have one kitty but when there were 2, I would put a whole 5.5 oz can down in the am and pm and somehow my cats ate what they needed. Maybe you could start with taking away the dry on weekends and feeding several small meals of canned whenever you're home.

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

I'm worried about Daisy eating too much at once - if Fitzy doesn't get to it, she'll devour all of it.

Is there anywhere that you could leave food for Fitzy that Daisy doesn't go to? Maybe if you put out 2 dishes of food in different parts of the house, you'll find each cat develops a location preference. Or maybe not.

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

The nutritionist suggested it because she said it was high in fiber and chicken-free (Fitzy has a sensitivity to chicken), but I'm definitely open to a new dry food. If you have a grain-free/chicken-free dry food you'd recommend, that would be great. Do you think it's important for their dry food to have a lot of fiber?

Cats don't typically have a high need for fiber. There are exceptions, but I think rather than going that route right off the bat, a better idea is to feed an appropriate diet of meat-based wet food. Constipation is more likely to be caused by dry-food-induced dehydration than from lack of fiber.

Regarding the probiotics, there are capsules you can buy from the health food store (refrigerator section) that can be used if you have a reluctant yogurt-consumer. If you get something high potency (10-12 billion organisms) you only need a pinch mixed in with wet food a couple times a day. Most cats aren't going to notice or mind the addition.

You're cats are adorable, by the way.

[sugarcatmom]

Forgot to add that one of the good things about squash/pumpkin has to do with how it balances water in the intestines, which is why it works well for both diarrhea and constipation. It's milder than the insoluble fiber of psyllium husk, and if your cats like it, all the better.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

How weird - that link isn't working either, I just keep getting a blank page. Does she have a catster page?

Strange, nope no catster & I don't want to hijack the thread anymore but if you click on my avatar you should be able to see the pic in the album on the right side

[Khari]

Another idea I would like to throw in is to add some water into the canned food when feeding. I make my cats food into a chunky soup. This way I know they are getting enough water into their little bodies for hydration.

Please keep us updated on how the cats are coming along!

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

That's what I do. I understand how this might be harder to do in a multi-cat household though. Right now I just have one kitty but when there were 2, I would put a whole 5.5 oz can down in the am and pm and somehow my cats ate what they needed. Maybe you could start with taking away the dry on weekends and feeding several small meals of canned whenever you're home.

Daisy eats until she throws up - she'll literally gorge herself on wet food and then walk away and barf. She doesn't do that with the dry food, but like you said, it's not a novelty any more, so she's used to it. Today I have to give them some wet food with pumpkin for lunch because Daisy ate all of Fitzy's breakfast. I'm just trying to think of a way to take away the dry food altogether and prevent them from overeating the wet food. Did I mention if Fitzy eats more than 1/6 can at a time he vomits? MAN these babies are high maintenance.

Is there anywhere that you could leave food for Fitzy that Daisy doesn't go to? Maybe if you put out 2 dishes of food in different parts of the house, you'll find each cat develops a location preference. Or maybe not.

We've tried this, but she always finds it. It's worth another shot - I'll put his food on top of our armoire where he likes to nap, because she's not usually up there. I'll try this today at lunch and see if she notices.

Cats don't typically have a high need for fiber. There are exceptions, but I think rather than going that route right off the bat, a better idea is to feed an appropriate diet of meat-based wet food. Constipation is more likely to be caused by dry-food-induced dehydration than from lack of fiber.

Their bag of Now! is almost gone - do you think I should switch to a small, measured amount of a better dry food if I'm going to try and reduce the amount of dry they eat? Here's another quick question: we thought Fitzy may have a "sensitivity" to chicken because when he was eating chicken-based food, his stools were really loose. Do you think this is possible, or do you think this is something else? Because I've had a hard time finding something similar to the Innova Evo dry w/out chicken in it. I've never really been a huge fan of the Now! as compared to the Innova Evo dry.

Regarding the probiotics, there are capsules you can buy from the health food store (refrigerator section) that can be used if you have a reluctant yogurt-consumer. If you get something high potency (10-12 billion organisms) you only need a pinch mixed in with wet food a couple times a day. Most cats aren't going to notice or mind the addition.

Ah! Thanks for the tip - I'll check this out the next time I'm at Whole Foods or the co-op.

You're cats are adorable, by the way.

Ahhhh! Thank you!! Fitzy is curled up in my lap with his head on my arm as I type (he's a weird one) and Daisy is asleep with her "security blanket" (a little felt toy that looks like a squid that our friend gave her) next to the heater.

Originally Posted by Khari

Another idea I would like to throw in is to add some water into the canned food when feeding. I make my cats food into a chunky soup. This way I know they are getting enough water into their little bodies for hydration.

Please keep us updated on how the cats are coming along!

My husband always does this - I usually don't. Do you really think it helps?

[14+kitties]

IMO - as long as you leave fresh water out for them and they are drinking it it is not necessary to add it to the food. Some cats don't like soupy foods. Mine won't touch it if it is too moist.
The only time I add water is if the food is starting to get a little crusty after a few hours. I add a little warm water and it's good for another few hours. Canned food can be left for up to 12 hours with no ill effects.

[14+kitties]

Just thought I'd add a link to one of growler's threads with Duffy pics.
http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=60129

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

Daisy eats until she throws up - she'll literally gorge herself on wet food and then walk away and barf.

Yikes. I can see how that would be a tough situation to deal with unless you're home all the time to feed lots of small meals. I can't think of an easy solution.

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

Their bag of Now! is almost gone - do you think I should switch to a small, measured amount of a better dry food if I'm going to try and reduce the amount of dry they eat?

That's up to you. I don't want upset the apple-cart and cause a rerun of Fitzy's digestive issues if he really does have a problem with chicken. It really is difficult to find a half-decent dry food without chicken (the only other one that comes to mind is Natural Balance Duck & Green Pea). One thing about protein sensitivities as it relates to dry food is that it isn't always the protein source per say that's the problem, but how it's processed. So for instance, chicken in a highly rendered dry food can cause problems for some cats, but they can eat fresh chicken without issue. Have you ever given Fitzy some pieces of lightly cooked or raw chicken? Might be a worthwhile experiment if you haven't (but start small - like only a tsp at first).

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

My husband always does this - I usually don't. Do you really think it helps?

Since you're also feeding dry, I think it would be a good idea unless your cats object. I add a few tsps of extra water to my cat's wet food, partly to slow down the drying out process since he takes a few hours to eat it. It can certainly help in some constipation cases.

[Love4himies]

Just saw this thread. I don't have any further suggestions than what everybody has offered. Yogurt is always a great idea for good intestinal health. Another veggie that is great for your kitty is zucchini.

[MissPurryJess]

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Just thought I'd add a link to one of growler's threads with Duffy pics.
http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=60129

Oh WOW! She looks a LOT like my Daisy Mae! That one pic especially - the "too bright mum" photo. She's so beautiful. I love torties. I showed my husband the photos and he melted - he has a soft spot for torties, too.

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Yikes. I can see how that would be a tough situation to deal with unless you're home all the time to feed lots of small meals. I can't think of an easy solution.

Me neither - DH and I decided to give them 1/3 of a can each for breakfast and dinner and leave out very little dry food during the day. I know Daisy can eat 1/3 of a can of food without getting sick, and I'm hoping that I can try hiding Fitzy's food on top of the armoire, like you suggested. Maybe this way I can wean them off the dry altogether.

Is it okay to feed them wet twice a day with no kibble at all to snack on during the day? I leave for work at 9:15 but we don't get home until 7ish, I'd be worried they'd be hungry.

That's up to you. I don't want upset the apple-cart and cause a rerun of Fitzy's digestive issues if he really does have a problem with chicken. It really is difficult to find a half-decent dry food without chicken (the only other one that comes to mind is Natural Balance Duck & Green Pea). One thing about protein sensitivities as it relates to dry food is that it isn't always the protein source per say that's the problem, but how it's processed. So for instance, chicken in a highly rendered dry food can cause problems for some cats, but they can eat fresh chicken without issue. Have you ever given Fitzy some pieces of lightly cooked or raw chicken? Might be a worthwhile experiment if you haven't (but start small - like only a tsp at first).

I have issues with Natural Balance - they used to eat the Natural Balance venison and green pea canned food, and we found plastic in their food TWICE. The first time I was upset and called the manufacturer and we returned the can to them - they were very apologetic, said it wouldn't happen again, and sent us a replacement can and some coupons. Then it happened AGAIN and I flipped out and we switched them back to Innova Evo that same day. I'm talking about long, twisty, stretchy pieces of plastic (about 1/2 inch long) embedded in their food inside the can. Disgusting. I was livid. I live in the States, so I'm not sure if the food is all manufactured in the same place as the one you may buy, but that's my Natural Balance experience in a nutshell. Which makes my search all the more difficult. I think we're going to make the big changes right now - the addition of the pumpkin and yogurt and more wet and less dry - before I switch dry food altogether.

Since you're also feeding dry, I think it would be a good idea unless your cats object. I add a few tsps of extra water to my cat's wet food, partly to slow down the drying out process since he takes a few hours to eat it. It can certainly help in some constipation cases.

I tried that this afternoon - Fitzy looked offended and walked away, and Daisy Mae dug right in. No surprises there! Fitzy drinks water often - he has a little water dance that he does, it's adorable. He probably has some water 2 times a day.

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

I have issues with Natural Balance - they used to eat the Natural Balance venison and green pea canned food, and we found plastic in their food TWICE.

Oy. Ya, that would be reason enough for me not to feed NB either.

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

I think we're going to make the big changes right now - the addition of the pumpkin and yogurt and more wet and less dry - before I switch dry food altogether.

Sounds good.

As for feeding them twice a day, I think it depends on the cat. Some do fine, some just don't eat enough in one meal to carry them through for the rest of the day. My guy is a nibbler and I did try early on in his diabetes treatment to get him on only 2 meals a day. Didn't work and caused him some major stress. Now I just leave enough wet food down for him to eat at his leisure, which may or may not be an option for you.

However, a little hunger in a cat's life isn't necessarily a bad thing! As long as they're getting enough calories overall, feeding twice a day is fine. You could also feed in the morning before you leave for work, right when you get home, and then again before you go to bed, to spread things out a bit. Some people also have success using timed automatic feeders, although I've never tried one.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by MissPurryJess

Oh WOW! She looks a LOT like my Daisy Mae! That one pic especially - the "too bright mum" photo. She's so beautiful. I love torties. I showed my husband the photos and he melted - he has a soft spot for torties, too.

Thanks they're both beautiful

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Some people also have success using timed automatic feeders, although I've never tried one.

I was also gonna suggest trying an automatic feeder, but find one that has a money back guarantee in case they refuse to eat out of it. Then you could try it first on a day you'll be home then you can tell who's eating how much. I guess it would be ideal if only Fitzy ate from it that way he's sure to get his portion and Daisy Mae (having eaten hers from a regular dish) wouldn't be eating too much.

[MissPurryJess]

My little Daisy hasn't had a BM yet, that I know of. This may be TMI, but it's usually easy to tell their stools apart, and this morning my husband saw one while he was cleaning the box and we're not sure whose it was. I'm home sick with strep throat, so I'll be home all day with her, so I'll be able to see if she uses the box during the day.

I'm just worried - she always "goes" once a day, usually in the morning, and she doesn't look like she has any inclination to do so right now. I just want my baby to have "smooth moves".

Should I be worried? Do you think the exclusion of the psyllium and the inclusion of the pumpkin could mess her up? I didn't think it would.

I'm a worrywart.

ETA: Daisy has also been VERY affectionate the last day or so. I can't tell if it's because I'm sick (she knows when I don't feel well and will curl up on me all day until I get better), or if she feels different or weird. Last night she crawled into bed with me and snuggled up under my arm like a teddy bear - she RARELY does this (and it made Fitzy very angry). I know I'm overanalyzing everything because I'm worried about her, but I can't help it. Don't get me wrong, I love the extra snuggles, I just wonder what's bringing them on. Hi, my name is Jessica and I'm a crazy cat lady!