I was thinking it might be worth asking if anyone has suggestions on food to give as an alternative to the standard ''boiled chicken'' during kitty illness and at times you want to give them a break from richer food.

For a very long time I was forced to feed my girl nothing but boiled chicken and I know many others that come to the forum for health advice will have been told to do the same to settle kittys stomach and increase fluid intake.

However feeding nothing but chicken really bothered me and caused me upset.... especially because my girl (kitten) was busy trying to grow at the time and not fulfilling her needs nutritionally really added to my stress over her illness.

I spoke to my vet about it in the end and I suggested myself a brand of food that I felt was as gentle as boiled chicken but was a complete food (albeit an adult food). Thrive Complete.
To my surprise at the time my vet agreed right away and in that face-palm moment I was almost annoyed that they hadnt suggested it without me asking specifically.

Id love to hear peoples input regarding foods to give that settle kitty's stomach and also anything people know about long term effect of incomplete diet in kittens and how long a chicken only diet can be maintained before an owner should be worried.


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Before accepting the same advice I was given about thrive instead of plain chicken you must consult your own vet because I have no idea if this was case specific advice I was given or if it would apply to all cats.

Thrive wet is a complete food but it must have some additives over boiled chicken to make it complete so may not always suit.... worth a try for the long haul maybe though. Mine do not like Thrive chicken at all! Not sure why

I also feed steamed white fish for a tummy upset sometimes. A nice fillet of cod or haddock gently steamed in the microwave and mashed up. Served warm with some extra water will be lapped up by most cats. My 3-5 week old kittens were actually helping themselves to their 5-5 week old aunts and uncles cod lunch earlier I actually poach it in Goats milk for the kittens as they can digest Goats milk easily enough but this might not be a great idea for a sickly tummy.

Complete wet foods like Highlife chicken might be bland enough for sensitive tums as well as Pets at Home Purely Chicken... especially kitten formula ones.

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Lollo

Regarding the milk, I guess it would be trial and error. If they got the runs with milk don't try it again.

My cats like the Lactofree Cream you can get! And the Lactofree soft cheese.

I would not be too concerned feeding incomplete for a few weeks but less maybe with a kitten. I would want to start feeding nutrients after two weeks for kittens and four weeks for adult cats maybe... But not based on anything scientific. I would maybe add Taurine powder to it so as not to be deficient in that.

If you could not introduce proper food after that time there is obviously something going on.

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Lollo

When Diego had an upset tummy for a little while our vet recommended either plain boiled chicken or Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal wet food so i would assume perhaps that is an option. Supposedly it has highly digestable ingredients that are easier on the stomach.

My sister's puppy had an awful tummy when he first arrived so they eventually fed him the dog version of the RC GI and all problems cleared up, they then gradually re-introduced his normal food and he was fine. I know obviously it's a puppy we are talking about but in their case it did seem to sooth an unsettled stomach.