Finally sorted Griffith's tummy I'm so happy I could cry

Seraph · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:24 pm **Posts:** 308

Sorry just had to share my joy over this with my little boy he's had issues since the moment he came home with his tummy and anxiety issues.

I've now had 3 weeks no runny tummy with Griffith since the switch to raw, I did have an issue with constipation for a couple of days which I sorted with 1 tsp of pumpkin purée in his food every day. It's also sorted his eye infections and his messy ears and his peeing around the house so i think it was probably all linked. It was getting so bad with him that his anxiety from the stress gave him a UTI well that and reoccuring eye infections had him constantly on and off anitibiotics which made his tummy issues even worse it was like a vicious cycle until I switched him onto raw turkey, beef and venison.

He's just a much happier little boy these days. All I can think is he was having a crazy allergic reaction to something in most commercial food not just the chicken. He's also been just happier and more affectionate in himself so he must really have been in pain.

I'm just glad I worked out it was probably due to his food or the vet probably would have just given him endless antibiotics which can't have helped. The vet seemed only interested in treating the symptoms rather than the cause of them and working out why he kept having issues.

If he didn't have Arya who's super confident and affectionate I don't know if he ever would have dealt with his anxiety in the meantime whilst I was trying to fix his tummy. I believe he would have just constantly hid under the bed, Having her around has really helped him blossom as a cat he copies everything she does he won't go anywhere without her.

I'm just super proud of the cat he's becoming now

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Griffith and Arya are growing up beautifully, Sarah. Great news about Griffith's tummy! You're a saint to go with a raw diet. I don't know that I could switch Raiden at this point, but his digestive problems seem to have gone away for the time being.

Seraph · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:24 pm **Posts:** 308

I have found premade raw isn't too bad, as long as you thaw out what they eat for that day it doesn't smell either, I have found the beef can be a bit yuck but that's probably the organs. It does take some
getting used to and a lot of prep to make sure food is thawed and I have to make sure I have it ordered in every 2 weeks.

I will tell you one thing though the litter box is a lot better in general with both of them and they poo and pee a lot less than before and it smells a lot less.

I had a few people in the family asking how I could keep him or put up with how he was, I just refused to give up on him he's my baby boy and yes he's sensitive and has problems but I made a commitment when I got him that I would do everything to look after him. When I take on a new pet to me they are like my kids and I wouldn't give up on a child so I wouldn't give up on my pets unless there was literally no other solution and they would be happier elsewhere.

Plus I've found out since that bengals being allergic to chicken is actually very common and Bengal tummy is pretty well know to all of us lol.

These two have been a fun journey already and I think you learn with bengals it doesn't matter how many years you have had them you always can learn something new. I'm just happy I put some money aside for the first year for them both just incase I had some issues medically as Griff has cost me a lot of money down the vets over the past few months although I think a lot could have been avoided if I switched his food sooner instead.

brianj12 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 08, 2016 5:47 pm

Well done, that's great news. Many people sing the praises of raw food. My Gaga has definitely become a raw food snob. She will grudgingly eat many of the commercial canned foods (that Neytiri and Serafina eat), but she wolfs down her RadCat with gusto (the other cats won't touch it though).

Clare&magic · **Joined:** Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm **Posts:** 707

I find unfortunately with a lot of vets they are not taught about animal nutrition, so when it comes to tummy troubles they tend to just treat with drugs.

It took 2 years to sort out my previous bengal boys tummy troubles, they tried putting him on a prescription food, he wouldn't touch it which was hardly surprising as it was nothing more than a tin of sloppy mess that stunk to high heaven.

Eventually it turned out to be IBD which needed to be treated with drugs anyway,

Seraph · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:24 pm **Posts:** 308

I had similar issues with Mina before and she ended up with IBD and was on steroids for the last 6 months of her life but I switched her to raw and her poo and vomiting improved and she started putting on some weight (she was a bag of bones) although with her I think her kidneys where already giving up and she possibly had cancer in them as well but she was an old girl. I could have kept her around longer on steroid injections and a ton of medication but she hated it and I didn't want to do that to her she was an old lady and I wanted her to have some dignity and not be in pain anymore.

I've been told if they have IBD or even worse if it's colitis it's only a matter of time until cancer develops although raw diet seems to help with that as well and if you switch early enough before too much damage is done it can help enough to lessen the need for steroids and reduce the cancer risk, I'm not sure if it's just easier on their tummies or something.

I was actually really worried Griff had IBD although thankfully he was keeping weight on but it seems with him thankfully to just be allergies, he must have been in so much pain though my poor little man.

I do wish vets had better nutritional training you do feel like you're fighting against them when you're refusing prescription diets and saying you want to try raw feeding instead. Although I've switched 4 animals over to raw now and so far "touch wood" all have been happier and healthier since lol even my super fussy chihuahua wanted to change to raw cos she kept wanting the cats food and was refusing hers, since I switched her over she's been a lot happier and it's helped with her breath as well.

I've just found sometimes you just have to try something and go against the medical advice when there's no other solution and sometimes it works, with Griff raw worked.

Clare&magic · **Joined:** Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm **Posts:** 707

This is what happened with Frosty, once diagnosed with IBD aged 2 he was on steroid tablets and chemotherapy tablets for 3 years, although his life was fine for those 3 years, no tummy troubles until the cancer started and ruptured his intestine, that was the beginning of the end at only 5 years old.

I am so thankful that Magic and Pearl have not suffered any tummy troubles, I would not want to go through that again.

Seraph · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:24 pm **Posts:** 308

I'm so sorry Clare that must have been heartbreaking, I found it hard enough losing Mina and she lived a good and long life.

I do actually wonder why as a breed they are so prone to tummy issues and IBD. My guess would be the wild blood makes them more susceptible to stress and anxiety and that causes issues with their stomachs or that they have a different gut to other domestic breeds. Only other thing could be due to the small gene pool it's something that's been passed down or maybe it's related to the genetic anemia they are prone to (PK.Def). I would actually be curious as to is it's as common in other wild hybrid breeds like savannah's and chausie's.

Finally sorted Griffith's tummy I'm so happy I could cry

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