Science Diet formula changes?

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Elizabeth Blake - 01 Oct 2005 03:36 GMT

Stinky has always eaten Science Diet Light, both dry & canned. For the past
two months or so she's been on canned only. A couple of weeks ago my boss
brought over a case of the SD Light for Stinky and I noticed the cans said
something like "cooked in savory juices". The texture is different,
somewhat looser and juicier. Stinky still loves it, so no problem there.
She has always begged for food hours before her next meal is due, but now
she's screaming for more food immediately after cleaning her bowl. She is
unrelenting and has been really obnoxious since we opened the new case of
food. She gets 1/2 can twice a day, so one full 5.5oz can daily. She'll
also get some treats during the day. Since last week she's been joining me
for lunch, something she never did much before. She'll try grabbing food
from my plate or even as it's on the way to my mouth.

Is the looser texture of the food just not as filling for her? She's about
15 pounds but not really obese. She's a big-boned kitty and even at 3
months old she had massive paws. She's just an ordinary DSH tabby. I don't
know if I should forget about giving her Light food and try something else.
She won't touch Wellness and I know I've tried other brands that she
ignored, even though she was claiming that she was starving.

I think I also saw the "new" formula on a non-Light flavor of SD, but I
don't have any cans like that at home so I might have imagined it.
--
Liz

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treeline12345@yahoo.com - 01 Oct 2005 04:41 GMT

> Stinky has always eaten Science Diet Light, both dry & canned. For the past
> two months or so she's been on canned only. A couple of weeks ago my boss
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> for lunch, something she never did much before. She'll try grabbing food
> from my plate or even as it's on the way to my mouth.

There has definitely been a change. I bought some SD Light on sale. Did
not check the expiration date. Expires in a couple of months. Generally
fresh SD Light will have 18 months before expiration. Check the
expiration date.

Also, more importantly the kilocalories changed also. It was 125 for a
5.5 ounce or 156 gram can. Now it is 138 or a little more than a 10%
increase. That's a big indicator of change. And I would think it would
have been helpful for Science Diet to mention that the versions have
changed with a 10% caloric increase. I forget if they changed the stuff
inside. I think they went to the latest trend of better sounding stuff.

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Elizabeth Blake - 01 Oct 2005 18:56 GMT

> > Stinky has always eaten Science Diet Light, both dry & canned. For the past
> > two months or so she's been on canned only. A couple of weeks ago my boss
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> fresh SD Light will have 18 months before expiration. Check the
> expiration date.

The expiration date is fine, December 2006. This is a new batch with
new wording on the label. I'm at work now, looking at a can. To the
left of the Science Diet logo it says "New Improved!" and underneath
the word Adult 1-6 years it says "Cooked in Savory Juices" and has a
little cooking pot icon.

> Also, more importantly the kilocalories changed also. It was 125 for a
> 5.5 ounce or 156 gram can. Now it is 138 or a little more than a 10%
> increase. That's a big indicator of change. And I would think it would
> have been helpful for Science Diet to mention that the versions have
> changed with a 10% caloric increase. I forget if they changed the stuff
> inside. I think they went to the latest trend of better sounding stuff.

I'm beginning to think Light food doesn't even matter. Stinky is a
large cat (15 pounds) but she's not obese. I just wish I could find a
regular brand/flavor she'd eat. If she only wants the SD Light, that's
fine since she seems to love it even with the new formula.

--
Liz

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Phil P. - 01 Oct 2005 10:35 GMT

> Stinky has always eaten Science Diet Light, both dry & canned. For the past
> two months or so she's been on canned only. A couple of weeks ago my boss
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> She won't touch Wellness and I know I've tried other brands that she
> ignored, even though she was claiming that she was starving.

She probably *is* starving! A 15 pound neutered cat has a maintenance daily
energy requirement of between 270-300 kcals. A 5.5 oz ( 156 g) can of Light
contains only 138 kcals. If she's not filling in the gap with other food-
she's only getting about *half* of her daily energy requirement and about
3/4 of her daily nutrient requirement.

> I think I also saw the "new" formula on a non-Light flavor of SD, but I
> don't have any cans like that at home so I might have imagined it.

When SD changed all the labels on their regular diets they may have snuck in
some changes in the formulas, too, without mentioning it. I know a few cats
who won't eat the Turkey anymore since Hill's changed it to 'Gourmet Turkey
Entree'

How's Harriet?

Phil

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Elizabeth Blake - 01 Oct 2005 19:04 GMT

> > Is the looser texture of the food just not as filling for her? She's
> about
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> she's only getting about *half* of her daily energy requirement and about
> 3/4 of her daily nutrient requirement.

Stinky will be extremely happy to hear this. Should I give her a full
can twice a day now? She never lost weight on just 1/2 can twice a
day, but up until two months ago she was getting dry food for
breakfast. She did always finish off Harriet's leftover wet food, too.
She was just in my office a few minutes ago tasting Harriet's Wellness
but gave up after a couple of bites.

> > I think I also saw the "new" formula on a non-Light flavor of SD, but I
> > don't have any cans like that at home so I might have imagined it.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> who won't eat the Turkey anymore since Hill's changed it to 'Gourmet Turkey
> Entree'

I know I have a bunch of the Gourmet Turkey at home and that must be
where I saw the same label. My cats have been eating it with no
problem. They pretty much eat anything I've given them. They wouldn't
touch the Fancy Feast I had for Harriet last week, though.

> How's Harriet?
>
> Phil

The past couple of days she's been mostly okay, only going after
someone once each day. All day yesterday went great. I left around
6:50pm and today I was told that she attacked one of the new people
after I left. She seems to do her single attacks after I'm gone.
Today her favorite victim, Carl, is working. Soon after he came in she
made a move like she might start something and I told her not to even
try, and she just walked away. She's spent the whole time in my office
since I got in just before noon, sitting on the printer or monitor and
jumping down to nibble at the Wellness. Yesterday I gave her only the
Low Residue dry and she still took her time eating it.

There was also another puddle of poop in the box this morning, so
that's two days in a row. Her last 4-5 BMs have all been very liquidy.
Should I stick with the 4ml twice a day or cut it back a little bit,
to 3.5?

--
Liz

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Phil P. - 03 Oct 2005 15:24 GMT

> > > Is the looser texture of the food just not as filling for her? She's
> > about
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> can twice a day now? She never lost weight on just 1/2 can twice a
> day,

Are you sure? Have you weighed her? Weight loss in cats we see everyday is
hard to notice until it becomes substantial. Was it Harriet or Stinky that
people thought was pregnant?

but up until two months ago she was getting dry food for

> breakfast. She did always finish off Harriet's leftover wet food, too.
> She was just in my office a few minutes ago tasting Harriet's Wellness
> but gave up after a couple of bites.

I don't want to suggest increasing her food because I don't know how much
she's actually eating. How would describe her activity level?

> > > I think I also saw the "new" formula on a non-Light flavor of SD, but I
> > > don't have any cans like that at home so I might have imagined it.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> problem. They pretty much eat anything I've given them. They wouldn't
> touch the Fancy Feast I had for Harriet last week, though.

Did you try the Grilled Chicken In Gravy Feast and Grilled Turkey Feast?

> > How's Harriet?
> >
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> 6:50pm and today I was told that she attacked one of the new people
> after I left. She seems to do her single attacks after I'm gone.

Are her attacks in play or actual aggression?

> Today her favorite victim, Carl, is working. Soon after he came in she
> made a move like she might start something and I told her not to even
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Should I stick with the 4ml twice a day or cut it back a little bit,
> to 3.5?

I would taper the dose very gradually- about .5 ml every few days until her
stools firmed up a bit. I would rather keep her stools on the softer side
of normal. Speak to your vet before tapering her dose.

Phil

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Elizabeth Blake - 04 Oct 2005 17:50 GMT

> > Stinky will be extremely happy to hear this. Should I give her a full
> > can twice a day now? She never lost weight on just 1/2 can twice a
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> hard to notice until it becomes substantial. Was it Harriet or Stinky that
> people thought was pregnant?

I don't have anything to weigh her myself at work, just going by her
annual checkups. And it was Harriet that people use to think was
pregnant. Stinky doesn't socialize much, so most customers never see
her.

> but up until two months ago she was getting dry food for
> > breakfast. She did always finish off Harriet's leftover wet food, too.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> I don't want to suggest increasing her food because I don't know how much
> she's actually eating. How would describe her activity level?

She can be very active. Some days (I guess when she's feeling hungry)
she'll be awake all day, following me, climbing on things to get my
attention, running back to her safe zone if she hears anything unusual.
Some days she'll sleep from right after breakfast until 3-4pm. Today
she was on my desk for about an hour before going off for a nap. She
likes to play with floppy toy mice (that she can grip with her claws &
fling about), the laser pointer and any type of string toy. She's
great at climbing up & down ladders (metal ones that just lean against
the shelves) and walking along pipes near the ceiling.

On Saturday I told them to give her a whole 5.5oz can for dinner, and
to leave a note asking them to do the same on Sunday. Yesterday I gave
her a whole can for dinner. During the week she's usually fed around
10am, and gets dinner at 5pm. She can tell time, and if she's not fed
by 5:00 she's absolutely frantic. She starts asking earlier, but at
5:00 she's insane. On the weekend the store is only open noon-6pm on
Saturday and noon-5pm on Sunday, so there's not much time between
meals. I thought giving her the full can for her evening meal would
hold her over until the following day better.

> > I know I have a bunch of the Gourmet Turkey at home and that must be
> > where I saw the same label. My cats have been eating it with no
> > problem. They pretty much eat anything I've given them. They wouldn't
> > touch the Fancy Feast I had for Harriet last week, though.
>
> Did you try the Grilled Chicken In Gravy Feast and Grilled Turkey Feast?

I checked the various flavors of SD can at home and none of them say
"cooked in savory juices" like the Light. Some do say "New" but I
think they're new flavors. Whatever they did, the cats are still
eating it. One night I gave Harriet some SD Turkey & Giblets and she
inhaled it, which was very nice to see. Then she asked for more! I
did try several grilled feast flavors from FF and Harriet wanted
nothing to do with any of them. Even my cats wouldn't eat any of it.
A couple of flavors had the texture of tuna - shredded/flaky in gravy -
and another one was regular pate style like they're used to.

> > > How's Harriet?
> > >
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Are her attacks in play or actual aggression?

Her attacks on the staff are definitely aggression. I didn't bring her
back to work on Monday because I knew I'd be out for several hours in
the afternoon. I meant to bring her back today (Tuesday) and
completely forgot! I was on the bus and realized I forgot to bring her
with me.

> I would taper the dose very gradually- about .5 ml every few days until her
> stools firmed up a bit. I would rather keep her stools on the softer side
> of normal. Speak to your vet before tapering her dose.
>
> Phil

I called the vet today because all of her BMs have been puddles. She
had two that were very soft turds early on but since then it's been a
pool of poop every time. She has gone the last *4* days in a row! The
vet first said to give her 2ml twice a day, but since that didn't help
her last month, they said 3ml. This morning I gave her only 3.5ml, and
I think I'll stick with that for at least 3-4 days to see how it works.
If it's still too loose, I'll cut back to 3ml.

I got some pill pockets for her cisapride. She knows that after I get
up in the morning I'm going to come back with medication so she's been
hiding under the bed after I get up and leave the room. I left the
treat-covered capsule by her food bowl and she ate it, so that's one
less thing to worry about.

--
Liz

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