eating pellets: Has anyone had any health problems with cats eating the pellets?
1077302
YES! MAJOR health problems. One of my cats ended up apparently eating some of the pellets and was blocked in his intestines by it. He was in so much pain, it was horrific to watch. After being rushed to the ER vet, having the mass surgically removed and costing us over $1,500 he is thankfully safely home. When I called the company to find out the ingredients to let the veterinarian know (they wanted to know the possibility of it breaking up on its own), I was told that it had a CONCRETE base and could be equated to eating GRAVEL/ROCKS and would not dissolve on its own with the reputation of blocking cats, dogs, and even toilets. Since it is concrete based, it perforated the sides of his intestines as it scraped down before getting lodged and the vet had to act extremely fast as his temp was spiking out of control. I got lucky because my cat survived, but for the sake of your pets please avoid this litterbox.
1301859
Clay can actually cause respiratory issues with cats because of the dust. I use Worlds Best cat litter as it is natural, clumps nicely and isn't scented.
536961
I am not sure, I found that the pellets turn to a dust once the cat pees on it. I found that this cat liter intensifies the bad smell that other liters rid of.
940751
Yes...we have two cats...one that does like to chew...and we have not had a problem.
189787
A vet will not tell you that it is, however my male cat had a urinary tract problem repeatedly for a year or so. The vet wanted him on the special diet which had the main ingredient of rice. I was totally against that and put him on this food instead. He has now been eating it for years and has had absolutely no problems with his UT since then. This has been about 7 years with no problems.
1174778
My dog (and even one cat) ate it for years without any problem. I don't know about now -- I haven't bought them for about a year.
358078
I don't use it anymore because my cat died after 18 yrs. but I also looked for alternatives and I think anything that doesn't drop through the holes would work. I will be looking for an alternative when I get another cat. Love the system, but the pellets are too rough on their paws. I say try it!!
1889154
I haven't had any problems with it. I have had it for over a year now. I use it for my dog. If your cat is trying to get the food to drop down, you can try fastening the tray with tape underneath or something. I picked this feeder because it had the best reviews and the large container.
1289306
I agree w/ the other reviewer. I have two cats, and we change the pad 1x/wk, and probably change the pellets every 1-2m. Not a problem.
1593532
I have been very pleased with this product. I have 'senior' cats and they are doing so well with this. I like that there is no fillers and the cats eat very well. They will be 20 the end of February. I would say it is very low-carb, as the others have shared. If you are needing another answer I would write the company direct.
1280035
Wood pellets might have chemicals and binders that isn't good for cats. I personally wouldn't trust it, but if you know where the pellets came from and how they were made, it's worth a shot.
1688220
I don't have that information but what I can tell you is that my cats are eating less than a third of what they were eating. So Merrick Before Grain is filling them up faster than my previous choice for cat food.
818637
Not that I know of. My cats are still eating it up as usual. Sometimes cats go through a finicky period and want a different flavor.
412692
I'm not sure if it matters either sorry I couldn't help more. Try going to their website. I've been giving it to my young adult cat for 3 years and he loves it. No health problems.
735246
Vegetables are not bad at all. In the wild and on farms, cats frequently eat the stomach contents of their prey, giving them a small portion of predigested plants and fiber. Grains are also not bad, per se, it just shouldn't make up more than a small fraction of their food.
1631200
You might want to ask your veterinarian, but I give my cat Trixsyn, a supplement for joints, and the fish oil. She has not had any problems.
688506
Don't worry about the tiny specks unless they are moving> The ground up veggies in the BFG are normal. We have used this food for several years and are very happy with it. Be sure to note that the BFG (before grain)is very different from the new Purrrrfect Bistro that is sold at Petco. PB has ground cellulose(cardboard) as a filler.We are very keen on what goes into our kitties and think highly of Merrick's Before Grain #1. but more importantly our cats thrive on it.