Does my Vet know what's Best to Feed my Kitten?

Doesn't my Vet know what's best to feed my kitten?

The shocking answer is "No!"  The fact is Veterinarians did not learn about nutrition in their schooling. They did not learn disease prevention. They did not learn how to keep an animal healthy. What they did learn is how to treat illness and disease. God bless them for that! But what a shame and great disservice to themselves and the millions of pet owners across the country that Nutrition is an ELECTIVE course in veterinary college. And, when chosen, it is a short, few hour course. It is basically useless in teaching our vets how to help us help our pets. 

And for those few vets who did take the Nutrition elective - 

Guess who supplies the "teaching" material for those rare nutrition classes? If you guessed the pet food industry, you are right! This is another case of the fox guarding the hen house. A lot of heavy marketing aimed at veterinary practices is done to promote unhealthy Iams and Science Diet-type foods.  I'm sure there are several folks nodding their heads "ohhhh that's why my Vet promotes that garbage!"  You got it.  Now I am sure that your vet's intentions are good and that his or her heart is in the right place - he/she simply was not taught any better (or anything in the case of those who elected to not take the Nutrition elective at all) and more than likely, was otherwise "brainwashed" by the so-called "instructors" (which were merely Sales Reps for Iams and/or Science Diet) to believe that those foods were healthy and beneficial for your pet.  Truth, however, is those foods are NOT healthy or beneficial to your pet.

Fact is many cats are allergic to certain things (Persians for example, are likely sensitive or allergic to grain.  Grain can be found in every single bag or can of cat food found at your local grocery store.  It is the cheap filler in most store-bought pet foods.  It is also the cause of countless kidney problems, skin/coat issues, and other common illness in felines and canines as well.  My female munchkin, Nala, erupted in cauliflower shaped sores on her head and neck area - to which I erroneously blamed mites, fleas, or some other bug. I treated that poor cat for everything under the sun, took her the vet's office umpteen times in an attempt to "cure" her from these unsightly wounds.  Nothing helped!  Until I read an article about the wonderful health benefits of a Grain-free diet!  I am not exaggerating when I say that within a week of eliminating grain from her diet - her sores were gone!! 100% vanished! She was a completely different cat!  Happy, rested, bright eyed and beautiful!  

Unfortunately, the grain-free cat food is not currently found at your local grocery store and therefore, it is less convenient to the average pet owner, as well as a bit more expensive than your typical store-bought cat food.  However, the extra dollars spent are more than worth it when you see the countless health benefits from offering a Grain-Free diet.  Several brands are available Grain-Free at your local pet food supply store including Blue Buffalo, Wellness, Merrick's Before Grain, AvoDerm, Dick Van Patten, etc.  Please note that not all of the foods offered by these brands are Grain-Free so you must look for the "Grain-Free" indication on the label.  Most certainly, these food brands are healthier than the garbage found at your grocery store even the ones that are not Grain-Free.