Customer Reviews

Nature's Variety Instinct Rabbit Formula Canned Cat Food

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I understand the qualms about rabbits--they seem more cuddly than chickens or cows, so why feed them to our pets? Aside from nature being nature--rabbits are prey for many animals--we have reasons for giving our cat rabbit. He, like many pets, has terrible food allergies and will scratch raw, bleeding bald spots on his face and neck if we feed him the wrong food. Rabbit is one of very few meats that he can eat without having this problem, and that is why it is found in cat food. It is more hypo-allergenic for kitties with these problems, along with a grain-free diet. We have found Instinct to be the only thing that works for our poor suffering kitty to keep him healthy.

My 1 year old bengal kitty had been sick for weeks, lethargic, vomiting, diarrhea, the works. He had been tentatively diagnosed with IBD a few months prior, and we had been somewhat successful treating it with a different brand of food. About 3 weeks ago, something set off the IBD again, and he was worse than we've ever seen him. After nearly $400 in vet bills, we switched him to this food 3 days ago on recommendation from the breeder. It has been AMAZING the difference. Our kitty now has energy, has not vomited, has firm stool, he's cleaning himself again, and playing with his cousin! Almost fully back to his old self again, and in only a few days.

I am a firm believer in this food...our other cat will be switching onto this food as well! We had to buy the rabbit as it is the easiest protein source for cats to digest - and it IS a food they would naturally eat in the wild! Cats with IBD often need a novel protein source, and our cat had already tried chicken, beef, fish, venison, australian brushtail, duck & lamb...all with no success. This food has been a lifesaver for us, and our kitty LOVES it!

The rabbit has been the best choice for my cats. All of my cats have a high metabolism so they need the calories and the fat. One of them has food allergies and can't metabolize a protein found in most chicken and fish pet products. Because they are bonded and all eat together it was important to find something that they could all eat without compromising the health of one for the others. A natural, healthy rotation diet has done more for their well-being than the one having to take medication everyday just so she can eat. It's a good product and a wonderfully responsive company if you have an inquiry about a product.

I have no moral qualms about the ethical issue of my carnivore cats eating meat, rabbit or otherwise. They eat what works and provides them with the best and healthiest life I can provide for them.

I have a 10 year old Siamese who has always had issues with food. The past couple of years things got really bad and I started experimenting with different foods, all to no avail. I ended up cooking him either fish, steak or pork daily and he got a lot better but not completely. His eyes were still runny, he would sneeze and scratch, but at least his bleeding ulcers, scabs and constant vomiting were over with. I was getting tired of the endless cooking and also wanted to get him to the point where his runny eyes and other issues cleared up, so I went out on another search and was given this canned rabbit food at a local fancy pet store. WOWOWOW! After only four days my Siamese is gorgeous! No runny eyes, nose or otherwise, his skin is shiny and he is happyhappyhappy! (As am I.)

The other two kitties also love this stuff, which is a first, since they each have very different tastes. First time they ever agree on something. I guess that makes four of us who love this cat food!

Like the previous reviewers, I credit this food with saving my 11-year-old cat's life. She started to lose her appetite, and the vet found she had some dental problems, a loose tooth, and possible infections. She was prescribed antibiotics for the infection and sub-q fluids because she stopped drinking water. But these didn't help and she stopped eating altogether. She was extremely weak and when she started meowing in distress and stumbling around drunkenly, I ended up having to rush her to the 24/7 veterinary center late Sunday night (why do these emergencies always happen on Sunday nights when our vet's office is closed?). She was in the animal ICU for 2.5 days and had to be fed with a feeding tube and hydrated with an IV. Because my cat is extremely shy and skittish, this experience was terrifying for her. The vets suspected cancer and wanted to run some expensive tests, but after spending over $3,000, I was simply out of money. If she does have cancer, I wouldn't want to put her through painful chemotherapy, aside from the expense, she is just so frightened of strangers, regular trips to the vet's office for chemo would have made her frightened and anxious in her last days. I wasn't going to put her through that just to have another six months with her. So against the vet's recommendations, I brought her home to die, since she wasn't in pain, just refusing all food and water, and her blood pressure would plummet every time they took her off the IV. The vets recommended euthanasia and did not expect her to survive another 24 hours.

We had a rough couple of days after she was discharged from ICU and at one point, she crawled into the closet to hide. I figured that was the end and checked her breathing every 15 minutes. Amazingly, she emerged from the closet and I offered her water and for the first time in two weeks, she drank on her own. The next day, she started eating the canned food I offered her: Nature's Variety Rabbit Formula and Royal Canin Oral. I credit these two brands with getting my cat to eat again. It may have just been a coincidence, that she rallied just as I offered her these two foods. But I had scores of other brands, as well as baby food, chicken broth, sardines, tuna, pumpkin, and everything else I could think of, or anything that I read online as tempting for anorexic kitties. In the end, it was Royal Canin and Nature's Variety that tempted her to eat again.

She's eating like a champ now, although still quite weak, but well enough to groom herself, shred my carpet with her claws, and even chase the laser dot like she used to. I don't know if she will fully recover, but at least I don't have to watch her die of thirst and starvation and she can be more comfortable even if she doesn't have too much longer.

I only wish everyone in my situation could be as blessed to have a second chance for their pet to return from the brink of death. All I can say is keep trying every food imaginable, maybe you will find something that tempts your pet, and once they start eating again, they quickly remember that food is good and they'll have a better chance of eating regularly.

Thank you, Nature's Variety, for helping to save my darling kitty from the brink of starvation!

My cat can finally eat without throwing up. It's been a godsend finding this food for my poor cat. She loves the canned rabbit and the rabbit kibble and my carpets are staying clean again. I am thrilled to have found this.

My older cat likes wild rabbits when he can catch them, but, after the first bite of this Instinct Rabbit Formula, would not touch it again even when hungry. Maybe the long list of extra ingredients throws the taste off too much for adult cats.