an unscientific study on crystals in cat.

gailuvscats

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My experience with problematic crystals, leading to blockage etc. has been in 1971, and recently. jeez I'm old.
Anyway both cats were/are orange/buff male domestic short hair.

I am wondering if this is just a coincidence, or if these cats are genetically predisposed to this condition. What type of cat is your FUS cat?
 

catfriend

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I really cannot say whether there is a link or not, but the two kitties that I have had with this condition have been orange DSH tabbies.

????I was told once that a few drops of apple cider vinegar in the drinking water can help with this. Does anyone know if its true????
 

ldg

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Originally Posted by Catfriend

????I was told once that a few drops of apple cider vinegar in the drinking water can help with this. Does anyone know if its true????
It might, though I don't know. I'd ask a vet. Most crystals are Struvite crystals and they can be controlled through acidifying the urine. When Shelly gets crystals (his are struvite), we give him a prescription pill called "Albeta" which helps dissolve the crystals.

Shelly is a black & white Tuxedo kitty.

Lazlo, who has a problem with calcium oxylate crystals, is a gray tabby.

We don't know what Tuxedo's crystals are yet - but he's a black & white kitty.

They all have the same mom, though we suspect Laz had a different dad.

But it has to be genetic, doesn't it? Lazlo, Shelly, and Tuxedo all have at least the same mom, and they eat the same diet. So if one is predisposed to one type of crystal, and one is predisposed to another type, and the girls have no problem at all... (Spooky has the same mom too)... the only explanation can lie in the way their bodies process the food, which they inherited from their parents. ???????????
 

mermaid

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The vinegar can act as a urinary acidifier, which will dissolve struvite crystals, the most common type. Struvite crystals (they look sort of like sand) will appear in alkaline or high pH urine, and will dissolve like sugar if the urine is acid low pH. But it's something that's good to talk to your vet about.
 
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gailuvscats

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Originally Posted by Catfriend

I really cannot say whether there is a link or not, but the two kitties that I have had with this condition have been orange DSH tabbies.

????I was told once that a few drops of apple cider vinegar in the drinking water can help with this. Does anyone know if its true????
http://www.belfield.com/article4.html Here is a link that might be helpful. I use carpon on my orange tabby and he is doing well with it.
 

lorina

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I had an orange DSH tabby who died 18 years ago from blockage.

My sister has had two DLH buff-colored tabbies block and go on to live long healthy lives, and one black and white tuxedo DLH who didn't survive.

Working for a vet, though, I haven't noticed any one particular breed or color that seems to block more.
 

dmrotz

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Well I have a Female Calico that just started having problems with crystals. I heard it is more common in males than females though.
 

purrpaws

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Little Polly has cystitis and is a gray and white tuxie. I think it must be something genetic, though, because there has been one cat with bladder problems in each of her litters. They are trying desperately to TNR the mommy, but she is too smart for the trap. They think they're going to have to tranq gun her.
 

jean44

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Eric is the only one of my cats with urinary tract problems. He blocked with struvite crystals a few years ago and has been on a prescription diet. He's a black DSH.
 

sharky

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Likely 75% genetic 25% food or environment ... Knock on wood .. Kandie just started with uti s but no crystals ... none of my cats has ever had crystals... FYI they all ate food with corn in it
 

lorina

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At one time, Sheba (black DHL) had crystals in her urine, but that went away when I stopped giving her the leftover milk from my breakfast cereal. D'oh. She didn't show any signs of being ill or having a UTI, it was just a routine u/a as part of her senior workup.
 
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