Royal Canin's Special Urinary Diet?

Hi everyone
Its been quite some time since I last posted (long story!) but I am back and I was hoping that any of you kind kitty lovers to offer me some advise.
Pepsi has just had her second Urinary tract Infection. The first one was very scary as she was taken in by the vet after I saw blood in the litter tray and saw that she was trying to poo but nothing was happening. She was such a sick little girl that we nearly lost her. 3 months later and some what wiser I managed to catch it earlier and she is getting better again.
The vet suggested a new diet which I have followed, they both now eat "ROYAL CANIN Veterinary Dietâ„¢ Feline URINARY SOâ„¢ 30 (dry)"
Have to say that arent so impressed but are eating it as they arent getting anything else.
My questions are to those of you who's kitties have the same problems.
Is there any other alternative? Do you find the food works? Is this food forever? Would it harm them having the ocassional tin of fresh tuna or some chicken? Any words of wisdom are much appreciated.
Thank you X

Charlie is on that now so I can let you know what I do. They (Ling and Charlie) both eat the RC now for the dry. But I'm more selective on canned foods. And Charlie is limited on treats - he still gets chicken, hamburger, fish, cheese - but only about 2-3 bites of these.

The canned food I'm feeding is:

Max Cat (Lite or senior) - turkey, chicken, chicken/rice, chicken/lamb
Nature's Recipe - Salmon/Rice
Natural Balance - Venison/Green Pea
Avoderm - Beef

He got UTI in December and since then has had no more problems. I don't buy the Friskies foods anymore, but stick to a lot of the chicken/rice types. Just get a few of them and watch carefully to be sure everything is ok and no more UTI problems. I would limit fish as much as possible. Even when my cats didn't have UTI problems, their fish was limited to once or twice a month.

But as far as the dry - vet told me that Charlie would have to stay with the RC rest of his life.

My cat has been on it for I think a couple of years now. I think it's working wonders on him.
He has been having urinary trouble for a month until he got put on that food and ever since then he is doing well urinary wise.
Because my cat is such a scaredy cat and is stressed by everything, I am keeping him on that food even though he hadn't had urinary problems ever since he has been switched onto it.
As for the wet food, I have been giving him tuna (or other fishy flavors) cat food every now and then and he is fine. The cat gets half a can of wet food every morning and evening, that is not prescription, in addition to his dry Urinary So food, and is not having urinary problems.
My other cat who has not had urinary problems is also on dry Urinary So because they free feed on dry food, and that cat also appears to be fine without ill effects, so I think it can be used as a maintance food.

I agree with the above posts ... SO can do great .. wet likely will do you better in the long run... the best thing for UTI kitties is NO DRY food and if feeding dry avoid no grains

Originally Posted by jenniferd

My cat has been on it for I think a couple of years now. I think it's working wonders on him.
He has been having urinary trouble for a month until he got put on that food and ever since then he is doing well urinary wise.
Because my cat is such a scaredy cat and is stressed by everything, I am keeping him on that food even though he hadn't had urinary problems ever since he has been switched onto it.
As for the wet food, I have been giving him tuna (or other fishy flavors) cat food every now and then and he is fine. The cat gets half a can of wet food every morning and evening, that is not prescription, in addition to his dry Urinary So food, and is not having urinary problems.
My other cat who has not had urinary problems is also on dry Urinary So because they free feed on dry food, and that cat also appears to be fine without ill effects, so I think it can be used as a maintance food.

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Just had my 3 year old (male neutered) cat to the vet with this problem - saw the crystals where his penis is - wow! First thing the VET asked about was - was I feeding him any fish? Sure, that's about the only stuff he likes - and I feed a combination of dry (Natural Balance) and wet Trader Joes, and Natural Balance - mostly the fish flavors.

He told me NO MORE FISH, it has too much magnesium in it and it throws off the PH balance. So, $300.00 later, an xray to determine if he had any kidney involvement , etc, a bladder urinalysis, fluid therapy, anti-inflammatory injection - 1. the crystals are of the struvite kind, 2. has to have his PH balanced or problems will continue - and could develop into more problems, 3.no dry food, --- and the VETS preference is the Royal Canin Uninary SO (canned) - gulp. Fortunately, KiKi likes it. (the doc gave me samples)

The Vet said another one was okay, but that my 16+ pound furbaby would add weight with that formula. -- so, My suggestion to all that might be interested - forget the Fish, and maybe your Furbabies will keep any urinary tract problems at "bay".

So, we're all in withdrawal right now, 'cause all three won't be getting FISH, and only the two younger ones will be getting some dry food as a "treat".

g

No vets have even said anything about fish flavors when my kitty had his urinary problems. And I've taken him to several vets.

Anyhow, the cat is fine ever since being put on Urinary SO dry even though he does get fish flavors wet food now and then. He likes solid gold tuna.
Obviously if he had more problems I would stop fish but he is doing well.
Whatever he had went away since being put on the Urinary So dry.
He did not put on weight on the dry formula.
It's hard to find wet food my cats like.
Right now they get fancy feast wet (the new kind in a green tin).

Thanks for the replies guys.
Milo who doesnt need to be on the food as he has been fine is eating it but seems to be prowling around us more at meal times. I think he is hungry or just bored of it, but either way he is eating it.
Pepsi who NEEDS to eat it just isnt interested and I am finding it hard to ignore her
I know she wont starve herself but its difficult to ignore her as she cant understand why I am am not giving her her breakfast! She just walks away in disgust when she sniffs at the bowl and its the same as it was yesterday.

I asked my vet about treats etc and he said that as the food will stabalize her condition, if I then give her tuna or chicken then it will cause an unbalance again, so dont give them anything else. Coming from some one who used to love giving them treats I am not finding this easy. I know I am totally pathetic!

Originally Posted by lochnessmonster

Thanks for the replies guys.
Milo who doesnt need to be on the food as he has been fine is eating it but seems to be prowling around us more at meal times. I think he is hungry or just bored of it, but either way he is eating it.
Pepsi who NEEDS to eat it just isnt interested and I am finding it hard to ignore her

I know she wont starve herself but its difficult to ignore her as she cant understand why I am am not giving her her breakfast! She just walks away in disgust when she sniffs at the bowl and its the same as it was yesterday.

I asked my vet about treats etc and he said that as the food will stabalize her condition, if I then give her tuna or chicken then it will cause an unbalance again, so dont give them anything else. Coming from some one who used to love giving them treats I am not finding this easy. I know I am totally pathetic!

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Boy, you've got THAT right. Simon has been tapping me on the shoulder while I sit at the computer - the sign of come on mom - lets get the goodies ... ugh!, now his taps only result in hugs, scrubs, and tender words of "understanding, but sorry" which I'm sure he just can't understand. How does one get any house work done when three cats are wrapped around your leg? I love these creatures, and have to be strong for their good health - it's hard being a furmommy!

Originally Posted by lochnessmonster

Thanks for the replies guys.
Milo who doesnt need to be on the food as he has been fine is eating it but seems to be prowling around us more at meal times. I think he is hungry or just bored of it, but either way he is eating it.
Pepsi who NEEDS to eat it just isnt interested and I am finding it hard to ignore her

I know she wont starve herself but its difficult to ignore her as she cant understand why I am am not giving her her breakfast! She just walks away in disgust when she sniffs at the bowl and its the same as it was yesterday.

I asked my vet about treats etc and he said that as the food will stabalize her condition, if I then give her tuna or chicken then it will cause an unbalance again, so dont give them anything else. Coming from some one who used to love giving them treats I am not finding this easy. I know I am totally pathetic!

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It's amazing how all the vets give different advice. My vet never told me not to feed the cat wet food.
He gets wet food in the morning and evening in addition to his So dry on which he free feeds. Right now he gets fancy feast.

Originally Posted by jenniferd

It's amazing how all the vets give different advice. My vet never told me not to feed the cat wet food.
He gets wet food in the morning and evening in addition to his So dry on which he free feeds. Right now he gets fancy feast.

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You quoted lochnessmonster in your post ...
I'm confused, sorry -- didn't read anything about not giving WET food - ah, help me here? Are you referring to the "if I then give her tuna or chicken then it will cause an unbalance again" ?

Ok so another question............
There is a wet/canned version of this food, right?
Could I give them this as well as dry?
I just put them in the kitchen for the night (they sleep in there together) and they both looked at me in anticipation that they might get some thing other than this dry food!
It kills me!

Originally Posted by lochnessmonster

Ok so another question............
There is a wet/canned version of this food, right?
Could I give them this as well as dry?
I just put them in the kitchen for the night (they sleep in there together) and they both looked at me in anticipation that they might get some thing other than this dry food!
It kills me!

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Royal Canin, Veterinary Diet - "URINARY SO in gel" (I guess you need a prescription?)
I currently have the 5.8 oz sized can.

My vet preferred this over dry because it has more moisture content.
He further explained that the pH balances between the alkaline vs acid is a real "balancing act" - if you have too much alkaline, then crystals of the struvite kind form, if too acid, then you get another form of crystals ... and the age of the cat also comes into play.

So, as my Vet explained to me, he thinks that this Royal Canin (Veterinary Diet) Urinary SO formula does the best "balancing act" of the other foods - and in my cat's case, he prefers the canned.

Oh, foods that are high in magnesium cause a high pH . and he said that all fish is high in magnesium -

I found an interesting article on the internet, I don't remember the rules of sharing these things, but the title is THE PREDICTION OF URINE pH USING DIETARY CATIONS AND ANIONS IN CATS FED DRY AND WET FOODS, BY RYAN M. YAMKA, PHD, MS, KIM G. FRIESEN, PHD, MS, AND HEIN SCHAKENRAAD, MSc.
g

Originally Posted by lochnessmonster

Ok so another question............
There is a wet/canned version of this food, right?
Could I give them this as well as dry?
I just put them in the kitchen for the night (they sleep in there together) and they both looked at me in anticipation that they might get some thing other than this dry food!
It kills me!

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Yes, there is wet version of the food. I don't see as to why your vet would object if you gave that to the cat in addition to dry. It's also prescription, so you should ask your vet for it. It's a pate style food.
My cats just wouldn't eat it, because they like cuts in gravy and chunky styles, but if you cat likes pate, then you should ask your vet for it.

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

You quoted lochnessmonster in your post ...
I'm confused, sorry -- didn't read anything about not giving WET food - ah, help me here? Are you referring to the "if I then give her tuna or chicken then it will cause an unbalance again" ?

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Yes, I presume the vet told her to just give cat the dry SO food and no wet food (tuna or chicken), because it would unbalance the cat.

Originally Posted by jenniferd

Yes, I presume the vet told her to just give cat the dry SO food and no wet food (tuna or chicken), because it would unbalance the cat.

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Thanks, - understand now