Urinary tract disease and feeding please help!

Hello!
Less than a year ago after coming to this board I made the decision to switch Heroine to innova Evo but he gained some weight after that and we changed again to Innova weight loss formula.A few days ago Heroine was diagnosed with Urinary tract disease specifically either infection(hes taking anti biotics now) or crystals and I've been reading this has alot to do with food so I need suggestions on a very healthy yet UTI friendly food preferably dry but if we have to go to soft we can try.I want only the best for this cat hes the sweetest thing I've ever met and all help will mean alot.Thanks

what is your vet recommending???

I had the same issue with Inovva reduced fat (weight loss). Scotty developed a UTI from that (after switching from EVO due to a GI issue). Have you tried going back to EVO and just feeding less of it? Because it's such a high-calorie food, they need less to maintain a weight.

Hi - My Simba has this condition also. He has been on Science Diet C/D dry for the past year, along with taking Cosequin for Cats every day. The combination of the food and the Cosequin have done wonders. I saw a noticeable improvement after about 3 months on both. He still has a flare up every now and again, but it passes very quickly.

My kitty is currently on anti-biotics for his urinary disease. He take bayril twice a day in split tablets and he gets Dasuquin twice a day (which will be knocked down to one dose after his next check up if the infection is under control). My vet suggested the urinary versions of Purina, SD, and Royal. However after studying the magnesium levels of some foods I am going to try the Nutro Max Cat with my kitties. I think it is a level of .085 where the SD is .08 (Dont quote me on that). Its not a HUGE difference. Ill let you know how the new dietary change goes. My urinary troubled cat also has had digestive prbolems for a long time due to this infection so I also give him a tablespoon of yogart once a day and that has done wonders for him (and being on meds of course). Sharky will have some good recommendations for you if your interested in venturing outside of your vets suggestions (I skipped on the SD because I am not a huge fan and the cost is a little up there...) I too used to have my kitties on EVO but I took them off because they were wasting food (if it went stale from being in the bowl they turned their noses up at it and I knew it was too rich for my kitty with the digestive issues).

Best of luck. I hope kitty is feeling better soon!

My Coco is on C/D for her Problems. Everytime I have tried other foods but the prob comes back if I take her off C/D. Her last infection was last Nov until Jan. I am glad its gone now.

type of crystal if present is VITALLY important...

Charlie had UTI and is on Royal Canin Urinary SO now. He's had no reoccurances and also I'm more selective in the types of canned foods (thanks to Sharky's suggestions). Mostly Max Cat (senior) and some other brands of chicken/rice or turkey/rice. And they love the Venison and Greed Pea canned foods.

I wonder if Coco can have something other then the Can C/D? She has Dry C/D too. The cans are Chciken now. They were something else before.

Originally Posted by mews2much

I wonder if Coco can have something other then the Can C/D? She has Dry C/D too. The cans are Chciken now. They were something else before.

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Discuss with vet .... Get % of mag Max and MIN ... Calcium .... phos

Thanks,
I will ask them

Originally Posted by sharky

type of crystal if present is VITALLY important...

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The vet said to take the anti biotics and to keep a strict eye on him and feel his tummy for blockages frequently and if it doesnt get better we would discuss a food change.However we are running out of food and I want to get something to help with his getting better...Im afraid he didnt tell us what kind of crystal.I was out of town and my boyfriend took him to the vet..

Originally Posted by emrldsky

I had the same issue with Inovva reduced fat (weight loss). Scotty developed a UTI from that (after switching from EVO due to a GI issue). Have you tried going back to EVO and just feeding less of it? Because it's such a high-calorie food, they need less to maintain a weight.

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We were thinking about trying evo again.Thanks for the story thats helpfull but what is a GI issue?

GI is a digestive issue. I think that EVO has a higher Magnesium level so you might want to ask about that. The Evo Magnesium level is 0.1 %. There are other food options out there with a lower mag level. Dont get me wrong I think EVO is a great brand, I used to feed it to my kitties. Some kitties have issues digesting EVO because it is a little on the rich side. When I first put my kitties on it they got sick as dogs, that is my own fault because I ran out of their previous food brand and just switched them to EVO without doing it gradually.

Originally Posted by bleedforlove

We were thinking about trying evo again.Thanks for the story thats helpfull

but what is a GI issue?

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Originally Posted by trixie23

GI is a digestive issue. I think that EVO has a higher Magnesium level so you might want to ask about that. The Evo Magnesium level is 0.1 %. There are other food options out there with a lower mag level. Dont get me wrong I think EVO is a great brand, I used to feed it to my kitties. Some kitties have issues digesting EVO because it is a little on the rich side. When I first put my kitties on it they got sick as dogs, that is my own fault because I ran out of their previous food brand and just switched them to EVO without doing it gradually.

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Yes, gastro intestinal issue. He was fine for about a year and then we started finding blood in his feces (bright red indicating the issue was with the lower GI tract, not the upper). The vet suggested giving him food with more fiber in it, which is why I switched to the reduced fat Innova...it had a lot more fiber than EVO. But that's when his UTI sprang up.

Good luck with whichever choice you make. for the kitty!

My 2 are on the Royal Canin Urinary SO dry and wet and seem to be fine.
It took a short time for them to adjust but they seem to love it now.
Good luck x

Originally Posted by sharky

what is your vet recommending???

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Help Sharky!

I had to take my cat in for a urinary blockage last night. I'm not sure yet if it was struvite or calcium oxalate. He is to be x-rayed in the morning to determine if he has a stone or not. If so then they will do surgery.


In the mean time the vet has already mentioned special dietary requirements. I have looked at all of the prescription diets and they are crap. Based upon what I have read today and what I have been feeding I'm pretty certain that if there is a stone the problem is calcium oxalate.


Sharky, where to go and what to do for the calcium oxalate? They don't want too much calcium or too little, not too much magnesium and not too little. Some say to feed in meals and others say to free feed. Free feeding is not an option with this cat. I'm already battling his weight. I'm looking at going to all canned food too.


Please feel free to split my post off if it seems as though I hijacked the thread. I just thought that since there was a current thread on nutrition for cats with urinary problems I would post in that. Keep it all together I guess.