Cranberry For Urinary & Bladder Health?

babs' slave · Sep 10, 2011

Hello,
My cat has had a urinary tract and bladder infection about every two years. My vet put her on a special diet food formulated specifically for urinary and bladder health.

Problem is, it's fattening. He even said it when he prescribed her to it. And boy, was he right. She's really gaining weight.

I'm walking a tightrope here. On one side, bladder and urinary infections, on the other, overweight kitty.

I've read that cranberry is good for a cat's bladder and urinary health. Do you think that cranberry supplement or juice would do the same job as the prescribed food, if I use it with a healthy weight control food?

Or do you all know of a good food for bladder and urinary health taht is not fattening?

Thanks a million,
Mike

minka · Sep 10, 2011

Did your vet give you the wet or the dry version? Wet will have a much better chance of not making your cat fat. Also, I don't think you need to feed the urinary food Every day in order for it to be effective. So you could complement it with some high quality wet or commercial raw to help him stay healthy.

babs' slave · Sep 11, 2011

Originally Posted by Minka

Did your vet give you the wet or the dry version? Wet will have a much better chance of not making your cat fat. Also, I don't think you need to feed the urinary food Every day in order for it to be effective. So you could complement it with some high quality wet or commercial raw to help him stay healthy.

Hi,
He prescribed her the wet and the dry, so your solution of serving the wet but not every day will work perfectly; now I can go back to the food that kept her weight under control, Blue Buffalo. Thanks so much for the answer!

cat person · Sep 11, 2011

Originally Posted by Babs' Slave

Hi,
He prescribed her the wet and the dry, so your solution of serving the wet but not every day will work perfectly; now I can go back to the food that kept her weight under control, Blue Buffalo. Thanks so much for the answer!

None of us are veterinarians. Some of us are veterinarian technicians and I am one of them. However I would recommend you speak to the veterinarian before changing her diet. I agree with Minka wet is less likely to put weight on your cat.

But I have NO idea if she needs the prescription feed everyday. I would not give her any nonprescription food without speaking to your veterinarian. Just my

.

ducman69 · Sep 11, 2011

The simplest solution IMO is to simply feed less calories.

If you're free feeding, stop. If you're scheduled portion feeding, feed less.

Voila.

babs' slave · Sep 11, 2011

Originally Posted by Cat Person

None of us are veterinarians. Some of us are veterinarian technicians and I am one of them. However I would recommend you speak to the veterinarian before changing her diet. I agree with Minka wet is less likely to put weight on your cat.

But I have NO idea if she needs the prescription feed everyday. I would not give her any nonprescription food without speaking to your veterinarian. Just my

.

Thanks for the advice. What I want to do is feed her Blue and 1/4 a can of the prescribed wet food a day. I'll ask my vet about that.

babs' slave · Sep 11, 2011

Originally Posted by Ducman69

The simplest solution IMO is to simply feed less calories.

If you're free feeding, stop. If you're scheduled portion feeding, feed less.

Voila.

The vet said to feed her 1/4 less than what the package says to feed her. The problem with that is when I do that, she meows loudly during the night when she gets hungry. I told myself I would just bear it until she stopped, but I lost that battle after a week or two, I just couldn't stand it. So now, when she wakes me up, I give her a little food and go back to bed.

minka · Sep 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Babs' Slave

The vet said to feed her 1/4 less than what the package says to feed her. The problem with that is when I do that, she meows loudly during the night when she gets hungry. I told myself I would just bear it until she stopped, but I lost that battle after a week or two, I just couldn't stand it. So now, when she wakes me up, I give her a little food and go back to bed.

Alright, well then what you need to do is feed less, but also More meals.
If you are fine with getting up during the night (my cat also wakes me up for his 4am or 9am meals, depending on when I'm asleep), just make that an official meal time.

So say, instead of feeding the measured amount throughout the day, and then giving a handful at night, measure it out in the morning in a cup, and then split that into all her meals of the day and night.

Example: If you were giving her 3 meals a day, 8am Noon and 8pm, totaling 1/2 cup, and then giving her a handful at night; instead measure out 1/2 cup in the morning and split it into 4 portions, giving it at 8am Noon 8pm and 3am (or whenever she wakes you up).

sharky · Sep 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Minka

Alright, well then what you need to do is feed less, but also More meals.
If you are fine with getting up during the night (my cat also wakes me up for his 4am or 9am meals, depending on when I'm asleep), just make that an official meal time.

So say, instead of feeding the measured amount throughout the day, and then giving a handful at night, measure it out in the morning in a cup, and then split that into all her meals of the day and night.

Example: If you were giving her 3 meals a day, 8am Noon and 8pm, totaling 1/2 cup, and then giving her a handful at night; instead measure out 1/2 cup in the morning and split it into 4 portions, giving it at 8am Noon 8pm and 3am (or whenever she wakes you up).

Glad I am not the only one with a early morning wake up system

....

small meals through the day as your schedule allows or possibly look at one of the number of timed auto feeders on the market... some are two meals on set times up to 5 ( anyone seen more than 5?).. You set the timer and kitty gets food on schedule throughout day and night..

At my house four cats get 1/2 given four times a day when I can... Most days it is 2/3 three times a day ( yes this = more but they are all at perfect wts so can have a bit more)...

babs' slave · Sep 12, 2011

Update: I found a cat food that is supposed to be really good for urinary tract health, with the added bonus of being a weigh management food, so I showed my vet the ingredients. He says it's comparable to the prescription food, so he told me to go ahead and try it out.

I will take the advice given here about feeding schedules.

Thanks everyone for all your help. And Babbette says thank you, as well. My cat PJ would thank you, but he only knows one word - "now".

northernglow · Sep 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Babs' Slave

Update: I found a cat food that is supposed to be really good for urinary tract health, with the added bonus of being a weigh management food, so I showed my vet the ingredients. He says it's comparable to the prescription food, so he told me to go ahead and try it out.

Be prepared to give some salmon oil to your cat as a supplement because the weigh management foods tend to ruin cat's coat.

I would rather recommend to feed something good quality, but lesser amount, the 'light foods' usually have horrible ingredients (even the prescription ones). No dry if possible. But do listen to your vet about what the cat needs in order to keep the urinary issues under control.

babs' slave · Sep 12, 2011

Hi,
Thanks for the advice.

I read many reviews of the new food before I decided to purchase it, and they are all good. The only thing negative at all is that some cats didn't like the taste but most do.

I checked the ingredients as well, and they seem very good - no meat byproducts or grains. Plus, my vet looked over the ingredients and he liked it.

But this isn't marketed as "diet"; it just adds it as a plus in the description, so that may be why it's healthy as opposed to most diet foods.

I might indeed need to add salmon oil, because none of the reviews of the food made any claims about the coat at all.

Thanks very much for the tip!

However, I've checked the ingredients, and they seem very good - no by products or grains.

just mike · Sep 13, 2011

Originally Posted by Babs' Slave

Hi,
Thanks for the advice.

I read many reviews of the new food before I decided to purchase it, and they are all good. The only thing negative at all is that some cats didn't like the taste but most do.

I checked the ingredients as well, and they seem very good - no meat byproducts or grains. Plus, my vet looked over the ingredients and he liked it.

But this isn't marketed as "diet"; it just adds it as a plus in the description, so that may be why it's healthy as opposed to most diet foods.

I might indeed need to add salmon oil, because none of the reviews of the food made any claims about the coat at all.

Thanks very much for the tip!

However, I've checked the ingredients, and they seem very good - no by products or grains.

I'm glad you found a solution to your dilema. I was going to say feed less and more often of the prescription diet your vet recommended. Try to post an update on your progress if you can find the time

my2catsabc · Sep 15, 2011

Hi, I'm new on this forum....My 5 yo cat is in the hospital now with a blocked bladder, he is doing better & hopefully will come home tomorrow, I had no idea this was a huge problem with mostly male cats. I've had cats in the past and never once did any of my others cats get this. Anyway, my questions is what is the best food out there to give my kittly so this won't happen again. Im sure my vet will describe a special food but I wanted to hear other options. Thanks so much

babs' slave · Sep 15, 2011

Originally Posted by NutroMike

I'm glad you found a solution to your dilema. I was going to say feed less and more often of the prescription diet your vet recommended. Try to post an update on your progress if you can find the time

I sure will. I've ordered the food, but it hasn't got here yet. I'll let ya'll know how she takes to it.

Edit: Funny coincidence - it arrived as I was typing this.

Thanks again, everyone.

babs' slave · Sep 15, 2011

I gave Babs a few kibbles, and she gobbled it up quickly. Now I'll slowly integrate it into her diet until it's switched over completely.

babs' slave · Sep 15, 2011

Originally Posted by My2catsabc

Hi, I'm new on this forum....My 5 yo cat is in the hospital now with a blocked bladder, he is doing better & hopefully will come home tomorrow, I had no idea this was a huge problem with mostly male cats. I've had cats in the past and never once did any of my others cats get this. Anyway, my questions is what is the best food out there to give my kittly so this won't happen again. Im sure my vet will describe a special food but I wanted to hear other options. Thanks so much

I've heard that it's more frequent in females but much more dangerous in males. I think you are blessed that you got him to the vet in time. I give him a prayer for his restored health.

The prescription food I gave to my cat was evidently very tasty, and supposedly very good for urinary tract health, I don't know about bladder. Big problem is that it is very fattening. So, as you can see by this thread, I found a substitute food that was approved by my vet, being very similar to the food he prescribed.

If the owners and mods of the site are okay with it, I will tell you the food 's name, with the caveat being of course that I recommend you tell the ingredients to and get approval from your vet.

ducman69 · Sep 15, 2011

Getting pestered by your cat?

Solution: Autofeeder!

Great for when you have to head out or are on vacation too, and they get used to the schedule quickly and will hover right next to the feeder rather than you. Wesley slaps it sometimes when he's impatient close to feeding time, but better annoy an inanimate object than me heheh.

sharky · Sep 15, 2011

Originally Posted by Ducman69

Getting pestered by your cat?

Solution: Autofeeder!

Great for when you have to head out or are on vacation too, and they get used to the schedule quickly and will hover right next to the feeder rather than you. Wesley slaps it sometimes when he's impatient close to feeding time, but better annoy an inanimate object than me heheh.

May I ask a slightly off topic ?? How many times a day can you program it for?

ducman69 · Sep 15, 2011

Originally Posted by sharky

May I ask a slightly off topic ?? How many times a day can you program it for?

Only three times a day, but with two then six times a day. If you feed a mixed diet though, not having to worry about say three out of five meals is still a big relief so you can get things done outside the house IMO. Its the Petmate LeBistro that holds 10lbs of food, and was $60 shipped when I got it.

Cranberry For Urinary & Bladder Health?

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