Fish as a treat? (Some kitty TMI)

I feel like I have a ton of questions about cat nutrition — I've always tried to feed my cats decent food, but I didn't ever do much research until my kitty Sparrow got diagnosed with IBD four years ago and I've had them on a prescription diet ever since. Anyway, they were gaining too much weight on the prescription food (even Sparrow!) and I've slowly been switching them to a grain-free, poultry-based, wet food diet. They previously ate a combo of dry and wet Hill's i/d.

Now that they've made the switch with very few problems other than boredom with the wet food, I'm trying to add more variety into their diet. Right now, I'm just working on adding a couple of other brands and textures, but sticking mainly to chicken and turkey. I'm planning on adding in some duck after they've been eating a wider variety for a few weeks or months, but I'd also like to add in a couple of ounces of fish or a fish-chicken blend once a week for a treat.

The problem is, Sparrow has also has problems with UTIs. She's never had crystals or a blockage, but she does get bacterial infections a couple of times a year, usually if she's had soft stools due to the IBD (the vet and I think it's a cleaning issue — I trim her fur around her rear end and I have prescription pads to clean her up with, but if she has a problem while I'm at work and it sits for a few hours, that isn't always enough).

I know fish can cause problems for cats with bladder issues. It mainly seems to be an issue for cats with a history of crystals or blockages, but I'm wondering if I should just avoid it altogether? I'd love to give it as a treat once a week because I know it's something Sparrow's stomach can handle, and every time I eat fish they all come and beg and beg, but I don't want to cause any problems.

One of the reasons to not give fish all that much is that the toxins (mercury, water pollution, etc.) tend to concentrate the higher the fish is in the food chain. So, fish like tuna - being predators - have higher concentrations than trout, which is lower down on the food chain.

There are other reasons, too. I just can't think of any right now.

Getting kitties on a wet diet will help with UTIs. Check out the article here at TCS about adding getting more water into your cat, including adding water to their wet food.

As far as fish, get sardines packed in water. I split 1 tin between the three cats once or twice a week as a snack so I can sleep in the next day. Sardines are fantastic for omegas and fairly low on toxins like mercury.

A risk you run with too much fish in the diet is that they may get to where they won't eat anything else. But snacks are fine and you never know when that sardine may help hide a medication.

Hi PeppermintPlant,

There are a few reasons why we should restrict fish to the occasional treat including that which you and catspaw66. This includes not only tuna but also commercial brands of wet food containing fish. There is a good article at Little Big Cat site that covers many of the main concerns. You can find this article, here : http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/why-fish-is-dangerous-for-cats/

I give my cats a little bit (like about a teaspoon each) of  tuna now and then when I am making a sandwich but that's all they get as far as fish goes.

Hope this helps.

Thank you all for the replies (and for the link about fish dangers!). I may try the sardines or split a 3-oz can of fish-based cat food maybe once a week or once every other week for a treat, but I don't think I'll go beyond that. With Sparrow's bladder issues, I just don't want to risk it.

And that was a big part of why I've been switching them to an all-wet diet, Peaches08! The vet recommended it after her third or fourth UTI, but they're dry food addicts, so it has been difficult. Thank you very much for pointing me toward the threads here, I'll be sure to give them a look. I do add water to their wet food on occasion, but I'm mostly giving them high-moisture foods my vet has recommended already.