canned cat food for Urinary Tract Health

kitty200

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Our cat has had crystals before -- he is recovered now.  I am searching for good canned cat food (he is not picky) -- there are SO MANY cat foods that promise urinary health...anyone have favorites?  Is there anything I should look for on the ingredients list to immediately rule out a brand?  Any types of foods that are immediate No-nos?  I think I read that fish is not good.
 

ritz

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I'm glad your cat has recovered from a UTI. Ritz is prone to UTIs, specifically FLUTD ('of unknown origin'). So this is what I did before I switched to prey model raw and what I still do:
In my opinion the no - nos are: dry food, even the best quality. Wet food, now and forever (and add extra water if your cat will eat it). "No grain" is okay, but check the labels. No grain does not necessarily mean no/low carbs--potatoes, peas, cranberries, etc may be in the food. I don't have enough knowledge, and have some skepticism, when companies push foods that promise urinary health--cranberries?
L-methonine *is* a good ingredient in Rx foods, so I would look for that.
I avoid fish although as I understand it--science NOT being my forte--if your cat hasn't had any UTIs, then fish is okay on an occasional basis. Call me paranoid.
Ritz loves her treats, so I give freeze dried turkey breast treats and (when I can get it on sale) raw turkey breast. Turkey breast contains the highest amount of L-methonine, an amino acid which acts as a natural acidifier. (Caution: you can buy this as an additive/capsule, but extreme caution should be used in adding it to food: too much of a 'good' thing could cause oxalate crystals, which cannot be dissolved by a change of diet.)
Hope this helps.
 

raintyger

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Stay away from all dry food. It is dehydrating and turns the urine pH toward alkaline (did your kitty have struvite or calcium oxalate crystals?).

In general, you want a high protein/low carb, grain free food.

Specific brands that are supposed to be good for UTIs are Weruva, Fussie Cat, and Tiki Cat. These are all low-calorie, so make sure you increase the food appropriately. They are also sliced/shredded style, so try out a small can first to see if your kitty likes the texture.
 
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