Holistic food for treating urinary issues?

dplusplus

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Hey there!

Does anyone have any recommendations for holistic, organic (if possible or at least 5-Step[emoji]174[/emoji]  rated), grain free, commercially available food for cats that either specifically treats urinary issues or simply prevents them from reoccurring?  

Okay, let me back up.  I have two cats, both female.  One is a Ragdoll (14) and one is a Persian (6).  

My Persian had surgery this year to remove large struvite stones from her bladder. :(

My Ragdoll got a urinalysis yesterday and tested positive for bacteria in her urine.  The vet recommends antibiotics (and is currently conducting a culture test to see which antibiotics will be the most beneficial for her).

Clearly I am concerned about their urinary/kidney/bladder health and want to prevent any future issues.  I have read that wet food is very important for cats to maintain their urinary (and overall) health... but they currently eat dry food (Tender & True).

I have attempted to switch on two occasions this year to wet food (the first time I tried Tender & True canned food and the second time I tried Halo).  On both occasions they ate the food just fine, which was great news!  But both times my Ragdoll became constipated.  I found this very strange because 1) I thought wet food was supposed to be a remedy for constipation, 2) she's never been constipated in her life and 3) I even mixed the wet food with water to help them stay extra hydrated.  Both times, switching back to Tender & True dry food helped her to again pass stools.

I don't want my Ragdoll to get constipated again, but I really want to put them both on wet food.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  In conclusion, I'd like to know:

1) how to prevent my Ragdoll from getting constipated when switching her from dry to wet food

2) what wet food is the best for cats

3) what wet food specifically is good for urinary health (preventing struvite crystals, UTIs, cloudy urine, etc etc)

4) is distilled water beneficial

5) is apple cider vinegar beneficial

Many thanks to all of you!

Dplusplus
 

mrsgreenjeens

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So sorry no one has responded yet to your post.    I'll try to help as best I can

1)  it sounds like you need a higher fiber wet food, or else to add some canned pumpkin to her food to try to prevent the constipation.  That's my way of thinking.  And I realize you tried feeding the same canned food as the dry, but just checking their chicken and brown rice recipies against each other, the fiber is NOT the same (% wise).  AND, I'm not really happy with their canned food in looking at the percentage of ASH in it
  Check out this article:  http://www.thecatsite.com/a/what-makes-the-best-canned-cat-food

2)  Please refer to the same article referenced in item 1

3)  For preventing struvite crystals, you want something that is lower in magnesium and phosphorus and ash, as far as I understand.  In these instances, sometimes the prescription diets are the best.  Here's a thread that discusses a substitute for the prescription foods that might be helpful:  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/302645/food-help-please

4) Distilled water is completely devoid of any minerals, so...perhaps with a cat prone to struvite crystals that would be good
.    I think this is one of those questions where if you ask 50 people, 25 will say "yes" and the other half will say "no".  I, personally, give my cats FILTERED water rather than either tap water or distilled.  But they don't really drink much from their fountain or water bowls, because I only feed wet food with extra water added.  And if you are feeding a 100% nutritionally complete cat food, then they should be getting all the minerals they need in their food, one would think.

5)  This is another one of those questions that is 50/50.  Some people put it between their cats' shoulder blades so they can't lick it, some put it in their food, which I can't figure out how they get them to eat it.  I tried drinking it once in a glassful of water, and I'm pretty easy about stuff like that.  I love pickle juice, for instance.  There was NO WAY I could "down the hatch" that glass of water
.  .  So, I can't figure out how anyone can get a cat to eat or drink it.  But people say they do.  Does it work for them?  Your guess is as good as mine. 

Wet food is VERY important to maintain good urinary health. Well, water in general.  If you don't have a fountain, perhaps you can get one to try to encourage them to drink as much as possible.  A stress free environment is important to.  But, sometimes, things just happen.  Sometimes genetics comes into play too.

Did I answer all your questions?

OH, and BTW, welcome to TCS
 

missmimz

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In most cases feeding RX urinary food is not necessary. The best way to ensure urinary health is feedings 100% wet food, or raw, or homecooked. Higher quality meat based foods low in carbs is really what you want. This is a good list of foods. In addition, you can look at giving supplements like slippery elm and/or d-mannose.

http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/

http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/

http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/urinary-tract-disorders-in-cats/
 
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