IVD vs Hills

sassafras

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
13
Purraise
1
Location
Indiana
Question - Which prescribition brand of cat food do you all prefer? I imagine the choice for me will come down to what my cat prefers to eat, however are there any insights to the food that might be helpful. For example is one lower in cals or of better quality? etc... any thoughts would be great. thanks
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
Originally Posted by semiferal

What condition is the prescription food being used for?
ditto... plus what did the cat eat before Rx ( flavor??)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

sassafras

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
13
Purraise
1
Location
Indiana
the food is for Struvite crystals. So I am looking between Hills C/D or IVD Control. He use to eat Friskies. Both the Ocean flavor and the Chicken flavor, and occasionaly the wet pouch food as treats, all flavors of those. Also what ever the Strivite kitty has his "brother" who is a healthy siamese will be also having since the food is left out all day to graze when I am at work.
 
G

ghostuser

Guest
If you have to choose between one or the other, I would go for the IVD, becuase the Science Diet has BHT in it and the IVD is preserved more naturally. Also, if possible, try one meal a day canned, or if you can afford it, feed both meals canned.
 

semiferal

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
1,890
Purraise
9
Location
in my apartment
I agree that IVD is the better quality product. The ingredients aren't great but at least it's owned by Royal Canin, which is basically a good company that I consider trustworthy. I don't consider Hill's trustworthy at all.

The most, most important thing for crystals is a diet of canned food only with dry food as an occasional treat if at all.

The problem with treating struvite crystals with prescription food is that it can cause the urinary pH to swing in the opposite direction which sets you up for calcium oxylate crystals. Oxylate crystals are even worse because they don't dissolve and usually require surgery.

So I would use canned prescription food only until the crystals dissolve, then put both cats on a very high quality canned diet. Not the kind that you can buy at the grocery store - they are all poor quality foods with subpar ingredients. Go to a pet specialty store or human health food store (like Whole Foods) and get the top notch foods. Examples of these foods are Felidae, Eagle Pack, Innova, Avoderm, Chicken Soup, Merrick, Wellness, Trader Joe's, Whole Paws, Pet Guard, Newman's Organic, Evolve, Evangers, Precise, Natural Balance, Nature's Variety, Lick Your Chops, and other foods with similar very high quality ingredients.
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
What Semi feral said ...when looking at the canned make sure it is low magnesium and phosporus ... if it is not on the label either call the company or get one that is listed...

I am concerned when you say the other healthy cat may have access ... the ph is wrong for a healthy cat ...
 

blueyedgirl5946

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Messages
14,593
Purraise
1,695
I would follow the vets advice. Both my cats eat Hills W/D, dry only. They both have had problems with the crystals. They get along very well with it. However they eat a prescribed amount and no more. I wouldn't feed the prescription food to a cat who doesn't need it. You need to ask the vet about that. I think he will probably prescribe a set amount for the cat to eat twice daily.
 

shambelle

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Messages
327
Purraise
1
My cats don't have crystals, but Teddy has to eat IVD for his IBS (consequently, PJ eats it too). They had both been on Science Diet for a time, and didn't like it as much (plus, I didn't want to feed SD). They only eat the Duck and Pea flavor (only because others make Teddy sick - but they both liked the Rabbit when I tried it).

IVD is well worth the price I pay to keep Teddy healthy.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

sassafras

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
13
Purraise
1
Location
Indiana
Thank you! That helps alot. I wasn't sure about IVD and i think I just needed some reasurance since most vets seem to lean toward the Hills as a first preference. I also should have clarified the feeding of my cats. The one with Struvite crystals is eating IVD control dry kibble(this is left out during the day for him to munch on, also I can't get dissolution dry in the united states) and twice a day he drinks the gravy out of the IVD dissolution wet formula (he won't eat the meat chunks so I figure the gravy is better than nothing). The healthy siamese has the IVD control dry kibble to munch on during the day and when I come home from work I ussualy feed him some Iams wet pouch food. My understanding is that the control formula is fine to feed a healthy cat as it is the maintenance formula. I did not give him any of the dissolution that might yank his normal ph to a low level. Friday we have our urinalysis check up so keep your fingers crossed that all will be well.

One more question If i were to but both cats on a wet food diet only. How many cans a day should a 14 pd cat get?

thank you for all your help
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
If feeding wet only the general guide is one ounce per lb per day ... so a 14 ounce can for a 14lb cat... or almost three 5.5 ounce cans
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Originally Posted by sharky

If feeding wet only the general guide is one ounce per lb per day ... so a 14 ounce can for a 14lb cat... or almost three 5.5 ounce cans
Bijou is almost 16 lbs. and he gets two 5.5 ounce cans per day (which he shares with Mika). He is a heavy boy and very muscular. They also get about 1/2 cup of dry food to nibble on during the day (shared).
 

luvmy4cats

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
May 27, 2005
Messages
88
Purraise
1
Did your vet say that 14 # is a healthy weight for your cat? Unless your cat is an extremely big boned cat 14# is too heavy. An "average" cat should weigh 8-10#. I would ask the vet the correct amount to feed for what what your cat should weigh not what he weighs right now. Canned food only (if you can get your cats to agree!) is also excellent for weight loss.
 
Top