Older Cat & UTI--Related to Age &/or Food?

stephanietx

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I caught my 10 yo female cat urinating on the carpet in the living room, so we'll be heading to the vet in the morning to determine if she has another UTI. She had one about 2-3 months ago, when I'd recently started feeding her Royal Canin Indoor Light 35. I attributed the previous UTI to stress, which I still think is a major contributing factor. However, in the past 2 months our house has really calmed down and her behavior, attitude, and eating have improved greatly.

I've done some reading here on the site and I've read where Royal Canin has contributed to UTI in persians. She's not a persian, just your home-grown garden variety medium haired tortie. I'm wondering if the food is contributing to the UTI or if it's just something that goes along with an aging cat.

FYI, I will be discussing these questions with my vet tomorrow, but thought I'd get some input from others who may have been down this road before.

Stephanie
 

jlphilli

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I believe too the Royal Canin *may* have contributed as I noticed the ash content was relatively high for a cat food. However, it is impossible for a food to necessarily cause a UTI and or bladder stones unless the genetic potential is there. On the other hand, if the genetic potential is there and they were on a food that did not irritate it, they may not have them. It could be that and the fact that she isn't drinking enough water? Adding canned food as a part of the diet can ensure that she is drinking enough (also, one of those fountain-water bowls can encourage them to drink more). Good luck at the vet; hope everything turns out ok!
 

sharky

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What was she on before the RC ( which the protein is way to high for dry in a senior cat ( ideally it should be about 26-30%) ) ...??? Has she had a senior panel done??
 
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stephanietx

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She's drinking PLENTY of water! Thankfully about 6 months ago, I purchased a Drinkwell fountain for her and she LOVES it! Her water intake went up significantly, but not enough that she's considered diabetic or anything like that.

Prior to the RC, I was feeding her Science Diet r/d since she was overweight. Her coat was looking blah and her activity level decreased, so I started mixing the r/d and the RC, since I was feeding the RC to my other cat. Callie's coat is now nice and shiny again and her activity level has improved greatly.

Sharky, the last time I had her to the vet for the UTI (in late March/early April), she was x-rayed for arthritis, and had every kind of bloodwork done under the sun!
She was having some other behavioral issues so I wanted to make sure nothing was wrong medically. Prior to that, she'd had her regular round of senior bloodwork done at the end of January when she had her well kitty check-up. We figured out that the behavioral issues were caused by the arthritis and the stress of having a new kitty in the house. She's since started taking Cosequin for her arthritis and is much more mobile and feeling well. Just this week, I've started giving her 500mg of L-Lysine.

I'm not sure if the RC is causing the UTI, but I do think it might be contributing to it, so now I'm thinking of mixing her r/d with Nutro senior which she was on prior to starting the r/d. I just don't like how icky her coat starts looking and how much hair she loses while strictly on the r/d. She's almost lost all the weight she needs to, so the vet told me it was fine to give her a small mixture of food.

Stephanie
 

sharky

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I would either mix the nutro or one of rc senior( i am not fond of the new formuls of rc)
 

kitytize

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My 5 year old female got an UTI recently(she also had one as a kitten) and my vet said it was from not getting enough water. I was feeding her a dry urinary tract food to begin with so I have changed her food to canned. I also make sure she does not get any people food because my vet said people food is high in magnesium. I researched this and read some cats with high stress can get UTI's. My cat has been acting stressed lately so I was wondering if it was the stress also.
 
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