Tuna?

jenny82

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I don't feed my cats any people food, but my friend does with her cats. She told me the other day that her vet said never to give tuna or any seafood to male cats. She said for females it is okay. Is there any truth to this?? Thanks!!
 

satai

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This is because of the difference in size of the plumbing for urine (urethara?ureter? sorry, can't remember which one is which, or how they're spelled). In male cats in isn't as wide and can get blocked more easily, and fish is one of the main culprits.

A blocked ur-something (pee tube) is life-threatening, and can be hard to spot on your own - the cat can't go pee, and his bladder just balloons up. Unless you know what you're looking for, or take your cat straight to the vet... not good.

So that's the reason.

However, I haven't got a clue what the odds of it happening are.
 
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jenny82

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Wow that is really interesting...I'm glad I learned that. Thank you!
 

jen

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I think as loing as that isn't ALL you are feeding your male cat then it is not that bad. Bottom line is a cat should be eating cat food. People food is usually not recommend on a casual basis. Some people feed raw and boiled chicken, but they know what they are doing. Tuna is okay if your cat is having trouble eating, simply won't eat, or you are trying to lure an escaped cat back home or into a trap. or as an occational treat. Not as a regualr part of the diet.
 

goldenkitty45

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Not true. But I rarely give my cats any fish to begin with. Its too addicting for starts, and most are too much mercury in them. They MAY get an occasional taste of tuna from the can (people) or some broiled fish we have for dinner, but that's about it.

They eat more beef, chicken, lamb than anything else. In fact, my kittens were NEVER given fish and when grown many of them turned down fish of any kind!
 

liza24

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if your feeding cat food that is made with tuna, thats fine. i give mine shredded tuna made by Special Kitty ( avail @Wal-Mart for 25 cents a pouch) thats the only tuna they will get, and they dont know the diff, its yummy to them,lol. also, only feed it every so often, even if it is cat food, to much of a good thing and all
 

forget-me-not

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How about canned seafood (salmon, tuna, etc.) food? I was generously given some wet food for my new cat, and she has been loving it. She gets premium dry kitten food and chicken natural dry food (Pet Promise) but her wet food has been seafood. I guess I need to go out and get some other flavors. I didn't know that tuna (and fish) caused bladder problems.
 
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