Testing a cat’s ph level at home

[xlynnbbyx]

Mods If this is in the wrong section please move it to the right one.

Since Scooter’s UTI in September I have been worried about him. I worry so much I end up annoying people around me. Well everyone except you guys cause many of you have been through this and know the feelings I experience. The main thing I worry about is if I am doing the right with Scooter by giving him and Casper(even though Casper didn’t have the issue scooter did just easier and stress free to feed them the same) Purina Pro Plan Urinary wet food which they get 2 times a day. I do put water in the wet food too so between 2 cats 1 can lasts me 2 days. I don’t give them a lot in their bowls I only give them the amount I know they will eat. If I give too much it either goes to waste or they throw up from eating too much. It’s why I make it stretch with water. Anyway back on track for dry I give Purina One+ urinary food they get that in their bowls when I go to bed to graze on while I’m asleep or if I am gone. I have been wrestling with myself wondering if I am doing the right thing by giving them this food instead of the expensive prescription food from the vet that I can’t afford. Plus with Royal Canin Scooter or Casper wouldn’t touch at all. Hill’s was fine at first but then Scooter started throwing up constantly to where he would back away from it. Casper had some diarrhea on it too. They seem to be better on Purina. I would like to take Scooter to the vet to get his urine tested to have a peace of mind I’m doing the right thing. But with things extremely difficult and tight for me budget wise I can’t afford a vet visit right now. I hear you can get strips to test their ph level at home. I know this doesn’t check for crystals I just wanna see if his ph level is good. Does anyone have experience in this? Are the strips a good idea? I did find a non absorbent kit I can use to get a sample from him. Others say use Pretty Litter for a week but I’m not sure how accurate the litter is and idk if my boys would use it. I heard mix reviews lately. I just wanna know that as a cat momma I am doing the right thing. I have had cats all my life never had a serious issue with any of them. My last cat lived to 16 years old. Scooter is the first cat that I ever had that needed emergency care which freaked me out. To me he seems ok he seems to have more energy lately he looks extremely healthy his fur is smoother and his eyes are brighter. He plays with Casper more than he used to he seems to be that hyper energetic cat he was when he was 1 years old. Yeah he is 5 years old now but before his UTI he wanted to sleep more then anything so I take him having a lot of energy as a good thing. I do check his pee every day and keep a record of when he goes and what he leaves behind. I will show an example of a pee clump if it’s TMI I am so sorry here is his latest pee clump

This was left yesterday I ended up breaking it a bit with the scoop. This is the size clumps he leaves he pees 2 times a day sometimes 3 if he had too much water. I got a pic before breaking it fully apart to check it thoroughly. I know it’s weird but keeping records helps to keep me sane. I put the pics in a locked album on Facebook that only

Thank you for reading my random rant here guys. I have OCD & Anxiety so sometimes once I get a negative thought or worry in my head I obsess over it. I will do it until I am reassured it’s ok. I am in therapy to better deal with it. But when I have had people make me feel like a bad cat mom cause I don’t get the prescription food, that I don’t give them a raw food diet(I’m not comfortable or confident in doing that and I can’t afford it)and that I give my furbabies tap water. I never had issues with tap water until researching about UTI’s. I was always told if it’s safe for humans then it’s safe for pets too. I do plan on getting a filter for my sink when I can afford it but right now I can’t afford it. I rather my furbabies have water than nothing at all. I am replacing their water bowl after Christmas with one that has a stainless steel bowl to it. Their food bowls are stainless steel except Nera hers is ceramic. They gets cleaned every day and water bowl gets cleaned every week cause it’s a gravity water bowl. Anyway I just hate how people make me feel like I am doing the wrong thing. Thank you all for listening and reading through this long rant/vent.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. You are doing fine. Ignore or block people that make you feel bad.

We all do the best we can. I too, have run into financial problems and sometimes can’t do what I should for my cats. But, I do the best I can and it seems to be enough. I am sure it’s the same for you.

There is a Kahoots pet store near me that sells the urinary dip sticks for around $20.00. I am sure you can find them online, or at a pet store.

 

[xlynnbbyx]

Hi. You are doing fine. Ignore or block people that make you feel bad.

We all do the best we can. I too, have run into financial problems and sometimes can’t do what I should for my cats. But, I do the best I can and it seems to be enough. I am sure it’s the same for you.

There is a Kahoots pet store near me that sells the urinary dip sticks for around $20.00. I am sure you can find them online, or at a pet store.

I try my best to ignore people who make me feel bad. I did block one person on TikTok called Miss Feminist Kitty who says she is a cat nutritionist. She is a huge advocate for raw feeding cats. Her videos popped up on my for you page she seems to love to tell people they are wrong when they say what worked for their cats. I blocked her so I don’t see her videos anymore.

But after I started my research for alternatives to prescription I always hear oh you have to use the prescription food the non ones won’t work! If they want to use it fine but I can’t afford it and I’m not going to keep feeding my cat something that was making him sick. During my research I saw so many success stories with Purina Pro Plan urinary food. Plus I know several members here use Purina Pro Plan Urinary food and had success with it. I’m doing the best I can with the limited funds I have. Yes I would love to take Scooter to the vet to get his urine checked out better and officially. But I can’t afford it even if a vet here would do payment plans I can’t do it right now when still paying off the Care Credit from his emergency visit. I still want to get D-Mannose to add to his food but again I can’t afford it right now. So I have to do what is available and affordable to me. It’s why I do my best to monitor them especially Scooter’s litter box leavings.

I’m not sure Petco will have any that is the only pet store in my area. I will have to check to see if they have any. Some say to use Pretty Litter but idk if my boys would use it and how good it is really. I just wanna know I’m doing the right thing with Scooter. Hopefully I can afford to take him to the vet soon. But til then I’m just going to do the best I can.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Many people don't even use the OTC urinary foods, so I think you're one step ahead by using it. The prescription foods are great IF you need to dissolve crystals, but personally, other than that, I would not be adverse to using what you are using.

As far as collecting urine on your own and testing it, ANY human test strips should be fine. All you need to do is figure out a way to collect it. I think lots of people just sneakily stick the strip right into their urine stream as they are going (if they can catch the cat in the act of peeing)

Also, do you have any places that sell water (I'm thinking Water & Ice stores or something similar). It's only $0.25 a gallon for their water, which is filtered. You could buy one or two gallons, then use it strictly for the cats and refill the bottles when they get emptied out.

 

[xlynnbbyx]

Many people don't even use the OTC urinary foods, so I think you're one step ahead by using it. The prescription foods are great IF you need to dissolve crystals, but personally, other than that, I would not be adverse to using what you are using.

As far as collecting urine on your own and testing it, ANY human test strips should be fine. All you need to do is figure out a way to collect it. I think lots of people just sneakily stick the strip right into their urine stream as they are going (if they can catch the cat in the act of peeing)

Also, do you have any places that sell water (I'm thinking Water & Ice stores or something similar). It's only $0.25 a gallon for their water, which is filtered. You could buy one or two gallons, then use it strictly for the cats and refill the bottles when they get emptied out.

I did keep Scooter on the prescription food for a month just to make sure if there was any crystals they were dissolved. Which I don’t think there was any to begin with. The emergency vet kept saying she couldn’t tell cause of the blood in his urine. But said his kidneys are functioning normally. When I picked him up the next day she never said anything about crystals just he had bacteria. But when I got to the end of the bag it was starting to make Scooter sick. That is when I started looking for alternatives. He is doing so much better on the Purina Pro Plan wet and Purina one dry. He & Casper get 2 wet feedings with extra water added. They get some kibble during the day. Right now nothing seafood including treats that are fish/seafood flavor. They both are great water drinkers too the extra water in wet food is to make sure they stay hydrated. Even though Casper didn’t have the uti he eats the food it’s easier to feed them the same thing. Plus I think Casper prefers this food better. Scooter and Casper has so much energy now both have soft coats. They are so so healthy that is what I want.

As for water I don’t think my state has that at least not where I live in WV. But our water is safe here my mom works for the utilities company here. They test the water constantly if it’s unsafe they put us on boil notice. So I think our water is safe. Plus like I said my funds are very limited especially since it’s Christmas. So I have to use what is available to me,

 

[IndyJones]

Since youve gotten some good advice on ph strips already I won't get into that but as far as the toxic people on social media go block them and disable comments on your content. Not famillier with ticktock but if its like youtube there should be a setting to disable commenting somewhere in the settings.

 

[xlynnbbyx]

Since youve gotten some good advice on ph strips already I won't get into that but as far as the toxic people on social media go block them and disable comments on your content. Not famillier with ticktock but if its like youtube there should be a setting to disable commenting somewhere in the settings.

There is an option to disable comments on TikTok. But I just block them so I don’t see the videos anymore. Cause the ones that make me feel like a bad pet parent are the ones that push raw feeding. I don’t feel comfortable doing that too many risks. Apparently what I am doing must be working as Scooter has tons of energy he is playing more, has bright eyes, soft fur, he has not been throwing up constantly(was a few hairball incidents) like he was on the prescription food, and most of all he has been using the litter box normally. Casper is completely healthy too. Until I can afford a vet visit I’m taking everything I see as a good sign I am doing good by them.

 

[IndyJones]

I don't do the raw feeding either its too expensive for one thing and the salmonella risks are not worth it for me.

 

[silent meowlook]

Salmonella is real!!! I have seen it in animals and it is horrible. Also zoonotic. Not to mention E. coli, listeria and many more.

 

[xlynnbbyx]

IndyJones Exactly I can barely afford food for myself no way would I be able to afford meat for myself and my furbabies. Plus the risks is just too much. I have anxiety as it is now no way would I relax giving them raw meat.

S silent meowlook Exactly!! I don’t want to put them at risk for any of that. If others want to raw feed more power to them. But I rather stick to what I have been doing. Both of my boys are healthy and it’s all I want.