Urinary tract health food

[temperpolk]

Originally Posted by sharky

DISCUSS this WITH your VET

... To date NONE of the NO grain foods are IMHO remotely okay for a cat with prior UTI issues...

Foods to discuss would be Nutro max and Purina one or proplan urinary

Hi Sharky, I thought no grain was the way to go. What is it about a grain diet that helps cats with previous UTI issues? I just want to plan for the future, because now I have a male kitten who is stricly on wet Evo and Addiction and Instinct. Thanks in advance!

 

[otto]

Corn gluten meal is a low ash source of protein and acts as a urine acidifier in cat food. While not the best quality source of protein, cats prone to struvite crystals can benefit from a corn based food.

 

[temperpolk]

Thanks Otto. That makes sense. I suppose I should keep feeding them the way I am for now?

 

[jordan s.]

Originally Posted by sharky

DISCUSS this WITH your VET

... To date NONE of the NO grain foods are IMHO remotely okay for a cat with prior UTI issues...

Foods to discuss would be Nutro max and Purina one or proplan urinary

No. Just feed all canned food, that simple. adding a bunch of grain won't do a thing.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by Jordan S.

No. Just feed all canned food, that simple. adding a bunch of grain won't do a thing.

It is not that simple.

Some cats must be on prescription food for life. My Mazy cat is one. I have tried the all canned food route. I have tried high quality commercial foods that make big claims about urinary tract health.

Mazy will form struvite crystals on any food but a prescription food designed to control struvite crystals, such as Hills Prescription c/d multicare.

As she is female, the danger of blockage is slight. In a male cat the danger of blocking is much higher. If your vet says your cat needs to be on a prescription urinary food because your cat forms struvite crystals in his/her urine, my advice is, listen to your vet.,

 

[sweetpea24]

Interesting. There was a cat who came in this past week who was on Hill's c/d canned exclusively and was blocked so badly, 4 vets tried to unblock him but couldn't. We were going to amputate his penis but the owner decided to euthanize.

It's not always the food; your cat could just be prone to UTI's or crystals.

If it were me, I would try the Wysong Uretic. I was going to order that the food for struvite crystals from Wysong but their Biotic ph- supplement helped rid her of the crystals. Wysong is hit and miss but I think these formulas are good. I was supposed to feed my dog the Royal Canin SO but realized there was no meat in it so I refused. Then I tried the canned C/D and couldn't stand the mounds of poop coming out of her. So I continued with the raw and added the Biotic ph- - crystals gone!!! I suppose it's a little different from cats but the proof was in the pudding as they say!

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by SweetPea24

Interesting. There was a cat who came in this past week who was on Hill's c/d canned exclusively and was blocked so badly, 4 vets tried to unblock him but couldn't. We were going to amputate his penis but the owner decided to euthanize.

It's not always the food; your cat could just be prone to UTI's or crystals.

If it were me, I would try the Wysong Uretic. I was going to order that the food for struvite crystals from Wysong but their Biotic ph- supplement helped rid her of the crystals. Wysong is hit and miss but I think these formulas are good. I was supposed to feed my dog the Royal Canin SO but realized there was no meat in it so I refused. Then I tried the canned C/D and couldn't stand the mounds of poop coming out of her. So I continued with the raw and added the Biotic ph- - crystals gone!!! I suppose it's a little different from cats but the proof was in the pudding as they say!

My cat IS prone to crystals. That is why she is on the c/d kibble. Not the canned. I've tried other diets, without success.

I've looked into the Wysong, I do not like the numbers.

Every animal is different. Male cats block very easily and some do need the perineal urethrostomy surgery regardless of what they eat.

I'm glad raw worked for you but I am not, nor will ever be, a raw feeder, nor do I believe it is a cure all, in fact I know it is not.

 

[summermh]

Originally Posted by otto

I've looked into the Wysong, I do not like the numbers.

I'd be curious to know what numbers in the Uretic formula you don't like? Here's a link in case you don't have their info. handy (just click on the PDF link) http://www.wysong.net/learn/entry/26/

Summer

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by SummerMH

I'd be curious to know what numbers in the Uretic formula you don't like? Here's a link in case you don't have their info. handy (just click on the PDF link) http://www.wysong.net/learn/entry/26/

Summer

I cant answer for Otto... but that chart only has one number of several most look at when choosing a UTI or crystal food... based on that chart alone I could not give a opinion and would be calling the company for more info

 

[summermh]

sharky, if you click on the link for the full analysis, listed on the page I linked, a PDF will pull up. I tried attaching it here, but file was too large. It has the entire GA analysis.
*edited: also, the Uretic isn't even listed on that base chart -- click on the chart and a large one with every food and every vitamin/mineral will open in a PDF file.

 

[sharky]

Boy they really make that easy to read/.// lol....

IMHO it looks good to me but of course I am not the vet or the cat who has to eat it

 

[summermh]

I know, widest/longest/tiniest chart ever

! Magnesium same with C/D's max, phosphorous too. Can't imagine our vet won't approve, since in his opinion the magnesium & urinary acidfyer were the only necessary ingredients to look at. Must taste good too, as www.onlynaturalpet.com has a few pages worth of Uretic testimonials. I will start off SLOW, as Wysong recommends... 10% Uretic mixed with 90% C/D... and increase from there

.

 

[sweetpea24]

Originally Posted by otto

My cat IS prone to crystals. That is why she is on the c/d kibble. Not the canned. I've tried other diets, without success.

I've looked into the Wysong, I do not like the numbers.

Every animal is different. Male cats block very easily and some do need the perineal urethrostomy surgery regardless of what they eat.

I'm glad raw worked for you but I am not, nor will ever be, a raw feeder, nor do I believe it is a cure all, in fact I know it is not.

Otto, sorry I did not mean to say that my solution would work for everyone, I know it certainly does not. I just wanted to point out that food is not always the answer; it could just be that the animal is prone to crystals regardless of food or water. And I know not everyone is a raw feeder. I was just describing my own experience. I looked into c/d, Royal Canin and Wysong. Wysong was the best choice. I refuse to feed my dog or cats a food that doesn't have any actual meat in it. But I got lucky and the problem was resolved (and may I say, I don't think the problem was resolved by me feeding raw - that was her normal diet before the crystals). I think my dog's crystals were caused by not drinking enough water and not enough exercise (my stupid fault). I think it was the Biotic ph- and me adding chicken broth to encourage her to drink more fluids that resolved her problem. I don't feed my cats who are male raw because they won't touch it but I do feed them a combo of wet and dry and I pray every day they don't have any issues.

 

[summermh]

Thought I'd follow up on this thread and let everyone know that, after transitioning VERY slowly from Prescription C/D to Wysong Uretic, eveything is going very well... no sign of UTI's or the slightest discomfort

. Thanks again for the the advice and suggestions!!

Summer

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I have a cat who has urinary history. He never would eat the C/D, so the vet has him eating W/D which I think is a weight maintainance formula. I guess the vet thought he would be better eating this than the stuff out of the grocery store. He also gets ony filtered water. I have read a lot on this board about the dangers of cats only getting dry food. Lately I have tried adding water to the bowl of food. He eats all the food and drinks the water too. Is this better than only eating dry by itself.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by SummerMH

Thought I'd follow up on this thread and let everyone know that, after transitioning VERY slowly from Prescription C/D to Wysong Uretic, eveything is going very well... no sign of UTI's or the slightest discomfort

. Thanks again for the the advice and suggestions!!

Summer

That's great news, thanks for the update! Be sure to have a urinalysis done after he's been on the Wysong for about 2 months.

Originally Posted by blueyedgirl5946

I have a cat who has urinary history. He never would eat the C/D, so the vet has him eating W/D which I think is a weight maintainance formula. I guess the vet thought he would be better eating this than the stuff out of the grocery store. He also gets ony filtered water. I have read a lot on this board about the dangers of cats only getting dry food. Lately I have tried adding water to the bowl of food. He eats all the food and drinks the water too. Is this better than only eating dry by itself.

Yes, this is good! I do this too. Make sure to pick up any uneaten kibble fed this way, dry food should not be left to sit after it gets wet, bacteria forms more quickly on it.