Posted on 03/17/2015 9:06:56 AM PDT by rarestia
I'm hoping the FR community can help me with a seemingly chronic feline issue.
I have two boys, Luke and Drake, who are from the same litter. They are very different cats. A few years ago, Luke developed urinary crystals. He was straining to urinate, would squat on everything, and he was generally irritable. Vet gave us anti-spasmatics to keep him from trying to urinate excessively and antibiotics to clear up any infections. After a few weeks, his symptoms cleared up, and he seemed better.
Two weeks later, he started again, we put him through the same regimen, and this time we changed him from kibble to canned food after I'd read about all the fillers in kibble that can lead to the formation of these stones. The problem with this strategy was that his brother, Drake, didn't handle the transition well and was vomiting up everything he ate. The wet food was too rich, so we kept him on the dry food thinking that he wasn't having the problem so why change?
Around the same time the next year, it all came around again with Luke. We took him to the vet, same diagnosis, put him through the regimen, and he's back to normal. Doc ruled out anything environmental insomuch as allergies causing this issue.
Fast forward to last weekend, and now Drake is having this same issue! We took him to the eVet, and they said his bladder was empty. Put him on antibiotics and gave him a painkiller, and he was fine; but now he's doing the same thing his brother was doing with the licking of his genitals and going to the cat box ten times an hour.
The question I have for you all: I've read tons of reviews on the urinary health foods. We currently feed Drake Blue Buffalo indoor cat kibble. I've heard some doctors say Blue is one of the worst for crystals and others say its one of the better for overall health. Our vet recommends Hill's Science Diet C/D or Royal Canin SO (which runs up to $85 for a 15 lb. bag!), but I've read some nasty things about Hill's foods.
Can any FReepers help me out here? Any kitty owners who've had these problems who can help me find a good balance? We want our boys to be happy, healthy kitties, but I feel like I have two irreparably broken toms.
Had our year old cat with crystals in the urine. Vet said the cause was the cat was not drinking enough water. We bought a water dish equipped with a pump for moving water to get the cat to drink more. Bought the cat medicated wet cat food from the vet store for urinary tract infection for a month to clear it up. Switched back to costco dry cat food. After that we haven’t had a problem. In our case, it had nothing to do with diet. Cats need a ton of water. We have two cats and together they drink over a pint every day.
My cat almost died. He had had problems before but when it came back, in 2 days he was “backed up” as the vet said and his creatin, I think, went up to...whatever...it was way high. Purina indoor, which I had already switched to and a Cranberry pill called Cranadine. Or something. 1/4 pill a day, 40 bucks for bottle lasts
120 days.
As I have said before here. He was one more 3 day vet stay from going to kitty heaven.
These problems are very aggravating for the owner, painful for the cats, deadly even. And very expensive to treat. As you and others have found out.
True, I am convinced. He had trouble the whole time we lived there, then I moved and the problem was over.
Our cat had crystals even a blockage until we did two things:
1. Give him distilled water instead of tap water. This change alone may be enough. It was huge for our cat.
2. Changed from dry cat food to wet canned food.
Must be hard to type with only one hand.
/yeah, I went there
Keep in mind that distilled water is chemically unstable and will actively leach vital minerals out of your pet’s body.
Cranberries can help with uti issues and urine crystals.
Apple cider vinegar.
Yes, and he is asking others for information about a health problem for is animals. He doesn’t want them to suffer under his care.
Wow.
Canned food only-if you must use dry use Royal Canin S/O. Get a fountain style cat waterer. Get a Feliway diffuser pheromone plug in. ‘Expensive’ food is much cheaper than medical care and they have to eat something that costs anyway.
How sad is it when one must state the blatantly obvious?
:-\
LOL!
Doesn’t bother me. It was asked for, IMO.
The cats even seem to like it - although it is hard to tell. They may just like me looking at them, lol.
Years ago, the vet told us to never give cats canned Whiskas because it cause urinary problems.
You might want to take them off all store bought pet foods. Our dogs (yes, I know this is a cat thread) were chewing themselves down to raw bloody flesh and the current vet kept insisting it was fleas but could never find any. The chewing and miserableness was worse when they were on Pedigree so we went to other name brands like Purina. Nothing from China. They continued to chew. Recently, I’ve taken them off all store bought food and treats and have been making them rice with proteins and veggies aka people food. They were healing fine, their coats were softer and shiny and no more chewing until hubby gave them some dog bones and it immediately started up again.
One of the cats’ ears can’t seem to knock an allergy infection so I’m thinking of putting them on the same rice and people food diet as the dogs.
Agree with the lack of minerals. Ours drink untreated well water so all's good there.
Cranberry extracts.
To read later.
He did well enough on Real Water, but he didn’t have problems
with his urinary tract, just his kidneys. Thank you again for the
Real Water solution to his failing kidneys. Those two years are
precious to me, my dear friend, and they always will be.
He just suddenly took a turn for the worst, and he actually died in
the early morning hours of August 4, 2012, before his euthanasia
appointment. We kept the appointment to have him cremated, so
he is in a pretty wooden box in the sun room next to his brothers’
and sisters’ ashes.
I still cry.
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