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  #1  
Old August 22nd, 2006, 06:06 AM
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MyBirdIsEvil MyBirdIsEvil is offline
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*sigh* Possible UTI need food suggestions.

I just caught my oldest kitty peeing somewhere other than his litter box for the 2nd time in a week. He's almost 7 yrs old and we've had him for 2 years. Up until now he's been completely perfect about going in his litter box, so I suspect that he may have a UTI and I'm taking him to the vet on thursday.

Just in case it does end up being a UTI or something along those lines, can anyone recommend a food (both canned and dry) that would be good for that problem?
I know if that's his problem my vet is going to suggest I use one of Science Diet's formulas since that's what they sell, and I'm really not too keen on Science Diet, so any help would be appreciated.

The reason I'm asking before I take him to the vet is so I can order it now, just in case, so by the time he's diagnosed it will be here if I need it.
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Old August 22nd, 2006, 10:37 AM
vfrohloff vfrohloff is offline
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I'm not sure what food will prevent UTIs. I know there are some foods that prevent crystals from forming, maybe these same foods would prevent UTIs. I feed my guys Felidae dry food and it has cranberry meal in it, I'm guessing for urinary tract health. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this? Good luck at the vet on Thursday!
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Old August 22nd, 2006, 11:20 AM
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MyBirdIsEvil MyBirdIsEvil is offline
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The crystals you're talking about are one of the main causes of UTI's.
That's why I need foods that prevent that. Preferably I would feed him canned food, but he normally hates canned food, so I can take recommendations for both, because if he won't eat the canned I'll have to feed him dry.
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Old August 22nd, 2006, 11:22 AM
Prin Prin is offline
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Post 15 here: http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=25354
I posted all the best canned foods I know of.

I think the canidae is worth a shot.

Oh and if you see your kitty struggling to pee but nothing comes out, that's an emergency and you need a vet right away.
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Old August 22nd, 2006, 12:00 PM
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MyBirdIsEvil MyBirdIsEvil is offline
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Thanks Prin, for the link.
I haven't seen him struggling to pee, but I'll keep that in mind and call the vet right away if I do.

He's been kind of peeing in random spots. I found that one of the cats had peed in the laundry room one day (where their litter box is) and I figured it was one of the other 2 cats, but now I think it may have been him.
The other day I saw him squating on the floor here in the living room, but I stopped him before he could do anything, then I wasn't completely sure if he was actually trying to pee, 'cause sometimes when he goes to pounce in play he squats the same way, but now I'm sure that he actually was indeed trying to pee.
This morning when I posted this, I was standing there reading something and I heard what sounded like water, and when it hit me what it was I looked over and he was standing there peeing on something right in front of me .
I suppose there could be other reasons, but considering his age and the fact that he started doing it so suddenly after 2 years of perfect litter box use, I'm suspecting it's UTI or something.
He's not one of those cats that won't pee if his litterbox is dirty, he'll run up to you and meow really loud and then run to his litter box so you know to scoop it.
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Old August 22nd, 2006, 12:25 PM
SarahLynn123 SarahLynn123 is offline
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I had this same issue and grudgingly followed the vets instructions of switching to royal canin urinary so

I gave it to him along with pills for a couple weeks and when he was back to normal I switched him back to innova (mostly canned) and got some holistic stuff (dont know the name right now) to add to his food to prevent this from happening again. 1 month later, he got it again :sad: So now he is back on the gross food from the vet and it seems to be working, its been months.

I stopped looking for alternatives because I was worried about it returning a third time, and giving him pills twice a day was becoming increasingly dangerous.

I hope you find a better quality food that works for your little guy, I have no clue whats in the food that makes it work becasue the ingredients are pretty gross.

Good luck!
Sarah
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Old August 22nd, 2006, 08:27 PM
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MyBirdIsEvil MyBirdIsEvil is offline
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That's what I was afraid of.
I can't find any holistic foods that specifically say they're for cats with UTI, like the special food the vet has does.
I'd rather feed holistic, because he tends to get itchy eyes and stuff on crappy food, but I also don't want him to keep getting UTI's, and if it's between him having itchy skin or constantly having a UTI I'd rather he have itchy skin because that's not exactly life threatening.
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Old August 22nd, 2006, 08:42 PM
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MyBirdIsEvil MyBirdIsEvil is offline
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Apparently wysong has Rx foods but you have to get it through the vet
.
Maybe I can find a vet in St. Louis that sells it.

The ingredients in the Science Diet prescription canned for oxalate crystals .

Water, Pork By-Products, Pork Liver, Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Corn Starch, Oat Fiber, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Rice, Soybean Oil, Brewers Dried Yeast, Calcium Carbonate, Guar Gum, Potassium Citrate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Dicalcium Phosphate, DL-Methionine, Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Psyllium Seed Husk, Thiamine Mononitrate, Magnesium Oxide, Calcium Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Sodium Selenite

The one for the struvite is worse:

Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Chicken Liver Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with BHT and BHA, Beta-Carotene.

Last edited by MyBirdIsEvil; August 22nd, 2006 at 08:52 PM.
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Old August 23rd, 2006, 12:02 PM
SnowDancer SnowDancer is offline
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If your cat's urine is very acidic cranberry will only make it worse. I know this from my own personal experience. I am seriously acidic and boy did cranberry make it worse! If your cat is X-rayed and has crystals or stones I would suggest you feed your cat the recommended Hill's/Science Diet Food for whatever time the vet suggests. My Dachshund had to have his stones removed and then eat the lard-like Hill's for 6 months to see if crystals started to form. Thankfully they did not as he was a true gourmet and boy was it hard. The stones were "adopted" with him so it was not what we were feeding him. I watch our current dog - an Eskimo - very carefully as they are prone to stones - particularly watch purines and oxalic acids. Hope your kitty does not have stones - and if he has crystals that they will dissolve with the special food - if not, they will turn into stones. Kidney stones really hurt - this I know.
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Old August 23rd, 2006, 03:56 PM
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MyBirdIsEvil MyBirdIsEvil is offline
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I'm only going to feed the Hills if I can't find a different Rx food.
Hills has all kinds of crap that my cat is allergic to and he'll be miserable on it.
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Old August 24th, 2006, 10:22 AM
vfrohloff vfrohloff is offline
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I was under the impression that crystals were formed from the urine being too alkaline and that keeping the urine acidic prevents UTIs. If that is the case wouldn't making the urine more acidic be helpful? Maybe I am misinformed, can someone answer this? Good luck at the vet today MyBirdIsEvil.
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Old August 24th, 2006, 05:34 PM
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Quote:
I was under the impression that crystals were formed from the urine being too alkaline and that keeping the urine acidic prevents UTIs. If that is the case wouldn't making the urine more acidic be helpful?
I was under that impression too, and from what I've read that's correct.

Btw, went to the vet today, and he said my cat has a high white blood cell count but his urine is still acidic and he has no stones. He prescribed Science Diet c/d and gave me some pills for UTI.

I dunno if there's anything else that can cause high white blood cell count besides UTI, and vet wasn't very descriptive. I posted a thread in the health section too about it, so if anyone has any info and would like to post there or here it would be greatly appreciated.
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Old August 25th, 2006, 04:38 PM
vfrohloff vfrohloff is offline
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It's weird that the vet didn't elaborate more on the high white cell count. From what I have experienced with my own pets, a high white cell count means infection, but it doesn't tell you where. There must be a way they can tell from the urine alone that there is a UTI because I've taken samples in before and had them call me to tell me there is a UTI and to come and pick up antibiotics. I think it was because there was also a bit of blood in the urine; I'll have to ask next time I'm there. When I took a sample in for Benny a few months ago they did find a high white cell count in his urine but asked me to come in for bloodwork because the infection wasn't in his urinary tract; somehow they knew that just from looking at his urine. So I'm guessing your vet has a good reason to think it's a UTI.
Anyway, I hope your kitty feels better soon and stops peeing on your floor!
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  #14  
Old August 25th, 2006, 06:28 PM
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MyBirdIsEvil MyBirdIsEvil is offline
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Quote:
So I'm guessing your vet has a good reason to think it's a UTI.
I don't know, I think I'm gonna find another vet for a 2nd opinion just in case.
Maybe I can find a vet in St Louis that sells the wysong Rx and take him there.
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