Multiple Cats - How to feed

[Craftlady]

Skinny (9 yrs old) has developed UTI which maybe crystals or bacteria. Culture was sent out to lab for testing. The results hopefully back by Friday. His PH is 9 (normal is 7).

All cats are on Taste Of Wild (grain free food). It's 150% better than anything I've ever bought. Expensive but worth every penny. Snoopy is on their food too (he has IBS) and it's doing the job 2000% better than the RX food could ever accomplish.

Sorry, digressed. LOL Supposedly the RX diet food for urinary (crystal) problems is made to lower the PH levels. IF he has crystals the vet want to put him on the RX diet food. I need to call the TOW company Friday and ask them about their PH levels in their foods. They make the same formula in can. Hoping to mix both.

I am NOT a fan of these RX diets from the vets. Full of JUNK plan an simple. Reading those labels on RX cans is an eye opener.

My siggy say 7 furry kids ==== we added 1 more. Franklin makes #8 Photos to follow in Cat General.

Thanks for letting me vent.

[Freedom]

Yup, I feed my cats TOTW as well. Have done for several years now and very pleased with it!

In general, I agree with you about the Rx foods.

Friend of mine has 2 bichons, and one girl has had bladder stones and needed surgery - TWICE in just 8 months! Because, after the first surgery, she did lots of on line research, read the label on the Rx diet, and tried to duplicate it without the "bad" stuff. After the second surgery - and she felt awful, as if she caused her dog to go through that a 2d time -- she capitulated and now uses the Rx diet. She also uses cranberry pills -- prescribed by the doc as well, I believe -- and has the urine tested once a month, to attempt to catch anything more quickly. Sorry, don't remember which end of the pH scale the dog's stones were at (yup it does matter). I can find out, if you want.

Anyway, good luck with Skinny!

I had my dogs on TOTW for almost a year, but Lacey kept having low blood glucose episodes, so I switched to Halo Spot's Stew. The lamb formula made Sugar itch like mad, but the chicken formula is working for all 5 pups. SO much trial and error with foods.

[Craftlady]

I had the cats on Precise(chicken) and it gave them major gas. Took them off Precise and went to TOFW bison and salmon. NO gas and very few hairballs.

Taking Coco off the Precise (chicken) for dogs and putting him on TOFW (opposite flavor of Snoopy's). Feeding both the lamb would break the bank. Bag wouldnt last long at all. This way giving him another flavor I'm going through bag in 30 days give/take. I measure out the dog's food.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear about Skinny and I agree that the RX diets aren't very healthy ones. My Storm had crystals and he became blocked twice so he had to have the PU surgery. He was a few different RX Urinary diets for a while but he would still sometimes get UTI's.

When my RB Starr was diagnosed with Colitis and IBD, my vet put him on a grain free diet. She also said that it would fine for Storm as long as he had plenty of canned food too. Ever since Storm's been on a grain free diet, he's never had any more urinary tract problems. At first I had everyone on Innova Evo, then I tried TOTW but some of my cats couldn't handle it and they got diarrhea. Then I tried Nature's Variety which was much more expensive and some of my cats got sick. Now the oldest 4 are all on Wellness Core dry and some of the Wellness grain free dry. Storm eats 4 small feedings a day and he eats about 1/2 can per day. It's sp hard to find one food that everyone likes and does well on. Alani & Blaze have to eat a different food because they don't do well on grain free diets. Good luck with Skinny.

[katladyd]

Ming is my UTI/Blockage kitty and I was told to put him on Rx food. I refused to do that. Moosmom (thank you so much, Donna) suggested Blue Wilderness dry and all of my cats have been on that food for over two years and Ming has not had a recurrence. I've even been able to reduce his meds by half! It's great stuff and most cats will eat it! I hope Skinny feels better very quickly!

[phesina]

Do any of you have good suggestions of high-quality non-prescription food for kidney-challenged cats?

Thanks,
Pat (and Sydney and Bob)

[Craftlady]

I will be without laptop for a week. Cindy stepped on keyboard. Have misspell words inorder have right word print on screen. t no work nor y . No charge under warranties. A pain without laptop for a week.

Hopefully I will use my phone or hubby's laptop during his school working hrs.

Should hear from vet today about urinalysis culture results from Skinny. Hoping he doesnt have crystals.