I am hoping for some input on what diets are fed to cats to help promote a healthy bladder and still produce firm stools.
My cat is almost 5 years old, neutered male, and was found as a kitten with a high fracture on his spine. He ended up having both legs and his tail removed.
He has some bladder and rectal tone however daily bladder expressions are needed and often he needs help getting the poop out.
This past two years things have gotten worse as in more frequent UTI's and some really bad ones where he was passing clots.
I wanted to find out what diet out there helps supports a healthy bladder and still produces some firm poop.
Thank you in advance.
Michelle and Daniel.
Diet suggestions to combat UTI's
Re: Diet suggestions to combat UTI's
I don't know about food, but I suggest upping water intake, if you can.
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katherinerose
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:09 pm
Re: Diet suggestions to combat UTI's
Hello,
I'm sorry for a late reply, I hope you and your kitties are doing well! I have recently started my kitty who had very persistent infections (We were getting them almost every 3 months!) on a prescription diet from Royal Canin called urinary SO. We began this about 8 months ago and have seen no sign of infection since. This worked for her because she would get very mild and hard to catch flare ups of struvite crystals. This food is what they use to help heal and prevent crystals from forming. Hope this helps.
I'm sorry for a late reply, I hope you and your kitties are doing well! I have recently started my kitty who had very persistent infections (We were getting them almost every 3 months!) on a prescription diet from Royal Canin called urinary SO. We began this about 8 months ago and have seen no sign of infection since. This worked for her because she would get very mild and hard to catch flare ups of struvite crystals. This food is what they use to help heal and prevent crystals from forming. Hope this helps.
Re: Diet suggestions to combat UTI's
Hi,
Our kitten has had tons of urinary problems and we have found a routine of sorts to keep him chugging along. His problems consisted/consist of:
- UTI and blockagae introduced by a vet during neutering surgery
- Subsequent bladder distension due to infection, stricture
- UTI after perineal urethrostomy
- Minor crystals found, urinary food prescribed as a preventative due to all of his other issues
- Idiopathic cystitis after infection was gone
He is still on a lot of medication to contract his bladder and hasn't had a UTI recurrence in a couple of months (knock on wood). Here is the routine we have found that seems to work for now:
- Wet food only. Nothing dry. No dry treats.
- Originally we were told to feed Royal Canin Urinary SO for the minor crystals. This did not prevent the subequent UTI and he eventually got too bored with the food to eat it. We needed to put weight on him after lengthy hospital stays so started mixing it with a food he enjoyed more - James Wellbeloved - which worked for a while as he would eat both together.
- After the UTI and subsequent stress induced cystitis episode we introduced Cystease twice a day with his other bladder meds (Myocholine and Alfadil) and Zylkene (capsule broken down into a bit of food) once a day for stress.
- Reintroduced raw. Again first mixing it with Royal Canin Urinary SO, but at this point he was eating -around- the normal wet food and barely eating any of the RC SO. We still try to mix it, but in the end the plate ends up being clean aside from a patch of SO food.
- Always always put as much water into the food as he will tolerate. We make a little "boat" out of the raw food and pour water in there. He ends up with probably over a tablespoon or two of water with each feeding. From what we've read fluid intake seems to be the major factor for urinary health and crystals.
- Cut out all fish. He absolutely loves tuna but we read that this may be irritating to the bladder. We do not know if this is true, but thought it safer to cut out. We have been desperately trying to keep him going and hoping he will eventually recover bladder function without meds, so we are trying to be as careful as possible.
- Regarding the stools: He has had constipation issues since he got back from hospital and the raw food does not help on that front. He has had to be on Lactulose and now we are also adding psyllium husk to his raw food which seems to have been helping on that front.
So far there has been no recurrence. He is under very close watch for urination - we have a routine there, too. We do not know what his long term prospects are but for now the above seems to be keeping him going and happy. He still needs to gain weight, though.
I don't know if this helps at all, this is just what has been (FOR NOW) working for us.
Our kitten has had tons of urinary problems and we have found a routine of sorts to keep him chugging along. His problems consisted/consist of:
- UTI and blockagae introduced by a vet during neutering surgery
- Subsequent bladder distension due to infection, stricture
- UTI after perineal urethrostomy
- Minor crystals found, urinary food prescribed as a preventative due to all of his other issues
- Idiopathic cystitis after infection was gone
He is still on a lot of medication to contract his bladder and hasn't had a UTI recurrence in a couple of months (knock on wood). Here is the routine we have found that seems to work for now:
- Wet food only. Nothing dry. No dry treats.
- Originally we were told to feed Royal Canin Urinary SO for the minor crystals. This did not prevent the subequent UTI and he eventually got too bored with the food to eat it. We needed to put weight on him after lengthy hospital stays so started mixing it with a food he enjoyed more - James Wellbeloved - which worked for a while as he would eat both together.
- After the UTI and subsequent stress induced cystitis episode we introduced Cystease twice a day with his other bladder meds (Myocholine and Alfadil) and Zylkene (capsule broken down into a bit of food) once a day for stress.
- Reintroduced raw. Again first mixing it with Royal Canin Urinary SO, but at this point he was eating -around- the normal wet food and barely eating any of the RC SO. We still try to mix it, but in the end the plate ends up being clean aside from a patch of SO food.
- Always always put as much water into the food as he will tolerate. We make a little "boat" out of the raw food and pour water in there. He ends up with probably over a tablespoon or two of water with each feeding. From what we've read fluid intake seems to be the major factor for urinary health and crystals.
- Cut out all fish. He absolutely loves tuna but we read that this may be irritating to the bladder. We do not know if this is true, but thought it safer to cut out. We have been desperately trying to keep him going and hoping he will eventually recover bladder function without meds, so we are trying to be as careful as possible.
- Regarding the stools: He has had constipation issues since he got back from hospital and the raw food does not help on that front. He has had to be on Lactulose and now we are also adding psyllium husk to his raw food which seems to have been helping on that front.
So far there has been no recurrence. He is under very close watch for urination - we have a routine there, too. We do not know what his long term prospects are but for now the above seems to be keeping him going and happy. He still needs to gain weight, though.
I don't know if this helps at all, this is just what has been (FOR NOW) working for us.