What food should I get for my cat who has recurring UTIs?

Question

Let's just start this off, we have 5 cats (insane, I know) and 2 dogs. Our dogs receive a very high quality food because one of them has an allergy that makes her get bad ear infections.

Our cat, whiner baby, started peeing around the house, on the counters and in the stove tops primarily. We thought she was just lazy but eventually took her to the vet to see if there was a problem. Sure enough, she had a urinary tract infection and the vet gave her a shot. She stopped for about a month and started again. Just recently, she's been peeing pretty much everywhere. At the bottom of the steps in our living room, on carpets, on hand towels, in the bathroom, on a bag in my room, and also on the counters. My parents obviously don't want to spend a lot of money on her as she is one of five cats that we have. I noticed today, that she had blood in her urine. I'm waiting on my mom to get home so we can call the vet to get her there soon.

The thing is, we only feed her wet food. All the other cats receive wet and dry mixed in with it. The wet food is not very good. It's friskies shreds and the dry food is cat chow. I know they should not be receiving such low quality food, but with 5 cats and 2 dogs, we can't pay so much money for 7 animals. 

Is there some cat food that we can buy that is somewhat high quality but not super expensive? I really hate giving them crap food all the time but as I've said, it's expensive. 

Also, does anyone have suggestions to take care of her recurring UTI's? I know we will take her to the vet for this one, but what can we do to keep her from getting another one?

Dean · Accepted Answer

Hi Royal Canin Urinary SO help my cat with same problem and its not to expensive if you use it only for one cat.

http://www.amazon.com/Royal-Canin-Veterinary-Feline-Urinary/product-reviews/B0039OKM8O

http://cats.about.com/u/reviews/dryfood/premium-dry-cat-food/Royal-Canin-Veterinary-Diet-Feline-Urinary-SO.htm

cat lover · Answer

Blood in the urine suggest she is throwing off crystals, and a lot depends on the type of crystals.  If struvite, then a food that acidifies the urine works.  If oxalate, then a special vet diet is necessary, and many cats form both types.  I suspect it is stress that is causing the recurrent problem.

Friskies shreds wet food is not the worst you could feed her.  It is perfectly all right, and canned food is often best when you have urinary problems with your cat.  Or a quality dry food, with a fountain to encourage more drinking.

BTW, your cats will only eat what they like, so your opinion doesn't matter to them.

? · Answer

If a more expensive food keeps her from having urinary tract problems then its cheaper than low quality food. Take her to a vet to be treated and pick a grain free food and see if she has any more problems. Good brands are felidae, natural balance, natures variety. halo, merrick before grain, blue wilderness, taste of the wild, weruva, evangers etc. A cheaper food is fancy feast and it does come in grain free flavors. Another option is raw. For me its much cheaper than canned (and possibly cheaper than kibble). Here is the guide that I follow
http://holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=meat&action=display&thread=55
Here is another way to feed raw
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood

holliway · Answer

you will desire to attempt the nutrition yet you could would desire to coach them to consume once you feed them and then %. it up. i be responsive to loose feeding is far less annoying with cats. If she has blood it might desire to be yet another UTI. The moist nutrition could be reliable on the grounds it is greater water to flush the gadget. the reliable component is which you haven't any longer any crystals!! so something is triggering the inflammation that effects interior the UTI. My canines has persistent UTI yet she is on technological know-how eating habitual C/D and we have not got anymore situation anymore. i be responsive to canines are distinctive than cats and are bit greater frustrating. reliable success in despite option you're taking.

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What food should I get for my cat who has recurring UTIs?

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