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Like it or not...we live in a free society. We make choices everyday that affect us and our animals. They key here is that it's our choice to be manipulated as you call it or not. We are employed by those manufacturers and stores that give us these choices. I'll be happy to inform myself as to what is best, but I certaintly cannot resent the manufacturers for making a living.
On the one hand, I feel terrible being the first one to say this, because your daughter is the veterinarian, and well...I don't want to tell you that she might be misinformed, no one wants to tell someone to question the word of a professional family member. That's not nice. On the other hand, I'm going to try and be really nice about saying this and I know a couple of our hardcore cat forum posters might not be as nice in response to your input...so here goes.
This site has been repeated many times in this thread. I'd like to encourage you to read the content of the site: www.catinfo.org
I have very, very sincerely come to believe what is there. My vet agrees. You will have to make up your mind, but I ask you in the nicest way I know how, please read the stuff at that site. I know it's a lot. But if you read it, and you don't believe it, then at least you know why so many of us think what we think. That is our "Bible of cat feeding." Right there.
By the by...a lot of people think it's totally normal for cats to throw up or have hairballs, too. I have a longhaired cat who has never had a hairball, he passes it in his poo because his digestion isn't blocked up with dry cereal, he's well hydrated and his innards work the way a cat's are supposed to. I have a friend who says her cat is "gross" because she "barfs everywhere" but won't listen to me when I tell her that perhaps the kibble diet has something to do with that. I know I can't convince them all. I just ask people to read what I've read, then decide what they think...
Also, I found this, which relates to what you're saying: What Is Ash?
Maybe you question why there is any level of ash in your kitty's food. It's not just an unfortunate manufacturing by-product. When you see "ash" listed on a cat food label, it actually refers to the amount of mineral elements that are left after a sample of the food is put through a two-hour burn in a laboratory. These are essential minerals, like calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. So, the presence of ash in your cat's food actually can be a good thing. Low Ash Versus Low Magnesium
Don't rely solely on low ash in a food to be good for your kitty if he's prone to UTI's. High ash in general is thought to be the problem for those sensitive felines, but it actually is the high magnesium content a high ash food has that causes crystals to form in cats' urinary tracts. Look for low ash content, but low magnesium content as well. You want to serve your fluffy friend kitty food that has less than 0.12 percent magnesium to keep those crystals from developing.
EDIT: I totally agree with you about the mouse flavored food though. Too bad they are marketing to people and not to cats. I've seen descriptions on food bags that look like what a person would have for dinner, stuff like cheese, brown rice, you name it. Silly. I want to go on a crusade for some "mouse guts and bunny brains" food!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeginathol
Hills Science Diet CD is low in ash...it's the ash that causes the crystals. I've tried other foods like Friskies special diet canned and Purina low urinary PH. Neither works for my little guy.
Mine has a persistent case where he has to also take medication. I have 2 other boys, and they all eat it. It was so difficult keeping the one out of the other's food. The price is prohibitive, but I put out 3/4 of a cup twice a day for all 3 and a bag lasts 6 weeks+ (17.5#).
He has gained weight on CD, but he is a slug on the medication. The other 2 who are not taking any medication have not gained weight. My daughter is a Veterinarian, and you absolutely need a prescription to get CD. That is why it is sold at a vet's office or on a pet pharmacy website like Fosters or Petmeds.
Cat food, like all dry food is baked at high heats, and that leaves a lot of ash leftover in the process. CD is also baked at high heat, but the ash is removed. They use ingredients that leave less ash as well. Cats in the wild are carnivores, but they have adapted to a grain diet which is much easier to digest. Just because it's not a diet you believe to be nutritionally complete, does not mean that it isn't. Cats eat all kinds of foods while in the yard or woods including grasses and grains. (Their normal food is birds and mice who are omnivores). Like us...they need a varied diet. Meat is a great, but not complete. I've always wondered why they don't put out a rodent based diet for cats...lol. Not many PEOPLE would buy it I guess.
Heh. The real reason there is not rodent-based food is that there is no big industrial food supply for that protein. Someone could come out with a rodent-based cooked canned food if they wanted to, but it would likely be a boutique expensive product. They would probably have to raise their own rodents because otherwise where are they going to come from?
It is possible to get mice as food from a few sources. There's also a close relative in the small marsupial New Zealand Brushtail used by pet food company Addiction in a canned food. Another close one would be rabbit, a small enough mammal that a cat might naturally eat. Rabbit is canned in several brands of cat food but even then it is usually still expensive and less readily available.
Cat food is made with chicken, beef, etc because that is what we eat and there are readily available leftovers from human food production.
Funny that now I actually have the dilemma posed in the title. The new kitties are eating canned c/d because they were eating that at the shelter. And that's because several months ago one or both of them may have tested positive for crystals. Or it may only have been because at turn back someone mentioned urinating outside box. Haven't seen evidence of that here so I'm planning on switching away from this food if we can. We have vet exam scheduled on Saturday and I intend to bring that up.
So far though the c/d was helpful in establishing a routine here. At beginning a few weeks ago I was throwing various stuff out to see what might stick. There wasn't a lot of eating at firstand I was leaving out some Orijen dry. Well, a few days of that and they were down to refusing to eat any canned, yes, that fast it seemed. The c/d somehow helped me break that rut quickly. Now it's the routine and they eat so I think we can have a shot at moving toward some other foods. It really would help to get them more calories I think. The cats lost nearly a pound and over a pound in 6 months in the shelter. They are small and could have been overweight st first but they could probably do with gaining a fair portion of that back. A whole can of c/d per day, about as much as they'll usually eat (whole can each that is) is really only maintenance calories even for a small cat. (They are under 7lbs.) Sometimes they'll get in some extra Cats in the Kitchen Double Dip but those cans are very low density. Still split between them the 3oz can probably gives each another 30 or so calories if they eat it all.
I dunno, I'd think that ranching mice to make cat food would be reasonably cheap, but yeah...not as much so as taking the waste from the human food process.
I have found rabbit based foods, I buy NV Instinct rabbit flavor sometimes, and the raw bites. Costs are similar to the other "premium" brands (Wellness, Soulistic, etc) that I buy. I was excited when I found the raw bites, but the cat is only ~sometimes~ in the mood for that, it's so different from his canned food.
my male cat also has feline urinary obstruction disease and has now been placed on the hills c/d both wet and dry. It makes me wonder what I should do? Has anyone had the same problem with a 3 year old male and does not know what way to go when considering what to feed him especially when there are 2 additional cats in the house? Is there a more economical food that I could feed all three cats?
my male cat also has feline urinary obstruction disease and has now been placed on the hills c/d both wet and dry. It makes me wonder what I should do? Has anyone had the same problem with a 3 year old male and does not know what way to go when considering what to feed him especially when there are 2 additional cats in the house? Is there a more economical food that I could feed all three cats?
Keep him on the c/d CANNED if you want. Canned only. A male who has blocked should never ever ever ever eat dry food.
The other cats can eat any canned food you like. I'd avoid fish, for all of them.
It's not hard to feed different cats different diets. I do it multiple times a day, every day.
PS Welcome to the forum. Hope your boy is going to be okay. How scary that must have been for you and him, both.
Diane, I agree with the above: canned only. Also if he'll tolerate it, try adding a little water to the wet food. Cats often don't drink as much water as they need, hydration is the key to urinary health and that's what you're shooting for here.
catinfo.org also has a very informative section on what can happen if the urinary problems progress, and how to manage this and help your cat back to good health.
Unless you want to pay for PU surgery or put your cat down, I'd suggest biting the bullet and continue feeding c/d. I tried to switch to something I thought was exactly the same, and within weeks my cat blocked again. $5000 later, he's had PU surgery. Even with the surgery, I'm not taking any chances. He'll eat c/d for the rest of his life. Anyway, he loves it.
Also, if the wet food you're feeding is Fancy Feast or Friskies, I'd -especially- keep the c/d going, since those foods are low-quality and likely to cause problems, regardless of the fact that that they're wet.
Hill's c/d isn't any better quality than Fancy Feast.
If you fed your cat dry food, in place of the c/d, I am not surprised he had to end up having this surgery.
If you are feeding the canned c/d, more power to you. If you are feeding the dry, you are only heading for more trouble. A cat who has had urinary tract problems, including PU surgery, should never ever ever eat a dry diet.
I have one cat on Hills Prescription c/d. She has FLUTD and the c/d is the only food that keeps her healthy. I hate feeding her this food, but it works for what it's meant for, keeping her crystal and pain free.
While she is not normally a finicky cat, she won't eat the canned c/d, so she gets the kibble.
All my other cats are on a high quality, mostly grain free, canned diet. I wish with all my heart this cat could be on that diet too (and so does she ) but the c/d is the only food that keeps her healthy.
Yes, many cats will gain weight on the c/d. The trick is to control portion size and make sure the cats get enough exercise. My girl is not over weight, but she would be if she was free fed this food. (I don't believe in free feeding anyway)
I have 4 cats and one has a bladder problem and is on the CD dry food. I give it to all 4 cats. It is just too hard to give them all separate food. I like the dry better as my cats are picky eaters and don't eat all the wet food at one time, so it sits around and starts stinking or the dogs will eat it up. So the dry is better for me.
It is quite expensive thought with 4 cats. I do free feed which is the problem. So I go through a lot of CD food. I wish I could learn not to free feed like you. I am going to try it. The food will certainly last longer.
The cats are always at the bowl eating several times a day and I can hear them eating all through the night sometimes as I have a bowl of food in my bedroom. I have one that is gaining weight like crazy. How much do you give your cat and how many times a day do you put food down for her? Thanks
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