Improving Your Cats Urinary Health
A cats diet plays an important part in their urinary health. The main reason why cats suffer from UTIs and urinary health issues is that their urine is too concentrated and the buildup of toxins and minerals results in the formation of bladder stones, blockage of the urethra and as a result, a myriad of other problems such as recurring bacterial infections and issues with kidneys. But how does a cats urine become concentrated? In their natural wild habitat, cats get hydrated through their prey- raw meat- and generally are not big water drinkers. This all changes for domesticated cats who tend to eat mostly kibble, but dont change their drinking habits- resulting in the buildup of minerals and toxins in their urine.
In addition to feeding your cat food that supports their urinary health, you should make sure that you encourage them to drink more water. A great way to promote better hydration in felines is using a cat water fountain running water always has kitties eager to drink.
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Angela Vuckovic
Best For Sensitive Stomach: Hound & Gatos Chicken & Chicken Liver Formula Grain
- Type: Wet/Canned
- Made In: United States
Digestive issues are just as common as urinary tract health problems. Fortunately, there are a wealth of foods that address both. This recipe from Hound & Gatos is one of them. Its a moisture-rich food made from top-quality ingredients and should help to control urinary tract health. Its also a limited-ingredient food made from rabbit, a novel protein for many cats.
Like other Hound & Gatos foods, its popular among cats with food sensitivities and digestive issues.
Are You A California Resident
Save 35% on your first Autoship order up to a maximum savings of $20.00 and 5% on all recurring orders. Certain products and brands are not eligible for sitewide offers or promotions and specifically excludes, select products from The Pharmacy at PetSmart, all Royal Canin and Eukanuba products, all services, gift cards, gift certificates, previous purchases and charitable donations. Must be signed in to your Treats account to receive discount. Savings will automatically reflect in shopping cart with purchase of qualifying product and enrollment in Autoship. Offer may not be combinable with other promotional offers or discounts. Treats members receive free shipping on orders over $49.00, prior to taxes & after discounts are applied. Recurring Autoship orders will be charged the online price of the date the order ships. Prices & selection may vary. While supplies last. Quantities may be limited and deliveries may be delayed.
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Signs Of Urinary Health Issues In Cats
Many of the urinary tract issues that can affect cats have similar symptoms. They include:
- Increased frequency of urination
- Pain or straining when using the litter box
- Hiding when not using the litter box
Because the signs and symptoms are so similar, it is important to work with your veterinarian to determine which issue is affecting your kitty so it can be fully treated. Your veterinarian will likely want to perform a urinalysis to evaluate the urine for blood, bacteria, crystals, and other urinary factors. Additionally, imaging may be recommended to evaluate for stones. While diet and environmental recommendations are often similar for each issue, additional treatment is often necessary for proper resolution, including medications in the case of FIC or UTI and/or surgical procedures in the case of certain types of stones or blockages.
In some cases, bladder stones can cause an obstruction of the urethra, which can quickly become an emergency. If your cat is straining in the litter box and you have not seen visible urine output in 12 to 18 hours, this is a life-threatening emergency and must be addressed by a veterinarian immediately. Due to their anatomy, male cats are at much greater risk for urinary blockage than females.
Whats Good About Purina Pro Plan
As youd expect from Purina, real meat is almost always the first ingredient on the list and Pro Plan is no exception. High-quality salmon, poultry and lamb feature heavily throughout this range and nearly all of their dry blends are fortified with guaranteed live probiotics for gut and digestive health.
The protein content is high, sitting above 40% across most of the dry range and the carbohydrate count mostly sits under 35%, which is better than the Purina One blends. Over on the wet food side of the fence, the moisture content remains high at 78%, with protein sitting around 12% and fat around 6%, which is a good ratio.
The LiveClear allergen-reducing range is particularly impressive, having been voted the 2021 product of the year by the Consumer Survey of Product Innovation. This revolutionary blend has been proven to reduce the major allergen in cat hair and dander by an average of 47% a huge relief for any pet parent who suffers from allergies.
Again, like with Purina One, the vitamin and mineral count across the range is impressive, with high levels of Omega 6 fatty acids and Vitamin A for skin and coat health, taurine for eye health, and calcium and other nutrients for strong and healthy bones.
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Is Merrick Dog And Cat Food Good
Yes! Merricks dog and cat food recipes use only high-quality, deboned meats sourced from USDA-inspected facilities and fresh-caught fish to support the growth of lean muscle, improved skin and coat health, and a healthy immune system. To ensure the most delicious, wholesome and nutritious food possible, Merrick food is formulated by an experienced team of animal nutrition experts, including PhDs, veterinarians, scientists and engineers.
Merrick food and treats are available in Petco nationwide, as well as Petco online. You can also save when you shop online and pick up your order at your neighborhood Petco, or sign up for Repeat Delivery.
Careful Wording For Plausible Denial
In the beginning of this blog, I mentioned the usage of careful wording in claims and advertising for plausible denial. If you are like most consumers and people in the industry, you would have simply read the Petco announcement and the Forbes article and likely said, Wow, this is a game changer. The Forbes article compared the announcement to that of CVS in 2014 when it decided to stop selling cigarettes crazy, right?
Unfortunately for the industry and the consumer, if you took the press release at face value, you would have been misled. The press release tells you to go to Petco.com/betternutrition to better understand their stand against artificial ingredients/foods. Coincidentally, they never did create a hyperlink to this list however, they did for the media kit maybe a minor oversight?
Once you take the time to copy and paste the website information , you will find a list of Petcos new nutritional standards banning the usage of 12 artificial colors, 22 artificial flavors and 20 artificial preservatives. To the average consumer and people in the industry, this list looks legit, right? Wrong! It is what is missing from the list that becomes apparent to someone skilled in the trade of formulation and food science.
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Being A Trusted Advisor Means Being Transparent
If Coughlin and Petco truly believe that they should be a trusted advisor by helping their customers and leading them to healthier choices, then they need to be completely transparent as well, especially when it comes to overarching statements like turning their back on artificial ingredients. Otherwise, people may think you are turning your back because you are laughing about how you got one over on the customers you are trying to advise.
A safer and more transparent statement would have been: Our goal is to remove all artificial ingredients in the future. For now, we are starting with this list of artificial ingredients for immediate removal while recognizing that Petcos and other foods still contain artificial ingredients like sodium tripolyphosphate and potassium sorbate. Our research and development team and our brand partners are working diligently to identify natural and safe replacements. Just a thought!
What To Consider In A Cat Food For Urinary Tract Health
Plan to carefully read labels when deciding which brand is right for your cat. First, pet parents should work with their veterinarian on what their cat specifically needs, says Dr. Bernal. A veterinarian will be able to provide the key attributes that the cat parent should look for to support their cats urinary tract health.
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Best Variety: Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Variety Pack Canned Cat Food
Key Ingredients: Varies by flavor | Calories per Serving: 82 to 107 depending on flavor | Texture: Wet, varies | Balance: Varies but most are Crude Protein min. 10.0%, Crude Fat min. 6.5%, Crude Fiber max 0.5%, Moisture max. 78.0% | Life Stage: Adult
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Nutritional and flavor diversity for your cat
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No prescription needed
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Meat by-products are the first ingredient
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Added color
If your cats digestive system can tolerate more than one type of food, a variety pack is a wonderful way to give them a broader range of flavors and nutrients at the same time.
Purina Pro Plan Focus Classic Urinary Tract Health Formula Adult Wet Cat Food Variety Pack comes as a case of 12, 24, or 36 cans. It can be purchased as four, eight or twelve cans each of three flavorsOcean Whitefish or Beef & Chicken, Chicken, and Turkey and Gibletsor as twelve cans each of two flavorsOcean Whitefish and Salmon.
Each recipe has low dietary magnesium and has been designed to reducing urinary pH. Purina products are also manufactured in the U.S. and are widely available and among the more affordable brands on shelves today.
Key Ingredients: N-Acetyl Glucosamine from shrimp and crab, D-mannose, cranberry extract | Calories per Serving: Not listed| Balance: Not listed | Life Stage: Adult | Texture: Soft chews
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Incorporates D-mannose ingredient known to decrease urinary tract infections
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Several inactive ingredients
Guaranteed Analysis: Purina One Vs Purina Pro Plan
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on adry matter basis.
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Purina One Animal Testing
While we do not have any specific information for Purina One, we know that Purina as a whole participates and carries out a significant amount of research and testing of its products, far more than other pet food brands.
In particular, Purina carries out a large number of feeding trials to test which recipes and formulations are the most palatable and beneficial to pets health.
This is a controversial topic, with some being strongly against these feeding trials, while others support them and believe they are crucial to producing a high-quality product.
Regardless of this controversy, the fact that Purina is somewhat open about some of this research and testing is a positive, and many smaller brands do not share any information at all.
We strongly believe that invasive or laboratory-style testing of animals in the pet food industry is a cruel and outdated practice and one which we hope will decline.
About Purina Pro Plan
Purina Pro Plan is the brands most innovative formula to date, offering the most advanced nutrition available to nourish your kitty from the inside out. Available in both wet and dry formulas, the Pro Plan range includes more than 100 specially formulated blends across six categories:
- Indoor/sedentary
- Sensitive skin and stomach
- Allergen-reducer
Backed by 500+ Purina scientists, including nutritionists, animal behaviorists, and vets, Pro Plan offers outstanding nutrition and extensive variety no matter your furkids age or stage.
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Best For Senior Cats: Blue Buffalo W+u Weight Management + Urinary Care Wet Food
Key Ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth and liver, pea protein, potatoes, whitefish, carrots, cranberries | Calories per Serving: 68 | Balance: Crude Protein min. 8.5%, Crude Fat min. 2.5%, Crude Fiber max. 4%, Moisture max. 78% | Life Stage: Adult, senior | Texture: Paté
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Manages two problems with one food
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Grain-free
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Prescription required
Obesity can be a problem for senior kitties who become less active as they age, especially for indoor only cats and those with health problems that sap their energy or reduce their mobility. Since some urinary problems are more common in senior, overweight and/or obese cats, it makes sense to consider a food that provides ideal levels of fat, calories, and fiber to help your cat manage its weight as well as controlled mineral levels to keep urine pH lower to prevent crystal and stone formation.
Blue Buffalo W+U Weight Management and Urinary Care canned wet food is an excellent choice carried by many veterinarians. With chicken as the first ingredient, this food also has added plant fiber in the form of powdered cellulose so your cat will feel fuller despite being a lower calorie food. Levels of magnesium and sodium are controlled to promote balanced urinary pH.
Blue Buffalo reports that its science-based formulas are developed by a team of PhD animal nutritionists, food scientists, and veterinarians.
The Best Wet Cat Food Can Help To Prevent Urinary Problems But You Shouldnt Rely On Diet Alone
If your cat starts straining in the litter box, having bloody urine, or is unable to urinate at all, he likely has some form of urinary tract disease.
Cystitis, crystals, and infection are all painful conditions that may necessitate a trip to the veterinarian. A veterinarian can help you to identify the type of urinary tract disease and determine which type of treatment is appropriate.
And if your cat has a complete blockagehe cant urinate at alltry to take him to the veterinarian immediately. A blocked cat may only have 24 hours to live. While its almost impossible to clear that blockage at home, your veterinarian has the tools and knowledge to clear the blockage before things go too far.
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Royal Canin Urinary Cat Food Reviewed: Pros Cons And Recalls
This post may contain affiliate links to our partners like Chewy, Amazon, and others. Purchasing through these helps us further the A-Z Animals mission to educate about the world’s species..
Cat owners are often faced with a dilemma: choosing their cats dietary needs. This process usually involves going through hundreds of cat products. Unfortunately, there appears to be a stand-off among brands to win your approval.
Royal Canin, as a company, has hundreds of cat formulas for you to choose to your hearts content. They come with a vision and a plan to fix all pets health issues with their dietary products. These choices are not for what you think is best for loving felines. Instead, it is what is best for their health.
Specific diets are one of the many goals of the Royal Canin company. This Royal Canin Urinary Cat Food is not left out its review addresses a vital issue- Urinary Health in Cats.
Petco Adds Veterinary Pet Foods New Wholehearted And Tyson Diets
SAN DIEGO As it continues to establish itself as a leading, complete partner in pet care, Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. announced June 22 it is expanding its pet nutrition assortment to include new WholeHearted Plus formulas, True Meals Dog Food by Tyson Pet Products, Inc., and new solutions-based veterinary diets.
WholeHearted Plus, an extension of Petcos private-label house brand, offers high-quality dry and wet pet foods for adult dogs and puppies. Dry food products feature shredded proteins and crunchy kibbles, and the wet dog food options are formulated with vegetables, rice, broths and meat proteins.
New WholeHearted Plus formulas include a dry Beef & Brown Rice Recipe with Whole Grains dog food, as well as a wet dog food option with lamb, vegetables, brown rice and whole grains.
True Meals by Tyson Pet Products is a new dog food offering available exclusively through Petco. The dog foods are minimally processed to maximize nutrient density, with formulas and formats designed to bridge the gap between kibble and fresh dog food, Petco stated.
This new line includes baked kibble formulas including chicken, fish, beef and vegetable proteins. They are sold in two varieties with formulations specific to adult dogs, puppies and small dogs. The diets are also formulated with added vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Petco is also expanding its assortment of veterinary, solutions-based nutrition options for both dogs and cats.
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Royal Canin Urinary Cat Food Vs Purina Pro Plus Urinary Cat Diet
Similarities: Both products share the same goal in caring for the urinary health of cats. They strive to prevent crystals from developing in the urinary tracts of cats. They also include grain in their diets.
Differences:Purina Pro Plus offers more protein in their product for cats. Apart from improved urinary tract health, it supports growth and body development.
Urinary Tract Health Cat Food
If your veterinarian prescribes urinary tract health food for your adult cat, rest assured that Petco has the formulas your pet needs. Petco carries several varieties of urinary tract health cat food, and you can buy them in stores or online. You can also find veterinary diet food, food for sensitive stomachs and scientifically formulated cat food. Its important to make sure your adult cat gets the extra-care nutrition they deserve. Get it all right here at Petco.
Urinary tract issues are relatively common among adult cats. If your cat has stopped using the litter box or has started having accidents outside the litter box, contact your vet as it can be a sign of a urinary tract issue. The good news is that urinary health cat food aims to help support your cat’s stool, urinary tract and bladder health. Over time, the goal is to produce a lower urinary tract pH. It’s important to make sure you’re feeding your cat the right food for their age and that theyre eating a healthy balance of minerals and nutrients.
We carry urinary tract health cat food in several flavors, including chicken and fish, and for specific dietary preferences, like grain-free formulas. Stock up on any other feeding supplies at your neighborhood Petco store or online for cat bowls, cat waterers, dry food, wet food and more.
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