Our 6-yr-old kittie, Lucky Lee has a past of Urine Crystals. She was on [name of food deleted to prevent activists from flaming] for about 4 0r 5 years, and we recently switched to a better, holistic-Quality [name of food deleted to prevent activists from flaming]. She’s eating OK, for about 2 weeks now, but we’d like your opinion on this cat food change. Thanks Much!
Meows of gratitude from our kitty family!
Tammy
Sioux Falls, SD, USA
First let me say that both of the foods that Tammy has fed her cat, despite what ultra-opinionated folks might say, are high quality foods.
Crystals in the urine are linked to a common and painful (in female cats) or potentially deadly (in male cats) condition called feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD. In females, FLUTD causes pain, house soiling, and symptoms similar to a urinary tract infection. In males, FLUTD can cause all of those problems as well as another, potentially deadly issue: urinary obstruction.
Tammy, there is only one way to know whether Lucky Lee’s new food is agreeing with her body and preventing FLUTD. I recommend that you test her urine. This should be done two weeks after the diet change, so the timing is right. If there are no crystals (and the urine’s acidity level, or pH, is appropriate), then the new food should be fine.
Talk to your vet about a urine test.
