Francoise
We took our cat to the vet because he was urinating on the floor and there was blood in his urine. She said it was from "crystals" and told us he had to have a certain type of food now. She suggested Hills Perscription Diet c/d (what they carried). This 4 pound bag cost $12!! Are there other LESS EXPENSIVE brands? And if anyone elses cat has had the same problem and "solution" (he has already been given antibiotics), how long did you continue this diet for?
Hermila
Okay, I know Im at the bottom of the list here but I really hope you read this posting. You should really heed what I am going to tell you because I have had significant personal and professional experience with dealing with crystals. I have a few things that really need to be clarified. First, crystal can be prevented in two ways. The first is by feeding a high quality food and the second is ensuring that your cat drinks a lot of water. You sould feed a vet prescription diet ONLY when the cat HAS crystals to get rid of them. When the cat does not have crystals you need to be trying to prevent them by the above method.*Innova (www. naturapet. com) Cat Lite is the only superior quality cat food on the market that has been shown to prevent crystals. Innova is currently the highest quality cat food on the market by far. I have yet to find anything that equals or surpasses this product. You need to understand that if your vet is telling you to feed Science Diet all the time that they are just trying to make money off of you and do not have your cats health in mind. You also need to keep in mind that vets do not study nutrition so you need to find someone like me that has studied pet nutrition and then works with food for a living. Here is just something to help show you what your vet is trying to get you to feed:The c/d formula has these ingredients: BREWERS RICE (low quality grain, grains should never be the first ingredient in a food), CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL (dried chicken feet, feathers, beeks, bones - no meat), CORN GLUTEN MEAL (dried starch from the corn, extremely low grade filler), PORK FAT (low grade, non-digestible flavouring), so there is NO MEAT in this food and cats are carnivours...see the problem? And to top it off Science Diet is STILL preserved with BHA/BHT which are cancer causing chemical preservatives. Now, lets look at Innova Cat Lite. WHOLE FRESH CHICKEN, TRUKEY, BARLEY, BROWN RICE, CHICKEN MEAL, POTATOES, RICE, HERRING, APPLES, CARROTS, EGGS, CRANBERRIES, ALFALFA SPROUTS, AND PRESERVED WITH SUNFLOWER OIL. This food uses only whole fresh ingredients. No fillers and nothing that you wouldnt eat. Here is what I would stongly urge that you do. Once the crystals have cleared up, switch to Innova Cat Lite (or find a product with similar ingredients to the above) and when you feed your cat either put a bit of warm water over the food or substitute a little Innova Cat Lite canned food to ensure that you cat is getting plenty of water. Anyways, Ive gone on for way too long but I am extremely passionate about this issue. I hate the fact that in this day when we have such superior foods like Innova, that vets continue to prescribe and push such low quality foods like Science Diet. I hope that you can keep this info in the back of your mind when purchasing food because it could mean the difference between a healthy cat and one that needs to keep going back to the vet for "prescription diets". Good luck and all the best.
Jacqueline
I sure would like to know where to get Innova. I have a cat who keeps getting crystals and Ive spent a fortune on him.
Isaura
Visit www. naturapet. com and use their store locator. It is pretty comprehensive so it should show all stores. The company will also ship directly to you but you have to phone their customer service number on the website to get more details.
Danyelle
There are some brands that cause crystals, some that dont cause crystals. But I think that c/d might be in a different category altogether, i. e. it will actually help to dissolve crystals. I believe that your vet can give you a pill that will do whatever the c/d is doing, so you can use one of the other foods. If you know how to give you cat the pill that would be an answer. If not, you should try to learn, it is not that hard. Also, I think the c/d may cause weight gain.
Daron
These crystals are most likely kidney stones. Two of my cats had these, and it is not a fun experience for the owner or the cat. The first one would have to be taken to the vet while the stones were surgically removed, and the second one would cry for an hour or so while passing a stone in the litter box. Sorry, not trying to scare you... However, kidney stones usually can be avoided by a better diet, although I dont think you have to buy the $12 one. I would look around petsmart or petco and see if there is a diet for urinary problems, even ask an employee if they know what might work. I dont know if you buy the bottom of the barrel cheap cat food, but if thats what you usually bought, buy the next step higher (quality-wise). Good luck with your cat.
Robbin
I have a cat that can only have science diet brand cat food...I think its great food even though its very expensive...I think you should try to get a big bag of food to save money...Ive tried so many other foods that I have the same problem with so I gave in and bought the expensive stuff.
Karena
There are many foods on the market today that are better than what you are told to feed. I dont *do* science diet I think that the food is very low grade with a very high price tag. Learn to read your ingredients. In your food you want low ash because of his problem. There are many OTC counter brands with low ash. One is *Chicken Soup for the cat lovers soul* another is Innova EVO Also stay away from high protein diets where the protein comes from grain. Cats are carnivores of the highest order therefore the protein must come from meat NOT Corn. Science Diet is loaded with corn and sprayed with pork fat. Also his urine is too alkaline. If he will eat tomato products (like tomato juice over his food) that will go a long way to keep the urine acidic rather than alkaline.
Clotilde
There is a certain type of cat food (cant remember the brand name) but it was for urinary tract deficiany - spelling - ). It wasnt to expensive. We have used it in the past but we stopped using it for a while (I know bad pet owners) and our cat has crystals again. The main thing is to stick with a good bag of food that helps with this problem and dont venture from that brand. Its a pain but its neccesary. I hope your cat feels better and trust me I know how hard it is to pay that much for a small bag of food but it really is best if you can get that brand the vet offers.
Gregorio
Listen up and list good...FEED THE C/D. Crystals in a male cat can quickly become an emergency situation that can lead to a significantly more expensive medical condition. Its worth every penny to change your cats diet to eliminate the crystals. If your cat continues to develop crystals in his urine, he can very quickly develop a blockage. Recurrent blockages of the penis can be painful in any species. Male cats are especially predisposed to repeated blockages because of the length their urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body) and because of their tendency to have crystal and pH imbalances in their urine. If your cat develops a blockage, first the vet will have to remove the blockage with a catheter which is VERY painful to your cat. These procedures arent cheap either. After three blockages and your vet is going to have to do a surgery called a perineal urethrostomy to correct the problem entirely. This surgery can be upwards of $3000!!! (Read about this surgery at http://consumer. vetmedcenter. com/consume… .)So please heed your vets advice and feed him the C/D. Preventative measures are far less expensive in the long run and far less painful to your cat. Please control your cats weight as well. Follow your vets instructions to the letter and hopefully, your cats crystals will pass and you will have a healthy and happy kitty for many years to come. Good luck. One more thing - Im reading some of these other responses and Im a bit alarmed. Dietary management is critical in pH modification and urinary mineral control, both of which are important if your cat is prone to forming either crystals or urinary stones. There are a lot of foods available in grocery and pet stores that say things like "urinary formula" or "aids in the prevention of urinary tract disease". Many of these diets are NOT good enough to prevent urinary tract disease in cats that are prone to blockages and are inadequate in preventing crystals and stones.
Caren
People really need to say what country they are in.. so you know what food to suggest...anyhow HILLS isnt all that good. They market through vets so this inflates the cost and for its quality it simply isnt worth it - there are infact better foods. in Canada I suggest ACANA or NUTRAM (available only at pet food supply stores) - NUTRAM IS acutally the very best, least magnesium of any foodsin USA I suggest Nutro Natural Choice or Wellness these brands are not as cheap as Grocery store foods BUT because they have more nutrition and less filler your cat actually will eat LESS therefore a bag will last longer so in the long run they are cheaper (plus most have a "buy 10 get one free" program) Hills uses filler.... so do ALL Grocery store and Wal Mart foodsfillers are CORN and by-products (beaks feet feathers) etc. stuff the cat cannot easily digest and often there is so little acutal MEAT in a food the cat has to eat ALOT to get a good protein source. Better foods use CHICKEN MEAL, TURKEY MEAL, or LAMB MEAL as #1 ingredient.. Rice second... no fillernow also urinary problems are worsened if you feed MILK or FISH as calcuim contributes to the problems...also you can get her to increase her water intake which will helpchange her water at least twice daily, cats prefer fresh water to water that has any dust on it... AND add water to a small amount of CANNED CHICKEN AND RICE food once daily so you make a soup - 1 teaspoon food +2 tablespoons water, and mush it with a fork.. dont use chunks of chicken canned, use the mush stuffgood luckHills Perscription Diet and Science Diet are both foods commonly sold through vets but are both acutally LOW quality foods with a big price tag - vets receive VERY LITTLE education on food brands and ingredients so they sell what ever a rep offers them to sell and they sell it because they make money in doing so..
Michelle
Hills diet is good, but expensive. how about forgetting about ready-made food and giving some cooked chicken (unsalted) and so - the point is making the cat drink as much as possible, to dilute the urine and dissolve the crystals. the thing is as the cat is sick it is even less hungry or thirsty. unless the cat is underweight or visibly thin, it is not an issue that it may not eat much. it may be not kidney stones, but oxalate crystals in the bladder, no need to remove them - it can happen to anybody in a hot day, thing is to drink water, plenty of it - try making the cat watch you pour the water, take a handful of water to his mouth, MAKE HIM DRINK AT ALL COSTS, force the water down his throat with a syringe if anything else failswe had cat with bad kidneys - he was very very thin so we fed him just premium chicken breasts for long time, which was far more expensive than hills formula, but i would rather starve myself than loosing him. he got over it. however his life was not much long because his condition was in his genes. i had the crystals and bloddy urine myself not long ago and i know very well that indeed one doesnt feel like drinking. so most in¨mportant is to keep the cat from dehydration, dont let it out much if it is too hot. ask the vet what kind of food (like apart from ready made formulas ) ha can eat or must not get. good luck
Francisca
I had the same problem with my cat and was advised to use the same food...The vet said most store brands have alot of "ash" in them which causes the crystals or stones in cats..ask your vet if theres anything else you can use,,my vet said white meat chicken was ok...go to a big pet store like pet smart and ask the people there..they are usually pretty knowledgeable about these problems...Good Luck!
Tara
Four pound bags of hills science diet are very expensive, you should consider buying the 20 lb. bags pet co has sales where you can pick it up for 25 bucks Get prepared for your cat to be on that type of diet for the rest of his life, My male cat came down with that over five years ago and has been on hills science diet original ever since. without any reoccurring problems.
Dino
You will only be able to feed that brand of food. The C/D stands for calcium dry. Your cat must have a form of calcium type crystals. These can quickly turn to stones and you would be looking at a very expensive surgery vs paying $12 a bag for food. I would follow your vets advice. Good Luck!
Genoveva
My kitten has this chronically and the vet said hell always have to eat this food. kinda like if you had high blood pressure, youd always have to take your pills. the bladder condition is quite painful, please keep him on the diet. i also would like to find a lower cost brand. there are some in stores that say theyre for urinary problems but there are different types of crystals and you must give him the right type of food for his specific crystals or hell get worse. ask you vet which type kitty has. i cant pronounce or spell them but one type starts with an "s" and the other an "o". also encourage him to drink; i use a 1 ml eyedropper and fill it with water 4 times and squirt it in bobbys mouth about 3 times a day.
Anika
We have the same problem with our cat, apparently a problem with male cats. we also use the dried c/d food, but we also have to use s/d which is caned meat (£13 for the dried food £24 for for 24 cans of the meat which are those tiny cans which last just over a day)however the vets recommended to use to keep using the dietary supplements, but say twice a week, and the rest of the time to feed him fresh chicken, but not fish, which is a bugger because he wont eat fresh chicken and he loves fish....... typical! we are keeping him on the diet permanently because he is a rescue cat and was very badly treated before we got him, needless to say he has taken over the house and is the boss now!
Reyes
My cat had that.... Im not sure if they have less expensive brands though.... They should come up with less expensive brands and less fatty foods. my cat had to eat that food and last year (October 24, 2005) he died of fatty liver disease... I miss him. We never stopped feeding him the food, because when we fed him other cat foods he got really sick.
Ernie
We had a cat when i was a kid. the vet told us to change to another cat food. he was OK after changing the food. if you are feeding your cat dry food, change to canned or vise verse. GOOD LUCK
Bethanie
The bigger the bag the better the price, try the 33 pound bag, it takes a while for cats to go thru them. You will only find prescription food at a vets
Deena
You want a food made for urinary tract health. Several are on the market now. You can find them at the grocery store. I would try one of those, but if your cat continues to have problems, you may have to go to the prescription diet. Those crystals are linked to urinary infections and can sometimes cause blockage in a cat (usually male cats) which can cause death.
Meda
Youll probably be interested in the following articles:http://www. thepetcenter. com/imtop/td. htm…http://www. epinions. com/content_14859302…http://www. epinions. com/content_14211708…
Chrissy
The problem occurs mainly in older toms... or males. If undetected, the urinary tract can become completely clogged and death is sometimes the result. Finding a good food that is more pure and less sand (crystals) may add a few years to his life.
Chaya
I use to have a cat that had crystals. It was either a special diet or surgery. Ask your vet if there are less expensive brands. Mine had to be on the special diet the rest of the time I had him. (He went to the other party of a divorce)
Vincent
Dont give your cat crystal. Meth kills.
Lizzie
This happened to my 4 year old cat this year. They get crystals which are equivalent to kidney stones in humans that clog their urethra or whatever and so they cantt urinate. My cat didnt show any signs that anything was wrong until it was way too late. We found him one day just laying in the litter box. The next day, he was still in it so we took him out and you could tell he was sick. He hadnt eaten and when we put water in front of him he tried to drink it. But then he ended up puking it up because he had nowhere to store it. His puke looked like urine. The doctor said itd be around 800 or 900 dollars to do surgery and it might not work. So we put him to sleep. My reason for telling you this is just to say that if youve grown attached to your cat, then the $12 for a bag of food isnt much compared to having to put down the cat. But, you might want to maybe see another doctor because my doctor said that if wed caught it earlier, they couldve given the cat medicine that would prevent the crystals from forming. Good luck, I hope you get your kitty well. Keep an eye out for him...and get him to the doctor if you notice him staying close to his litter box.
Cindie
My cat had similar urinary-tract infections on a regular basis from kitten-hood. I always kept the litter box very clean, but once a change of the brand of kitty litter caused an infection. At $350+ per infection (and he got one almost every 3-4 months) it was way more expensive and stressful to buy less costly food for him. So far on the preventive formula from my vet its been close to 2 years since hes had an infection. I use the Medi-Cal brand its $34.00 for a 8.8lb bag, but I think its only available in Canada. Good luck!!!
Evita
$12? I wish. My cat was just put on a renal cat food and its $25 per bag. Shes a Maine Coon, therefore large...yeow. Shes worth it though. You need to stick with the right type of food to keep your cat as healthy as possible if hes having this type of problem.
Clement
My cat had same prob. Though Hills is probably the best for this, Purina does make a urinary tract formula.
Ericka
Look up or ask your vet about Royal Canin food Feline s/o for both kinds of crystals