Can feeding my cat grain-free food prevent urinary tract infections?

There have not been any major studies showing that orange cats develop more urinary tract issues than other cats, but some people believe there is anecdotal evidence . Wet food with water added and stress reduction may help reduce the risk of urinary tract issues, but there have not been any major studies showing that grain free diets can help prevent urinary issues. Grain free diets may be linked to heart disease in dogs, but studies in cats are pending. https://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/newsevents/cvmupdates/ucm613305.htm See the link below and consult with your vet about the best food for Stewart https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/rightpetfood . You may also need to make some adjustments so you can help keep your home a low stress and comfortable place for Stewart, as stress can lead to urianry issues in cats. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day) and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , healthcareforpets.com and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com

Stress related (idiopathic type of inflammation) infection and presence of crystals are the most common causes of it. Struvite crystals are very common and usually comes from alkaline urine. Specific diets can be given to acidify urine like s/d by Hill's. I would recommend to have a look at this link to have more informations about FLUTD (feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease): https://www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

These (below) are valid short term options. The most important element is the presence of water, you must privilege it above anything else. Purina One Urinary Health Hill’s c/d – Multicare – Prescription Diet - Feline Purina Pro Plan Adult This blog (scroll down up to the last articles) can give quite useful tips! https://catinfo.org/feline-urinary-tract-diseases/

In cats with urinary irritation, wet food is preferable to help reduce urine concentration and flush out the bladder. I strongly recommend a urine exam in order to determine exactly what is going on and to guide the most appropriate treatment (infection/inflammation etc). A sample can be collected using special urine collection litter which does not absorb urine. Petco provide a home kit for detecting UTI which can help to monitor such conditions

The urinary diet is meant to treat and prevent urinary stones. This is formulated to have minerals and nutrients in certain concentrations to decrease the likelihood of stone formation, to acidify the urine and dissolve certain stones. Being grain-free is not a factor when formulating this food and is not necessary. Likewise grain-free food is not any better than food with grains for helping with urinary disease. The food needs to be specially formulated and labeled as a prescription diet. I hope that helps. If you want more info about this food, I've provided a link below to more information about this food. https://www.royalcanin.com/products/vet/urinary-health

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Taffy is predisposed to urinary problems / crystals, I would recommend considering a prescription diet such as Hills C/D or Royal Canin Urinary SO. I would also consider a cranberry supplement such as Paxon, which can be found online quite easily. Increasing water intake is also key. A recirculating water fountain and feeding a canned diet can help with this. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be happy to help you further!

Purina Friskies is a low/mid grade quality food and I would not be surprised if his crystalluria returns. He really needs a prescription diet such as c/d from Hills or a similar formula from Royal Canin. Your veterinarian should have this food available, or be able to send you to a store to purchase with a prescription. I have also had good luck using Crystal Stone Formula ( a Chinese herbal), but this is a prescription herbal. I would be happy to consult with you about this. I would recommend a prescription diet for at least 6 months prior to trying to wean off of it. If you absolutely CANNOT get a prescription diet, I would focus on a high quality, high protein diet, but NONE will dissolve and prevent crystals as well.