How to reduce cat urine acidity to protect my backyard grass?

I'm sorry you're dealing with this frustrating problem. One of the biggest issues here is that it is a "multi-factoral" problem, and sometimes the solution also has more than one part-- rather than just 1 product that will solve the problem. *Usually lawn burns from urine are caused by excess nitrogen. Nitrogen is a byproduct of protein breakdown, and so dogs on a high protein diet are more likely to have urine that results in "burning" grass. A high quality, moderate protein diet would be a good choice and may help if your not already feeding something like that. At her age and breed (a 1 and 1/2 yr old german shepherd) she does not need more than 27% protein, and as low as 22% is fine if she's very active; if she is not leading a "sporting dog" lifestyle (long runs with you, etc-- 60+ minutes of exercise a day) even as low as 18% is fine. *If the yard is fertilized, it may already have a significant amount of nitrogen in the fertilizer. Decreasing the frequency at which the yard is fertilized may help. *Though not fast, easy, or convenient, you can train your dog to urinate in a designated spot, such as 1 area of landscaping with mulch or rocks. *When your dog does urinate on the grass, immediately dilute it with water. (either with a hose, or if its very cold where you live, take a bottle of water out with you and dump it on top of the urine to dilute it. There are also products (many of which it sounds like you've tried) that bind nitrogen in an attempt to decrease the amount of nitrogen in the urine. these products usually contain Yucca schidigera. This is preferable to products that contain methionine as the active ingredient, because those products change the pH, which may not be optimal for urine health. I hope that helps you! Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

The best and most effective treatment to adjust a cat’s urine pH is to start a special prescription diet. Royal Canin, science diet and Purina all make prescription diets with additives to make the urine more acidic. This will also help to prevent urinary tract infections. These diets can be purchased in many pet stores and online as well but they do require the OK from your veterinarian. The diets will begin to take affect within two weeks and it is recommended to retest the urine one month after starting the new diet. I hope this helps.

No, these supplements can contain ingredients that are not safe for dogs, and really have no proven efficacy. Urine burns on the law from Rufus's urine could be caused by a poor quality diet. Try feeding him a high quality diet that contains higher quality and more digestible proteins such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, or Purina ProPlan. You can also try to make his urine more dilute by increasing his water intake by feeding him canned food or soaking his dry food with water.

The yellow spots are actually burned grass. This happens when there is high nitrogen content in the urine and/or grass. While nitrogen is an essential component in healthy soil, high concentrations of it can cause grass to turn yellow or brown. Urine is naturally high in nitrogen and alone can cause grass burns. Lawn fertilizer also contains nitrogen. An excess of either or a combination of urine and fertilizer may result in an overdose of nitrogen, thus "burning" the grass. Salts and other compounds in dog urine can also contribute to grass burn. In addition, highly acidic or alkaline urine may alter pH of the soil in that area of your yard, adversely affecting the grass there. So, my guess is that it is happening more now because some change in nitrogen content in the soil in the yard. You can give your dog a supplement or food additive that is designed to neutralize the nitrogen in the urine. One example of this type of product is Naturvet Grass Saver that you can buy on Amazon. You should consult with your vet before starting any supplement. Additionally, never attempt to alter your dog's urine pH unless specifically recommended by your vet. Immediately after your dog urinates you can use a garden hose to rinse off the area thus diluting the nitrogen content. You should also consider switching to a low-nitrogen fertilizer for your lawn (make sure it's pet-safe too). I hope this helps. Best wishes!

Unfortunately, there isn't anything that is going to bother the dogs and not your kitty. I would recommend exploring physical barriers if possible - something like the green chicken wire fencing that dogs can't walk through, but you can see through fine.

The purpose of the S.O. diet is to keep the urine at a constant pH to prevent formation of crystals/stones in the bladder. Anything else the cat eats (including grass) can change the pH of the urine so I would say no, don't risk giving it. Good question. Thanks for asking.

Most of these supplements change the pH of the urine, which might not be ideal for some dogs who could be predisposed to bladder stones or urinary tract infections. I'd recommend talking to your vet about whether or not they think it would be safe for your dog in particular.