Question:
Recommendations for a cheap alternative to Hill's c/d?
Thomas C
2008-06-05 05:06:40 UTC
My cat has been on Hill's Prescription for the past six months in order to stabilise FLUTD (struvite crystals). Water intake has been increased using a combination of distilled and rain water encouragement and he has now returned to his twinkly middle-aged self. However, Hill's is a short-term solution so I'm now seeking another wet canned food with the emphasis on feline nutrition and struvite formation - I'm well aware of the cheap fillers utilised in most foods including prescription products! Price is obviously a concern, also a preference for the ability to buy in UK shops rather than order online.
Any recommendations would be gratefully received.
Many thanks.
Four answers:
2008-06-05 05:55:05 UTC
I would say that c/d is the best diet for your cat to be on. It is actually a long-term food. It's fantastic that you've managed to increase his water intake. However, with struvite it's all about getting the right pH balance of the urine to keep the crystals from forming in the first place - this is what c/d is designed to do. I would say sure, have a look around for some alternatives, but keep a good eye on your cat in case symptoms return. I can't think of anything you could buy in UK shops that would do the job of c/d.
2008-06-05 05:31:45 UTC
Most canned foods that don't have any seafood is a fine alternative for FLUTD in cats.



When my cat got an infection I had her on c/d for a few months and then tried to research some alternatives online. I found that by feeding canned gives the moisture she needed, but I also added a 1/4 can more of just water to increase the hydration. She hasn't had any recurrences in 2 years and my vet said that was perfectly fine to feed her the diet I have her on now.



I just stay away from dry food since it was the cause of her infection.
Ken
2008-06-05 05:45:31 UTC
You should not be feeing this stuff anyway.

Do you realize that cats are not big drinkers as they get most of their nees from their food/prey? They are forced to drink because of the dydrating factors of dry foods. You have the right ideas though, if the crystals were 'bad' it is ebcause your cat cannot drink enough to make up for the lack of moisture in dry food

Speaking of bad crystals

Please scroll and read

http://www.catinfo.org/#We_Are_Feeding_Cats_Too_Many_Carbohydrates

scroill far enough as crystals are talked about



Nutrition since there are so many bad things out there is very important to your cat’s health

Contrary to what you may have heard; dry foods are not a great thing to feed a cat.

Please read the label on what you are feeding? What are the ingredients? Do you know what they mean? Is the first ingredient a muscle meat like chicken or is it meal or other things? Learn what meal and other things mean here.

http://www.catinfo.org/#Learn_How_To_Rea...



Dry foods are the number 1 cause of diabetes in cats as well as being a huge contributing factor to kidney disease, obesity, crystals, u.t.i’s and a host of other problems. Food allergies are very common when feeding dry foods. Rashes, scabs behind the tail and on the chin are all symptoms of food allergies probably from the grains. Constipation? Dry food, not enough moisture. Blockages? Again not enough moisture in the food and you are risking something serious. People on this board say feed fiber but this is a cat not a dog and cats are obligate carnivores unlike dogs an they don't eat cereal and don't need fiber.

The problems associated with Dry food is that they are loaded with carbohydrates which many cats (carnivores) cannot process. Also, Most of the moisture a cat needs is suppose to be in the food (Cats are not naturally big drinkers) but in

Dry, 95% of it is zapped out of dry foods in the processing. Another thing, most use horrible ingredients and don't use a muscle meat as the primary ingredient and use vegetable based protein versus animal. Not good for an animal that has to eat meat to survive.

You want to pick a canned food w/o gravy (gravy=carbs) that uses a muscle meat as the first ingredient and doesn't have corn at all or grains at least in the first 3 ingredients if at all. Fancy feast is a middle grade food as it uses a muscle meat as the first ingrediant. 9lives, friskies whiskas are lower grade canned but still better then dry and wellness and merrick upper grade human quality foods.

Many foods are not mentioned here but if you read the labels you wiull know if it is qualaty. The price offers no guideline.

The optimum food to feed cats has no grains whatsoever, cats have no use for them and many have trouble processing them as well as the carbs. IBD is another disease that is rapidly becoming common amoung cats because of the inappropriate diets being fed.

Also, dry food is not proven to be better for teeth. Does a hard pretzel clean your teeth or do pieces of it get stuck? Why do people constantly repeat this old wives tale and put teeth over the organs like the kidneys?? (I have no clue) http://www.felinefuture.com/nutrition/bp...



Please read about cat nutrition.

http://www.newdestiny.us/nutritionbasics...

http://www.catinfo.org/feline_obesity.ht...

http://maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.ht...
brutusmom
2008-06-05 05:14:15 UTC
Most pet food companies make a "Urinary Tract" formula. I don't know what's available in the UK, but that's what I would look for.



Good luck.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...