IAMS Proactive Health Adult Urinary Tract Healthy Dry Cat Food, opinions?

[Krienze]

I'm making some changes after several of my cats have had uti's and now charlie's blockage. Hills and Purina are VERY expensive and with six cats, I can't afford that food. I found IAMS Proactive Health Adult Urinary Tract Healthy Dry Cat Food, but I've never given my cats IAMS and know little about the brand.

Does anyone have any opinions?

I'll still be continuing to feed my cats weruva wet food in addition to this, however.

I also ordered Zesty Paws cranberry bites.

 

[vampiric_conure]

I've been told that there are better quality mid-range cat foods out there, but for what you're getting price-wise, it's not terrible. I know someone who also fed her boys what you're interested in giving and she's had a lot of luck with it.

 

[Krienze]

I've been told that there are better quality mid-range cat foods out there, but for what you're getting price-wise, it's not terrible. I know someone who also fed her boys what you're interested in giving and she's had a lot of luck with it.

Honestly I just want to make sure we lower risks of utis and blockages you know? Just holy moly hills did not used to be so expensive

 

[vampiric_conure]

Honestly I just want to make sure we lower risks of utis and blockages you know? Just holy moly hills did not used to be so expensive

I hear ya Seems like everything's gotten hugely expensive...

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Most urinary care foods have decreased mineral content in order to contribute less to what can create crystals/stones. I expect IAMS is probably not that much different from Hill's or Purina. But, the biggest benefit is from wet food because of the moisture content which attributes to flushing out the bladder better than dry food - primarily because your cats will pee more frequently and thereby the 'debris' doesn't stay in the bladder as long to enable stone production. So, making your cats diet more wet and less dry is likely an equal aid to reducing stone formation.

Getting your cats to drink more, perhaps through water fountains would be helpful too.

Pure D-Mannose is an OTC supplement I used with my cat to help reduce the amount of bacteria in her bladder, which can also lead to UTIs. Some folks use it for overall bladder health as well. Can't hurt to try it.

 

[Krienze]

Hi. Most urinary care foods have decreased mineral content in order to contribute less to what can create crystals/stones. I expect IAMS is probably not that much different from Hill's or Purina. But, the biggest benefit is from wet food because of the moisture content which attributes to flushing out the bladder better than dry food - primarily because your cats will pee more frequently and thereby the 'debris' doesn't stay in the bladder as long to enable stone production. So, making your cats diet more wet and less dry is likely an equal aid to reducing stone formation.

Getting your cats to drink more, perhaps through water fountains would be helpful too.

Pure D-Mannose is an OTC supplement I used with my cat to help reduce the amount of bacteria in her bladder, which can also lead to UTIs. Some folks use it for overall bladder health as well. Can't hurt to try it.

Yeah, we try to give them wet food as often as possible, but they hate it. They want the crunchy, much to my dismay. So I've spent so much time trying to find good quality dry food to let them have along side it. They have bad habits of just not eating the wet food when it's put out, so I have to be very very specific as to which we buy.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I suppose you could try to crunch up some dry and top the wet with it, just to see if that would encourage them to eat more wet food?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Maybe try adding just a touch of water to the Weruva to get a little more water in them too.

 

[Krienze]

I suppose you could try to crunch up some dry and top the wet with it, just to see if that would encourage them to eat more wet food?

I've tried that. They just pick off the dry food, lol. They're terrible!!

Maybe try adding just a touch of water to the Weruva to get a little more water in them too.

The weruva is a hydration pate, so it already does have a lot of moisture to it. Thankfully my cats do drink a LOT of water.

I'm thinking in addition to the IAMS urinary dry food, I'll start buying a case of the Purina Pro Plan urinary wet and try that instead. I have four male cats and I'm just at a loss with the urinary issues we have. I hate messing with their foods, but def feel like I need to do something.

I'm also planning on buying a brita filter for water x.x

 

[Alldara]

I'm making some changes after several of my cats have had uti's and now charlie's blockage. Hills and Purina are VERY expensive and with six cats, I can't afford that food. I found IAMS Proactive Health Adult Urinary Tract Healthy Dry Cat Food, but I've never given my cats IAMS and know little about the brand.

Does anyone have any opinions?

I'll still be continuing to feed my cats weruva wet food in addition to this, however.

I also ordered Zesty Paws cranberry bites.

Iams wont help to dissolve the sediment causing the blockages. If you need that, you have to temporarily go for prescription food.

Iams has done just great at preventing for my cat who had FLUTD and my current boys. They were eating that alongside purina pro plan urinary, wureva and a couple other types of wet food with extra water added.

 

[Krienze]

Iams wont help to dissolve the sediment causing the blockages. If you need that, you have to temporarily go for prescription food.

I don't think I do, because Charlie's currently at the vet right now still. He had PU surgery so mostly the food is preventative.

Ideally I would love the script food, to be honest with you but my vet says that Iams is fine - and that any urinary care food is better than regular food.

Glad to hear you have good results on them though!! makes me feel a bit better about my choices, was worried since I'm not 100% sure about iams as a brand in general you know?

 

[Alldara]

I don't think I do, because Charlie's currently at the vet right now still. He had PU surgery so mostly the food is preventative.

Ideally I would love the script food, to be honest with you but my vet says that Iams is fine - and that any urinary care food is better than regular food.

Glad to hear you have good results on them though!! makes me feel a bit better about my choices, was worried since I'm not 100% sure about iams as a brand in general you know?

Personally, I wasnt a fan of the high grain content in the prescription food. Some grains i think are good for the cats digestion but I found the over the counter foods to have higher meat content.

We did a few months of prescription and then switched to over the counter. I always add extra water to the wet, but double the water if I'm expecting stress for them.

I've not had any issues with Iams and they are a long established brand. Part of the increase in cat's life spans have been due to the long established brands. I had nothing but health troubles with my cats on the "healthier" expensive brands with peas and beans instead of grains in them.

The one thing I did that no vet recommended, was switch away from clay and pine based litters. I've used corn, walnut shell, tofu, paper, mixed wood and wheat based litters with no issues. Nobel always had issues when we used clay ans pine

 

[Krienze]

The one thing I did that no vet recommended, was switch away from clay and pine based litters. I've used corn, walnut shell, tofu, paper, mixed wood and wheat based litters with no issues.

What brands do you use, out of curiosity and how is the odor? We currently use Frisco Relaxing Chamomile & Rose Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
I had started buying that thinking the chamomile would be relaxing for them.
Another issue is that one of my boys is allergic to a bunch of litters.

I've not had any issues with Iams and they are a long established brand. Part of the increase in cat's life spans have been due to the long established brands. I had nothing but health troubles with my cats on the "healthier" expensive brands with peas and beans instead of grains in them.

See I had to play ring around the rosie trying to find brands that work for mine.
Was feeding regular purina, but started trying to look at healthier options for them so I switched to 4health (wet and dry) but the cats would get sick on it, so I moved them over to mainly wet foods, but they would throw fits and just never adjusted/would try to go after the dog food, so eventually I picked up dr. esley's because I was told it was the best dry food you could buy, but Jasper consistently had the runs on it so we switched to trying Tiki dry but Sammy constantly threw that up. Fine. We tried another brand, I want to say Nulo, and it was okay for awhile but then Jasper got a UTI and the vet said it was probably food related. So we switched to Acana and that was okay for awhile too... but then Jasper got ANOTHER uti and the vet said again it was probably food (I personally think it was stress, because this was during Ida and we had just evacuated but eh) we switched foods to be on the safe side. This time we switched to Nulo but after buying it a few times the cats just kind of stopped eating it, then we found solidgold and the cats LOVED it. (usually don't run down the whole foods list, lol, normally cut a few out to save breath but...)

So i'm kind of inclined to agree with you there lol

 

[Alldara]

I did sheweet scoop but didnt like the dust level. I did Arm and Hammers corn litter until they stopped selling it in my area of the city.

Then I did Naturally Fresh litter but then we moved and our new place is too humid and it molds. So I tried a bunch until Nobel and I settled on Okocat. We use either the paper or the wood. Whatever is on sale.

To switch litters I just switch over one whole box until they use it regularly and then slowly switch the other 3 over while using the last of the old litter up. To try a new litter and see if they like it, dame as above but I might not ever change the other 3 litters over. Never had a urinary flare this way.


I had THE SAME PROBLEM! Whiskas - fine for 4 years. We did Fromm because I was promised it was healthier. Developed urinary condition. Wellness, urinary issues. Nutro - wouldn't eat it. Orijen, urinary issues. Instinct - digestive issues. Arcana - digestive issues.
Vet said go to trusted brand. Purina - no issues for 5 years for Nobel. Tried Arcana with Magnus - issues like mad. Purina - resolved issues. Then they added beef fat and hes allergic so we switched to Iams. No issues switching and I think its been 2 years?

Calcifer and Ghost have had no urinary or digestive issues and were put on Purina and Iams right away. We're on Royal Canin and Hills respectively before adoption. They're on Hills again now, but because Ghost doesn't feel full otherwise and gains too much weight. Cal because he eats what whoever else eats with no issue. Cal gets some Iams and Magnus only eats Iams dry.

My friend had two emergencies with her cat caused by foods Orijen and Wellness. Protein levels too high for his kidney.

The "healthier" options aren't proven or backed by studies. Just opinions of this or that person on the internet all quoting one another. I can't believe the foods packed with peas, beans etc are better than the grain foods anymore.


For wet we do a mix of things so they don't get "stuck" only wanting one thing and there's a shortage or something.

 

[jclark]

IF your cats develop UTI's because the urine has high alkalinity you could try Wysong Uretic. This kibble contains tomato pomace which some RX foods also contain and it helps reduce the alkalinity of the urine to discourage crystal formation. I would mix this food with their R/X as a cost saver.

 

[Krienze]

IF your cats develop UTI's because the urine has high alkalinity you could try Wysong Uretic. This kibble contains tomato pomace which some RX foods also contain and it helps reduce the alkalinity of the urine to discourage crystal formation. I would mix this food with their R/X as a cost saver.

Hi!

Thanks for the info!

I think we're going to stick with IAMS, since none of the cats have gotten sick on it and they REALLY seem to like it. Our vet is okay with it since it's a urinary food. We're also buying them the Hills Science C/D wet (when we can) and the Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract wet food (which they looooove) so I think we're good on our food now!

I'm just happy we don't have to fight them on food. Our cats are picky as hell and it's always been hard finding wet food they WILL eat and dry food they CAN eat.

 

[jclark]

Hi!

Thanks for the info!

I think we're going to stick with IAMS, since none of the cats have gotten sick on it and they REALLY seem to like it. Our vet is okay with it since it's a urinary food. We're also buying them the Hills Science C/D wet (when we can) and the Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract wet food (which they looooove) so I think we're good on our food now!

I'm just happy we don't have to fight them on food. Our cats are picky as hell and it's always been hard finding wet food they WILL eat and dry food they CAN eat.

Understood. One of our cats would experience loose stools on C/D only so we had to mix with the Wysong Uretic to firm him up. Of course it doesn't help when he chooses to occasionally gobble up a small toad sitting outside our front door. lol.