Is Some Seafood Okay For Cats With Urinary Tract Issues?

[cheeser]

Should all types of seafood and/or seafood products (except for fish oils) be avoided for cats with a history of urinary tract problems? Or just types where the phosphorus from fish bones could be an issue?

The reason I ask is because the only food that Buddy is enthusiastic about eating these days contains New Zealand green-lipped mussel. So we were wondering if there's some wiggle room as far as seafood is concerned. :-)

 

[Kieka]

I believe the concern when it comes to urinary tract problems is specifically limited to fish. As this article states, "While 'seafood' includes fish, crustaceans, and shellfish, they are not all the same. Crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster) and shellfish (mussels, clams, oysters) and other invertebrates are completely unrelated to fish, and should be evaluated separately, based on their source. Never give your cat any seafood that comes from Asia. Call the manufacturer directly if you have any concerns." Why Fish is Dangerous for Cats | Little Big Cat

As long as your cat doesn't show an allergic reaction AND the mussel is high quality there shouldn't be a problem with it. Double check with your vet to be 100% sure though.

 

[cheeser]

I believe the concern when it comes to urinary tract problems is specifically limited to fish. As this article states, "While 'seafood' includes fish, crustaceans, and shellfish, they are not all the same. Crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster) and shellfish (mussels, clams, oysters) and other invertebrates are completely unrelated to fish, and should be evaluated separately, based on their source. Never give your cat any seafood that comes from Asia. Call the manufacturer directly if you have any concerns." Why Fish is Dangerous for Cats | Little Big Cat

As long as your cat doesn't show an allergic reaction AND the mussel is high quality there shouldn't be a problem with it. Double check with your vet to be 100% sure though.

Thanks oodles!

That's a pretty scary article, but very helpful. Forewarned is forearmed, or something like that.

Dr. Hofve had recommended green-lipped mussel oil as an option in her article Choosing an Omega-3 Oil for Your Pet, so I thought maybe the New Zealand green-lipped mussel would be okay as an ingredient. And I feel much better after seeing what she has to say about crustaceans and shellfish. The salmon oil and other salmon products however, not so much now.

 

[lalagimp]

Tommy and Stewart eat these Freeze-Dried Mussels
I think I put it in the list of treats he gets when I was consulting with Dr Pierson and she didn't have any red flags to give me. I know with fish they have a bunch of fine bones that get ground into food so it changes the mineral content.
They love stinky mussels. They're pretty big and average only 8 calories.

 

[cheeser]

Tommy and Stewart eat these Freeze-Dried Mussels
I think I put it in the list of treats he gets when I was consulting with Dr Pierson and she didn't have any red flags to give me. I know with fish they have a bunch of fine bones that get ground into food so it changes the mineral content.
They love stinky mussels. They're pretty big and average only 8 calories.

Great! That's very reassuring to know.

Thanks for the heads up re: the freeze-dried mussels. I had pretty much given up on trying to get any kind of omega-3 oils into Buddy, which had been recommended for him because of his FIV and some other health issues. So maybe there's still hope for us!

Do you rehydrate the freeze-dried mussels, or just crumble them up and sprinkle them on your cats' food?

 

[lalagimp]

Do you rehydrate the freeze-dried mussels, or just crumble them up and sprinkle them on your cats' food?

Tommy eats them whole. He's got a jaw like a snake. The larger ones that get handed to Stewart get broken into a few smaller pieces. He just decided they were food this spring. I used to give them to him a year or two ago and he said nope.

 

[kashmir64]

I believe the concern when it comes to urinary tract problems is specifically limited to fish. As this article states, "While 'seafood' includes fish, crustaceans, and shellfish, they are not all the same. Crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster) and shellfish (mussels, clams, oysters) and other invertebrates are completely unrelated to fish, and should be evaluated separately, based on their source. Never give your cat any seafood that comes from Asia. Call the manufacturer directly if you have any concerns." Why Fish is Dangerous for Cats | Little Big Cat

As long as your cat doesn't show an allergic reaction AND the mussel is high quality there shouldn't be a problem with it. Double check with your vet to be 100% sure though.

Thank you for that article. I've always wondered why fish was bad for cats.