Young Again Cat food

[alecat10]

Has anyone switched their struvite crystal, prone  cat,  over to this no carb, high protein food? I want to get my cat off of corn, wheat and gluten Vet food! Wondered what your experience was and if the crystals returned once on this food! :-)

 

 

[vball91]

For a struvite prone cat, I would recommend an all wet meaty diet. The moisture will help keep the system flushed out, and meat is a natural acidifier.

 

[skimble]

I tried my male cat that had struvite crystals on the zero carb dry food.  He had a relapse of crystals/cystitis with this food.  I learned from an alternative vet that dry food of any kind is not good for a cat that has had urinary crystals.  Canned food only with extra water stirred in is what has helped the most.  Ideal is an all meat canned food like Natures Variety Instinct, EVO 95%, Hound and Gatos 98%.

My cat also relapsed while on the vet RX dry food c/d.   I do still use some of the RX canned only.

This is a lengthy but very informative veterinary site regarding cats with urinary issues and food.

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth

 

[alecat10]

Thank you for the information.

  Regarding, Y A food, their thinking is,  that it is high carbs that contribute to crystals. They told me they have never had a cat relapse to crystals once on their food!!  I have been adding water to the Vet food and keep my boy really hydrated. Luckily he has never plugged at this point.  Evo was my second choice. I already have the FY food, but scared to take that leap. Looks like Evo it will be! How long has your kitty been crystal free on Evo, or on your current feeding regime?  I have never heard of Hound and Gatos but will check it out. Thanks too for the article, I have read that one many times previously, and it really hits home! I really appreciate your experience. Hoping others will weight in as well!

 

[goholistic]

Did Young Again have research and studies done by an unaffiliated/unbiased company? It seems pretty bold (and dangerous) to state that "they never had a cat relapse to crystals once on their food." How would they know? Did every cat with a crystal problem call and report their progress, good or bad?

I second the recommendation of a wet diet for cats prone to urinary crystals.

 

[skimble]

My male has not relapsed on his current canned food diet for 10 months now, thank the Lord!  He was on the zero carb dry for a few months before he relapsed.  I currently rotate brands and proteins using all meat canned, which naturally has no to low carbs.

It really is the dry food that does more damage not just being low carb according to my vet.  Cats get somewhat dehydrated from eating dry food and do not normally drink enough to compensate, hince the concentrated urine and crystals forming.  Many cats do fine on any variety of dry, but those that are prone to urinary crystals may have problems.  My boy was one of those and I'm too afraid to risk giving him dry again.  Canned only for him now.

Maybe I should have reported to the company, but I don't know what they could say or do other than to get your cat to drink more.  The old cliché "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink" applies for cats too.  ; )

We all try our best to do what we can for our fur-family by finding what works for them.