Answers: Crystals in Urine on the Facebook Wall

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Sandra Lewandowski asked a number of related questions on the RawFedKitty Campaign Facebook page:

 

 

Sandra, this is an important question. Raw food isn't taking a chance and is probably the solution. A raw diet is much closer to the diet your cat would eat in nature, and has the many benefits of a biologically appropriate diet. Cats that eat a balanced raw diet rarely have problems with crystals precipitating out of the urine and causing a blockage.

 

Cats are not biologically equipped to eat plant-based foods. A grain-vegetable-fruit-free canned diet would be one way to go. None, and I do mean none, of the commercially available prescription diets are grain-free. But a raw diet, with its high moisture content, would be better for your cat's urinary and overall health.

 

You do need to focus on a few issues as you transition your cat. Sourcing the food is probably the top item. There are many good, conveniently prepared frozen foods available. Take a look at Margaret Gates' article, "Easy Raw Feeding for the Busy Person."

 

If you want to make your own, there is a recipe and detailed instructions with pictures in "Making Raw Cat Food for Do-It-Yourselfers." Be certain to get human grade meat from a credible source. Follow the same safe-handling practices that you would for any raw meat that could be contaminated by poor food industry standards and practices. Avoid processed meats, particularly hamburger or ground sirloin: salmonella contamination through poor sanitation and e. coli contamination by piercing the bowel of slaughtered cattle were at the root of numerous recalls in 2009. Fortunately, cats as a rule are quite resistant to bacterial pathogens due to their short, acidic intestinal tracts. Get fresh meat and handle it carefully to minimize the risk to humans.

 

The actual transition is often easy, but can sometimes be challenging. See "How to Transition Your Cat to a Raw Diet."

 

Was your cat eating dry food? Cats with high levels of crystals need to have adequate moisture in their food. They do not have a thirst drive in the same sense as a human or a dog. Lack of adequate moisture causes chronic dehydration, putting life-long stress on the urinary tract and kidneys. Dry foods are plant based and low in moisture. This causes the urine to be alkaline, rather than acidic, as is normal for a meat-eating carnivore. High levels of crystals are usually caused by the urine becoming alkaline combined with a high concentration of minerals in the subclinically dehydrated cat. Keep in mind that the presence of crystals in the urine is normal; it is only when levels are very high that they can precipitate out and cause a blockage. Please read Dr. Lisa Pierson's article on cystitis for more information. For a more scientific view, read the Journal of Nutrition report.

 

While your veterinarian is correct that your cat should be eating wet food only, I would take a close look at the ingredients of the prescription food suggested. Most prescription foods, even canned, are high in carbohydrates, with ingredients like corn, soy, potatoes or rice. Frequently, acidifiers are added and the magnesium content limited to try to reduce crystal formation. This is a backward way of dealing with the problem, and can often lead to other problems. With the addition of acidifiers, the urine can become too acidic and create calcium oxylate crystals as opposed to magnesium crystals.

 

If your veterinarian is uncomfortable with your cat eating a raw diet, you may want to consider getting an opinion from a more raw-savvy vet. I would discuss this with your current vet and give him or her a chance to work with you. Raw feeding is a surprisingly new area for many vets; they can feel hesitant simply because of a lack of knowledge and experience. Most vets get very little education on nutrition. Often, it is sponsored and actually presented by the companies whose prescription foods they later sell in their practices. Never confuse veterinary training as being in any way similar to human-focused doctors.

 

Also, consider the amount of stress in your cat's life. Stress can be a factor in the development of cystitis. Please see page three of "Idiopathic/Interstitial Cystitis in Cats: Diagnosis and Management," for a discussion of this. Do everything you can to reduce the amount of stress your cat experiences, and add extra play time to your routine.

 

Your decision to move to raw diet is a good one. Your cat will be much healthier because of it.

 

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