Dear Cat

[lph]

Fawf, salmon is for other cats. She liked a little snack of goats cheese (her morning usual, and the only thing she will sit up on her hind feet for) but otherwise she was ignoring her food, starting, and running around like a worried kitten. Very strange!

[marni]

try some duck- it usually melts the bipolar cats pissy moods.

good for dogs also.

marni

[winddance]

Dear Orion,

Like many of your species, you are lactose intolerant. STAY AWAY FROM THE YOGURT. And what kind of cat drinks CHAI?

I do not wish to see any of these back on the floor in 30 minutes.

Now please eat your nice wet food instead of staring at it wishing it were drenched in dairy products.

Love,
Your favorite cushion and singing partner

[Bethany1]

Dear Bandit,

I'm sorry you have a UTI. The vet took care of you today so maybe it's good thing you peed all over my cycling clothes so I'd notice something was wrong. It still took four washings to get it all out so I'm not happy. Vet said your bladder is the size of a grapefruit. I feel so bad.


Dear Vet,

Are you sure you aren't getting paid to push prescription cat food? Or is it your only source of income besides what you charge for visits? Not sure I buy into this idea as you want me to feed my cat a couple of cans a day.


I know there was a discussion about canned vs dry, but how do you afford canned cat food when it's .75 to 1.50 a can and you need several a day?

[Biciclista]

Bethany, you don't have to buy that kind of cat food. But you do need to wean cat off dry food. Or he will continue to have problems. I feed my cats raw meat and canned cat food now for their health and comfort.

[indysteel]

Bethany, you don't have to buy that kind of cat food. But you do need to wean cat off dry food. Or he will continue to have problems. I feed my cats raw meat and canned cat food now for their health and comfort.

+1. There are some past threads on this subject that are worth reading. I also found this chart to be helpful. When we switched to canned foods, I bought a variety of brands and flavors, primarly focusing on the carb and protein content (I look for low carb and high protein). As you can see from the chart, some of the brands we tend to think of as premium (like Science Diet and Hills, which is what vets often push) do not offer a good carb/protein ratio. So, while they are better than dry food in terms of moisture content, they are still less than ideal.

For better or for worse, one of my cats had a distinct adversion to some of the premiums brands of canned food. He mostly prefers Friskies. There are some varieties of Friskies that offer a good carb/protein ratio, so that's what he gets. We also have additional water bowls out now than we once had, and he seems to be drinking more from them. So far, so good. He hasn't had any additonal urinary issues since we made the switch.

My point in sharing that is that if Friskies or another cheaper brand fits your budget better, then look into what flavors or varieties are best for your cat and go from there. Also do what you can to encourage more water consumption by putting out multiple water bowls and/or using a water fountain. My cats didn't care for the latter, but they show a marked preference for the water dishes that are in private areas away from where they are served food. You can also add a bit of water to the canned food to make a bit of a gravy. Every little bit of extra water you get into them helps.

In the end and IME, treating chronic UTIs and/or kidney disease ends up costing more--financially and emotionally--than dry food. I lost a cat to chronic kidney failure, after feeding her a dry diet her whole life. I wish I could go back and undo that.

[Biciclista]

In the end and IME, treating chronic UTIs and/or kidney disease ends up costing more--financially and emotionally--than dry food. I lost a cat to chronic kidney failure, after feeding her a dry diet her whole life. I wish I could go back and undo that.

wow, what an angle. no kidding. and watching your cat be in pain ... horrible