Posted by Larry Hoover on August 22, 2004, at 15:57:13
In reply to Re: Questions for cat lovers » Catgirl, posted by KaraS on August 22, 2004, at 14:20:22
> My cats only eat dry food too. My vet told me that's best for them and it keeps their teeth clean so I listened to what he said. Now, however, after talking to others and doing some research I've found that eating only dry food can lead to trouble down the road. (I'll have to get back to you on exactly what it can cause because I'm having a complete block on it.) Anyway, now I haven't been able to get my cats to eat the wet stuff and I'm very concerned about that.
Now that the link is known, it's less likely that dry food will cause it (feedstuffs have been modified), but it used to be related to the incidence of Feline Urological Syndrome (which also goes by a couple of similar names). The problem is that some dry foods have too high an "ash" content, which simply means too many minerals. Cats can't deal with a high magnesium load, and can form crystals of struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate) in the bladder. Particularly in males, these crystals can block the urethra, and you have a true medical emergency.
Adding a little methionine to the food can acidify the urine, and prevent crystallization. Also, keep the cat's water bowl fresh. Cats don't like stale water, and water should be changed frequently. Hydration is also a preventative for crystals in the bladder.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:380648
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040820/msgs/380904.html