Royal Canin SO Urinary for cats?

Question

Does anyone know if it is harmful to cats who dont have a Urinary problem? I have two at home, one who was just discovered to have crystals so the vet put her on Royal Canin So Urinary, and I wanted to know if its ok to feed my other cat this as well, so to prevent her from every having urinary problems. I called Royal Canin, and they said its not harmful in anyway, but does anyone else know if its a good idea, or if it would be ok?

Answer 1

Hi there...all cats can safely eat Royal Canin SO Urinary formula without any adverse side effects. You can even ring your own veterinarian to confirm this fact.

A little background about causes of feline lower urinary tract disorders (FLUTD). It is caused by several factors, and combinations of these factors, which include obesity, stress, urinary pH, water and fibre intake in the animal's diet. Recurrence is common with FLUTD cats so preventive measures such a canned food diet to keep hydration levels high plus any other ways to encourage more water consumption is a must, easy access to multiple litter boxes in addition to regular check ups as well as supplementation with prescriptions depending on the severity of the condition.

Cats who eat dry cat foods tend to suffer from recurring episodes and this seems to be a common denominator with cats diagnosed with various types of FLUTD. The idea is to acidify the urine (like cranberry juice does for humans) because cats with FLUTD have urine pH that is more alkaline so your goal is to reverse this and canned foods have been known to achieve the results.

Additionally, it's important to schedule feed a cat so you can monitor servings taken in during the day http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/news/feed.htm .

Furthermore, for cats who suffer from FLUTD the hydration in the canned products helps metabolize food better and are also completely devoid of carbohydrates, which is more optimal for the feline's body and while at the same acidifies the urine pH which is perfect for cats who have FLUTD . When cats eat raw meat in the wild they get hydration from the fresh meat juices as well as some roughage from the animals who are natural herbivores. A mixture of canned and dry are always best for cats in the long-term, which many people are unaware of. We are have been exposed to so many commercial ads regarding dry food for cats, but in reality it's the manufacturer's who benefit rather than the cats. Cats are not naturally designed to eat dry--the products were designed for convenience for the owner.

Here's an article about commercial cat food; dry vs. canned, proper nutritional needs, etc: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/family/cat-food/review.html

Answer 2

The problem is that you are evaluating the cat food based on what a normal cat would eat, and your cat has problems. When I looked at several of the Merrick can's ingredient, I saw a lot of vegetable items near the top, and my thought was that you are feeding a cat, not a dog. I am not excited about water being so high in the list for the Royal Canin, since it is #1. However, the problem with many vet prescribed foods is palatability, and water helps solve many of those issues. It is important to know what crystals are causing the blockage. If both, then that is a tough issue. If oxalate, that is tough, as those crystals are not water soluble. If only struvite, then acidification of the urine is a good approach. Despite your misgivings, the Royal Canin meets the AAFCO requirements for a complete and balanced diet. Are there ingredients I would rather not see in the Royal Canin. Yes, but then you probably would rather not see a high vet bill for any future blockages. You could ask your vet, or seek out a different vet, to better pin down what type of crystals are the problem, as there are many different dietary foods for those specific problems out there. And yes, a water fountain is a good idea.

Answer 3

The only reason your Vet put your cat on Royal Canin, is because he gets a kick back on the food he sells. The PH level in the cats food determines whether they get FUTI (Feline Urinary tract infection). Keeping all your cats on a high performance feline food will prevent them from getting FUTI. Try looking into to a food called Natural Balance, all natural with no fillers.

Answer 4

It is not harmful, but it lowers urine PH, so it could cause the opposite kind of crystals (because of too low PH). So I wouldn't use it as a prevention. Check your cats' PH, it is simple, buy PH urine reagent strips, and make sure the PH is around 6, no more than 7 and no less than 5,5.
As a prevention, you can feed them any food with DL-methionine in the ingredients. And give them extra water with a syringe(without needle), especially the one who has crystals.

Answer 5

Don t listen to the person saying to eat Natural Balance. My cat ate the Green Pea and Duck for 3 days and developed severe crystals and had to go to the emergency. I looked online after shelling out the $630 for the treatment. The flavor I mentioned has a very high Ph and can cause rapid development of crystals. Stay away from it!!