I have a male, neutered, 14 year old main coon cat. He was recently diagnosed with his second UTI in a year.
He has been eating Before Grain dry chicken cat food for a year now. He is sensitive to corn and this is corn free. He will not eat wet food. I think he likes to go pooh outside now, but I am not sure – I have 3 cats total and 4 litter boxes total.
Vet wants to put him on antibiotics again. I want to try cranberry extract. Vet assistant insists that cranbrry could cause crystals – says don’t mess with his ph levels which are good. I am looking for homeopathic or holistic remedy instead of antibiotics. Thanks.
Hello,
Thank you for your inquiry to Holistic Pet Info. Yes, you may try cranberry extract; it will help support bladder health by preventing bacteria from adhering to the wall. Cranberry does not cause crystals; they form by either the change in ph or dietary imbalance.
You may also consider Uti-Free by PetAlive, it’s a great homeopathic that helps decrease cystitis, reduces inflammation and improves the immune system. Finding a way to increase his water intake will also help tremendously. Male cats especially can have issues with blockage from crystals, so keeping urine in the bladder as dilute as possible will help tremendously.
The primary issue is why is he chronically getting urinary tract infections? Lack of grooming, urination habits and diet do make a difference with recurrent urinary issues. You may want to consider changing the litter and most importantly his food. Taking your cat in to see a holistic veterinarian may also give you insight on preventative measures to keep him healthy throughout his life. Best of luck.
Regards,
Colleen Smith DVM, CVA, CVCP
Follow-up:
Hi Dr. Smith and thank you so much for your considerate reply! The funny thing with Spike is that his PH tests normal (he just had a senior wellness panel of tests and verything was normal but the bacteria in urine), he has no blockage, and he is HIV negative, and he seems just fine – no signs of discomfort. In fact, he seems more energetic, more affectionate and more happy than ever. We just have not been able to get rid of this one strain of bacteria in his bladder. I don’t want to do more antibiotics, I am hesitant to change his food since he is doing well, and I give him plenty of extra liquids every day via a dropper into his mouth.
So this narrows it down to grooming habits and litter. So what I can do is change to clumping litter, put him on UTI Free and find a holistic vet. Too bad you are not in Sacramento area!
Hello again,
If the bacteria is continually being seen from a “free catch” sample, meaning collected from the bottom of the litter box, there will always be bacteria seen. But if it is collected with a needle and syringe through the belly wall that should probably be sent to a
lab for a culture. If your cat continues to be non-symptomatic it should be okay to not continue antibiotics.
You may be able to find a Holistic vet in your area at www.tcvm.com or www.ivas.org. If not, I know of a fantastic holistic vet in Reno, NV that I can personally say is one of the best, Dr. Dianna Drumm.
Dr. Smith
Thank you again for your wonderful help.