My cat is 12 years old. He has been with me since he was 6 months old, and has been raised holistically (raw food, homemade food, some canned, no dry and antibiotics maybe 3-4 times in his life, blood titers, homeopathy, herbs, etc). Since he was a young cat he has had urinary challenges which initially led to chronic blockages, crystals and ultimately bladder sand, and lots of it which ultrasounds have shown.
In the last couple of months, he has been happy with no seeming urinary issues at all. I recently began feeding him PetGuard Turkey and Rice with DL-Methonine and Yucca with no yeast and he seems to be having a healing reaction on his belly, as if the damp heat of the sand/stones are releasing through his skin. He does not seem to be irritated by it at all. He licks it some, like he is cleaning it, but it is not excessive.
Could the DL-Methonine bring this sort of healing reaction. He really likes the food, which is amazing.
Hello ,
Thank you for your inquiry to Holistic Pet Info. In reference to your cat’s previous urinary “challenges” the history of feline urinary syndrome does have direct contributing factors. Stress, urinary pH, water, fiber intake and ash content or the combinations of these factors all can cause chronic urinary tract disease. I hope that you have been monitoring and taking into consideration these issues while preparing his homemade diets.
DL-methionine in cat diets is added as a urinary acidifier and should not be the issue of reaction on his belly. Even though he likes the food he may be having an allergic issue to the turkey and rice or another protein or carbohydrate ingredient in the food. I recommend changing the formulation of the diet protein and carbohydrate such as to a salmon and sweet potato (for example.) Most food allergies in felines manifest as hair loss/thinning and skin reactions. Increased fiber in the diet draws water through the bowel, therefore creating a more concentrated urine. So, be sure your cat gets plenty of water. Magnesium in the diet increases the pH of the urine, therefore monitoring the pH and the acidifier should keep the urine in the range of 6 and 6.5. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Colleen Smith DVM, CVA