Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Plant-based diet use and limits for cat with urinary tract disease
By Dodd, Sarah A S et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2021·Department of Clinical Studies, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case Report: Application and Limitations of a Plant-Based Diet Formulated for a Cat With Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old male domestic shorthair cat was brought in for help with chronic urinary issues, including a history of urethral blockage and persistent struvite crystals in his urine. The owner wanted to try a plant-based diet to manage these problems. Although the cat refused commercial plant-based foods, a homemade version was created to encourage more water intake and help make his urine more acidic. This diet helped reduce the concentration of urine and resolved the struvite crystals, leading to a noticeable improvement in the cat's condition with no further urinary episodes reported.
People also search for: cat urinary problems diet · plant-based diet for cat FLUTD · homemade cat food for urinary health
Abstract
A 2-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat was presented for recommendations for dietary management of chronic FLUTD using a strictly plant-based diet as per the stipulations of the cat's owner. The cat had a history of urethral obstruction of unknown etiology, persistent marked struvite crystalluria, and persistent inappropriate elimination. Commercial plant-based products meeting the nutritional recommendations for maintenance of adult cats with the lowest concentration of struvite precursors were identified, but the cat would not eat them. At the request of the client, a homemade plant-based diet was formulated with the intention of increasing water intake and promoting acidic, dilute urine. Urine concentration was able to be decreased somewhat and struvite crystalluria resolved, but the urine remained more alkaline than intended. The cat clinically improved and no further FLUTD episodes were reported by the client.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33898549/