Cat UTI health

Question
Thank you so much for you helpful insight into his health. I really like the thought of natural health remedies to keep him safe and healthy.
Could you give me your opinion on the drug Amitriptyline? They seem to always want me to keep him on a nightly dose. Currently they have me giving him 1/2 of a 10 mg pill every night. This seems like a very low dose but I don't know what kind of long term effect this will have on his health.
I will certainly look into the Life's Abundance diet that you mentioned as well as all of the other wonderful ideas you informed me about. I found your information very helpful. Thank you again so very much.
Sincerely,
Cathy  


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Followup To
Question -
Dear Ms Hubbs,
My male cat has been suffering from UTIs for the past 2 yrs. He gets one about every six months and is given Baytril. This week he started showing signs of another infection so I took him to the vet and they prescribed antibiotics. The vet then called me and suggested why not do an xray..he found some stones and I took him in for surgery this morning. The dr. said that when he opened up the bladder the stone was actually a clump of loose crystals. Now he also suggested that the Eukanuba diet low Ph/s they put him on 2 years ago was actually causing more problems for him. I am wondering what suggestions you might have as to how, if possible, to prevent him having to have this surgery again a few months down the road. His litter box is kept very clean as I am a stay home mom...so I am here to scoop it out all the time.
Lastly, I can't help but wonder what affect if any that clumping cat litter may possibly have on cat urinary health?? I have heard and read things off and on over the years suggesting that using the old plain litter is a much healthier substitute. Can you please tell me your opinion? Thank you so much for your time....
Sincerely,
Cathy
Answer -
Hello Cathy -

I am very sorry to hear of your cats diagnosis. Lets see what I can do to help. Bladder stones can appear as "stones" or crystals all depending on their actual make up and the cat's system. The smaller the crystals, the easier it is for the cat to pass it without surgery.

First of all, Eukanuba food and Hill's Science Diet has been the cause of many UTI problems in cats. It is very sad to say since they are  reputable brands. They carry animal by-products which are not good for urinary health. There is a brand of food called "Life's Abundance", it is scientifically formulated to keep the pH at 6.6, where it should be. Their foods are by-product free, have no preservatives, no artificial colors or flavors, no corn, no wheat and no soy. It is full of Omega-3 fatty acids, Probiotics, antioxidants and minerals. You can look into this food at www.healthypet.com. The food is a little pricey but worth it. A few of my clients have looked into this food for their pets, have tried it and have been very happy with their pets overall health.

General rule of thumb with stones is if they don't appear for 3 (three) years you are in the clear but as the pet ages over 10 (ten) they may reappear.

Here's some things that will help your cat to stay healthy. Begin to add Garlic powder to his food daily. Garlic is an anti-microbial and will help eliminate bacteria and infection. Don't be afraid to sprinkle it with a heavy hand, cats like Garlic and he should it it right up. Keep him on this, it will not harm him and he will boost his immune system and healing time by 70%.

Begin a regimen of Probiotics such as Acidolphilus. These good bacteria are actually found in yogurt. You can purchase these in capsule form at your pet store. Acidophilus helps to maintain and strengthen the good bacteria of the gut crucial for healthy digestion. Without these good bacteria human and animal bodies are prone to disease and illness. When humans an animals are put on antibiotics, they kill this good bacteria and render the body weakness and acceptable to bacteria. This is why you may have heard woman complain of getting a yeast infection after taking antibiotics. This is a great supplement to add to his diet and again this will not harm him in any way.

You may even add a tiny drop of vegetable oil to his food. This will ensure good passage of fecal matter and will not allow bacteria to be built up in the gut. Just a drop. It will also make his coat more shiny and healthier in appearance.

You can also add a drop of unsweetened Cranberry juice to his food daily. This juice must be purchased from the health food store because it contains no sugar or other products. Cranberry acts the same in humans and animals. It helps to stregthen, tone and cleanse the kidneys. Human UTI clients take this daily to ward off infections and bacteria in the bladder.

I actually make a remedy to help keep the cat urinary tract clean, I call it Kitty Tinkle. It has worked wonders on some of my cat clients with this problem. You simply add it to the food and the herbs do the rest. I will leave my contact information at the bottom of this response if you are interested.

The litter is a touchy issue. Most cats do contract UTI's from their litter box but it doesn't pin point litter type. I am a cat owner and personally I use plain cat litter and my kitty has never had a problem. You could try to change and see if it makes a difference in his health.

I do not care for Baytril, it has many side effects an can ultimately harm your cats liver if given for long periods of time. Please be aware and research this for future reference.

I hope this information has helped you and your pet.

If you would like additional information on Kitty Tinkle or other natural and herbal remedies for human and animal concerns please contact me at  wintersaurora@yahoo.com and I will be happy to assist you.

Thank you and best wishes to you and your pet.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist

Answer
Hello Cathy-

Well, I certainly don't like its use in humans let alone animals. I have a human client who takes it for interstitial cystitis and now has liver problems from taking it. So not only am I treating her for IC but she also has to do a full liver and kidney detox (not very pleasant) monthly to keep her liver functioning normally. This girl is 23 years old. So, no I don't approve of this.

Amitriptyline or Elavil is actually an anti-depressant but studies have proven that it works well on complaints of the urinary system in humans and animals. It works more like an anti-inflammatory but with sedative actions. The vet is probaly keeping him on this to comfort him and try to soothe pain. Most animals do not show outward signs of pain unless it is severe.

I would not keep him on this. It is bad enough he has problems with this urinary tract but I feel keeping him on this may causes liver dysfunctions.

If you are interested (just asking) I would be more than happy to take your case and do a consultation. I can do them over the phone or by email. I think the Kitty Tinkle Remedy I make would work well on him and if you are conerned about his sleep, I can make something for that too. If you would like to know more about me, visit my webpage  www.wintersaurora.byregion.net, just so you know I am legitimate. I am really concerned about your pet and would like to help his body naturally by working on diet and supplements. Please let me know if you are interested. Contact me at  wintersaurora@yahoo.com.

Thank you for your nice comments about my response, it is so nice to hear them. Please keep me posted about your cat's condition, I am very concerned.

Thank you again and best wishes.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist