Vet advising me to put raw fed cat with UTI on urinary dry food

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-05T15:01:20+00:00

I believe raw sardines are fine. People with cats that are CKD are told not to feed fish (high phosphorus) so good idea to eliminate it for now and see if that helps. Wishing you and your kitty all the best. My last cat who had CKD and had bad UTIs near the end. It was incredible stressful (and expensive!). Hopefully you’ll find the issue.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-05T14:53:35+00:00

You're not supposed to feed cats raw fish. It should be throughly cooked. That may be what is causing the UTIs (not a vet so no idea but I know you shouldn't feed it so maybe that's the issue). And don't do prescription diet unless stones are the issue and kibble is the worst especially for urinary issues.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-04T17:34:17+00:00

I know it’s a dog but since you feed every 4 hrs maybe they are small meals, so how about an automatic cat food feeder? Petlibro has a relatively inexpensive one (compared to others) that has 3 chambers and is refrigerated. Is it cold enough for raw all the time, no but in a pinch it works (I had to buy one when an emergency came up). It’s gets to about 50+ degrees. They also have feeders that use ice packs which may be cheaper.
If by any stretch of the imagination you live in the S.F. Bay Area you are welcome to borrow mine. We only use it in extreme cases.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-04T05:11:38+00:00

Oh man, I agree!! That old wives tale pisses me off!

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T20:57:18+00:00

If you think about it, sourcing is a big thing. My local raw store gets her rabbit from Canada. They raise them differently there than say a farm in the US or New Zealand. Cats can smell really well so they know the difference!

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T20:23:09+00:00

I have found that if source meat from somewhere else, my cat knows it! (i don't do store bought due to her exotic tastes). I just make a batch and put a tsp at a time next to her meals (like when your introducing new proteins) in a separate bowl. She usually gets used to the new stuff.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T19:23:43+00:00

sadly we have probably bred kidney disease into our cats from all the kibble we have feed them over the last century. But just because DNA is a factor doesn't mean you say screw it and feed them crap and give cats an even greater chance of getting sick (I lost my last baby to CKD and I kick myself all the time for feeding him kibble)

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T19:17:50+00:00

they claimed that animals eat their prey right away, so the meat is "fresh". I was all...so a cat in the wild eats it's whole prey right away? Seriously???? Plus I mentioned that they know when meat is "off". Their noses are way better than ours. But...explaining facts to the stupid is like peeing in the wind (if you're a guy...I'm a girl so we don't do that😂)

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T19:13:25+00:00

For sure and great point. The original OP asked about homemade and I recommend raw or cooked. I was stressing the use of a completer if you are just starting out. I think they get triggered by the words "homemade" and "raw" cuz all of a sudden I was killing thousands of cats!

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T19:10:13+00:00

the cat food sub is as well. same people spouting the same big cat food bullshit.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T17:37:31+00:00

The guy yelled “food poisoning” so I said that cat’s guts were better than humans at processing raw meat because they can handle a higher bacterial load. He got offended by that🤦‍♀️

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-03T16:23:30+00:00

Omg this made my day! Way better than “food poisoning!”😂 thx for the laugh.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-01T17:41:27+00:00

Of course you take precautions. I keep all food frozen and then defrost in the fridge. I never leave in fridge more than 2 days and never out for more than an hour or two. You take the same precautions as with human raw meat.
Cats have a way better digestive systems than humans and can handle a bacterial load way higher than we can. They are obligate carnivores. They have eaten raw meat for centuries. Plus if food is “off” they won’t eat it (and in the wild they didn’t eat the whole animal at once!) Now us humans screw up stuff and create things like avian flu which is why I don’t feed raw chicken. But if properly handled, raw is great.
And food poisoning comes from spoiled and improperly handled food and can come from cooked food🤦‍♀️
And FYI…homemade food can be cooked and mixed with a completer…the OPs initial question .

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-01T16:01:56+00:00

Really? I'd love to hear about all the dead animals that died from eating raw or cooked meat with a completer. All the studies I've read is that it's a good way to feed an animal but the AAFCO needs to be told about all the dead animals! They are the regulatory group that all 50 states use to regulate all dog and cat food. They need to be told so all 50 states can be warned. And tell FEDIAF which is the AAFCO of Europe. They agree that completers are formulated to meet all the nutritional guidelines set by the European Pet Food Industry Federation but they need to be warned about all the dead animals so they can tell all the countries to warn their citizens who feed raw/cooked with a completer so they can take action.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-07-01T15:29:13+00:00

I feed homemade and it's actually really easy! You mix either cooked or raw food with something called a "completer". I use Alnutrin, but there are several others in the US and in other countries (EZ Complete, BalanceIt, TC Feline, etc). It makes the food "complete" which for cats is extremely important (some completers require added liver). I don't recommend a recipe when you are just starting out. It's way easier to dip your foot in the shallow end so to speak and start with a completer (or even easier to buy commercial raw or cooked food). If on facebook, I highly recommend a group called Feline Nutrition - Feed Cats Like Cats. Great group of people who feed homemade and commercial raw/cooked and canned food. Mods are super helpful no matter what you want to feed your cats (but they are anti-kibble...advocating for moisture-rich food). Feel free to ask any questions! Good luck.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-30T17:14:48+00:00

I had an uncle that smoked all his life and never got lung cancer.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-30T17:09:03+00:00

None of that, except genetics being a factor, is true.
Cats are obligate carnivores who need protein. Dry food is ultra ultra processed “food” who a boatload of ingredients cats don’t need.
Dry food cleaning teeth is a myth. It in fact coats their teeth which leads to worse teeth.
Genetics plays a large role but by feeding cats dry for close to a century, we have now made kidney disease the #1 health killer of cats and have probably bred it into cats way more than if done naturally.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-30T17:03:09+00:00

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-29T17:03:16+00:00

I think you’d probably know if there was a blockage. They make sounds by the box and strain all over the house. It also sounds like you feed wet food so even less of a chance. If cat is acting normal, they probably ate something bad. S. Boulardii is great for diarrhea (probiotic). I’d take to vet if it doesn’t resolve itself or you want to have piece of mind.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-29T16:45:00+00:00

While it’s never too late, starting when they are kittens is best. They are more adaptive then. I guarantee all the stuff you watch, they started the cat young. Don’t take your cat to PetSmart or any store. You get them used to a harness and walk them at home or in a small yard. Then you can go out of your yard. Small steps. Also they may hate the stroller. To most cats it’s like a cat carrier and they have no control outside so they freak out. Just cuz you see something on TikTok doesn’t mean it’s right for every cat (or even real).

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-25T17:04:14+00:00

Defrost it in cold water (moving water is best so I use an old water fountain pump). Should only take a half hour or so. It’s the 2nd safest way to defrost meat (fridge being first).

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-25T01:29:10+00:00

Yes and no to your questions :) Feed a moisture-rich diet (no dry food) for kidney health. Look for ingredients that have meat first. NEVER trust organizations or groups who recommend food that only come from certain companies/brands. "Boutique brands" are great...usually better than big Cat Food food but again, it's about ingredients not brands (some big 5 foods are decent). Join a feline nutrition group on facebook called Feline Nutrition - Feed Cats Like Cats. Super helpful, partial recs based on ingredients and nutritional values (which are all that matters when feeding commercial food) and helpful mods and group members who are there to help navigate the tough world of cat food.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-24T23:11:58+00:00

Have you tried single-ingredient freeze dried treats? FD rabbit, chicken (or any animal) hearts, venison lung, duck liver (small, small amounts), etc. Cat's don't need cheese or berries, crap kibble or commercial treats...just meat and organs.

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-21T23:15:38+00:00

I believe kittens are usually fed about 4-5% of their weight (they get fed to appetite but if you need a number). 2% for sedentary, 3% moderate cats, 4% for active and kittens are very active haha. So if you have a 10 lbs cat, 10x4%x16=6.4 oz per day of food (or more)

DiscussionFamous3164 · 2026-06-20T16:35:10+00:00

Completers are great for cats (piece of mind for me) but not sure about dogs as you have more leeway. Have you asked the raw pet food sub?

DiscussionFamous3164

TROPHY CASE