Food can do more than nourish your cat. A therapeutic diet can help address several health issues, including urinary and kidney problems. These Hill’s Pet Nutrition products are worth considering if your pet is dealing with such medical conditions.
As a cat parent, you want your feline companion to be healthy and happy. However, some medical conditions may strike out of the blue, causing severe damage to your pet’s health and affecting its longevity.
Kidney damage is one of these concerns, as you may not know about the damage to kidney tissues until it becomes serious. At times, you may notice signs like loss of appetite, lethargy, and frequent urination, but they are easy to overlook.
According to statistics, 2%-20% of all cats have chronic kidney disease (CKD), while the numbers increase to 30% in cats over the age of 10. Research shows that suspected etiologies of feline CKD include ureteral obstruction (11%), renal ischemia (9%), pyelonephritis (8%), and others (6%). Additionally, they are unknown in 66% of cases.
Ron Gaskin, a veterinarian at Main Street Veterinary Service, notes that there are diverse causes of kidney failure in cats. Acute kidney failure is attributed to toxins like antifreeze and plants. Polycystic kidney disease is an underlying medical condition that may cause early kidney failure in some cat breeds. Senior cats are prone to chronic kidney insufficiency. Surprisingly, dental disease and kidney disease have also been correlated.
Considering the prevalence and gravity of the condition, cat parents must do their bit to protect the vital kidney function of their pets. An appropriate diet is the first line of defense, with experts recommending a gradual transition to a renal diet to reduce serum phosphorus concentrations. Hill’s Pet Nutrition offers a variety of dry and canned formulas for cat parents seeking a proactive approach to prevent kidney damage for their pets.
We will share a list of the brand’s top therapeutic foods to support feline urinary and kidney health you can rely on.
#1: Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Kidney Care Canned Cat Food
A specialized therapeutic dietary solution, Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Kidney Care Canned Cat Food addresses the unique nutritional needs of cats with compromised kidney function. This clinically proven formula supports damaged kidneys with reduced capacity for filtering and reabsorbing nutrients.
Studies suggest that ideal renal diets should have reduced sodium, phosphorus, and protein content. Additionally, they should be high in caloric density, antioxidants, potassium, B vitamins, and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). This product follows these recommendations to help cats with kidney damage.
ActivBiome+ Kidney Defense, a proprietary blend of prebiotics, is the core ingredient of Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Kidney Care. It activates the gut microbiome to protect the kidney function. Additionally, S+OXSHIELD in the product lowers the risk of the formation of struvite and calcium oxalate crystals, which eventually become kidney stones.
Another factor that makes this product kidney-friendly is the reduced phosphorus and sodium levels, which support overall renal health. Additionally, it is high in essential amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Both help maintain energy and strength, build muscle mass, and enhance the overall well-being of your pet.
Besides providing complete and balanced nutrition, this canned food is known for its taste and texture. Your furry friend will like it, even if it is picky or suffering from a loss of appetite. You even have the option of choosing a texture and flavor variety to match your pet’s preferences.
#2: Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Stress Urinary Care Canned Cat Food
Did you know that cats can experience stress-related urinary issues just like humans? Nancy Marshall, a cat parent, narrates that her cat was acting anxious for a time until they realized that an underlying medical issue was there. A trip to the vet uncovered kidney stones, leaving Nancy wondering what came first- the stress or the stones.
Research shows that a therapeutic urinary stress diet can significantly reduce recurrent clinical signs and the rate of lower urinary tract disease in cats suffering from idiopathic cystitis. Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Stress Urinary Care Canned Cat Food has been developed on these lines to address stress-related urinary issues and promote a healthy bladder in cats.
The product has controlled minerals to maintain a desirable urine pH, lowering the risk of struvite and calcium oxalate crystal formation. Also, S+OXSHIELD in the formula creates a favorable urinary environment, again reducing this risk. It can even dissolve struvite stones and save your kitty from a lot of trouble.
The balanced nutrition profile of Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Stress Urinary Care is another valid reason to choose it for your pet. It has all the essential nutrients to promote good health and energy levels. Cats like its bite-sized chunks that make a full meal with juicy chicken, carrots, and spinach.
#3: Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Dry Cat Food
If you want to skip the canned variants, you can try Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Dry Cat Food to boost your kitty’s kidney health. This product has high-value ingredients such as protein, carbohydrates, antioxidants, and omega-3 acids. In addition to high-quality protein, this product also contains crude fiber.
According to recent research, high protein concentrations in the feline diet were linked with beneficial effects for preventing urinary stones in cats. While this study relates to canned variants, dry foods probably offer the same benefits.
Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Dry Cat Food nutritionally promotes healthy urinary environments, which are unfavorable to stone formation. Here are the mechanisms it facilitates in this context:
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Balances the acidic pH levels of cat’s urine by lowering ion concentration
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Lowers the risk of crystal formation with the Relative Super Saturation (RSS) methodology
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Controls the levels of crystal-forming calcium, magnesium, and phosphates
One thing you should remember while choosing a dry food variant for your pet is to ensure good hydration. Since these foods do not have water content like their canned counterparts, your cat may fall short of hydration. It can elevate the risk of urinary tract infections, but you can overcome the concern by feeding it enough water.
#4: Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Early Support Kidney Care Dry Cat Food
Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Early Support Kidney Care Dry Cat Food is another product worth considering if you want to protect your furry companion from kidney and urinary problems. It is particularly beneficial if your pet struggles with low appetite due to kidney conditions because it encourages eating with Enhanced Appetite Trigger (E.A.T.)
According to statistics, weight loss and abnormal appetite are common in cats suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD). Nearly 21–92% of caregivers report changes in the appetite of their CKD feline pets. Fortunately, the right therapeutic diet can address this issue and keep your pet’s food intake and health on track, regardless of kidney damage.
The best thing about Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Early Support Kidney Care Dry Cat Food is that it offers support during the initial stages of the condition. You can trust it to manage less-pronounced changes within the intestinal tract that eventually affect renal function. Additionally, it contains prebiotics that reduce harmful waste products to protect kidney function.
Other ingredients include high-quality protein and essential amino acids. These play a key role in maintaining muscle mass, strength, and energy levels, even in cats with kidney conditions. The taste is irresistible, so you will probably not have to stress during mealtime because your cat will gobble up its bowl. You have a healthy cat that eats on time with minimal effort.
In conclusion, raising a cat with kidney and urinary issues can be challenging because you have to be selective about its diet. However, Hill’s Pet Nutrition offers a therapeutic diet with nutritious, healthy, and safe products.
Besides keeping your canine companion nourished and healthy, these diets can actually address underlying issues such as kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Their delectable taste makes them the right choice for pets with a low appetite. Consider trying these products to help your cat deal with kidney damage and regain its health.
