What is the best low magnesium cat food?

What it the best low magnesium cat food and why do you use it? Low magnesium cat foods are recommended for cats with a history of urinary tract problems, especially those with struvite crystals and urine that is not acidic (alkaline). Magnesium is an essential mineral and is important in a healthy diet but sometimes, the levels of magnesium in the diet, coupled with alkaline urine, can contribute to the formation of struvite crystals and urinary problems. To address this problem in cats, diets with lower magnesium levels have been developed.

The best low magnesium cat food is one that has less than 0.12% magnesium on a dry matter basis and less than 25g per 100 kilocalories of metabolizable energy. The way to feed the best low magnesium cat food is to feed only that diet (no special treats!) and have it available through the day. This should be combined with offering plenty of fresh clean water at all times and encouraging water intake.

Several pet food companies produce low magnesium cat foods now and choosing the best low magnesium cat food for your cat depends a lot on your cat. Before feeding a specific food, you should take your cat to your veterinarian for a routine examination and a urine sample analysis if possible. This will help determine the pH of the urine and the presence of any crystals to help them recommend the best low magnesium cat food for your specific cat. This will also help to ensure there is not an underlying medical problem affecting your cat that can be causing his symptoms that even the best low magnesium cat food won't be able to fix.

The underlying urinary tract problem is often feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), which literally means an inflammation of the urinary bladder in cats of unknown origin. This condition is also called feline idiopathic lower urinary tract disease (FiLUTD) or feline urologic syndrome (FUS). For more information on FLUTD, click here.

FIC has been estimated to affect up to 1% of the cat population therefore making the development of the best low magnesium cat food important.



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