CD Food for Cats

Cats are prone to urinary tract infections, and many veterinarians prescribe Hills Prescription Diet c/d Multicare cat food to prevent the formation of urine crystals that can lead to infection and bladder stones. Because it exceeds the minimum standards for cat food content set by the American Association of Feed Control Officials, c/d Multicare is considered a complete and balanced diet, but it does have both benefits and drawbacks.

  1. How It Works

    • Many urinary tract infections in cats are caused by the formation of calcium oxalate crystals that occur when urine pH drops too low. This enables a variety of minerals to bond together to form crystals which, left untreated, can form bladder stones. Hills c/d Multicare works by regulating the pH of the urine and limiting the concentration of crystal-forming minerals. It also contains a variety of vitamins and electrolytes that help build and support the immune system to where the cat's body is better able to fend off infection.

    Form And Feeding

    • Hills c/d Multicare is available in both dry and canned varieties. Many vets recommend feeding only canned food to cats with urinary tract infections because the higher moisture content helps flush the bladder, but even the dry variety is formulated to stimulate the cat to drink more water, achieving the same effect. Cats prescribed c/d must not be allowed any other type of food, not even treats, because it may decrease the effectiveness of the diet. Care should be taken to maintain a healthy weight, so Hills recommends feeding slightly less canned c/d than usual, up to 3/4 of a cup daily for the average ten-pound cat.

    Benefits

    • Many cats have benefited from the c/d diet, and it has been proven effective if strictly adhered to. Unlike other urinary health diets that simply raise the urine pH, c/d actually regulates the pH and keeps it at a healthy level. This means that if another cat in the household happens to eat the food, it will not unnecessarily raise his healthy urine pH, which can cause the formation of struvite crystals. Hills c/d Multicare also contains Omega-3 fatty acids to improve coat condition, and is low in sodium to maintain healthy blood pressure.

    Drawbacks

    • The most common complaint about c/d Multicare is that the cat doesn't like the taste. While this is true for some cats, the problem can usually be solved by gradually weaning them from their old diet to c/d, letting them gradually get used to the blander taste. Like any prescription diet, c/d is more expensive than a regular cat food, and many cat owners dislike the inconvenience of having to buy it at the vet's office.

    Alternatives

    • There are other prescription urinary diets that also have good results. Royal Canin Urinary SO and Purina CNM are the most popular, and may be an option if your cat absolutely will not eat c/d. Because these are also prescription foods, they will also cost more than regular cat food and will only be sold by vets. There are non-prescription urinary diets out there, but they have not been proven to have any effect.