I've been through a lot with my cat's urinary issues, and I'm excited to share my experience with Monge URINARY STRUVITE. It's a cat food specifically designed to help with urinary tract problems, and it's been a game-changer for my furry friend.

After my cat had a urinary blockage, I was desperate to find a solution. My vet recommended Monge URINARY STRUVITE, and I'm so glad I took their advice.

What I learned is that urinary issues can be caused by struvite or oxalate crystals, and Monge is one of the few brands that offers separate formulas for each. I was impressed by the company's transparency and commitment to helping cats with urinary problems.

Here are the ingredients that help lower urine pH:

ammonium chloride: 0.2%, potassium chloride: 0.4%. The formula also includes cranberry.

INFO DIET:

Full name:

Monge VetSolution Cat Urinary Struvite Urinary Struvite for Urinary Tract Issues and Struvite Crystals in Cats

Weight: 400 gramsManufactured in: ItalyKEY FEATURES: veterinary diet for struvite crystalsPRICE: 580-650 rublesWhere to buy: 1 vet pharmacy in St. PetersburgThis stuff is hard to find on the market, and it's usually around 1000 rubles. You can also order it from the Monge website.

I've been trying to get it from the vet pharmacy, but they only get small shipments in once a week, and they sell out fast. It helps that it's not a super popular product.

Here's a link to the manufacturer's website in Russia:

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About the Vetsolution line:

The Monge line is all about fighting oxidative processes and improving gut health, which is super important for animal health and quality of life.

I've been looking into the MONGE VETSOLUTION line of pet foods, and I'm really impressed with the quality and longevity they offer. The fact that they're all grain-free is a big plus in my book.

The MONGE VETSOLUTION line is also packed with prebiotics of the new generation (xylooligosaccharides) and antioxidants (superoxidodismutase, SOD). This line is based on three key concepts: grain-free formula, melon juice concentrate (a source of superoxidodismutase), and X.O.S. (xylooligosaccharides), which are the foundation of every product in the MONGE VETSOLUTION line and are essential for maximizing the effectiveness of all dietary products.

I've also included a link to a comprehensive guide on pet nutrition, which I found to be a bit hard to find. I just want my pets to be healthy, and maybe this information will be helpful to someone else.

The guide is 100 pages long and covers the brand's history and all their product lines.

I'm a bit of a research nerd, and I like to gather information and analyze it before discussing it with my vet. This guide has been a huge help in that regard – it's full of clinical data and not just marketing fluff. Each component has a solid basis, rather than just being a sales pitch.

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I really appreciate that there's no grain in this formula, as it can potentially cause digestive issues. And the lack of yeast is also a plus, as it can exacerbate inflammation and create toxic byproducts. Our vet has actually mentioned a link between digestive issues and kidney problems, so it's great to see a brand taking steps to avoid that.

It was actually a bit of a wake-up call when my cat's analysis showed an imbalance of cocci and rods in their stool – it turned out they needed probiotics on top of their regular food.

AS FOR WHY THEY'VE AVOIDED GRAIN IN THEIR FORMULA, it's basically what my old vet explained to me in a nutshell.

DESCRIPTION:

Monge VetSolution Cat Urinary Struvite Urinary Struvite for cats with urinary tract issues, such as idiopathic cystitis (painful bladder syndrome, interstitial cystitis) and struvite urolithiasis (struvite crystaluria and urolithiasis) 400g.

Monge VetSolution URINARY STRUVITE is a complete, dry therapeutic cat food made from salmon for cats “URINARY STRUVITE” to dissolve struvite stones and prevent their formation in cats. The food is intended for therapeutic feeding of cats with urological syndrome.

It contains a dill juice concentrate to neutralize free radicals, cranberries to support urinary function. Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) for gut microbiota protection, acidifying urine substances and low magnesium levels.

HERE'S THE COMPOSITION: it's really small on the packaging, and it's a pain to look up online, so if you're interested, check below - my vet showed me the composition, and she mostly approved it.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Crude protein: 33%,

Moisture: 3.9%,

Fat: 17%,

Crude ash: 7%,

Calcium: 1.3%, Phosphorus: 0.8%, Sodium: 0.8%,

Magnesium: 0.06%, Potassium: 1.2%, Chlorides: 1.9%, Sulfur: 0.16%,

Total taurine content: 0.4%. Acidifying elements: Ammonium chloride: 0.2%, Potassium chloride: 0.4%.

Nutritional value: 4,195 kcal/kg.

Additives per kg

Nutritional additives: Vitamin A (retinol acetate) 16,000 IU, Vitamin D3 900 IU, Selenium (sodium selenite) 0.8 mg 0.4 mg, Manganese (sulphate manganese monohydrate) 89 mg 29 mg, Zinc (oxide zinc) 186 mg 150 mg, Copper (sulphate copper (II) pentahydrate) 47 mg 12 mg, Iron (sulphate iron (II) monohydrate) 443 mg 146 mg, Iodine (calcium iodate anhydrous) 3 mg 2 mg, Technical-grade DL-methionine: 2000 mg, L-carnitine: 100 mg, Taurine — 2500 mg.

Technological additives: Extract of tocopherol-rich vegetable oils.

Comments on the composition:

I was given general rules for choosing food for my cat by my doctors:

No components of ruminants, i.e. meat, small game.No yeastAnd also milk (it's here)Grains should be in small quantities, as they say, the cat eats the contents of the mouse's stomach during hunting, which may contain grains in a fermented state, true.

How to feed, how much:

I want to note that there's no talk of free access to food, as they now recommend, just 2 times a day – classic. The same thing was told to me by the last old vet doctor.

Please consult a veterinarian before use. The course of application for the first use is 5 to 12 weeks for dissolving struvite stones, up to 6 months for preventing the formation of struvite stones. The recommended daily dose in grams is indicated in the table. Divide the daily ration into 2 feedings. Fresh, clean water should always be available to your pet. This food is intended exclusively for household animals and is not intended for human consumption.

Impressions from use:

My cat immediately took to this food. He used to eat Royal Canin for kittens with small granules. Here, the granules are also small.

The smell is of oily fish, not strong. I store the food in the fridge, as I noticed that in the heat, the smell can change, and I'm afraid that due to the fats, the food may go rancid.

The packaging with a great sticky closure – there's none like it in the standard range.

My cat never gave me any trouble, and he eats his food eagerly.

He's a quick learner, that one!

I'll tell you about the second episode, which happened after my cat had a catheterization.

Looking back, I realize there were several reasons for it.

I had been feeding my cat a certain food for three weeks, and then I switched him to APPLAWS.

After that, my cat had a urinary tract infection, and he was urinating 10-12 times a day. The vet did an ultrasound, took some urine samples, and checked the pH level, which was 6.0. She then prescribed me to stop giving him the Uro-Monj supplement completely, although there were signs of sand, sediment, and a pronounced urinary tract infection on the ultrasound. She just said it was idiopathic cystitis. One of the culprits, she said, was my son, who was stressing out the cat.

And then, a week later, my cat had another blockage.

Without the Monj.

Now I have a new vet, a doctor and a practitioner who has helped me sort out my cat's diet and monitor his pH levels.

I've since returned to using the Monj, but with my vet's consent, and I've also started doing a few other things:

Monitoring the pH – if it's 6-6.5, it's fine. If it's 7.0, we'd give him 1 tablet of methionine 1 or 2 times a day. It makes his urine acidic. I keep a urine log and noticed that the pH reading can change throughout the day. According to some scientific articles, it might be due to alkaline spikes after eating. The lab's website also mentions this in the urine analysis section. So, it's better to get the urine test done on an empty stomach. I base my observations on the morning pH reading before eating. If it's normal, it means his body is handling it. If it's alkaline, we need to think about methionine.We were advised to follow intermittent fasting. Feed the cat 2 times a day. The problems with MCKB are often due to overeating. The vet gave an example: if the food has a hydration level of -10% and we're supposed to feed 50 grams, it actually means 50 * 10 = 500 grams of meat. In the wild, cats eat 2-3 mice. So, I reduced the dosage to 25 grams. The cat wasn't thrilled, so I supplement with ALMO NATURE chicken meat and pâté. He refused the pâté.Adding water directly to the food is a golden tip. My cat wasn't drinking much, especially after overeating kibble. I tried various tips to stimulate drinking, like placing water bowls and bottles around the house and even force-feeding with a syringe, but nothing worked. He just wouldn't drink enough. Then I started adding water to his food, and he immediately started drinking 30-40ml 3-4 times a day. Of course, the first two days of the new routine were tough, but the intermittent fasting did its job. By the third day, he was happily drinking water with his kibble and treats.After just a week, his urine was clear, and you could see it in the test tube. The last analysis also showed no crystals in the urine, and the density was normal, less than 1.03.

For those worried that the food portions are small, I want to show you how much the kibble expands in water. This is a serving of around 13-15 grams – the kibble is quite a lot, and the cat even managed to eat a bit more.

The vet advised us to switch to a different food if the urine pH stabilizes at 6.0-6.5. But remembering the first time the cat refused to eat and then had an acute urinary blockage, I decided to stick with Monj and alternate it with non-urinary pâté, monitoring the pH levels. Many people say I'm overreacting, but I just want these people and their pets to be healthy and never experience such a problem, where the cat cries in pain and you have to rush them to the vet and spend a fortune. Prevention is always cheaper and worth the effort.

So, in the end: Monj Urinary Struvite food helps, but in combination with additional measures, the results are noticeable. I.e., monitoring the pH levels, urine cleanliness, and drinking schedule with meals – it's more physiological and helps the cat better than force-feeding and separate drinking.

I love that this diet is specially designed, and they provide open information about the components with links to the research and scientists behind itIt's also great that it's grain-free, which is supposed to reduce inflammation and normalize digestion in a therapeutic dietNo yeast in sightNo harsh smell eitherAnd the best part? It's made in ItalyAfter just a week, I'm already seeing results – my urine is cleaner, and my analysis is looking good without any crystalsIt's not too salty, which I appreciate, but I have to say, Uro-Pharm, which I use for prevention, is actually saltierSixteen months of shelf life, that's a pretty good deal:

The only downside is that it's hard to get your hands on – I couldn't find it on PetShop, and it's only available at special city pharmacies or the manufacturer's website