High Protein Diets Work as Urine Acidifier in Cats

Funaba et al at the Laboratory of Nutrition, Azabu University School of Veterinary Medicine, Japan have carried out a study to evaluate the effects of high protein diet on struvite crystal formation in normal cats.

The effect of a high protein diet was compared with one supplemented with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) in 23 clinically normal cats. The concentration of hydrochloric acid (HCl)-insoluble sediment, urine pH, struvite activity product (SAP), number of struvite crystals in urine, and urine volume were all measured.
Diets containing either 29% crude protein or 55% crude protein were fed to cats in a crossover trial of 3 weeks/period. Diets supplemented with either sodium chloride (NaCl) or NH4Cl were given.

The investigators have concluded that compared with dietary supplementation with NH4Cl, the high-protein diet is preferable as a urine acidifier for the prevention of struvite crystal formation in clinically normal cats.

Reference
Am J Vet Res. 2003 Aug;64(8):1059-64. Effects of a high-protein diet versus dietary supplementation with ammonium chloride on struvite crystal formation in urine of clinically normal cats. Funaba M, Yamate T, Hashida Y, Maki K, Gotoh K, Kaneko M, Yamamoto H, Iriki T, Hatano Y, Abe M. Laboratory of Nutrition, Azabu University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara 229-8501, Japan.