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Several months ago, one of our cats, Ike, had two bouts of urinary issues with the second bout resulting in the formation of struvite crystals in his urethra. This resulted in a blockage which can be fatal if not treated quickly.
His urine pH was very elevated - alkaline, not acidic, and we were already using low ash, low pH and low magnesium foods and using a lot of wet food to dissolve them and hopefully lower his urine pH. We couldn't figure out why, after years of the same food and him being a young cat yet, he and no other cats were having issues.
Then, it occcurred to us that Ike would occasionally drink from a five gallon bucket of kalkwasser when the lid was not on. He is the only cat to do this, and of course we always stopped him when we saw him, but my bet is he did it a lot more than we saw.
Anyway, the lid has stayed on the kalkwasswer bucket and Ike's urine is normal and no more crystal formation. So, a word of warning to fellow cat owners who also use kalkwasser.
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Eric Borneman
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Group: Forum Members
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Kalkwasser can be scary stuff. My small nightmare with it didn't involve any pets, but myself. Try accidentally busting open a 20lb bag, inhaling it, getting it into your eyes, etc. right as an officer walks up to your garage. Oh, the explanations that arise as you explain your reddened eyes, white dust around the facial area, and obvious nasal symptoms, as well as nearly 10 kilos of a suspicious white powdery substance. Anyway, the stuff can get you in trouble  .
Glad to hear you solved the problem with your cat. It is always good to find an easy fix.
Who says LFS have to be THAT bad?
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/19/2009 7:31:11 PM
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| I'd always felt that it was better to keep kalkwasser covered anyway, to minimize reaction of carbon dioxide with it. I get very little crust on my 5 gallon bucket with lid. Besides, if you leave it open, someone may throw a bunch of cucumbers into it.
Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.
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Group: Forum Members
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| Ah, the Joy of cats - one of my 27 little darlings (don't ask!) likes to drink seawater. So open top tanks are not safe either, as the high magnesium content can also cause urinary problems.
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Good to know, makes sense, and I didn't even flinch at the 27. Eleven here and three strays we had fixed outside. Don't ask.
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Eric Borneman
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/11/2009 9:56:40 PM
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| But... but... it was so delicious!
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