My cat has been diagnosed with idiopathic hypercalcemia. The YA cat food contains DL Methionine and I was told that cats with hypercalcemia should not have have excess DL-Methionine. Is this true?

Are you asking about DL-Methionine because your vet is worried about it over acidifying your cat's urine? The amount used in Young Again Cat Foods balances out the amino acid profile of our food to match the body composition of a juvenile mouse. It is not added for the purpose of acidifying the urine. Because our food is a carnivore, meat-based diet, it will naturally have a pH of about 5.5 and will generally produce a urine pH of 6.5.

A urine pH of 6.5 would not normally cause calcium oxalate crystals or stones to form. We recommend having a current urine pH on your cat. If you have a urine pH greater than 7.0 your cat is more likely to produce struvite crystals. If urine pH falls below 6.0, your cat runs the risk of producing calcium oxalate crystals.

< The food you are currently feeding contains levels of calcium necessary for kitten growth. Once a cat is done growing bone you should switch to YA Mature Health. Most cats are done growing bone by 2 years of age. Giant breeds like the Maine Coon are usually done growing at 4 to 5 years. Our Mature Health is lower in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine and vitamin D3 levels. Most cats that present with high blood calcium levels are back into the normal range within 6 weeks of switching to this food. High D3 levels can force a cat to absorb excess calcium compounding high blood calcium levels. Please let your vet know that a normal urine specific gravity for cats on our food, is typically 1.020-1.025.

Switch your cat to one of our Mature Health foods then have him retested in 4-6 weeks. As for a full blood and urine panel with a urine pH. The lower phosphorus of this food will also benefit the kidneys. If your Vet has questions, please have him contact us.