SBS Pet in Cat Food: How Much is Enough?

Sodium bisulfate is used in extruded cat food to lower the urine pH of a cat, which helps reduce the risk of urinary tract disease. To be effective, urine pH must reach levels of 6.0 to 6.5.

How much SBS Pet™ is needed to reach those levels?

It depends on the amount of grain in the pet food—higher grain percentage in the diet will lead to higher urine pH in the cat. The general recommended addition rate of SBS in a cat diet for urine acidification is 0.8%. If the formulation contains a higher-than-average concentration of meat, the addition rate would decrease to about 0.5% due to the higher concentration of sulfur containing amino acids. If the pet food formulation contains a higher level of grains, especially corn, the addition rate will need to be closer to 1.0% to be effective. At a 1% addition rate, SBS also improves palatability1 and is well within the tolerance level according to a study conducted at the University of Illinois2.

Remember, these are guidelines

The only way to determine the exact amount of SBS Pet™ required in to a diet to reach target levels is by testing urine pH. For diets using 85% phosphoric acid, SBS can easily be substituted at the rate of 1 kg SBS Pet™ per 1 kg of 85% phosphoric acid.

Want to discuss what SBS Pet™ addition rate would be idea for your diet? Contact us to schedule a call.

¹ Pet Food Solutions Study No 03312-582, Feline Palatability Trail of 1% SBS diet

² Tolerance of SBS® (sodium bisulfate) in Cats, Unique Study Code: SBS/C1/2012