Will this food hurt my cat?

Hey everyone, I have a quick question regarding cat food.

Some of you may have noticed by the thread I posted in the "behavior" section that our cat Ross had some problems, which turned out to be bladder related with crystals forming. (http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=127866)

As such the Vet sold us some prescription food which is designed to help dissolve the crystals causing the problems and irritation. Well, turns out Ross is a picky eater, and does not really like eating the new food on demand. We place the bowl down during his designated eating time, and nothing. We started to become worried that if he doesn't start eating this prescription food, he isn't going to get better, and possibly blockage will form. So today we left the food out all day. The good news is when I got home, it was clear that some of the food was consumed.

Here is where our question comes into play. We have another cat, named Monica, they are the same age (siblings actually). Since we left the food out all day, it is possible (likely even) that she had some of this prescription food as well. We are curious as to if this would cause problems with her. From what the Dr. described, this food was just designed to dissolve and crystals that formed from a high-magnesium diet for Ross. Up until now they've been eating the same food so its possible that Monica does have the same crystals forming in her bladder, but because she is female her urinary tract is wider, and thus hasn't caused any problems yet...

Sorry for the long version.....

Brigitte and Aaron

PS: Name of the food is Hills Prescription SD

My first short safe answer is don't let Monica eat that food. If there seems to be no way around it, I would talk to your vet.

The s/d manipulates the urine pH (acidifies) to dissolve the crystals. "Over acidifying" an otherwise healthy cat is something I would avoid.

Different cats react to the same diet differently. They are related, like you said but Monica's pH may be just fine with her regular food.

Do you think Ross ate any of the food?

There are some other brands of wet dissolution food, did the vet offer any options?

One of my cats, Sydney, was diagnosed with crystals in his urine. The vet put him on Royal Canin Waltham Urinary SO. Sydney will not eat canned food so he's on the dry food. The other two cats can also eat this prescription diet as it dissolves the struvite crystals without causing the other crystals to form. The other two cats, Beacon and Desiree, love it and Sydney has grown to like it. When he first started on the diet, I used to put catnip in his food to encourage him.

Your vet may not carry it, but you could get a prescription so that you can get it at another clinic.

By the way Sydney's crystals were gone after a month on the food.

Denise