Finicky Cat Won't Eat Any Canned Prescription Food For UTI

My Cat Mittens had a UTI in December "male cat leaking urine" thread.  He's been on dry Purina UR and is now addicted to it. He will eat about a half can of Fancy Feast Chicken Classic only when I top it with the Purina UR kibble (he used to love Fancy Feast, before he started Purina UR kibble).  I need to get him on a wet only prescription food.  I tried Hill's c/d, and Royal Canin and he absolutely hated it.  I just bought Purina UR canned after reading some kitties preferred this over other prescription wet, but he still wouldn't eat.  So I also purchased some fortiflora and sprinkled a bit and he just licks the food a little. 

Is there anything else I can do to make him eat this Purina UR wet.  Should I phase out the dry Purina UR slowly?  This Purina Kibble has become a major addiction for my guy?   Please need some advice?  I want to turn him back to a wet food kitty again.

I think you should definitely phase out the dry. I cannot fathom what makes vets think these dry foods are any good for sick or healthy pets. The whole "prescription" diet thing is a marketing scam, too.

Corn gluten meal, chicken, poultry by-product meal, brewers rice, oat fiber, wheat gluten, whole grain corn, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), salt, animal liver flavor, phosphoric acid, dried egg product, [supplements].

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Crude Protein (min) 40%
Crude Fat (min - max) 4% -11%
Moisture (max) 12%

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So that's 37% - 44% carbs? I don't even have words.

Dry food contributes to and exacerbates dehydration. Dehydration contributes to and exacerbates bladder and kidney problems. 

A good article on the matter.

I personally would phase out the dry food, by adding a little of the wet food, perhaps on top of the dry food.
Why did your vet say your cat had to stay on prescription food forever; and was his urine cultured and if so what were the results? Sorry if I missed that information in your other thread.
Dry food is, well, drying, so he needs to drink as much water as possible.
Interesting that he doesn't care for Forti-Flora: it is the same chemical sprinkled on dry food.
Ritz was 'addicted' to Fancy Feast Classic Seafood, would not eat any other brand or flavor, and was still hungry after eating 9 oz. So in desperation, I transitioned her to raw food. Loves it, loves all kinds of proteins. I feed her turkey breast when it's on sale; it is high in methonine, all meats contain this natural acidifier. Methonine is the supplement added to Rx foods as is salt (:
Ritz is prone to stress induced UTIs, so food would only be a small--but important--component of making sure she doesn't get another UTI. Lots of exercise and water, another.

Mittens was on antibiotics last December and the Vet had diagnosed him with crystals.  He does like the Forti-flora but still won't eat the Purina UR canned food.  I tried Hills canned c/d and it's not pate-style, (c/d is more like grounded) so he hated that even more.  The Purina UR is pate which is the only texture of canned food he likes. Since starting Purina Prescription dry, he has become addicted to kibble again.  I had him on wellness canned turkey and Fancy Feast seafood and left him for a week with a babysitter, when he started leaking urine and got a uti.  I think now it was the Wellness that caused problem, more than the sitter giving him seafood fancyfeast everday that week.   

I'm still trying to make him eat the Purina wet and it's not working out to well. 

Some cats need to stay on prescription food. Not all prescription food are scams. My cat had urinary blockages even after I fed him an all wet high quality food diet.... His urinalysis stated his urine pH was 8.5.... So back to Royal Canin Urinary SO and he's doing fine!

 His urinalysis stated his urine pH was 8.5.... 

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Molldee, have a read of this site.  Of course I don't know your situation, but just basing 'fine' 'not fine' status on a ph level is not really significant in Urinary Tract Issues - you will get an alkaline reading if you feed high carb foods ('high quality' does not necessarily mean high meat), which is why 'prescription' foods are artificially acidified (but still carb filled).   Meat based meals will acidify urine naturally.  But anyway, this vet can say it better and it is a really interesting read as I find vets didn't really explain things well to me when I had Urinary suspect issues with my cat:  http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth

Trust me I'm not a novice when it comes to his condition. I've been dealing with this for five years and my cat has been through four blockages. I've been researching nutrition every chance I get. And I have thoroughly read that website many times.

By "fine" I meant his urine pH was a normal 6-6.5. Urine pH is important when it comes to crystals. When I was feeding him EVO, Wellness, Nature's Variety Instinct, Dave's, Wild Calling, he still got blocked and his urine pH skyrocketed. Back on the prescription food, he hasn't blocked and has a stable urine pH. I'm not going to take the chance again and feed him all high quality and risk him blocking again...

I don't like reading people putting down prescription food when it could very well save a cats life. Yes, I agree to try an all high quality (meaning high protein, low carb) wet diet first, but prescription food may be needed.

Sorry you are dealing with this. My five year old cat has had two UTI's recently. It is so worrisome and frustrating all at once.

He had been on kibble his whole life. But he is now on an all wet diet with no seafood flavors (fish can cause or worsen UTI's.) One of my dogs had to be on the prescription food for a bit, so I understand that also sometimes different things work for different animals.

As far as him being a kibble addict try mixing his kibble in the wet food for a while at first. Or after he has his prescription food soak his kibble in water to keep his PH levels low. Also water fountains are a great idea because cats drink more from them usually, because cats instincts tell them moving water is fresher than still water.

Good luck!

Molldee,

I agree with you,  because Mittens was on 100% wet food, fancy feast chicken pate and Natural Balance Turkey and Giblets pate, the only difference was I had started him on Wellness canned turkey grain-free.  I fed him around 15 cans of only Wellness.  While,  I went on vacation for a week, the pet sitter ignored my instruction to feed him only Natural Balance Turkey, started giving him Fancy Feast seafood, which I kept as a once a month treat.  At first I though it was the Fancy Feast seafood variety that he ate that week that caused it, but when I came back from the vacation, I started him back on Wellness Turkey canned,  I think it was the Wellness that caused the UTI,

I'm back to feeding Mittens Fancy Feast chicken classic and turkey and giblets mixed with a 2 tsp.  Purina UR wet a day( he refuses to eat this unless it's mixed with fancyfeast). I also give him Purina UR dry a tiny amount as a treat before bedtime.  I noticed he has been drinking a lot more water, since on Purina UR.  I've also started him on cosequin over a month ago.  And also d-mannose powder, 1/4 teaspoon every other day.

Is you cat on royal canin so dry or wet?

Definitely the wet. All wet! He needs as much water as possible, heh. His pee clumps are like softballs!