A close friend died recently. Her 10yo male was tranferred to the NJ-SPCA per her will and he was doing terrible in a shelter type environment - so I stepped in and picked him up today.
Looking over his medical records, he has a history of struvite blockages. He came home with Purina Urinary Tract Formula dry food and Royal Canin S/O cans which his original vet had prescribed for him. The SPCA was having no luck getting him to eat anything of the prescription foods. They told me he hadn't eaten in a week.
He is alert and friendly, but also overly fat and his coat is dry, dull and shedding. I had the same lackluster response from him offering up the two prescription foods. I tried a little grain-free kibble (not prescription) I had around on him and he ate it right up. I also offered up a selection of four canned foods which he rejected all. I am thinking he is a kibble addict.
It is probably too soon to tell, but I have had six males in the past and never had one with urinary blockages. Is this due to my good care or just my luck of the draw?
I suppose the most important thing after a week of not eating at all is to feed him whatever he wants, but my other two brothers have made the conversion to a commercial raw diet and their coats are immaculate and glossy in comparison. Ideally, if he (a third resident) is to merge into the household - all three will have to eat something similar. Having one cat with a special diet and two on something else just won't work around here.
Do you think if I could gradually convert him to raw that his blockage problems will resolve? He really doesn't seem to want the prescription foods at all.
Looking over his medical records, he has a history of struvite blockages. He came home with Purina Urinary Tract Formula dry food and Royal Canin S/O cans which his original vet had prescribed for him. The SPCA was having no luck getting him to eat anything of the prescription foods. They told me he hadn't eaten in a week.
He is alert and friendly, but also overly fat and his coat is dry, dull and shedding. I had the same lackluster response from him offering up the two prescription foods. I tried a little grain-free kibble (not prescription) I had around on him and he ate it right up. I also offered up a selection of four canned foods which he rejected all. I am thinking he is a kibble addict.
It is probably too soon to tell, but I have had six males in the past and never had one with urinary blockages. Is this due to my good care or just my luck of the draw?
I suppose the most important thing after a week of not eating at all is to feed him whatever he wants, but my other two brothers have made the conversion to a commercial raw diet and their coats are immaculate and glossy in comparison. Ideally, if he (a third resident) is to merge into the household - all three will have to eat something similar. Having one cat with a special diet and two on something else just won't work around here.
Do you think if I could gradually convert him to raw that his blockage problems will resolve? He really doesn't seem to want the prescription foods at all.