Choosing new food... need help

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I've been on here but I am hoping for some help! I've had my cat Inky for about 3 years now. He's about 5 years old. He has always occasionally urinated out of the cat box on rugs or towels that would be left on the floor. I always assumed it was behavioral because it wasn't consistent and he never had any other signs of uti. We moved to a new house and things were fine until late December when I noticed he had peed on a piece of wood in our basement and it appeared crystalline. I took him in and they said he had some blood and bacteria. We put him on antibiotics and he seemed to do well until he peed on a pair of snow boots and some clean laundry last week. The boots made it easy to see again crystals. Took him in yesterday and the vet said no more uti but lots of crystals. He didn't have urine in his bladder so I had to leave him . I mention this bc I know there are concerns about the significance of crystals when the sample is sent to a lab but I know for a fact that they used a new sample and analyzed it on the spot.

The vet immediately wanted to put him on the Royal Cabin SO and seemed annoyed when I asked about the quality of the ingredients. She said that the grain free movement in cat foods is a bit overblown. I totally disagree but told her I'd try the diet. Bought the 17 cans they had in stock (stupid me) and went home with my kitty.

Get home and guess what... He won't even touch the stuff. He's a very picky eater so I should have known better about buying so much. I'll have to ask about returning it.

Here's my dilemma and the reason I need help. The so diet imho is junk but then I wonder if what I've been feeding him has caused this. I feed my two cats grain free wellness chicken and beef 2x per day and leave TOTW kibble for them To free feed.

Now I'm reading that wilderness has been known to cause crystals? What the heck?! I know he won't even try the SO but I am desperate to find something he will eat that isn't going to cause crystals. I've been to catinfo.org and did a ton of research yesterday and today and I am getting so confused and annoyed. I thought what I was feeding them was good for them. I am willing to try something new but I just don't think any of the rx diets out there are any good. I am also dealing with a cat that's very picky and has eaten the same food since the day I got him.

Please help! Any personal stories that sound like mine would be best. Thank you!!!

Oh I also want to mention that he does also have full access to a drinking fountain and he does use it daily. I know he needs more water, but is it enough to just keep feeding him the same canned food and mixing in more water?

Many cats hate the prescription stuff. I've heard that it's because of the high liver content in many canned prescription foods. You can return the prescription food for a refund.

For urinary issues, any canned food can help. There isn't any particular brand that works "better" than another. It's the high moisture content in canned foods that will keep your cat's urinary system working properly (after all, urine is like 99% water and water is essential for normal body functions). Whatever brand your cat likes is fine and you can add extra water to it. Some cats will eat soup, others will only tolerate a spoonful or two of extra water. Stick with grain-free brands if you can.

I've heard that Wellness can cause urinary issues in some cats. Can you try a different brand for a while to see if that is the culprit for your cat's urinary issues?

Having a water fountain is great It encourages cats to drink more, although some cats may play more with the moving water than actually drinking it.