two cats, two issues (IBD and urinary), two foods -- losing my mind!

So, I have a 16-year old kitty (Sandman) who thru multiple tests (as a result of gradual weight loss) was diagnosed with IBD. He now eats Hill's I/D and gets monthly B12 injections (following 8 weeks of weekly injections). He's back up to 12 pounds now (and gotten under 11) and seems to be doing great. I have another 10-year old kitty (Pancake) who's been on C/D ever since he was completely blocked several years ago. He had PU surgery and just recently had some crystals. The crystals are gone, but the vet wants him on 75% canned, as his specific gravity is still very high. 

I'm sure many can relate to the difficulty of having two cats on two different prescription foods (now one mostly canned). We also have a 3rd kitty (Velvet), very young with no health issues (he's been eating the C/D). I've tried feeding the Pancake (urinary kitty) the C/D canned but he's just not eating enough of it for a daily diet, and of course lots is getting thrown out. We have to be very careful to keep the I/D food put up, because Pancake is always creeping around trying to get some of that instead of his own C/D food.

Is there a food which would satisfy BOTH their issues, which maybe our vet wouldn't be educated on? Certainly I don't want to risk their health in any way. I was looking at the Nature's Variety Limited Ingredients, but not sure if that would be ok for our urinary kitty. The idea of feeding everyone the same food just sounds REALLY good right now. If the answer here is "no," I will happily take any suggestions to make the feeding of them both, and our third "healthy" kitty much easier!

thanks in advance!!

Summer

Don't rely on the internet - speak to your veterinarian. Royal Canin, Purina, and Rayne may make urinary diets your cat may like better, but you have to speak to your vet. Goodness knows, some of the absolute bunk I read around here, someone could advise you to feed them a diet that will only cause harm.

Yes, I certainly appreciate what you're saying! I just know that many vets don't know much about the "alternative" diets available, such as the Nature's Variety. My best bet may the "timed" feedings, to ensure that all 3 cats are eating what they should be eating. My only concern there is they're all indoor/outdoor, so they may not all be around every time. Crazy that as long as we've been a multiple cat household, this is the first time it's gotten complicated. 

If you have a little time, you would do well to read  http://www.catinfo.org/  on the basics of feline nutrition.  I have never dealt with an IBD kitty so I cannot personally tell you what would be the best diet for him, but I have dealt with a kitty with such severe urinary problems that two vets gave up on her and the no-kill shelter was going to put her to sleep just because she was constantly in misery, but they convinced me to take her for awhile to see if getting her out of the big shelter (and into my smaller one, which is really an overcatted home) could make the difference.  I knew nothing about Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) then either, but I followed lots of threads here on TCS, read articles about research on cats in the wild, and read everything the vet said on this site and applied the principles.  She never had any special "veterinary diet" cat food.  She got Evo 95% Chicken and Turkey, which is free of grains, fruits and vegetables, high in protein fat and moisture, and metabolizes in such a way as to keep her uriinary pH in the same range as a healthy wild cat's is.  When EVO suddenly became temporarily unavailable, I switched her to grain free Abound Turkey & Giblets canned food now with a sprinkle of L-methionine in it. (Abound is available at the Kroger Family of stores - Google that to get a list of which of the 21 stores may be near you.)  It was the only food out there that came very close to being the same ingredients as Evo, nothing more, nothing less.   Even better, it's on sale through March 8th for 50 cents a can, about 1/3 of what Evo cost when I could get it.  There have been no urinary problems of any kind since I got her urinary pH stabilized between 6.0 and 6.5 after the first month (had to get her off her dry food addiction, which is all she had ever eaten) and she has been a completely healthy and happy camper since October after a year and a half of misery.  It just makes sense to feed them food balanced like their food in the wild would be if we want them to stay healthy.  I do think this information should be required reading for every cat owner.  After that, if  you disagree, at least you will be making an educated choice.