Problems with Royal Canin SO Urinary Feline Formula Suddenly after LT use.

Hi everyone. So I posted here back in November 2015 since one of my cats developed FLUTD while eating a raw/orijen dry diet. (http://www.thecatsite.com/t/309730/cat-developed-flutd-while-on-raw#post_3874427)

Since that post, we switched him (the flutd cat) to Royal Canin urinary SO feline wet cat food. We also switched my other cat to Natures Variety Chicken Wet Canned Cat food. In early 2016, my OTHER cat who was on the Natures Variety developed flutd. We put him on the Royal Canin urinary SO too and all was ok.. Just this past week, both cats have gotten very bad loose & smelly stools while on the Royal Canin SO after I opened up a new "batch" of cans.  We continued feeding them it for 4 days hoping it would go away but it just got worse (not to mention really messy/gross here).  I ended up switching to homemade chicken/rice for right now until they get better.

I called Royal Canin and the rep said to return that and try a different batch. But that they have had no reports of a problem with this lot of cans (Would she tell me if they had though?).

I'm hesitant to try and keep them on the Royal canin.. I hate the quality and the ingredients in the food. I've been wanting to take them off it but have been too worried too. This just gives me a push in that direction though.  My reasons to switch are that since both cats are half-brothers from a breeder who I've discovered has been breeding with known ailments in the mom/dad cats - I question if they were just predisposed to FLUTD, vs. it being the actual diet (since their diet was extremely high quality and they still got it).  Also the ingredients are questionable - for both RC & Hills Prescription.  I Anyways - I have done a lot of research and have found Weruva Paw LIckin' chicken cans to be a good low ash/magnesium, high moisture cat food. But I'm just not sure - try royal canin more batches of it or switch from it? The vet made it sound like they need to be on it the rest of their lives... I would love opinions / experiences of anyone please!!

I'd absolutely switch to Weruva if these were my cats. IMO "urinary" food is garbage. It does sound like you might be dealing with a genetic component more than an issue with food quality. Weruva has a lot of low phos foods too. 

In the future you can just give plain chicken temporarily for tummy issues, omit the rice, it's unnecessary and cats can't digest grains so it's not good for them. 

Thank you for the vote of confidence.  I ended up giving them weruva paw lickin chicken this morning. One of my cats is better now.  But the other one still has loose stool as of last night.  He really disliked the homemade food, although he ate it, and he gobbled up the weruva this morning.  So far, so good - he hasn't been in the bathroom yet.  Im hoping the purity of the ingredients will settle ok and not upset his stomach anymore.  It's strange since the cat who is still sick is the one who has an "iron stomach".  He rarely gets sick from new food..ironic that he would get sicker from the food he has been on for 2 years almost.  

When my Charlie had to switch to a kidney diet (I know it's different, but hear me out!) he also got very smelly and loose stools for a few days. Transitioning slowly (over 2 wks) from his old food to the new food resolved the issue. Maybe try that and if it doesn't work talk to your vet and ask about switching brands.

Funny you mentioned this i wonder if the formula has changed my Kabby is not as interested in his caned urinary so either. No upset tummy though. I swear Kabby could eat anything and be unfazed by it though. This is the cat that ate a sock and was unfazed.

@abeyb
Thanks for the reply, What is strange is that this isn't a new food. Both cats have been on it for over a year. I know it's the food too since They don't get table scraps or treats, we don't have flowers/plants, they don't go out. I've tried to figure out if it could be anything else but I don't think so!

That is odd! Royal canin reps said that nothing had changed in the formula when I called. BUT I did notice that instead of the gel texture, the cans are now liquid. Have you noticed that?

Not particularly but maybe it's because Kabby loves his food chilled. Weird cat I know.