Should I use the food my vet gave me? (Prescription Diet)

When I had my cat at the vets for surgery to get rid of her bladder stones they gave us (well we bought it) Prescription Diet food. They dont seem to like it very much. When I was feeding them Meow Mix they would eat 2 bowl fulls a day, but now they barely eat a dish every 3 days. And it seems now I am finding puke or poop (cant figure it out doesnt smell like kittie poop) on my floors and sofa in the morning. I gave them there regular Meow mix this morning but I dont know what to do.
They vet told me to get the one on a food for her uniary tract, or whatever to keep her from getting bladder stones. I just dont know what to put them on or what is good but I dont want to keep changing there foods.
Please any advice is appriciated!!!

I have two cats, both male and both with urinary problems. They both eat the prescription food from the vet's office for this problem. DON'T feed your cats anything else except what the vet recommends. Believe me, it has helped both my cats, especially my Speedboat. He was weighing in at about 16 lbs. and although he was not fat, the vet said it would help his problem to eat this prescription food. He first ate a prescription diet food and lost five lbs. Now he eats a weight maintenance food from the vet which is still for the urinary problem. He is doing well. My other cat Muffin has been totally blocked twice. He is on the food too and is now doing well.
Please take your vets advice. The food cost more, but it will save you in the long run on your vet bills and also help to keep your cats from suffering with urinary stones and blockages.

The prescription food may be better quality which could be one of the reasons they're eating less

if you think that it doesn't agree with them you can ask the vet about a different brand/formula. i don't know which you are using but several companies make prescription urinary health management diets. (hill's, royal canin, IVD, purina, eukanuba)

You should introduce them to the new food gradually, i.e., by mixing some in with their regular food and increasing the percent of new food a little every day until they are totally on the new food. Some cats are very particular and some get upset tummies from being suddenly switched over to a different food.

If you go back to feeding their old food, the bladder stones may recur, so it's important to feed a prescription diet to prevent stone formation.

However, there are several different brands of prescription foods available, and if one disagrees with your cats' tummies, perhaps another brand will work better for them.

Pet Prescription Diets (click here)

It is normal for them to eat a little less (the prescription diet is usually a more calorie-dense food), but you might want to call your vet & explain about the vomiting, and ask if he or she thinks you ought to try one of the other brands of prescription diets.

We had to experiment a little with Oreo's diet until we found one that worked with his sensitive tummy. He's currently on the Eukanuba urinary diet.

Tuxedo Kitty has a point that if you continue feeding the old food the stones "may" recur, however, in the 1-2 week period you would need to gradually change over to the better food I doubt the stones would build back up to become a problem.

You say they have loose stool and are vomiting. I still think this is all from the sudden change of food. You could ask your vet about the gradual change to the new food.

You have had excellent advice...I would first try the gradual switch (but also let your vet know what you are seeing re the vomitting). Then if despite a gradual switch, they still aren't eating well or have an issue, ask your vet for a different prescription diet, or if you are willing, about using a homecooked diet such as the recipe Hills Foods provides for a reduced mineral/sodium diet (I can give a link to the page listing this recipe).

I do not use a precription food for my fellow with calcium oxalate stones BUT that is because these are not as easily controlled by diet, and in his case, there are other health issues, so my vet and I have a different plan

When my cats were sick and the vet put them on the prescription foods, he said feed it to them and start it now, no mixing with anything else because of the problems the cats had. Hope you can find a solution.

The vet just gave me this big bag of food and said feed it to them. Its Hill's Prescription diet. I just dont know what to do. They love the food they are one and eat it all the time and always leaves there bowls clean. So this new food they dont have to eat as much of? I am so confused, I am tired of cleaning up puke and stuff. I wish I could just find one that they both can eat. My cats weigh 17 lbs a piece and eh didnt tell me to have them lose weight only to put them on this bag of prescription food then change them to a food that is for there urinary part. UGh, what to do?

Originally Posted by Purity

The prescription food may be better quality which could be one of the reasons they're eating less

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Originally Posted by 2BadKitties

The vet just gave me this big bag of food and said feed it to them. Its Hill's Prescription diet. I just dont know what to do. They love the food they are one and eat it all the time and always leaves there bowls clean. So this new food they dont have to eat as much of? I am so confused, I am tired of cleaning up puke and stuff. I wish I could just find one that they both can eat. My cats weigh 17 lbs a piece and eh didnt tell me to have them lose weight only to put them on this bag of prescription food then change them to a food that is for there urinary part. UGh, what to do?

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You call your vet and update them! Ask if there is an alternative you can try to the Hills such as the Royal Canin, get specifics as to what the diagnosis is.

Yes, a better quality food they don't need to eat as much of (just compare the recommended feeding guidelines on the two different brands packaging for a quick comparison - bet the Hills suggests less than the food they were used to).

You are right to be concerned though if they are suddenly dropping weight and vomitting, so...call your vet and see what the other options are.

I will try mixing hte foods first then if somethign doesnt get better in like a week I will call the vet. I ljust feel like a pain inthe butt calling them all thei time...Thanks

Originally Posted by 2BadKitties

I will try mixing hte foods first then if somethign doesnt get better in like a week I will call the vet. I ljust feel like a pain inthe butt calling them all thei time...Thanks

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You're not being a pest to call the vet if the cats are having trouble! That's what the vet is there for.