Can all the cats eat prescription food for 10 days?

[arr]

Hello everyone, I have a question in behalf of my mom’s four cats. One of the cats recently had a bladder situation where she was peeing frequently and only small amounts at a time. She was given pain killers and antibiotics and healed up nicely, is urinating normal again. They also put her on prescription dry food. I will say they only recently acquired this cat from another family member, and we suspect there may have been some neglect whereby the water bowl had gone dry and that might have brought on this bladder situation. Previous to this, all the cats ate the same dry food, twice a day. Now the cats have to be monitored while they eat so they don’t eat each other’s food. The problem is they will be out of town for 10 days and they can only have someone come in once a day. Is it possible for all the cats to eat the prescription food for 10 days or will this be harmful to the other three cats? Or could the food be mixed half and half and all the cats eat this mixture?

If these were my cats I wouldn’t be feeding only dry food in the first place but they aren’t my cats. I’ve talked to them on this subject and nothing is changing anytime soon. Even if they fed some wet, they still need a solution for the dry since someone can only come once a day. I thought of a special collar and feeder/ cat door for the one cat but that wouldn’t keep her out of their food. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thank you very much.

 

[maggie101]

Can you board them or find some one who will come at least twice a day. They will not have enough food. If it has to be dry then add churu tubes or tiki stiks, 90% water

 

[FeebysOwner]

If it were me, I would mix the foods and feed the same to all the cats since no one is much going to be around to monitor them. The worst that could happen is that the prescription dry food is too big of an adjustment for the other cats and causes some stomach distress. But I would consider that a minimal risk, given that I bet your mom did an abrupt food change to the one cat who had the bladder issues, as opposed to a gradual change in food.

Feeding all the cats some wet food, especially if the foods are ones that they have eaten before, won't pose a problem either - even for the 'bladder' cat since the wet food has much more moisture in it and moisture is one of the best things for a cat with bladder issues anyway.

Any chance that your mom can find a second person to come in another time of day, just to check on them and see how things are going? Regardless, I hope whoever is looking after them has the ability to check in with your mom throughout her absence - always a good idea.

 

[arr]

Can you board them or find some one who will come at least twice a day. They will not have enough food. If it has to be dry then add churu tubes or tiki stiks, 90% water

Thank you for your reply. Boarding would be too expensive (for them) for four cats. I’m working on the idea with them to add some wet food. If they could all eat the same food, then I think they would have enough to eat because a large amount of dry could be left out all day.

 

[arr]

If it were me, I would mix the foods and feed the same to all the cats since no one is much going to be around to monitor them. The worst that could happen is that the prescription dry food is too big of an adjustment for the other cats and causes some stomach distress. But I would consider that a minimal risk, given that I bet your mom did an abrupt food change to the one cat who had the bladder issues, as opposed to a gradual change in food.

Feeding all the cats some wet food, especially if the foods are ones that they have eaten before, won't pose a problem either - even for the 'bladder' cat since the wet food has much more moisture in it and moisture is one of the best things for a cat with bladder issues anyway.

Any chance that your mom can find a second person to come in another time of day, just to check on them and see how things are going? Regardless, I hope whoever is looking after them has the ability to check in with your mom throughout her absence - always a good idea.

Thank you. There are some new possibilities that someone may be able to come in twice a day, which would really help this situation! I’m still investigating it. I’m just worried the bladder cat could have a reoccurrence if she eats any regular food, but maybe that cant happen in 10 days?

 

[maggie101]

Thank you. There are some new possibilities that someone may be able to come in twice a day, which would really help this situation! I’m still investigating it. I’m just worried the bladder cat could have a reoccurrence if she eats any regular food, but maybe that cant happen in 10 days?

Since bladder issues can also be from stress, twice a day would be good. Maybe you can find someone who will also keep them company. Leave out smelly clothes. Don't pick up. Leave everything as is. They will be fine

 

[FeebysOwner]

I’m just worried the bladder cat could have a reoccurrence if she eats any regular food, but maybe that cant happen in 10 days?

Odds are the answer would be no - but, then again the only way to know that for sure is to know what caused the issue in the first place, which you don't. Wet food being fed to them all while your mom is gone is a bonus in terms of helping with the bladder issue and to keep them all hydrated. Extra water dishes about the house, emptied and refilled daily, couldn't hurt any!

Twice a day visits would be helpful just to see how they are doing and giving some extra interaction time for them, especially if they are used to receiving attention throughout the day. As mentioned above, leaving some of your mom's worn unwashed clothing, particularly where they are accustomed to spending time, is also helpful so they can smell some 'normalcy'.