Can cats be on two prescription diets?

[madisaid]

My cat has been on the Hills i/d Digestive care for almost her entire life, long history of gastrointestinal issues and that seems to do the trick. Unfortunately, she now has urine crystals and the vet said the typical treatment is the Hills c/d Urinary care so I'm just wondering, can I mix these two? Or does she strictly have to heat the c/d in order to fix the crystal problem? The vet is concerned that putting her on the c/d will bring back the diarrhea and just create another problem.

 

[susanm9006]

I would follow whatever food the vet recommends she be on. Perhaps if the diarrhea returns there is a medication he can prescribe.

 

[maggie101]

I agree with susanm9006 to talk to your vet first. From what I've read it is not good to mix prescription foods especially if she has crystals

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. What issues are the crystals presenting to her at this time? The answer to that question may have bearing on how you should move forward.

If your cat is eating the Hill's I/D dry food, you might want to consider the canned version. That unto itself would go a long way in helping with crystals due to the extra moisture - which is what helps flush out the bladder better than dry. If you are concerned about that change, compare the ingredients in the dry vs. the canned and see how different they are. Extra sources of water, such as adding more water dishes in your home, perhaps even a water fountain - whatever it will take to entice her to drink more.

Of course, ask your vet about mixing the two prescription foods, but any way you go, it should be canned food not dry. You might have to add a bit of canned I/D to her diet to start with and see if you can gradually wean her from the dry food - or, at a minimum try to see if she will eat the dry when water is added to it. Moisture is the big factor as the more her bladder is flushed out the less chance for crystals to become a big issue.

 

[LTS3]

What kind of gastrointestinal issue does your cat have? Ingredients commonly found in cat food can cause all sorts of tummy issues in sensitive cats. Figuring out the exact ingredients can be a process. Chicken, grains, gums, other fillers, etc are common culprits. A limited ingredient bland-ish type diet is one place to start and it often helps such sensitive cats. There are commercially available brands you can buy.

If you try that, go with a canned food only diet which will help the urinary issues. Well diluted urine is less prone to developing crystals and other things.

It's perfectly ok to feed something other than what the vet suggests / recommends. Many vets don't have a clue about nutrition and prescribe special diets as a cure all for every ailment.

Have you tried probiotics? That helps maintain the good bacteria in the digestive tract. There is a another supplement that is often used to help with diarrhea issues in conjunction with probiotics. It's called S. boulardii. There's some info here: Prebiotics & Probiotics for Cats: Healing Inflammation and gut dysbiosis