Dry Food For Cat With Uti???

[ioana]

My cat has an UTI infection, first and hopefully the last one.
He is on antibiotics and pain meds...his first day on both so he is barely recovering.
My vet also put him on a special food diet because he has some crystals that apparently this food helps break off. He is on Royal Canin Urinary SO dry and wet. He is currently eating more wet, I gave him a bit of dry but he ate it so fast that he throw it up. But when I read the ingredients they are horrible, full of corn and by meal products. He said he wants this food for at least 3 months and then we can change it.
Anyone with experience with this? What do you feed your cat? Is there a better food option?
Thank you in advance.

 

[zagne11]

Better have the wet instead of the dry and put some water in it to increase your cat's water intake. During recovery, it's a must that a cat be hydrated as much as possible and feeding him dry won't help much. Well, unless he doesn't eat pure wet food, that's time you have to mix in some dry. Does he like the wet food?

 

[ioana]

Better have the wet instead of the dry and put some water in it to increase your cat's water intake. During recovery, it's a must that a cat be hydrated as much as possible and feeding him dry won't help much. Well, unless he doesn't eat pure wet food, that's time you have to mix in some dry. Does he like the wet food?

I think he is eating it more because he is hungry, he usually likes wet food but I have to change the flavor often because he gets sick of it. And this special one only comes in 1 flavor. And yes, I also mix water in it and he also drinks water here and there but also, after he eats and drinks he pees more.

 

[zagne11]

That's good. Other cats don't eat prescription food. You could mix up the wet and dry provided he is drinking a lot or you mix in water. If you're worried about the ingredients of Rx food, you could talk to your vet about switching it in the future. But if I were you, I will follow the vet's order for the meantime which is to feed the cat Rx food for three months and see if it is working with him (good progression via urinalysis and other labs). Only then you can decide with your vet if you should switch or not.

 

[ioana]

That's good. Other cats don't eat prescription food. You could mix up the wet and dry provided he is drinking a lot or you mix in water. If you're worried about the ingredients of Rx food, you could talk to your vet about switching it in the future. But if I were you, I will follow the vet's order for the meantime which is to feed the cat Rx food for three months and see if it is working with him (good progression via urinalysis and other labs). Only then you can decide with your vet if you should switch or not.

I will keep him on the food until the vet says he is ok to eat something else but I really wish they could make food that have better ingredients then this, specially when is so expensive too and it's recommended by a vet.

 

[zagne11]

I totally agree!! My male cat, Kasper, is under Rx food as well. But the wet version is so expensive and ask my Vet for an alternative. I suggested adding boiled chicken and its soup to his dry food. The Vet said it's okay for as long as it's not chicken broth from cubes (that it should be literally a boiled chicken broth without preservatives). So far so good. No blood in the urine for two weeks now but he still have straining. Maybe due to excretion of urine crystals..

 

[ioana]

I totally agree!! My male cat, Kasper, is under Rx food as well. But the wet version is so expensive and ask my Vet for an alternative. I suggested adding boiled chicken and its soup to his dry food. The Vet said it's okay for as long as it's not chicken broth from cubes (that it should be literally a boiled chicken broth without preservatives). So far so good. No blood in the urine for two weeks now but he still have straining. Maybe due to excretion of urine crystals..

How long does it take for him to stop peeing with blood? This is the second day he pees a lot with blood but first day on antibiotics. I know I should be patient for results but I feel so bad for him

 

[zagne11]

My cat doesn't have UTI but urinary crystals. He's been urinating blood on and off during his 10-day hospitalization. After going home, he had peed blood twice but not that much compared before. Now he's doing okay. Mine got catheterized for 8 days, how about your cat?

 

[ioana]

My cat doesn't have UTI but urinary crystals. He's been urinating blood on and off during his 10-day hospitalization. After going home, he had peed blood twice but not that much compared before. Now he's doing okay. Mine got catheterized for 8 days, how about your cat?

I went with him yesterday and got him home imidiatly, he has an UTI infection and some crystals but no blockage. His vet gave him this food because it can get rid of those crystals. I will see how he will react to this treatment. Hopefully it starts being better by tomorrow, although they said about 3 days of antibiotics to see a difference.

 

[zagne11]

Yes. Just be patient. I've been really frustrated and stressed out because for one month, his urine is still not back as normal as before but I can see improvements though. You might see some drops of blood every now and then if he has crystals. He might be excreting some crystals in his urine causing blood just like with Kasper.

 

[ioana]

Yes. Just be patient. I've been really frustrated and stressed out because for one month, his urine is still not back as normal as before but I can see improvements though. You might see some drops of blood every now and then if he has crystals. He might be excreting some crystals in his urine causing blood just like with Kasper.

Thank you for your messages, I like to hear other people's experience with this since it's the first time I go through.

 

[LTS3]

There may be alternatives to the SO food. See Alternatives to Royal Canin SO

Sometimes a temporarily diet of prescription food is needed before a at can be switched to a commercial canned food diet.

 

[maggiedemi]

The urinary dry food is formulated to get rid of the crystals, I think the minerals that form crystals are usually reduced, like magnesium and phosphorus. The vet will probably let you switch to canned food after a few months when the crystals are dissolved.

 

[ioana]

The urinary dry food is formulated to get rid of the crystals, I think the minerals that form crystals are usually reduced, like magnesium and phosphorus. The vet will probably let you switch to canned food after a few months when the crystals are dissolved.

Yes, the vet said this food will dissolve the crystal and I will be feeding him this until the vet says I can switch...I just wanted to see if there are other choices for when he says I can switch if I want.

 

[zagne11]

I've read one article that says any WET food is better than the best dry food. So for as long as it is wet food, go. If you have the time to cook for your cat though, much better. Or I believe in some places, raw/cooked diet can be bought already. But as for my two other cats, I cook for them. Adding some canned food so they can still get the nutrition they need.

 

[ioana]

I've read one article that says any WET food is better than the best dry food. So for as long as it is wet food, go. If you have the time to cook for your cat though, much better. Or I believe in some places, raw/cooked diet can be bought already. But as for my two other cats, I cook for them. Adding some canned food so they can still get the nutrition they need.

I tried and cooked some chicken for him but his appetite isn't there today so he didn't want any of it.

 

[zagne11]

I feel for you. For the first week after his discharge, I was so stressed with his food intake. But eventually, his appetite would improve. As I always say, just be patient. Feed him food he really want for as long as it is not contraindicated. Then slowly change his diet. It's not easy, I swear. You really have to be the most patient version of yourself.

 

[zagne11]

I feel for you. For the first week after his discharge, I was so stressed with his food intake. But eventually, his appetite would improve. As I always say, just be patient. Feed him food he really want for as long as it is not contraindicated. Then slowly change his diet. It's not easy, I swear. You really have to be the most patient version of yourself.

 

[kashmir64]

I tried and cooked some chicken for him but his appetite isn't there today so he didn't want any of it.

It's probably the antibiotics. He may be a little nauseous from it.