Is it better for my cat with urinary issues to eat fishy wet food than to not eat it at all?

[curliegirlie777]

My almost 4 year old cat has been having urinary tract issues, in and out of the vet with UTI's and everything. The vet told me she has FLUTD. So in addition to trying to keeep her stress-free, I am having to switch her to a wet food diet to get her more moisture. She definitely doesn't drink as much water as I would like! She has mostly eaten dry food all her life, except for when she was around 6 months old, she used to eat Fancy Feast kitten wet food along with dry (Chicken Soup for the Soul). She had to stop eating it eventually though, because it started making her throw up and have bad diarrhea. I think it was because of the milk in the kitten kind.

But anyways, my issue is that I got her some cans of Tiny Tiger from Chewy, and so far she won't touch the stuff. I avoided the fishy flavors because I have read that is a no-go for cats with urinary issues, but of course those are her favorites. She likes salmon and tuna. She did used to eat all the different flavors of the Fancy Feast, but she definitely preferred the fish. My fear is that I'm not going to be able to get her to eat the non-fish types of wet food. So my question is: is it better for her to eat the fishy wet food than not eat it at all? I'm going to pick up some cans of Fancy Feast (not the kitten!) today of different varieties to see if she will eat those like she used. I've also been looking at other kinds (Tiki Cat, Taste of the Wild, Purina Beyond, etc.) and making a list of ones to try. There's so many options I feel overwhelmed, but I just don't know if it's OK to open it up to fish flavors as well.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ Ask your veterinarian to teach you how to administer subcutaneous Ringer's lactate solution.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Could you try getting the Fancy Feast, and mix a tablespoon or two in with a generous portion of the fishy flavored stuff, and gradually lean more towards offering less and less of the fish flavored food as she accepts this new food?
I'm not sure if bonita flakes would work, they're fishy and cats love them. She might take to the non-fish flavored food more with these. They're easy to sprinkle on or mix into food as I hear but we haven't tried them ourselves.
If she doesn't drink as much as you'd like, you could try getting her a fountain (they range from very simple and inexpensive to very elaborate). Most cats tend to drink more from a running water source than a plain bowl. You might try using something like a brita pitcher, too, for her (and your!) water to get some of the metals and things out.
Best of luck to you, it's frustrating when they get set on a certain food and go on a hunger strike.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Along with what 1 bruce 1 said, you might also try adding a spoonful or two of water right into her wet food as you serve it up. I do that to every single meal I dish up. And, BTW, I bought some of that Tiny Tiger and my cats refused it as well.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Along with what 1 bruce 1 said, you might also try adding a spoonful or two of water right into her wet food as you serve it up. I do that to every single meal I dish up. And, BTW, I bought some of that Tiny Tiger and my cats refused it as well.

That's a bummer about tiny tiger, I've heard it's a pretty good option. I wonder if they changed something.
We add water sometimes, too, and sometimes warm up the food by setting it in a container of warm water for 15-30 minutes. Most cats like it better room temp or slightly warmed than cold out of the fridge, so that's another option for curliegirlie777 to keep in mind.

 

[drelocks]

Why no fish food?

Our cat Phil had urinary crystals at age 6, he lived to age 18 eating Friskies Special Diet Urinary Tract wet food, including ocean whitefish, beef, salmon, turkey/giblets - vet approved. I realize they don't make this product line anymore, but I was just wondering why fish flavors are bad for urinary issues. We were never told that and never had issues.

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

My cat loves her tiki cat after dark chicken and lamb. I love that it has lots of broth and real meat I can see.

 

[cheeser]

Why no fish food?

Our cat Phil had urinary crystals at age 6, he lived to age 18 eating Friskies Special Diet Urinary Tract wet food, including ocean whitefish, beef, salmon, turkey/giblets - vet approved. I realize they don't make this product line anymore, but I was just wondering why fish flavors are bad for urinary issues. We were never told that and never had issues.

Some sources say it's because fish can be high in magnesium and phosphorus, which may contribute to urinary tract problems in some cats, such as this article from Little Big Cat: Why Fish is Dangerous for Cats. All I know is that one of our cats had flare ups every three months like clockwork, and hasn't had any further problems since we eliminated fish from his diet a few years ago.