Special diets vs. canned, pickiness

[kunoichi9280]

I don't know if this is health or diet so feel free to move if I got it wrong.

Recently Itachi had a UTI/urine crystals and among other treatment the vet prescribed she said he'd need to be on a special diet for cats with urinary issues for the rest of his life. I asked her if until I could afford the food/get access to the food given the current situation I could get by with just feeding wet and she said yes. Has anyone in that situation just stuck with the canned food? When I looked up the price of the special food I almost passed out. One bag is the equivalent cost of a full shopping trip for myself, and that doesn't include if I decided to feed him the canned special food. I'm on a fixed income; I'll do it if I have to, but I must admit to hoping I can get by with canned.

My other question is totally different. I had been feeding Itachi dry food until his UTI. When the vet said to switch I picked up a pack of what I fed him as a younger kitten; Fancy Feast Classic Pate. Well, I learned very quickly he won't eat the poultry and beef flavors, and when I accidentally bough the wrong box and got shredded instead he won't eat that. So all he'll eat is seafood flavored pate or Walmart's brand of "super supper" pate. I now have 30 cans of cat food that I have no use for. Is there any way to get him to eat the shredded? I don't get the pickiness; I could bring home any flavor at all of dry food and he'd eat it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. A lot of members on here will tell you that canned/wet food will suffice in helping avoid UTIs/crystal production as much as, if not more than, any prescription food. I have never done that with Feeby, who had oxalate stones so bad 10 years that she had to have bladder surgery. She has since been on Hill's C/D and Royal Canin SO and thankfully never has had another issue with stone formation. I even only had her on dry food up until about 2-3 years ago when I added both of the aforementioned foods in canned. She has completely converted herself from dry to canned and no longer eats dry at all. For me, these foods worked and I do not know what would have happened had I not fed them to her. However, yes, they are expensive. There is another urinary care food that is non-prescription that is a bit cheaper - Purina Pro and it comes in both canned and dry. Maybe consider that one instead - I would lean toward mostly, if not all, canned food if you can, for the moisture content.

As far as the shredded canned food - Feeby doesn't like anything other than the pates either. I add them to her prescription food to help with taste. The couple of times I accidentally picked up a shredded version, the only way I could get her to eat it was to smash it up into a 'pulp'. If you have a blender, you could try using that too.

And, if any type of dry food will work for him, you might try smashing a few morsels of one of them on top of the FF, to see if that might encourage him to eat different flavors. You could also mix on of the ones he likes with one of the flavors he doesn't care about to see if the combination of flavors would be enough to get him to eat them all.

I am sure other members will come along soon and offer you their opinions/ideas too!!

 

[cataholic07]

For UTI's wet food is the second best (raw is the first but premade is expensive), you want to make sure that there is no fish in it and you are feeding a minimum of 3 or more times a day. That's very important, the more you feed the less alkaline in the bladder. You can try heating up the food, and with canned food usually they get bored if fed the same thing so having different brands/flavors and switching it up is important.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Here is a thread that discusses alternative to the prescription foods: Alternatives to expensive Urinary SO food

 

[Azazel]

I recommend you read this page: Cat Urinary Tract Diseases: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection

 

[MissClouseau]

I will add, small meals throughout the day helps to prevent UTI and to promote a healthy pH range. It's also better for their digestion.

I now have 30 cans of cat food that I have no use for. Is there any way to get him to eat the shredded?

If he likes his dry food, you can try to powder a few kibbles and put it on top of the wet food. Note though, with my Hima for example if she refuses to eat a new wet food there is a good reason for it and if I try to get her eat with tricks she regurgitates. So if possible I would instead recommend getting his favorite food and maybe save the wrong ones for after the pandemic to change them if changing isn't possible for now. Or you can try to sell/exchange online.

 

[maggie101]

I don't know if this is health or diet so feel free to move if I got it wrong.

Recently Itachi had a UTI/urine crystals and among other treatment the vet prescribed she said he'd need to be on a special diet for cats with urinary issues for the rest of his life. I asked her if until I could afford the food/get access to the food given the current situation I could get by with just feeding wet and she said yes. Has anyone in that situation just stuck with the canned food? When I looked up the price of the special food I almost passed out. One bag is the equivalent cost of a full shopping trip for myself, and that doesn't include if I decided to feed him the canned special food. I'm on a fixed income; I'll do it if I have to, but I must admit to hoping I can get by with canned.

My other question is totally different. I had been feeding Itachi dry food until his UTI. When the vet said to switch I picked up a pack of what I fed him as a younger kitten; Fancy Feast Classic Pate. Well, I learned very quickly he won't eat the poultry and beef flavors, and when I accidentally bough the wrong box and got shredded instead he won't eat that. So all he'll eat is seafood flavored pate or Walmart's brand of "super supper" pate. I now have 30 cans of cat food that I have no use for. Is there any way to get him to eat the shredded? I don't get the pickiness; I could bring home any flavor at all of dry food and he'd eat it.

Try grinding the shredded. My cat Coco does not like miko but does other brands. The chicken pieces are big/thick.

 

[kittenmittens84]

Just wanted to add that if you try everything and he just doesn’t like the shredded food, a lot of food banks accept canned cat food (and food banks need all the help they can get right now)