My cat won't eat Royal Canin wet urinary food. Is dry safe for both?

Regular food is much less effective in preventing recurrent urinary tract issues in cats which are very prone to repeat episodes - it is impossible to say how sensitive he is and without trying you will not know but there is a chance he could relapse on ordinary canned food. Urinary diets tend to be adjusted to maintain urine pH to prevent crystals and are restricted in minerals and use only high quality protein sources to minimise the risk of urinary tract issues as well as providing an important source of fluids compared to dry food. The very best option in affected cats is urinary canned food but in many cases a high quality, commercial canned food is sufficient - if he relapses on this you will have to source the urinary prescription food as a treatment and prevention

From Royal Canin's website: "This diet is only suitable for healthy adult cats that do not have a urinary issue or a history of urinary problems. This food is not a replacement for a diet prescribed by your veterinarian." If Elbi has already had a urinary problem, I don't recommend considering switching to the urinary care food. Urinary S/O is designed to encourage more drinking, as well as neutralize the pH of the urine - both of those together tend to almost completely eliminate the chances of crystals forming.

It is important that Ike has an increased amount of water in his diet to prevent the reformation of crystals in his urine. I can understand wanting to try to make his feeding regiment more cost effective, but if he doesn't get enough moisture in his diet, then he could develop crystals again. If you want to start adding some dry food to his diet, I would soak it the dry food in water to get more moisture into his diet. You can also try mixing a little bit of dry food in with the wet food.

Hello, sorry to hear about Diamond. Im assuming that he may be having urinary crystals or becoming blocked. If so, it appears that that the urinary Fit 32 is adequate for lower urinary tract problems. If his urinary problems are associated with his kidneys, then this diet may not be adequate. With any lower urinary tract disease, any wet food is better over any dry food. So if you are feeding him the wet version of the Fit32 that is better. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hill's (Science Diet) makes a prescription urinary s/d diet and a c/d diet. If it is SO, then it must a diet made by Royal Canin. Royal Canin S/O diet is OK to feed to all the cats as is Hill's c/d multicare diet. The s/d diet is probably OK if it is only going to be a short term diet.

Hill's non-prescription food is safe, and it's a highly recommend food by vets. There is absolutely no scientific research saying it isn't safe, everything you are reading is anecdotal with no evidence to back it up. It's important that your cat stays on a urinary diet to keep him from getting stones again, so I'd recommend giving him Royal Canin cat urinary SO. It's a high quality food, and he may like eating it. I would have him checked out by a vet about this weight loss, however. In old cats, the weight loss could be due to a medical illness, such as hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes, or even cancer. He could also have teeth problems making it painful for him to eat. He could not be feeling well from those, causing him to not eat, so it may not be the food, it could be an illness. I recommend having a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis to check his teeth and to see how his organs are functioning to determine if there is a medical cause behind this weight loss and anorexia. Should one be found, the vet can treat him for it. I would have him seen by a vet today or tomorrow.

I would strongly advise against this. I would keep him on some form of food labelled for urinary crystal prevention. Urinary blockages can be a fatal emergency. Royal Canin, Hills, and Purina ProPlan are the three foods that use the most science in their nutrition. I have never heard of young again. Any of their foods that are labelled "S/O" are meant to prevent the formation of urinary crystals. Many urinary diets do have an increased caloric amount, and I sympathize that can be a struggle, but it is related to what keeps their urinary tracts healthy. You can try feeding canned food that is watered down to lower some calories. The extra water and hydration is great for the urinary tract as well. Feeding the food out of toys and feeders, instead of bowls in meals, to encourage their working for food and hunting behaviors can also help with their food intake.