Will a cat with UTIs & crystals on special diet live a normal life?

I'd check with Lucy's vet, as they will let you know how long she needs to be on it, but it may be beneficial to keep her on it permanently to prevent her from developing further urinary issues. Best of luck.

Stress related (idiopathic type of inflammation) infection and presence of crystals are the most common causes of it. Struvite crystals are very common and usually comes from alkaline urine. Specific diets can be given to acidify urine like s/d by Hill's. I would recommend to have a look at this link to have more informations about FLUTD (feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease): https://www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Purina Friskies is a low/mid grade quality food and I would not be surprised if his crystalluria returns. He really needs a prescription diet such as c/d from Hills or a similar formula from Royal Canin. Your veterinarian should have this food available, or be able to send you to a store to purchase with a prescription. I have also had good luck using Crystal Stone Formula ( a Chinese herbal), but this is a prescription herbal. I would be happy to consult with you about this. I would recommend a prescription diet for at least 6 months prior to trying to wean off of it. If you absolutely CANNOT get a prescription diet, I would focus on a high quality, high protein diet, but NONE will dissolve and prevent crystals as well.

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

Your kitty should be on this food for the rest of her life as the stones will return otherwise. It is expensive food, but surgery is a lot more extensive and struvite crystals are seriously painful. This diet is healthy for your kitty.

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.

In mild cases, any wet food may be sufficient to keep the urine suitably dilute to prevent recurrence but i would recommend 6weeks of the specialist urinary wet food to stabilise and maximise recovery. If symptoms recur then i would recommend urinary food only thereafter