Can I switch my overweight cat with crystals off prescription food?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Speedy. If his veterinarian has recommended a prescription diet, then he should stay on one. Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Urinary SO, Hills Veterinary Diet C/D or Purina ProPlan Veterinary Diets U/R are all great choices to help prevent crystals in his urine. I hope this information helps!

The best way to maintain his weight at 12 lbs is to measure his food and count the calories. A typical 12 lb cat should eat about 230 calories total in a day. Look at the calorie content of the food your vet prescribed and feed based on the calories per cup or per can. It is probably fine to switch to urinary care with weight management but you should check with your vet first since it is prescription diet. I would also recommend asking your vet about feeding some canned urinary food as most cats with crystals should be fed canned food, too.

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.

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.

Hello, sorry to hear about Jack. It really depends on what type of crystals your cat has, however, in general feeding canned wet food to increased moisture and water intake is generally recommended over dry food. Any wet food is preferable and it does not have to be specific for urinary stones. Some crystals are more likely to form with acidic urine and some are more likely to form with alkaline urine. However, they both benefit from having more water consumption which can be in the form for canned food. If you're unable to continue to feed the c/d food, then you may discuss transitioning to canned food with your veterinarian as a more feasible alternative. At this time, it is unclear if a urinary diet helps decrease the incidence of crystals. In regards to the nutritional content of the diet, it will be adequate to provide for Jacks' nutritional requirements as all diets are formulated following AAFCO guidelines. Hope this helps and best of luck.

What a cute kitty! Your vet can prescribe a special prescription diet to help manage the crystals in his urine. The one we commonly prescribe is Royal Canin SO diet, but there are several others available as well. These diets help keep the urine pH at an appropriate level and can decrease or eliminate the crystals in the urine.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I politely disagree with your Vet. I do not recommend over the counter urinary diets for cats who have been obstructed. It is a life threatening condition and not to mention expensive issue. I wouldn't risk a non-prescription diet. They are not comparable to the prescription options. I recommend, if your cat will eat it, an all canned food prescription urinary diet like Hill's c/d, Royal canin SO or Purina UR. Increase water intake where ever possible (adding water to the canned food, water fountains, etc). If you decide to go with an over the counter option then go with the lowest ash and do all canned food. I wish you the best!