Just Diagnosed Flutd Cat

[js124]

hi my cat just had a blockage and was in the hospital for 5 days
The vet said prescription food for the rest of his life. He gave me hills dry
I am not thrilled with this

Any suggestions of food brands and or treats that would be good

Thanks

 

[Neo_23]

I wouldn't feed prescription for the rest of his life... especially not prescription dry. Again, I never understand why vets recommend dry food for urinary problems.... if I were you I would feed the hills diet until he is recovered from the blockage and then switch your cat to an all wet food diet for the rest of his life.

Here is a helpful resource: Cat Urinary Tract Diseases: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection

 

[js124]

He isn't even eating the food. He won't go near it

 

[Neo_23]

He isn't even eating the food. He won't go near it

Is there a wet version of the food?

If he won't eat the food at all I would give him some wet food and do research online to see what the best approach for his specific case might be (read the catinfo page I linked you to). Or, you can consult with a vet who knows more about nutrition (if there is a holistic or integrative vet close to you they usually know more).

 

[cheeser]

I second Neo_23 's suggestion that you check out the info at catinfo.org.

Our cat wouldn't eat the prescription food, either -- the wet or the dry. So since we were afraid of him developing fatty liver disease like one of our other cats from going so long without eating, we started following some of the dietary recommendations at catinfo.org. We stopped feeding him any dry food (including his beloved Temptations), eliminated any flavor that contained fish as an ingredient, and tried to keep his carb intake as low as possible. Two years later, he's still symptom free.

I started out with this chart, and looked for anything that was 10% carbs or lower. There are a couple of links in the upper left hand corner that you can click to make the info easier to sort.

The vet also recommended Feliway diffusers and some OTC stress relief remedies, since stress can play a role re: FLUTD.

Sometimes cats really need to be on the prescription food until they've recovered from the blockage, so you need to check with your vet about that. But please don't let your cat go too long without eating, because they can develop a condition called fatty liver disease (a.k.a. hepatic lipidosis).

 

[js124]

I am very well aware of what it is. My last sick cat got it and died.

So I'm the meantime I gave him his old wet food because I can't have him starve. He just got home yesterday.

He gets Whole chicken treats. Is there any treat he can have?

I will look at the food chart but quite honestly it's super confusing. I was hoping for some brand suggestions.

 

[LTS3]

For now it would be best to feed whatever the cat will eat. That's important. Treats are ok since one or two a day, or however often you give them, won't cause any harm. The most impportant thing is to get plenty of water into the cat not just to keep the cat hydrated but also to keep the urinary system working optimally. Urine is mostly water afer all and the kidneys need plenty of water to work properly to remove wastes from the blood.

Any canned food is good for a cat with urinary issue. You don't need one that is a urinary formula or anything. There isn't any one brand that is better than another. What are you feeding your cat now?

 

[cheeser]

I will look at the food chart but quite honestly it's super confusing. I was hoping for some brand suggestions.

It depends on your cat's food preferences, and your budget.

It's been awhile since I put my spreadsheet together, so you'll need to double check the labels and the info at catinfo.org to make sure nothing has changed.

If your cat prefers pates, and your budget prefers more budget friendly options, we found three flavors from the Fancy Feast Classics product line: Tender Beef & Chicken, Turkey & Giblets, and Liver & Chicken (which you don't want to feed too often because liver is listed as the first ingredient). The Chicken Feast flavor contains tuna, IIRC. Sheba has some pates as well, e.g., Chicken, Chicken & Liver, and Turkey.

If your cat prefers shredded textures, and you don't mind spending a little more, this is what we used to feed our cat, and he didn't have any more urinary tract symptoms. (He just developed an allergy to chicken.) There was Cats in the Kitchen Fowl Ball and Chicken Frick 'A Zee flavors, Weruva Paw Lickin' Chicken, and Tiki Cat Puka Puka and Koolina Luau flavors. Tiki Cat also has an After Dark product line with lots of flavors, but our cat wasn't too keen on it.

I need to run for a bit, but I'll check my spreadsheet when I get back.

 

[js124]

I bought some tiki cAt soulisic and merrick

Hates all of them especially the ones with the chicken strings like tiki

He ate the ff turkey and giblets


Going have to keep trying