unsure if raw diet is right

[evaunitross]

My cat is on the Hills CD prescription food for urinary crystals because he had a blockage a few years back. He suffers from chronic constipation and I think his prescription food is the culprit. Would the RAW diet be a reasonable thing to try? I'm getting increasingly desperate about this

 

[ritz]

Welcome to The Cat Site.
Quick question first: is he on the dry or wet form of Hills CD prescription food? And did your vet say your cat would have to be on it forever? If on the dry form, that could contribute to his constipation. Dry food is well, drying: cats have a drink a lot of water to make sure they are hydrated enough.
In my opinion, raw feeding is certainly worth a try. You could/should start off slow. When fixing dinner that includes meat, I would give your cat a tiny piece of raw meat and see if he even recognizes it as food. You might also go to your local pet store (independent or even national wide stores like Petco/PetSmart) and buy commercial raw food. It will have all the nutrients your cat needs. See if they have turkey flavor--turkey has the highest amount of l-methionin in it. If you read the ingredients in Rx food for crystals or food marketed for "urinary problems", you will see l-methonine as an ingredient. Methionin is a natural acidifier, which is present in varying amounts in all meats.
There are many articles in the Raw & Home Cooked Cat Food forum. Here is one that addresses urinary tract infections which, as you painfully learned, can lead to blockage. Meanwhile, you can research raw feeding and different ways of feeding raw.