# want to change food...from Royal Canin SO



## grullablue (Feb 29, 2012)

My cats had issues with crystals a few years ago. I listened to the vet and put them on SO. I now have a cat who is insanely constipated....and when he finally goes, they are HUGE! Twice recently he had to go to the vet to get sedated and "dug out." He's on lactulose (2x/day) and Miralax (1x/day). None of these constipation issues occurred before he got on SO. And now, reading about these prescription diets, they do what they say they do, but they are not a good food.

I now have two cats....I've lost cats to diabetes, lymphoma and hepatic lipidosis. And just feel like my luck isn't very good. And am very serious when it comes to a cat not wanting to eat food now....because of the HL.

My cats will NOT eat canned food. I've been trying for years. One eats a small amount, then walks away, the other won't even TOUCH it. I've tried more brands than I can count. So, for now, I want to get them on a QUALITY dry food, non prescription, and then work on the canned. They have a Drinkwell fountain, which they love, and one also loves drinking out of the bathroom sink, which I allow.

I've been looking at Blue Buffalo, Before Grain, Wellness, EVO and Nature's Variety. I decided against Wellness because I read of so many kitties who got struvite crystals while eating it. But I just don't know which way to go....but I at least wanted to go less carb/more protein, but my vet said that too much protein could actually cause crystals. That high protein can release phosphorous and change the PH.

So...basically, I want a better food for them. But don't want to cause crystal formation because of it. I know there's always that risk....


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## Beckie210789 (May 9, 2011)

I wish I could help, but I'm in the same boat you are. A cat who refuses to eat wet food or raw, who has to be on a prescription diet for his struvite crystals. He's on a mix of 50/50 SD urinary tract prescription and wellness with triple cranberry, I want him on better food, but I'm quickly running out of options when it comes to alternative higher quality foods for urinary tract health. I was considering switching to the Royal Canin SO, but now that I see you are having issues, now I can cross that one off the list.


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## grullablue (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Beckie, Maybe we can learn together!

I'm not having any issues with the SO.... I just know nutrion-wise, these prescription diets are not great. I just learned yesterday they have a weight management SO too...if you're interested. If you do a search for Wellness crystals, you may see the same that I did...lots of people reporting their cats got crystals on Wellness. I don't know if it was Wellness per se, but the warnings helped me decide that I will be crossing that one of my list. I picked up some Before Grain canned food yesterday, you think they'd eat it? NO.


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## LadyK (Jan 30, 2012)

Those are all good brands you're considering. I know you said you've tried lots of canned food with no luck, but did you try the low-quality stinky wet foods, too? Some people have luck offering brands like Friskies, Fancy Feast, or Meow Mix to get the cat used to the texture of wet food, and then once they accept the change, then switch them over to wet foods of a higher quality. Might be worth a shot if you haven't tried this yet. 

Also, look into Cosequin for cats supplement to help with the crystals situation. I've read that the capsules help build the lining of the cat's bladder, the same way the supplement helps joints. 

Good luck!


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## grullablue (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks for the cosequin info! Had not heard of that!

I tried several different "cheap" brands, Fancy Feast, Friskies, even the kind that had the chunks and gravy....thinking they might like it. Different flavors, too. Sam won't even take a taste! Taz will, but really, just a taste. Seems, though, I can get Taz to eat more of it if I put it on a spoon and hold it up to him....spoiled kitty! I've tried leaving it room temperature, warming it in the micro, water, no water....leaving it for awhile hoping they'll come back to it....no luck.

I have a friend who's dogs will eat anything if she puts parmesan on it....I swear, I'm ready to try it!


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Do you free feed dry? If yes, when you present the wet food have you taken away the dry for 6-8 hours? If the cat isn't hungry it's very easy for them to snub the wet food. 

And yes...toppers of any sort (e.g. parmesan) are a good way to enhance the wet food in the early going. Basically anything the cat likes...a little bit of crushed kibble, freeze dried chicken dust, crushed treats, cheese...whatever works. Eventually you can cut back the amount.

While I'm not a fan of prescription foods, switching off SO to another dry food is risky. And what works or doesn't work for one cat may be different for another. There are supplements available that adjust the urine pH, but again, risky because you could very easily go in the other direction.

I think your best bet is to continue working on the wet food.


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## Beckie210789 (May 9, 2011)

I haven't tried Friskies, FF, or Meow Mix soft food, but I have tried Authority's canned (because it has no by-products) , and OMG is it ripe smelling. My other cats will eat it, but not my stripey guy with the history of crystals. I can barely stand to be in the apartment when the authority food is open. Especially the turkey. The only reason I haven't tried the other brands is that I have another cat who recently went through a bout of pancreatitis, and after about 4k at the vet's office, the only thing he could come up with was by-products in the food that caused it. So I've always been very wary of using anything with by-products.


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## grullablue (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks for the input! I guess I do free feed.... I give them a set amount every day, and they usually don't finish it all. I saw Nature's Variety has raw patties, and I'd like to try to find something like that and see if they'll eat it. 

I'm using canned food (the Before Grain right now) to get Taz to eat his Miralax every day....and I only put a little chunk of it on a fork, add water, miralax, and mix. It's soupy, with no sign of miralax. They say it doesn't have a taste, and although I've not tried it myself, my son was on it years ago and never knew the difference. So just that small amount, I'm having a hard time getting him to finish it....and if I'm lucky enough for him to finish it....it's only because I basically spoon fed him!

So I have BG chicken now....they don't like chicken perhaps....I'm willing to try another kind, pet store that carries higher quality foods, so I have quite a selection (but this one does not carry Natures Variety, one that I wanted to try). They do have several kinds though.... so I'd like to ultimately get them on canned....


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

OK..so definitely take up the dry food and go to meal feeding 2 or 3 times a day (I prefer 3...breakfast, dinner, bedtime snack). Give them a measured amount of dry, if they don't eat it in, say, 20 minutes...take it up till the next meal time. Once they've learned to eat when food is presented, then introduce the canned instead of dry.

Some cats like pate, other chunks and still others shreds. So try different types. I'm fan of rotating brands and flavors...this way if one is high in one ingredient or low in another, the variation gives you a good balance.


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## grullablue (Feb 29, 2012)

Doodlebug, I like your plan! I feed our dog three meals a day...why not the kitties too? I can get two smaller dishes just for that purpose, and then when they get used to using those bowls, and I try canned, they'll "get it."

Think I ought to stick with the prescription diet? (Royal Canin SO). Or get them going on a new dry food (which will help them eat meals better, I'd think, because they'll like the new food...)


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I would not take them off the SO until you have them eating canned. While the SO ingredients aren't the greatest, it does have the right mineral balance and additives to manage pH and prevent crystals. 

Dry food is doesn't provide a cat with enough moisture, they only drink about 1/2 of what they need and therefore they get dehydrated and their urine becomes concentrated. There are always crystals in the urine, but if there is sufficient moisture in the system they are flushed out. If the urine becomes concentrated the crystals "stick together" and that's what causes problems. Getting your cat on a 100% wet food diet will provide the moisture needed and should be sufficient to prevent issues with crystals in the future. However, that's not always the case, some cats do still have issues. I would also recommend making "soup" out of the canned food by adding extra water to ensure really good hydration.


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