# FLUTD cat won't eat wet... should we dare try S/D DRY!?!?



## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi everyone. I've been reading a ton for the past 3 weeks or so since my cat Leo first had FLUTD symptoms. Although I'm a HUGE animal lover, I somehow never knew that dry food was not good for cats.

Leo was diagnosed at the initial vet visit for struvite crystals. Vet gave us C/D and S/O, but I chose to try the good brand canned foods and some Nature's Variety raw first. The transition seemed to be going pretty well, although I was unable to switch Leo off of dry completely. After a few follow-up visits to the vet, he finally blocked. Vet kept Leo over the weekend for fluid therapy and catheter, and he seems much better. He's taking Clavamox, and was now prescribed Hills S/D, wet (vet is not a big fan of raw).

Since I didn't follow the vet's advice on feeding the C/D food to Leo in the first place, I'm afraid to NOT feed S/D just in case he blocks again. He is still straining a bit with small amounts of urine being produced (though less frequent trips to the litter), and vet has recommended perineal urethrostomy if he blocks again.

I have an appointment with a Homeopathic vet at the end of the month who is anti-Hills, huge raw food fan. I'm hoping Leo will make it until then. In the mean time, I've tried some raw (which he really liked before the vet stay), wet, and even S/D, but he isn't really eating ANY of it. He is waiting out for some dry, which I threw out. He was 18lbs before all of this, and now he is 14-15lbs. Vet is recommending S/D dry. I really wanted to avoid all dry, but I am wondering if it is more important that he eats something or eat the right foods? Could someone share their experience with S/D dry fed for a short period of time? Was it effective?

PS. Leo (alpha cat) is being tormented by the female since he's come home from the vet. I try to keep them separated when I'm not home, but this seems to be extremely stressful on Leo. Could this be why he won't try the raw or wet?

I am so stressed out, frustrated, and have wasted so much cat food!!!


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## Pugzley (Mar 11, 2008)

> I really wanted to avoid all dry, but I am wondering if it is more important that he eats something or eat the right foods?


I'm certainly no expert on Science Diet, but from all I've read about cats not eating and what my vet says, it is more important that he eats something right now, rather than worrying about it being optimal. You can worry about the optimal diet when he's back to normal. (Unless whatever it is he will eat, is going to cause him to block again.)

Personally, I'd give him whatever I could get down him, worry about the rest later, especially if it is a dry food the vet recommended for that condition if he'll eat it. 

Having a sick cat is really frustrating, they're so different from people and dogs. Seems like they're harder to treat when they get sick, at least from my experience. My heart goes out to you, I know that frustration well.

I doubt my vet is a fan of raw either, I haven't taken my cat to the vet since he's been on raw, but I can imagine the flogging I'll get if he gets sick and I have to take him in again. They always ask me what my animals are eating when I go in.


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## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks for responding Pugzley.

He is taking bites of some wet for the time being (a little Merrick today, tablespoon or so). If he doesn't eat tomorrow morning, I am seriously considering buying some dry prescription food. I just can't risk another blockage by feeding him high quality dry, as this is what I was doing right before he blocked in the first place. I would like to avoid the surgery if at all possible.

Current vet wants Leo to be on S/D at this point, but Royal S/O dry may be an option as well (short term)? I don't think my vet would approve, but I think Hi Tor may be another candidate? Does anyone know what makes the DRY version of S/D, S/O, C/D different from other dry foods? Anyone have any luck with Hi Tor?

This is all so confusing, as all vets I have consulted thus far are on opposite sides when it comes to prescription food and nutrition. When I spoke to the holistic vet's receptionist in regards to my current situation, she said, "well, the first thing the doctor will tell you is to GET THAT CAT OFF THE PRESCRIPTION FOOD ASAP!"


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## chris10 (Feb 20, 2006)

nowie said:


> GET THAT CAT OFF THE PRESCRIPTION FOOD ASAP!"


That doc is right.

Water is a cats best friend. But they won't be able to drink enough needed for their daily amount. Their body is expecting water to come through the food they eat. Dry kibble is only 10% moisture. Natural prey is 65-75% moisture. Canned food is where you would accomplish this.

I cant say it for sure but its interesting that most cats with UTI/blockages eat exclusively dry food.

Also about dry S/D. Its first ingredient is rice. You can't feed an obligate carnivore high amounts of carbohydrates. Their body is not designed for it.

In my opinion your best bet is to ditch dry food and feed a No or low carbohydrate canned food. Or feed raw.


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## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

chris10 said:


> In my opinion your best bet is to ditch dry food and feed a No or low carbohydrate canned food. Or feed raw.


Thanks Chris. What you say is exactly what I am attempting to accomplish. However, he is refusing to eat no more than bites of ALL wet and raw food at this point. Are you saying it would be better for Leo to not eat rather than eat the dry S/D? I have read the ingredients and am in no way thrilled with the idea of feeding such inappropriate ingredients. However, he was 18lbs, and now down to 14lbs, and he is barely eating, although he does have energy for now.


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## misakitty (Dec 28, 2007)

I would follow the vet's recommendation. Right now the priority is to get him well and eating. I did not follow my vet's recommendation of a renal diet (Hill's K/D) when my last cat was sick and tried to feed it Wellness because I thought the ingredients were better. My cat got sicker and sicker on the Wellness. When I finally listened to the vet, and switched him to the K/D, he stabilized. 

The ingredients in the prescription foods may not look great, but the food is formulated with the exact amounts of nutrients, etc. for certain health conditions. Get him well and stabilized and then worry about the ingredients in his food when he's feeling better.


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## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

Thank you for your advice misakitty. I think I will follow the current vet's advice and just feed him some prescription DRY... sigh. I think he said Hills is stronger than Royal SO, but I think I read someplace that Royal may be a better choice? Does anyone have a recommendation for which prescription DRY food to go with? I will be going to pick some up in a couple of hours.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

misakitty said:


> I did not follow my vet's recommendation of a renal diet (Hill's K/D) when my last cat was sick and tried to feed it Wellness because I thought the ingredients were better. My cat got sicker and sicker on the Wellness. When I finally listened to the vet, and switched him to the K/D, he stabilized.


That's because a cat with renal failure needs a low phosphorus and subsequently a low protein diet. Wellness is a high protein food. Renal failure is one of the few situations where there aren't many choices beyond the prescription food. 

Nowie....I suspect you may be risking hepatic lipidosis if Leo was overweight at 18 lbs. You need to get some food into him somehow. I think I would give him the dry until he stabilizes somewhat, but also supplement with some syringe feeding of wet and water to keep him hydrated. Then start working on the switch to raw or a primarily wet diet. Using the dry with the syringe feeding isn't ideal by any means, but will help keep him more hydrated than on dry alone.


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## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

Thank you doodlebug. I will try some prescription dry for the time being. As for syringe feeding... we tried getting some liquid clavamox into him with the help of my kick boxing husband, with very little success. He was chomping away like he was MAD!

I don't know why he is turning his nose up at the wet foods and raw foods. He smells the wet/raw foods, and then has a facial spasm, as if the smell is absolutely intolerable! The other cat who is actually the picky one has completely transitioned to wet/raw this week. Too bad she's not the one with bladder issues.

I am just really hoping that the Hills S/D dry will not cause another blockage... I mean it is dry food after all, no?


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## sher (May 14, 2008)

Please please please do what the vet recommends.
My cat Jack had a terrible time and after 9 days at the Vets with catheders in and out several times they decided that he needed the operation as all else had failed.
Now 6 years later and following a strict dietary regime of Hills Science Diet R/D AND W/D wet and dry (these two because he is also overweight and they have less fat content) we have not looked back.
The wet food is quite thick so i add water with mine and make it like a gravy this way i know he is getting extra water and sometimes i wet his dry with a little hot water (wait until its not so hot of course to give him) especially in the cooler months as he likes the juice from the biscuits.
The Vets tell us these things for a reason and even the most intelligent of us have to try something different as i did. Not once, oh no i had to do it twice and twice when i broke Jacks diet we ended up back at the Vets.
So please for your cats health and comfort (meaning pain) do as your Vet asks.
Hoping everything works out ok and that i have not offended anyone here, sorry if i have.
Cheers Sher


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## OsnobunnieO (Jun 28, 2004)

the problem with the rx diets is that they are intended to fix the problem, not prevent it from recurring. Feeding crystal diets like s/d for too long of a time can swing the cat the other direction to form oxalate crystals that don't seem to respond at all to diet therapy.

Many members here are had a lot of success with canned or raw and NO DRY FOOD diets with urinary problem cats.

But its not an immediate fix. Just as feeding a few days of the s/d dry won't "cause" the cat to reblock... if its going to happen its going to happen. Long term urinary health is the goal only after the initial crisis is over.


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## chris10 (Feb 20, 2006)

Vets are very smart people. Twenty times smarter than I am (animal wise). But sometimes I think they overlook one of the most important medicines we have, a proper diet. 
Take care


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## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

Thank you to everyone who have posted. It has been helpful to read the different perspectives on this issue. I've decided to ditch the other thread I started since they are both about the same cat.

We took Leo back to the vet last Saturday, and it turns out he has not re-blocked.  Vet recommends NOT withholding his dry Hills S/D in trying to get him to eat canned S/D since he has lost about 4 pounds over the course of 2 weeks. It is very important he eats right now. He is still refusing wet, and not eating much dry either. I must have given him some weird food aversion!?

I want everyone to know that ideally, I would like both Leo and Stella to eat a mix of wet and raw. This is my goal. I, like many people on this forum feel that a high moisture food with cat appropriate ingredients is an integral part of avoiding health problems. Unfortunately, Leo, who took to wet/raw diet in the beginning is now refusing to try any of it, resulting in dramatic weight loss. Poor thing seems really stressed. We struggle with Clavamox twice a day, along with ear cleaning once a day and Betagen Otic twice a day. I think he has just about had enough!

I am looking forward to my appointment with the homeopathic vet at the end of June. I think I would feel more comfortable ditching our current vet's Hills S/D regimen if I had another vet who I could consult with. In the mean time, I am really hoping he does not re-block in order to avoid PU, and the S/D dry will not give him other health problems. Has anyone been successful in feeding wet when the cat literally races away from you full speed when you open a can of wet food?


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## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

I'm a little late to this thread, but thought that I would add my 2 cents. 

I would keep you cat on the prescription food until his ph is normal and there are no crystals (you'll have to do a couple urinalysis trips to the vet). Once that's clear, THEN I'd try to slowly make a change to a food that you are more comfortable feeding. You can keep an eye on his urine during that time as well. Making sure that his ph doesn't get out of wack (that's the technical term, btw).

How much longer are you supposed to give the clavamox? It comes in pill form too...if he'd be easier to pill than syringe.

You might want to try using Cosequin. You just sprinkle it on his food. It's good for bladder health. My FLUTD cat takes it. He actually eats the entire capsule without me opening it...but he's weird.

Good luck!


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## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

Kitty's Mom said:


> You might want to try using Cosequin. You just sprinkle it on his food. It's good for bladder health. My FLUTD cat takes it. He actually eats the entire capsule without me opening it...but he's weird.


Thanks for your advice. I will ask the vet about cosequin.

We still have 7 more doses of Clavamox left. It has been an awful experience thus far trying to medicate him. We have tried both liquid and pill. I even had the vet demonstrate for me with the pill popper, and the vet sure made it look easy! The difference is, he won't hiss when he's at home, so it's just so hard to get him to open his mouth. He just sort of chomps away from side to side. I understand normal Tuna juice is out of the question because of magnesium and phosphorus. How about chicken broth or olive juice? I think just a teaspoon would do the trick. Or how about mixing with a teaspoon of "Before BG Grain" canned food? They have flavors like quail, salmon, and tuna, and it's supposedly 100% of that ingredient. The cans don't list magnesium percentage, so does that mean it is minimal? Is this a bad idea?


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## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

nowie said:


> I understand normal Tuna juice is out of the question because of magnesium and phosphorus.


WHAT??? I've never heard anything bad about tuna juice. Is it just bad for cats with UTIs? I know I've heard to keep the magnesium and phosphorus down for FLUTD cats...I just didn't realize that tuna juice is high in it.

I hope it's okay for a cat without those issues...I give my senior Kitty tuna juice everyday (I mix her hyperthyroid meds in there). Yikes!


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## nowie (Jun 5, 2008)

From what I've read so far, it seems fish in general are high in magnesium and phosphorus. I think some people feel it is safer to avoid fish altogether.


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