[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Bluecatt

Here is the actual kibble food from my vet:
http://www.hillspet.com/products/pre...eline-dry.html
It's not as hard and crumbly as the usual store-type kibble

Ahh, but it's still kibble, with only around 10% moisture. One of the most important aspects to treating and preventing urinary tract issues is by feeding foods with a water content close to what cats eat in "nature", such as rodents, birds, lizards, etc (typically around 60-80% moisture). Canned foods fit the bill, dry foods do not.

Originally Posted by Bluecatt

and this is the canned food:
http://www.hillspet.com/products/pre...ne-canned.html

The other aspect to treatment/prevention are the ingredients in the food. Carbohydrates promote an alkaline urine, whereas consuming meat protein usually results in an acidic urine (there are unusual situations where a cat is unable to maintain normal ph of 6.0-6.5, but that can be treated without having to resort to crappy prescription diets).

There is nothing magical about urinary tract diets, and in fact their development is rather devious and underhanded. Instead of acknowledging that feeding all of these moisture-depleted starchy dry food diets is the cause of urinary tract issues in cats in the first place and creating something more appropriate for a carnivore, pet food companies take the very same problematic ingredients and throw an acidifier (DL-methionine) into the mix. The acidifier is supposed to counteract the alkalinity of all that corn and rice. Here's an idea: stop feeding corn and rice!!!! But no, that would cut into their profit margin.

Originally Posted by Bluecatt

I am ashamed to say he's been eating Whiskas up until now I know, I know - no need to commence lecture
Sometimes it takes a real crisis for people to "see the light", kwim?

Hey, I was in the exact spot you were and I still didn't see the light (I was feeding Iams kibble at the time). You're lucky in that Smuckers is going to be okay, and you now have a chance to make things right. Way too many cats die from blocked urinary tracts, and mine was blocked so bad he needed a perineal urethrostomy (penis removal). Still continued to feed kibble (this time Science Diet Light, cause it was *supposed* to be better ). It wasn't until my other cat developed diabetes that I finally made the connection between diet and health.

Originally Posted by Bluecatt

My hubby is going by Global today to check out those brands - do you know if they have foods specific for bladder/urinary health?

Nope, there is no need if you stick with meat-based wet food.

Originally Posted by Bluecatt

Just wondering if anyone knows if my vet would take back the $34.00!!!! bag of food that my cat won't eat?

I would assume they'd take back unopened canned food though, don't you think?

Absolutely take it back. Even opened, they're obliged to give you a refund.