My cat had a urinary blockage years ago. What’s a good non-prescription food for urinary care?

My cat mostly hangs out in the garage and has an indoor-outdoor lifestyle. I’ve been feeding him mostly wet foods like Friskies extra gravy canned meals, but he’s had a history with urinary blockages, a few years back, he had a bad one that needed urgent care. He’s been fine since, and I’ve kept him off the cheap dry foods, giving him the urinary-care foods like Hills or Purina’s veterinary brands. But here’s the problem: I’ve run out of prescription refills, and it’s just too expensive to go through the vet every time to get a bag of the special dry food. I don’t mind spending a little but just want something safe and effective I can buy directly. Does anyone have a good recommendation for an over-the-counter urinary-care dry food? I mostly give him wet food but like having dry food for occasional snacks. Plus, the whole experience of taking him to the vet is super stressful for him (he’s very skittish around anyone else). I’d love to avoid that stress and the high cost if possible. Thanks in advance for any tips!

Honestly, the prescription diets work for a reason, and yes, they’re pricey but they help avoid the risk of another blockage. It’s definitely a choice between paying for the food now or dealing with the cost and stress of an emergency surgery later. Just something to keep in mind.

It really depends on the cat’s needs. Mine had a blockage a few years ago, and while we started with Hills, it was hard to keep up with where I live. Now we use Purina’s over-the-counter urinary health dry food, but only in small amounts, like a late-night snack. His main meals are wet food, with added water for hydration. But keep in mind that every cat is different, so it might be best to chat with your vet before making any changes.

Water intake is crucial, though! Like with humans who have urinary issues, you want to keep their urine as diluted as possible. If you do go with dry food, just make sure they’re getting plenty of water and don’t overdo it on the dry stuff.

I try to manage costs by mixing the prescription food with some of the non-prescription urinary health options, doing about a 50/50 blend. It’s worked well for my cat, and it helps bring down the overall price a bit.

Have you looked on Chewy? They might have better options, and sometimes they have deals on these types of foods.

I’ve been using Purina Pro Plan Urinary for years with my cat, who also had a urinary blockage once. He’s been doing really well on it and hasn’t had any more issues. Might be worth considering if you want an alternative.