Hi everyone,

My cat Smudge was rushed for an emergency operation Thursday with a blocked bladder. They have put a catheter in and drained his bladder, they are hopefully taking it out this evening (Fri evening! sorry I am posting so late hubbys dad is in hospital was rushed in too but fell from a ladder so spent evening in a&e! he is still there but I had to come how with our 3 year old son) Its costing a fortune but thats the least of the problems! anyway they said he needs to go on a special diet and that they found a lot of the struvite (sp?) crystals in his bladder. Last year he had to have an op on his teeth and they told us to put him on a dry food as he had a mass of plaque build up (he is 4.5 years old in case that makes a difference).

I have been searching the internet this afternoon to find out whats the best food to offer as I only want the best for him don't really care on the price of food etc but I am really confused, I have read people saying that the Hills variety and ones vets push is pants for nutritional value but I don't know what the best thing to give him is, and I don't know what I am looking for as they all seem to be different with regards to different types of crystals, most info I have strumbled upon is from America and I can't find the foods available here! I know I will def put him back on the wet food as he has always preferred this and now feel awful that we have probably caused this whole thing.

What am I trying to ask for if the cat has struvite crystals a more acidic food? if so what does it have in I should be looking for food wise? can someone please advise me what they use and what they found best? also I live in a hard water area should I be offering bottled water or water thats gone through one of those britax system thingys?

Really what I am in search of is what make of food and what you all would advise me to use as I have a feeling I am going to be pushed into something from the vet that isn't really the best?

Please please help me I am so upset I am going to lose him, hubby isn't happy as they are my cats and he is moaning about the bill etc (he doesnt understand about the cats as he is allergic to them and doesn't have anything to do with them really!), the vet only seems interested in telling me how much the bill is and when I said I can't really afford for it to go over £500 - £600 she started going on about rehoming him to someone who could afford it and maybe thats what I should consider I really am getting worried about whats best, I am so upset about the whole thing, and I apologise for waffling on! its been the week from hell so far!

Thanks Kay xxx