OK...so call me stupid, I feel pretty stupid already

Both of my cats have been on Royal Canin Urinary SO food for about 4 years now. The first year we bought from the vets, then we switched vets, and she kindly told us to find it online cheaper!

So it wasn't until last week, when someone on another forum mentioned urinary food is often no good, and a high quality food does the same thing. So I did some searching, and yes, it seems, that's true! Of course it makes sense but silly me never connected the two.

So I was looking at Burns, and it actually works out MUCH better pricewise, RC is £46 for 6kg, and Burns is £29 for 7.5kg. Obviously a big difference for more food with more meat in it! Burns actually says on their website, suitable as an Alternative to vet diets listed.

I wonder, does anyone know of any others which could be another option? Just weighing up my options before I buy it. Dry food only, they already have a wet food.

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Sorry but I don't like the looks of Burns cat food at all, it appears to be 40%+ rice! Wet food is far better for cats with Urinary problems than any dry food. I'm not really sure which of the quality dry foods are suitable for cats with Urinary problems but I would look for something with a low magnesium and ash content and slightly acidic ph.

I know there are specialist diets for cats with urinary infections which work (dry ones) but those are prescription diets.

If its just a generic Science Plan/Royal canin food not on prescription and you have concerns about urinary infections, I would simply not bother with dry.

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I think it depends if your cat suffers from just UTI's or that they are a crystal former and if it's crystals then I wouldn't like to chance it and change food especially if they have had it for 4 years and that it seem to suit them, as it would depend on the type of crystals they form as to what you need to look out for in food.

Hi - I wouldn't risk taking your cat off the prescription food. I did exactly the same thing earlier this year and switched my cat from Royal Canin to a Purina maintenance diet for the bladder. He lasted all of 8 weeks before I had to take him back to the vets!
I agree the prescription food is ridiculously expensive but it's not worth the risk. As he'd been on it for 18 months I thought he had a fairly healthy bladder & tract but I was proved wrong. He's now back on the diet and I won't chance it again.

Are both of your cats crystal formers? If so, then I would be reluctant to change diet unless it's to another SO one. It might be worth searching the zooplus website. I think in the past they've stocked a german food suitable for this type of crystal.

If they are on the Royal Canin SO diet for other reasons (my girl was put on it temporarily during a bad case of cystitis as nothing was working), then it might be there are cheaper alternatives. If you are unsure, have a chat with the vet. My vet has always said that whatever she would rather see my cats (especially as I have one with urinary problems) on a 100% wet diet as it dilutes the urine and stops in hanging around in the system longer which can cause problems.

No, neither have ever formed crystals, they just had a case of cystitis each, then another case when we moved house (which I believe is quite understandable due to the stress). The vet recommended they stay on it to prevent further bouts of cystitis.

I would prefer my cats to eat wet, but they just don't like it. They will eat cooked meat, and very occasionally they will eat Applaws Chicken, but most of the time, they will go hungry until I provide dry!

So at the moment they get Royal Canin Urinary SO, split between 2 meals, and then at 6pm, they get a bit of cooked chicken or cooked fish.

I have bought Burns Ocean Fish, hopefully they will like it. If it causes them bother, then I will keep it for the dogs Kongs and they can go back on the RC.

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If it is just stress Cystitis then a wet diet is far preferable, my cat is on a maintence dose of Cystaid everyday for UTI's and 2 wet meals with a small amount of dry food at lunchtime but it is a hairball food as she is prone to those otherwise she would be on all wet.

I know, but mine won't eat wet!

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I find a crumbled up thrive treat works well, but I have always fed them wet so it's easy in that respect, could you try them on something junky like Felix or Whiskas and then try and wean them onto better?