Healthy male cat urinary prevention — what to feed

It sounds like you've done some reading and now you're wondering whether you should be doing more to protect your cat before any problem starts — which is actually a really sensible place to be. Urinary issues in cats do need to be taken seriously, particularly in males, where a blockage can become life-threatening quickly. Diet is one of the most powerful tools we have, both for prevention and management. A vet check matters most when there's an active problem, but for a healthy cat you're looking to protect, let's figure out the right approach. Can you tell me: is your cat male or female, what symptoms are you seeing if any, has he been to the vet recently, and what are you currently feeding him?

Good news first: you're not dealing with a problem, you're just thinking ahead, and that's exactly the right instinct for a male cat. Somalis aren't especially high-risk for urinary issues compared to some breeds, but male cats as a group are genuinely more vulnerable to blockages because of their narrower urethra, so your concern isn't misplaced. The supermarket wet food is actually doing useful work — moisture in the diet helps dilute urine and reduces crystal formation, which is the main dietary goal here. The dry food is the bit I'd look at more carefully. Can you tell me which dry food it is, roughly how much dry versus wet he's getting each day, and does he drink much water on his own?

That's a really helpful picture. The pattern you're describing — grazing on dry food with limited water intake — is probably the single most common setup that increases urinary risk in male cats over time. It's not an emergency for a healthy cat, but it's worth adjusting now rather than waiting. The low water intake is the key thing: cats evolved as desert animals and don't have a strong thirst drive, so they need moisture to come largely from food. I'd suggest shifting the balance so wet food makes up the majority of his diet, and swapping the dry food to one specifically formulated to support urinary health — it controls the mineral levels that contribute to crystal formation. For that, I'd recommend Royal Canin Urinary Care dry food. It's formulated to produce a urine pH and mineral balance that discourages struvite and calcium oxalate crystals — the two main types — and it's genuinely well-researched. Use it as a smaller complement to more wet food rather than the main event, and consider a cat water fountain too, since many cats drink more from moving water.

Exactly right on the feeding split — aim for roughly 70–80% of calories from wet food and use the dry as a smaller portion or as something to leave out for grazing in reduced quantity. On the Royal Canin question: yes, there is a distinction worth knowing. Royal Canin Urinary Care is their maintenance and prevention product — it's designed for healthy cats where the goal is long-term urinary tract support. Their Urinary S/O range is a veterinary diet, prescription-strength, intended for cats who already have an active urinary condition or have had one. For your cat, Urinary Care is the right one. You don't need the therapeutic version, and you shouldn't use it without a vet's recommendation anyway. Urinary Care is available on Amazon UK without a prescription and is straightforward to order.

For a completely healthy cat with no history of urinary issues, routine urine testing isn't usually necessary — your annual vet check covers the basics. What I would say is: know the warning signs so you can act fast if they appear. Straining in the litter tray, frequent trips with little or no output, crying in the litter box, or blood in the urine all need same-day vet attention in a male cat — don't wait it out. A water fountain is genuinely worth trying if he's a reluctant drinker; the Catit Flower Fountain is inexpensive and popular. But honestly, shifting to more wet food and swapping the dry to Royal Canin Urinary Care puts you in a very solid position. You're doing all the right things by thinking about this early.