This is a specific conversation about Cat urinary problems — diet and products that help — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Urinary issues in cats need to be taken seriously — particularly in male cats, where a blockage can become life-threatening very quickly, and diet is one of the most powerful tools for both prevention and management. If there's an active problem, a vet visit is the essential first step. That said, I'd love to help you find the right long-term diet. Can you tell me: what symptoms is your cat showing, has he seen a vet about this, and what are you currently feeding him?
He's a 3-year-old male Cornish Rex. The vet has confirmed struvite crystals and recommended a urinary diet, but I'm worried because he's already quite lean — Cornish Rex cats seem to burn through everything. I don't want the urinary food to make him lose even more weight.
inparticular.ai
That's a really valid concern, and it's one that comes up specifically with Cornish Rex owners. They do have noticeably fast metabolisms and tend to run lean naturally. Before I point you in a specific direction — is he eating wet food, dry food, or both right now? And is he a good eater in general, or does he pick at his meals?
He eats both at the moment — wet food twice a day and some dry left out. He's a good eater, not fussy at all. The vet confirmed struvite, not calcium oxalate, if that matters.
inparticular.ai
It absolutely matters — struvite and oxalate crystals need quite different dietary approaches, so it's good you have that confirmed. Given that he's a willing eater with a fast metabolism and confirmed struvite crystals, I'd recommend Royal Canin Urinary S/O in the wet food format as your primary feed. It's specifically formulated to dissolve struvite crystals and create urine conditions that prevent recurrence, and critically, it's not a calorie-restricted food — it's designed for urinary health, not weight loss, which is the key distinction. Because he's already eating wet twice a day and tolerates it well, leaning into the wet format is ideal anyway since the extra moisture intake is one of the best things you can do for urinary health. You can use the Royal Canin Urinary S/O dry as the occasional top-up if you want something to leave out, but make the wet the backbone of his diet. Given his build, I'd monitor his weight monthly for the first couple of months just to confirm he's holding steady, but most Cornish Rex owners find this food keeps condition well.
That makes sense. Is there a reason to choose Royal Canin over Hill's c/d? I've seen that one recommended a lot too.
inparticular.ai
Both are legitimate options for struvite, but for a lean cat where weight maintenance is a concern, Royal Canin Urinary S/O has a slight edge — it's calorie-dense enough to support normal body condition without being watered down nutritionally. Hill's c/d Multicare is also a solid food and does the job for struvite management, but it tends to be positioned slightly more as a maintenance diet for average-build cats. With a Cornish Rex you want to make sure he's getting enough calories alongside the urinary support, and the Royal Canin wet pouches deliver that better in practice. Stick with the Royal Canin S/O wet as your main feed and you should see a good combination of crystal management and weight stability.
Perfect, thank you. I'll order the wet pouches and keep an eye on his weight.
inparticular.ai
That sounds like exactly the right plan. Royal Canin Urinary S/O wet pouches, twice daily as his main meals, and weigh him every few weeks for the first couple of months so you have real data rather than guesswork. If his weight dips at all, you can simply increase portion size slightly — the food itself won't cause the loss. Good luck with him, and it's great that the vet caught and typed the crystals early.