Wet food for cats with UTIs — vet advice

A Devon Rex with recurrent UTIs and a vet who's already made the hydration case — you're in exactly the right place, and honestly your vet is spot on. Cats are notoriously poor drinkers, and UTIs in cats are strongly linked to concentrated urine from not getting enough fluid. Wet food is the most reliable way to fix that passively, without relying on your cat to drink more from a bowl. Before I point you to something specific: is your cat currently on any prescription urinary food, or has the vet left the choice open to you? And is she eating any dry food at the moment?

Got it — so the vet has given you latitude, which is helpful. The main things to look for with a UTI-prone cat are high moisture content (obviously), low ash and magnesium levels to reduce urinary crystal risk, and high-quality protein without a lot of filler. Devon Rexes can also have sensitive digestion, so simpler ingredient lists tend to work better. What does she currently eat on the wet side — do you know the brand, or is it just whatever's been convenient?

Felix is fine as an occasional option but it's not where I'd anchor a UTI management plan — it's high in cereals and the protein quality is pretty low. For a cat in your situation I'd move her to Applaws Tuna Fillet in Broth as her main wet food. It's 70% tuna, the rest is basically broth, so the moisture content is excellent — exactly what you want for flushing the urinary tract. The ingredient list is genuinely short: tuna, water, a little tapioca. Low ash, no grains, no mystery meat. It comes in small tins which makes portion control easy, and most cats take to it immediately because it smells and tastes like actual fish rather than processed paste. You can find it easily on Amazon UK — the 24-tin multipack works out much cheaper per tin than buying individually.

You don't have to go fully wet if it genuinely doesn't work for your routine, but I'd flip the ratio: make wet food the main event — at least 80% of her diet — and treat dry as a small top-up if needed, not a staple. The key is that she's getting the bulk of her fluid intake through food, because she's clearly not compensating through drinking. If you do keep some dry in the mix, go for a low-magnesium option and keep the portions small. But honestly, for a cat with her UTI history, the closer you get to wet-only, the better the long-term outcome.

A few things that make a real difference: keep her water bowl well away from her food bowl — cats are instinctively put off drinking near where they eat, it's a prey-contamination thing. A wide, shallow ceramic bowl beats a deep plastic one. Some cats drink significantly more from a pet fountain, which is worth trying if she's still reluctant to drink. And keep a rough eye on her litter tray — you want to see good urine output and pale colour, which tells you the hydration is working. Beyond that, the food change is the biggest lever you have, and Applaws Tuna in Broth is a solid, sustainable way to pull it.