Hill's Science Diet Urinary Hairball Control Wet Cat Food - Chicken Flavor - 12x85g - Supports Urinary System & Reduces Hairballs

My two boys (20 months and 10 months) love this food. I am on my second large bag and upgraded after they were having some hairballs, diarrhea and upset stomach issues from their previous food. They are so excited about this food they tore the bag open while I was trying to get it out of the box. Sometimes I mix it with water or wet food to give some extra hydration. The large bag lasts a LONG time and seems to help with their digestion issues. It also makes me feel a little better since it has urinary aid, and male cats can be susceptible to issues with that. I also love the auto ship option. I was running out of food the other day and ordered early and it came in two days. Photo of my cat playing in the chewy box for tax.

One of my four cats was near death because he had a significant liver issue with much jaundice and almost non-functioning kidneys. I have another cat in the household that had urinary surgery seven years ago and must eat a urinary diet; they had prescribed CD but kidney cat was vomiting every time he ate and refused to eat kidney diet. I was at my wits end with trying to keep the two cats healthy and had bought just about every brand at the store but kidney cat refused to eat or drink. I did two things....I found some green treats online that he would eat and gave them to him like food as if he didn't start eating he would need a feeding tube. He would not drink water from a bowl but only from bathtub running water so I bought a fountain and low and behold he drank ... MoreOne of my four cats was near death because he had a significant liver issue with much jaundice and almost non-functioning kidneys. I have another cat in the household that had urinary surgery seven years ago and must eat a urinary diet; they had prescribed CD but kidney cat was vomiting every time he ate and refused to eat kidney diet. I was at my wits end with trying to keep the two cats healthy and had bought just about every brand at the store but kidney cat refused to eat or drink. I did two things....I found some green treats online that he would eat and gave them to him like food as if he didn't start eating he would need a feeding tube. He would not drink water from a bowl but only from bathtub running water so I bought a fountain and low and behold he drank from it. He still was so weak that he couldn't jump and had problems walking; after three vets had suggested he might need to call it quits I was pretty discouraged and considering the possibility that it was time for him to be out of misery but I just wasn't ready to give up on him until I had exhausted all the options. Then I came upon this food (which is not recommended for "kidney" cats) and he ate a few bites! I was thrilled and vet determined that urinary cat could eat this so I started feeding all of my cats this food and so far so good. Kidney cat is still not up to his perfect weight but he has lost his jaundice and he plays and jumps like he did before he was sick. Not sure about quantity of life with his problem but quality is definitely back and we're hoping that this keeps him around and feeling good for as long as possible. I am not saying that any food will cure a problem like his but I am encouraging anyone who is in a dire situation with an animal to consider some possibilities that are beyond the usual if the usual is not working.

Once a cat has developed urinary crystals the safest thing to do is to feed a diet specially formulated to reduce magnesium. Your options are pretty much limited to the biggest companies who offer these specialized formulas either as exorbitantly expensive "presecription" diets or "over the counter" versions like this one that are more more less the same thing. Of course the more wet food you can get into any cat the better and that's especially true if the urinary tract, bladder or kidneys are at all compromised. But many cats are addicted to dry food and let's face it, it's cheaper and more convenient than feeding exclusively canned.A lot of people look down on products from big companies like Hill's, Purina and Royal Canin because they believe the ingredients are ... MoreOnce a cat has developed urinary crystals the safest thing to do is to feed a diet specially formulated to reduce magnesium. Your options are pretty much limited to the biggest companies who offer these specialized formulas either as exorbitantly expensive "presecription" diets or "over the counter" versions like this one that are more more less the same thing. Of course the more wet food you can get into any cat the better and that's especially true if the urinary tract, bladder or kidneys are at all compromised. But many cats are addicted to dry food and let's face it, it's cheaper and more convenient than feeding exclusively canned.A lot of people look down on products from big companies like Hill's, Purina and Royal Canin because they believe the ingredients are inferior. Be that as it may, one thing the big companies watch very closely are sensible mineral profiles. Some of the brands that purport to include the most meat also provide an excess of certain minerals that will do more harm than good for a cat that has chronic issues. So as long as you can overcome your biases about gluten and grain, a food like this is the safest choice.Now I happen to be a fan of Purina but I feed this to my two cats who have had episodes of urinary crystals. Why? Because for some reason the Purina OTC urinary formulas (dry) are *very* high in calories, over 450 a cup. My indoor cats would gain way too much weight eating them regularly. This SD formula comes in at only 320 calories/cup so I can feed them more without them getting fat. So this is the only dry food they get and for many months now they've been healthy with no recurrence of the urinary problems. I have noticed that they usually drink water immediately after eating it. I suppose SD is deliberately making them thirsty so they get the extra water they need to flush out their system.Frankly, I wish I could go back to feeding a less expensive product but this is a lot cheaper than a visit to the vet and.

All four will eat it.

I have one male cat that seems to have urinary problems because when I feed him regular cat food sometimes when he goes to pee he will meow loudly. At the vet, his urine has always been negative except one time he did have an infection, but that's a different story. When I feed him this, everything is OK with no more meowing when peeing. He seems to like it and is willing to eat it. I was relieved to see that the pellets are somewhat smaller now because I had bought one bag before where the pellets seemed huge and all my cats were reluctant to eat it (I put it outside and the trail cam showed that the raccoons and possums enjoyed it tremendously). Anyway, with this food, the cat who has the problem also seem to be throwing up significantly less hairballs than ... MoreI have one male cat that seems to have urinary problems because when I feed him regular cat food sometimes when he goes to pee he will meow loudly. At the vet, his urine has always been negative except one time he did have an infection, but that's a different story. When I feed him this, everything is OK with no more meowing when peeing. He seems to like it and is willing to eat it. I was relieved to see that the pellets are somewhat smaller now because I had bought one bag before where the pellets seemed huge and all my cats were reluctant to eat it (I put it outside and the trail cam showed that the raccoons and possums enjoyed it tremendously). Anyway, with this food, the cat who has the problem also seem to be throwing up significantly less hairballs than before. The other three cats, who do not have urinary issues, also are willing to eat it, although I give them regular cat food for the most part as they do not have a problem.

Different recipes for my cat

So far is helping my cat to prevent crystals. Make cat short leg dsh tuxedo got crystals in urine I think because his anatomy. Used at the beginning CD diet more strong to acidify for 2-3 weeks then I switched to the current for maintenance past 2 years so far no problem. My cat at times gets tired of the flavor so I have to crunch some cats treats until grinding and the save it in a jar . I usually sprinkle on top of the food to make it more tasty. My cat likes catnip flavored. I also added chicken livers. I bought 1 container half pound of liver steamed with same amount of water for 21 minutes then place it in blender for 5 minutes then save it on glass jars in fridge. My cat loves it and gives lots of hydration so he eats less dry food try to get his belly full ... MoreSo far is helping my cat to prevent crystals. Make cat short leg dsh tuxedo got crystals in urine I think because his anatomy. Used at the beginning CD diet more strong to acidify for 2-3 weeks then I switched to the current for maintenance past 2 years so far no problem. My cat at times gets tired of the flavor so I have to crunch some cats treats until grinding and the save it in a jar . I usually sprinkle on top of the food to make it more tasty. My cat likes catnip flavored. I also added chicken livers. I bought 1 container half pound of liver steamed with same amount of water for 21 minutes then place it in blender for 5 minutes then save it on glass jars in fridge. My cat loves it and gives lots of hydration so he eats less dry food try to get his belly full of liquids so can eat less dry food. Limiting his dry food to 35,% of the diet is my goal. Also tuna in water works well, can also steam tilapia and removed bones can give it more meat, sardine in water also, salmon is his favorite but more expensive, can also consider crock pot for chicken marrow broth takes 24 hrs minimum

Keeps our boy happy!

We adopted a new cat last year, and we already knew we wanted him on a food that makes him less likely to form a urinary blockage. We also noticed he was having a lot of issues with hairballs, so we tried this food out. He loves it! He is always very excited to hear the container open at food times, and he absolutely gobbles it up. I will say, he is NOT picky, so we expected he'd eat it.Since putting him on it, he coughs with a hairball so much less. Maybe a couple times a month now, as compared to several times a week. His coat has also TRANSFORMED. His foster mom had him on regular Purina dry food from the pet store. His coat since starting this food has gotten SO soft and shiny, and much easier to brush. His fur before feels almost coarse in comparison. We ... MoreWe adopted a new cat last year, and we already knew we wanted him on a food that makes him less likely to form a urinary blockage. We also noticed he was having a lot of issues with hairballs, so we tried this food out. He loves it! He is always very excited to hear the container open at food times, and he absolutely gobbles it up. I will say, he is NOT picky, so we expected he'd eat it.Since putting him on it, he coughs with a hairball so much less. Maybe a couple times a month now, as compared to several times a week. His coat has also TRANSFORMED. His foster mom had him on regular Purina dry food from the pet store. His coat since starting this food has gotten SO soft and shiny, and much easier to brush. His fur before feels almost coarse in comparison. We haven't had any urinary problems yet, but there's no way of knowing if he would have had issues without the food. We use it more as a proactive measure.Overall, he loves the food, and so do we (:

Not appetizing to my cat.

No fault with Chewy. The food is the issue.I got it for one of my cats who has digestive issues. He used to eat Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Fiber diet, and it was great. His vet keeps changing his diet for very small issues, and that I think may be becoming an issue. His vet yet again changed his diet to a prescription urinary diet, and he doesn't seem to be any better with it. His previous fiber diet helped him a lot, especially his digestion and constipation.Too much change can stress out cats. Thinking about changing his vet, her clinic is very closeby so we have been going there. Not sure why the doctor thought about changing something that was working. I spoke to another doctor, and she said we should just stick to his previous Royal Canin GI fiber diet and ... MoreNo fault with Chewy. The food is the issue.I got it for one of my cats who has digestive issues. He used to eat Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Fiber diet, and it was great. His vet keeps changing his diet for very small issues, and that I think may be becoming an issue. His vet yet again changed his diet to a prescription urinary diet, and he doesn't seem to be any better with it. His previous fiber diet helped him a lot, especially his digestion and constipation.Too much change can stress out cats. Thinking about changing his vet, her clinic is very closeby so we have been going there. Not sure why the doctor thought about changing something that was working. I spoke to another doctor, and she said we should just stick to his previous Royal Canin GI fiber diet and not change it. Lesson: don't fix it, if it ain't broke.He used to be a stray cat before we adopted him and likes most kinds of food he can find (probably what caused his stomach issues in the first place).Anyway, he doesn't really like the food and won't eat it much. For a foodie like him, that says a lot.Hill's is a reputable brand for maintaining feline health. But the food needs to formulated better to make it more appetizing. As far as I've seen, cats don't like it as much as other foods (my cats and including some of the stray tnr-ed cats we feed.

Poorly shaped; harder for cats to chew.

My cat that prefers dry food over canned likes this flavor well enough. I switched from the Hairball variety to this one because she's had recurring UTIs over the last couple of years. Unfortunately, the shape (I don't know if this kind has always been shaped this way, as this is the first bag [3.5 lb size] that I've purchased) is harder for her to chew. She's begun eating more canned food, which not only defeats the purpose of choosing this kind, but I'm concerned she's not eating enough in total. My other cat, who occasionally eats dry food, now almost never tries to eat it (she's had chewing difficulty with other foods, but she used to eat dry more often before I got this kind.) I've seen this shape in other varieties that used to be in the easier to chew shapes ... MoreMy cat that prefers dry food over canned likes this flavor well enough. I switched from the Hairball variety to this one because she's had recurring UTIs over the last couple of years. Unfortunately, the shape (I don't know if this kind has always been shaped this way, as this is the first bag [3.5 lb size] that I've purchased) is harder for her to chew. She's begun eating more canned food, which not only defeats the purpose of choosing this kind, but I'm concerned she's not eating enough in total. My other cat, who occasionally eats dry food, now almost never tries to eat it (she's had chewing difficulty with other foods, but she used to eat dry more often before I got this kind.) I've seen this shape in other varieties that used to be in the easier to chew shapes as well. The flattened, oval-shaped pieces are much better. Please change the shape to something more suitable for cats. Next time they need dry food, I will purchase something else. If that means something other than Science Diet, so be it. I've been buying Hill's Science Diet for my cats -- these two and my previous ones-- for over 20 years, but I will change brands if necessary.

They LOVE it - I'm surprised

1 kitty has urinary issues, 1 has digestive disorders and URD (Upper Respiratory Disease and herpes. Both are picky eaters. My Vet, Dr. Wrinkle, suggested this formula. I'm shocked!! They both like it.However, there is a rather large problem. My petite girl, very ill when we adopted her, at 2 only weight 7 lbs. The problem is the size of the kibble - it's huge! Even large for my 12lbs male. Currently, we sit at the table and manually cut each kibble piece into 3. And not only are the pieces quite large, they are inconsistent in size - some easily twice the size. Maybe they had mountain lions in mind...

Very happy owner & healthy cats.

My cat Benny, developed a UTI, so everyone had to switch to a new food. I have community food bowls. So I switched to Science Diet Urinary Hairball Control. Of course, I took him to my vet and he 2 rounds of antibiotics. I keep plenty of fresh water for the cats. The cats have been on the new diet for 3 months. They chew it more because of the larger pieces. First I was a little concerned about the size of the kibble but I have not seen anyone over eat with this diet, so nearly no throw up. It seems to be helping with hairballs too. And their coats are soft and shiny, even Timmy who's hair is more coarse than the others. Little to no hairballs and shinier and softer hair! And Benny has not had a UTI since changing foods (knock on wood). Note, I suspect Benny's UTI ... MoreMy cat Benny, developed a UTI, so everyone had to switch to a new food. I have community food bowls. So I switched to Science Diet Urinary Hairball Control. Of course, I took him to my vet and he 2 rounds of antibiotics. I keep plenty of fresh water for the cats. The cats have been on the new diet for 3 months. They chew it more because of the larger pieces. First I was a little concerned about the size of the kibble but I have not seen anyone over eat with this diet, so nearly no throw up. It seems to be helping with hairballs too. And their coats are soft and shiny, even Timmy who's hair is more coarse than the others. Little to no hairballs and shinier and softer hair! And Benny has not had a UTI since changing foods (knock on wood). Note, I suspect Benny's UTI was caused by the Blank' Farms Brand that I switched to because it sounded good...All I know is after 6-8 weeks on the new food, Benny had a terrible uti. Before the switch to the ...Farms brand, I was feeding my cats Hills Science Chicken Adult 1-6 Years Dry Food and never had any issues. And since returning to Science Diet Adult Urinary Hairball Control Dry Food, I have not had any issues. In fact, I think they are doing better on this new food.