Dave Zanoni
Cat Food for Urinary Health: What Hill’s c/d Gets Right—and What It Misses
A Certified Nutritionist Evaluates the Ingredients, Claims, and the Science Behind Them
📌 Transparency First
This article is for educational purposes only. It does not offer veterinary diagnosis or treatment. The opinions shared reflect my training as a certified feline nutritionist. All ingredients are accurate to the best of my knowledge as of July 2025, based on Hill’s official listings.
I do not represent or speak for Hill’s Pet Nutrition or Colgate-Palmolive. My goal is not to discredit any brand, but to help pet guardians better understand what’s in the bowl—and why it matters.
⚕️ What Is “Prescription” Pet Food?
Despite its clinical packaging, prescription pet food is not a legally defined category in the U.S.:
- ❌ No drugs
- ❌ Not FDA-approved
- ✅ Distributed via veterinarians
Per FDA Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 690.150, these foods are nutritionally formulated—not pharmacologically.
So asking questions isn’t rebellious. It’s responsible.
🔍 What Hill’s c/d Multicare Claims to Do
Hill’s c/d Multicare is formulated to support urinary health and reduce the recurrence of:
- Struvite crystals
- Calcium oxalate stones
- Idiopathic cystitis
To do this, it includes:
| Ingredient | Purpose |
|---|---|
| DL-Methionine | Acidifies urine to lower struvite risk |
| Potassium Citrate | Buffers pH to reduce oxalate formation |
| Calcium Sulfate | Binds calcium to adjust urinary chemistry |
While these ingredients may aid recovery, they do not address core drivers like hydration, stress, or nutrient bioavailability.
📦 Ingredient Snapshot
Source: Hill’s c/d Multicare Stress Dry Formula (July 2025)
Main Ingredients:
Chicken, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Brewers Rice, Chicken Fat, Chicken Meal, Egg Product…
| Category | Assessment |
|---|---|
| ✅ Animal Proteins | Biologically relevant; provide essential amino acids |
| ❌ Grains & Plant Proteins | High in starch; low amino acid density; not ideal for carnivores |
| ⚙️ Functional Additives | Helpful for pH control but not hydration or stress mitigation |
➡️ Estimated carbohydrate level: 35–40% (dry matter basis) ➡️ Typical prey: ~2–5% carbohydrate
💧 Format vs Formula
Cats naturally consume prey containing 70–80% moisture. Dry kibble averages just 10% moisture.
Even with clinical ingredients, feeding kibble to a cat with urinary issues may prolong dehydration—one of the biggest contributors to FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease).
🐟 Available Hill’s c/d Protein Formats
Accurate as of July 2025
| Type | Flavors |
|---|---|
| Dry | Chicken (Standard + Stress Relief) |
| Wet | Chicken, Tuna, Ocean Fish, Vegetable Stew |
If your cat is currently on the dry formula, consider switching to one of the wet variants. This alone can improve hydration and help reduce urinary flare-ups
🧠 Smart Questions for Your Vet
- Is this diet a short-term tool or long-term solution?
- Can wet food achieve similar urinary benefits with better hydration?
- Has Hill’s published peer-reviewed studies validating their 89% recurrence reduction?
- What’s the nutritional plan once symptoms resolve?
These aren’t “Google doctor” questions. They’re guardian-level due diligence.
⚠️ Reminder: It’s Not Medicine. It’s Food.
Hill’s c/d contains no pharmaceuticals. It is a commercial formula—developed by nutritionists, not drugmakers.
In my professional opinion, this diet includes functional ingredients but is built around low-moisture, grain-heavy scaffolding that does not reflect species-appropriate feline nutrition.
That’s not slander. That’s science.
Let’s Talk About the Word “Supports.”
Ever wonder why prescription pet food always says things like “supports urinary health” or “helps manage stress”?
Because they legally can’t say “treats,” “heals,” or “cures.”
So instead, they use soft language that sounds helpful—but means almost nothing.
That word—supports—isn’t regulated like a medical claim. It’s just marketing. It doesn’t require proof. It doesn’t mean the diet reverses anything. And it certainly doesn’t mean it’s the best option for your cat’s health.
And here’s the kicker: this same food—with corn gluten meal, rice, powdered cellulose, and “flavor”—can cost over $110 for a 17.6 lb bag.
That’s not healing. That’s branding.
And most pet parents have no idea.
💡 How to Help Prevent Urinary Issues
Whether your cat is recovering or you’re proactively protecting their health, research supports:
- Feed Moisture-Rich Food – Wet, raw, or gently cooked diets help flush the system
- Choose Animal Proteins – Meat provides taurine, arginine, and methionine
- Minimize Carbs – Excess starch can affect urine concentration and pH
- Reduce Stress – Enrichment, predictability, and affection reduce FIC triggers
- Encourage Movement – Inactivity and obesity are strong risk factors
None of these require a prescription—just access, awareness, and intention.
🐾 Final Thoughts: Prescription ≠ Prevention
Hill’s c/d Multicare may help support pH and reduce crystal recurrence. But it is not hydration. It is not prey mimicry. It is not ideal for long-term feeding without deeper nutritional context.
Your cat deserves more than engineered maintenance. They deserve nourishment.
Hill’s Prescription Diet™ c/d Multicare with Chicken Dry Cat Food is a registered trademark of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive Company. All product names, trademarks, and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. This article is not affiliated with or endorsed by Hill’s Pet Nutrition or Colgate-Palmolive…Or anyone else.
📚 Scientific References & Official Sources
1. FDA Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 690.150 – Labeling and Marketing of Dog and Cat Food Diets Intended to Diagnose, Cure, Mitigate, Treat or Prevent Disease (issued April 2016).
This guidance clarifies that so-called “prescription pet foods” are regulated as food, not drugs under the FD&C Act, and are subject to enforcement discretion—provided they avoid disease treatment claims and are sold under veterinary oversight. FDA
2. Buffington, C.A.T. (2011). Idiopathic cystitis in domestic cats—Beyond the lower urinary tract. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 13(7), 564–572.
A key peer-reviewed study showing that hydration, stress, and environmental enrichment play major roles in feline urinary tract wellness.
3. Case, L.P., Daristotle, L., Hayek, M.G., & Raasch, M.F. (4th ed., 2023). Canine and Feline Nutrition. Elsevier.
Authoritative reference on species-appropriate diets, carbohydrate tolerance in cats, and hydration requirements.
4. Zoran, D.L. (2002). The carnivore connection to nutrition in cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 221(11), 1559–1567.
Defines feline physiology that requires high-moisture, high-protein, low-carb diets due to cats being obligate carnivores.
5. Forrester, S.D., Roudebush, P., & Allen, T.A. (2015). Urinary tract diseases. In Small Animal Clinical Nutrition (5th ed.), Mark Morris Institute.
A widely cited veterinary source emphasizing that holistic urinary management includes hydration support, not just pH modulation.
6. Markwell, P.J., & Buffington, C.A.T. (1994). Diet and feline lower urinary tract disease: A review of the literature. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 30(3), 225–233.
Explores the link between diet composition, moisture status, and FLUTD outcomes.
7. AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). (2023). Official Publication of Nutrient Profiles for Cats and Dogs.
Establishes nutritional standards and ingredient definitions (e.g., limitations on plant fillers and carbohydrate content).