Did you see the article on feeding your cat on that site... maybe you don't have to rule out dry kibble. Here's the article...
Feeding Guide (Cat)
Cats are finicky eaters. Our tests show that besides flavor and aroma, texture and shape are very important in determining cat food palatability. Cats first smell their food; if it passes this test, shape then becomes important because it determines the way it feels and breaks apart in the cat's mouth. Fresh water should be available at all times as your cat will drink more water when fed dry food.
Young kittens may be started on Flint River Ranch by mixing with a little warm water. Feed food dry as soon as the kitten's teeth are strong enough to chew hard foods (8 to 10 weeks). Feed kittens about 3 times a day -after six months, twice a day.
Adult cats (1 year) can be fed once or twice a day. This depends upon what keeps your cat happy. Your cat should be looking for food when the next meal is due. Teach them to eat at meal times. The amount your cat eats in 15-20 minutes is about the amount they should be fed at the meal. Adjust the food as you notice an increase or decrease in the animal's weight.
CAT FOOD
The Flint River Ranch cat food is extruded with the addition of a slight "baking" process to give it the crusty texture. Cat food is higher in price because there is more pure meat protein in cat food. Taurine level is not less than 0.1%. pH is below 6.4. Magnesium is less than 0.08%. Ash is less than 4.5%. All important to help prevent Feline Urological Syndrome. We feel that providing distilled or pure water in the cat's water dish is a must if you have a concern for your kitty.
CAT TREATS
While they provide important vitamins and chelated minerals, the Cat and Kitten Treats are not formulated to be a complete and balanced meal. They include an organic compound of Iodine - Ethylane Diamine Dihydriodid. The thyroid gland stores and uses iodine for the pet's growth and development.
TAURINE
Taurine is an essential amino acid necessary for the proper development and ongoing health of the heart and eyes.
FELINE FUS
The cat's urinary system has the vital task of filtering blood to remove the waste products and regulate the balance of water and minerals within the body. Feline Urological Syndrome (FUS) is a condition caused by an accumulation of fine crystals within the bladder and urethra, based upon a substance called struvite, which is a crystalline compound of magnesium. Professionals don't know why some cats develop the problem and others do not, but it is most common in inactive, overweight, neutered cats and many feel that diet does playa major role in causing it. Others feel that unsanitary cat box litter can also cause the development of certain infections.
The inflammation of a cat's bladder lining and urethra or the formation of urinary mineral deposits is not unusual. At one time, it was thought that the ash in the cat's food was responsible for urinary tract trouble. The latest findings show that ash may not cause the problem; it may occur because some cat foods contain excessively high levels of magnesium and tend to encourage the production of an alkaline urine. Considering that both these points, low ash and Magnesium are important in the prevention of FUS, Flint River Ranch diet is formulated with both low ash and low Magnesium (less than 0.095%).
A history of feeding a poor quality food over a long period of time increases the chance of bladder problems. This even includes quality "homemade" foods that are not properly formulated. Cat food should not be left out in the dish - your cat should be looking for food when the next meal is due. Teach them to eat at mealtimes. They can be fed twice a day; the amount eaten in 15-20 minutes is about the amount they should be fed at each meal. Adjust the food as you notice an increase or decrease in the animal's weight. Cats, as carnivores, are meant to eat infrequently and fast in between. It is not unusual for cats to refuse their regular food for several days - looking for a change in taste and texture. If your cat has been eating a certain food for a period of time and all of a sudden stops eating this does not mean the food is bad. Take it away for a few days and you will find that they will switch back. Many cat owners know this and keep at a second type of food on hand. The quality of the water is as important as the food diet. Provide your cat with pure water at all times, without chlorine or fluorine.
Crystals are formed over a long period of time. Changing a cat's diet to Flint River Ranch or to any natural food, does not immediately cause a crystal problem. We have had customers feeding Flint River Ranch food for a couple of weeks and notice a crystal problem. They are concerned that the Flint River Ranch food caused this problem. This cannot be true; it takes months, even years for these crystals to form. Flint River Ranch products are formulated to help the animal body to holistically heal itself. What does happen - the diet starts a cleaning process of moving the waste products out of the cat's system. Vitamins, chelated minerals and nutrients are first digested in the stomach - then absorbed into the blood through the intestinal walls. For this reason, we encourage any diet change to a natural food be made over a period of time, to allow the cleaning process to happen slowly. Cat's love quality food; the pet owner tends to feed the nutritional food in quantities that are too large - causing the cleaning process, the elimination of waste, to sometimes happen too quickly.
Kittens that have grown up on Flint River Ranch diets - from pet owners that introduced the food properly and have fed Flint River Ranch diet for years - never seem to have a major crystal problem. We have a test group of 45 cats of various ages and breeds that have been eating Flint River Ranch Cat food for over 3 years without signs of any problems developing.
Veterinarians know that crystals, along with other health concerns, are often caused by diet. Changing food, along with antibiotics treatment is usually recommended. As improvement is noted, it is presumed the problem must have been the food. This is not always so. Perhaps in truth, the pet owner should continue with a natural diet as the pet's system is now adjusted to a natural food - the system is now mostly clean. We feel that using a food with chemical additives and low quality by-product ingredients will only create a new environment for the waste material and crystal problem to develop again over the years. Please read the ingredients label on pet foods. Be a concerned pet owner.
), but this is definitely one where I think he'd benefit.
Please keep your fingers crossed that this other vet can perform the surgery on Tuesday, and that it goes well. I feel so terrible that our cat is going to ride out the hurricaine away from us, but I know that this is the only way that we can keep him safe health-wise right now 
