diet for older female (12) w/urinary tract issues

[spirit3]

I'm confused w/recommendations of raw diets, certain brands, etc. My cat is a 12 year old spayed female who has ever had a health issue and at this point we'll find out tomorrow if she actually has an infection in her bladder/urinary tract or if it's just the sandy-type crystals causing her terrible discomfort and spasming; tomorrow based on her urine culture I'll be picking up either an antibiotic or antispasmotic. What best results has anyone gotten w/the "raw diet" (and specifics, please!!) vs other brand-name foods. I just want my girl happy and healthy again. Thanks for any help and input anyone has!!  

[spirit3]

Spirit's not a finicky eater-i'm not sure if it's the healthful life or the "nibbler" treat food i've been giving her lately that might be the culprit-the vet asked for new foods in past 90 days or so-also new litter-the litter is the same, but i'm thinking the treats are newish as is the food. i thought the food was higher quality w/meat listed first, and i confess i have no idea what's in the treat.
she's sitting next to me right now watching me type-wish i could take a pic-she's all black dsh. She says thanks too!
Is there a specific "red flag" ingredient I should be watching out for? what the vet actually described was "grit" which i'm not sure is the same as those crystals.

[Tinabudde]

My cats have a condition called gastritus. They have too much acid in their systems which causes urinary problems when it passes out the bladder, and also if it comes up in throat they vomit and dental problems.  Mine have infections frequently and also have crystals.  I was told by the vet low ash, as much moisture as possible in the food, and actually special diet from the vet.  Well they didn't eat the special food, it was boycotted by all.  I tried the raw diet and they vomited like there was no tomorrow.  I have been going to Feel Rite it's a natural food store and buying dry and wet food, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover, it's got more natural meats in it and also cranberry powder.  I also give mine cranberry cream it comes in a tube like the hairball ones do, it seems to work good as no infections in over a year and mine had it every other month.

[opus88]

I will give you an excellent website that talks all about diet, it lists the best 'grain free' commercial cat foods on the market (links on right hand side) the Vet also gives ideas on homemade raw. Dr. Osborne on Medhelp also posted one time last about this, I can try to find that for you too.

www.catinfo.org

One of my boys was diagnosed with crystals about 15 months ago.....he had been on a dry food diet, I tried every avail. commercial CANNED food for him with no success....I must say he is beyond finicky..I didn't know what I was going to do for him, my Vet said unless I could get him eating wet food he would be plagued with this for life and sooner or later would suffer an obstruction.
I read many sites and came across one that gave indepth requirements for making a homemade diet...that too took alot of tries. I started with raw and had NO success but found one for homemade cooked...there again I experimented until I FINALLY found one he would eat than began slowly adding all the necessary supplements one at a time so as not to turn him off (he has the nose of a blood hound).
He has now been eating the cooked pork diet for nearly a year and has had 2 urinalysis's that both came up with NO sign of crystals...so it was well worth it.
the food is a much higher quality no grains, no meat by products, no fillers nor preservatives and cheaper than buying cans. I make a large batch once a month and fill pint sealers than freeze, unthawing one at a time.
the initial investment of all the supplements costs a bit, but they go a long way. I buy human grade with NO SOY or other harmful ingredients...
that is a long topic, if you read all you can and if you are truly interested and perusing this I can give you lots of help.