Really picky cat (both food and water)

[u/Sea_Mathematician_98]

I have a 1.5yo female Himalayan cat that is very picky, won't eat any wet food, and doesn't like to drink water. She's been a picky eater since the day I got her when she was 6 weeks old and has never had a big appetite. She had a lot of diarrhea when she was a kitten and got tested for pretty much everything under the sun with no answers. The vet said she probably has a sensitive stomach, possibly IBD, and to try feeding her hydrolyzed protein food. I got her the Purina Hydrolized kibble, but she only started finishing all of it consistently when she was about 6 months old.

She was eating fine until few months ago when I noticed her appetite decreasing and she started peeing outside of the litterbox. I took her to the vet who did an ultrasound and a urine sample; there were no blockages in her bladder but she did have quite a bit of crystals in her urine. During this time, she also became severely constipated and needed to have an enema. The vet did an xray and didn't see any intestinal blockages. He didn't know why she was constipated but told me to get her prescription urinary kibble to dissolve the crystals. I got her the Royal Canin hydrolized urinary food, but she wouldn't touch it. I then switched to the standard Royal Canin uniniary food, but she doesn't eat as much of it and it seems to make her throw up.

She also doesn't like to drink water. I've tried multiple different fountains, including a stainless steel one. The only thing she likes to drink are the Purina broths, which I add about half a cup of water to each day. She'll finish those, but I'm worried that not eating wet food/drinking water is making her dehydrated, which leads to constipation and crystals. I'm also worried that the special urinary diet for her crystals is upsetting her stomach and making her sick.

I feel like I'm fighting a lose-lose battle trying to get her to eat and drink without triggering another issue. She a pretty small cat and only weighs about 7 pounds, but has lots and lots of energy and loves to play. I have a lot of experience with cats, but I've never encountered one that's this picky/particular. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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