Oh, I hate to hear this. My own cat had a similar problem but it was caught before it got too advanced. It's hard to catch things like this because more often than not we don't know anything is wrong until it's really far along. Apparently this is not uncommon in male cats - Tigger had crystals, too.

Since Tigger has had this problem I've been feeding him Royal Canon Urinary SO dry cat food and that has solved the problem. You have to have a prescription for it - and your vet will tell you if it's appropriate for your cat - but it has been a blessing for me. It's expensive - $20 for a 5# bag - but it's worth it if it keeps him from suffering through this again. I can pay a little more now or a LOT more later in vet bills. Ask your vet about it!

I'm praying for Benton - I'm sure he'll be just as good as new before you know it. Please keep us updated on his progress.