Urinary problems in cats

As a cat owner you are probably aware that urinary stones are a common, and often very painful, condition for cats.

ON THIS PAGE:

The most common stone

Effective struvite stones management i 2 steps

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Other types of stones

Prevention of new calcium oxalate, urate or cystine stones

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Bladder irritation

Bladder irritation without bacteria or stones is very common

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Urination should not be a problem

Urination is a natural part of your cat’s everyday life. It should not cause any problems. Urine is produced in the kidneys, stored in the bladder and runs out of the body through the ”urethra tube”. It carries water, dissolved protein waste and excess minerals.

Why do urinary stones form?

Urinary stones form if there are more waste elements in the urine than can be dissolved. These are typically magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and protein waste products.

The ideal cat food

All cat foods contain minerals, proteins and water. To support a healthy urinary tract your cat food should produce maximum nutrition requirements with a minimum amount of protein and mineral wastes for the urine to excrete.

Choose the right food for your cat and you can support a healthy urinary system. Food can help to dissolve existing urinary stones and reduce the risk of new ones forming. Different types of stones require different nutritional strategies – read more!

Irritation, pain or blockage

Signs and causes of urinary problems vary but symptoms may include:

• Bladder irritation or infection may cause your cat to urinate more often
• Urinary stones can cause irritation, pain or blockage so the cat has trouble urinating, gets ill or changes their behaviour
• They may lick their genitals more than usual
• They may urinate outside the litter box

Cats originated from the deserts of North Africa

They drink little and only produce a small concentrated amount of urine. This means they have a natural disposition to develop bladder stones.