Best Diet Options For Cats With Bladder Stones

Bladder stones, or uroliths, are a common problem in cats, and can cause serious health issues. The condition is caused by a build-up of minerals and other materials in the bladder, which can lead to urinary tract infections and even kidney damage. The good news is that bladder stones can often be treated and prevented through dietary changes. A vet will be able to advise on the best course of treatment, which may include a prescription diet designed to dissolve the stones and prevent them from reoccurring. This usually involves increasing water intake and reducing the amount of certain minerals in the cat's diet. In some cases, surgery may be required to remove the stones.

Struvite stones can be dissolved with a prescription diet or prevented by feeding a cat an exclusively canned food diet

Bladder stones, or uroliths, are a common problem in cats, and struvite stones are the most common type of urolith. These stones are formed by crystals that develop around the minerals in a cat's urine. A cat with bladder stones may present some of the following symptoms:

• Urinating outside the litter box
• Straining to urinate
• Frequent urination but with little urine produced at one time
• Licking around the urinary opening

Male cats are especially at risk, as a stone or sludge can block the urethra, which is a life-threatening emergency. Bladder stones can usually be diagnosed through a urinalysis, X-rays, and an ultrasound.

Struvite stones are the easiest type of bladder stone to treat. They can be dissolved with a prescription diet or prevented by feeding a cat an exclusively canned food diet. This is because canned food has a higher water content than dry food, which prevents dehydration and promotes urine production, helping to flush out the crystals. A prescription diet for struvite stones will typically be higher in calories to help the cat feel full and thereby reduce the amount of mineral-rich feces.

To dissolve struvite stones, a cat's diet should be low in phosphorus and magnesium and promote the formation of acidic urine, with a pH between 6.2 and 6.4. This can be achieved through a prescription diet or a canned food diet. The Minnesota Urolith Center has found that therapeutic foods are 100% effective in dissolving feline struvite uroliths in about one to three weeks.

After switching to a new diet, it is important to monitor the cat's urine a month later to check for struvite crystalluria. If this persists, the struvite-prevention diet may need to be continued.

Calcium oxalate stones must be removed surgically but their return can be prevented through dietary means

Bladder stones, or uroliths, are a common problem in cats. Calcium oxalate stones are one of the three main types of bladder stones, along with struvite and urate stones. While struvite stones are the most common type of bladder stone in cats, calcium oxalate stones have become increasingly prevalent over the last 40 years, now constituting over 40% of bladder stones in cats.

Calcium oxalate bladder stones are composed of a mineral called calcium oxalate. While a small amount of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine can be normal, some cats have very high numbers of these crystals. These crystals can combine into stones within the bladder or other areas of the urinary tract.

Calcium oxalate stones cannot be dissolved through dietary changes and must be removed surgically or through other procedures such as lithotripsy, which involves breaking up the stones with ultrasonic shock waves until they are small enough to pass. However, their return can be prevented through dietary means.

To prevent the recurrence of calcium oxalate stones, it is recommended to avoid foods and supplements that are high in calcium and oxalates. It is also important to promote a urinary pH of higher than 6.2. Prescription diets designed to prevent calcium oxalate stones are lower in calcium and oxalate and maintain a more neutral pH range. By altering the composition of the urine, these diets make it less likely that oxalate stones will develop.

In addition to dietary changes, it is important to increase your cat's water intake. Feeding canned food instead of dry food can help with this, as it has a higher water content. If your cat's urine remains concentrated even on a canned diet, you may need to consider providing running water fountains and flavoured water to encourage increased water consumption.

If dietary changes alone are not effective in preventing the formation of oxalate crystals, your veterinarian may recommend additional medications to further modify the urine. Regular veterinary monitoring is important, as it allows for early detection of any future recurrence of bladder stones.

Urate stones can be dissolved with a combination of a low purine diet and medication

Bladder stones, or uroliths, are a common problem in cats. The most common types of stones are struvite, calcium oxalate, and urate stones. Urate stones are caused by a genetic condition or liver disease, and are made from compounds called purines, which are present in DNA. Purines are found in meat, organs, fish, and seafood.

Urate stones can be dissolved in some cats with a combination of a low purine diet and medication. A low purine diet involves reducing dietary purine levels by feeding your cat food that is not overly high in protein. The protein that is present should be of the highest quality. This type of diet can also help to prevent the recurrence of urate stones.

The goal of a low purine diet is to produce a urinary pH of 6.6 or higher. Urine with a pH of 6.2 to 6.4 is ideal for dissolving struvite stones, but a higher pH is required to dissolve urate stones. A low purine diet will also reduce the amount of purines in your cat's urine, which will help to prevent the formation of new stones.

In addition to dietary changes, medication can be used to help dissolve urate stones. Medication can also be used in combination with diet changes to prevent the recurrence of urate stones in dogs with a genetic condition.

It is important to work with your veterinarian to develop a treatment plan for your cat's bladder stones. They will be able to recommend appropriate dietary changes and medications, and monitor your cat's progress through regular urine testing and imaging.

Prescription diets are not much more expensive than other pet food and can save your pet's life

Bladder stones are a common problem in cats, and they can cause serious health issues. The good news is that prescription diets designed to treat and prevent bladder stones are not much more expensive than other pet food and can save your cat's life.

The three main types of bladder stones are struvite, calcium oxalate, and urate stones. Struvite stones are the most common type in cats and can often be dissolved with a special diet. These prescription diets are formulated to increase the acid content of your cat's urine, which helps to break down the struvite crystals. They also contain lower levels of magnesium and phosphorus than regular cat food, as well as higher caloric density to reduce the amount of minerals excreted in feces.

While struvite stones can often be dissolved with diet alone, calcium oxalate and urate stones usually require surgical removal. However, dietary changes can help prevent their return. For calcium oxalate stones, this means avoiding foods and supplements high in calcium and oxalates. For urate stones, it involves reducing dietary purine levels by limiting protein intake.

In addition to these stone-specific dietary changes, increasing your cat's water intake is crucial for preventing bladder stones. Canned food has a higher water content than dry food, so switching to canned food can help keep your cat hydrated. You can also mix a little extra water into their food to further increase their fluid intake.

Prescription diets designed for bladder stone prevention in cats typically cost only slightly more than regular pet food. For example, a 5.5-ounce can of Hill's Prescription Diet s/d Chicken Flavor Wet Cat Food costs around the same as other premium wet cat foods. This prescription diet is clinically proven to dissolve struvite stones and can be fed intermittently to your cat as needed.

While the initial cost of prescription diets may be slightly higher, the long-term savings in veterinary care can be significant. By preventing bladder stones and reducing the need for costly treatments or surgeries, these diets can save you money and extend your cat's life.

Wet food is preferred to dry food to prevent bladder stones as it increases water intake

Bladder stones, or uroliths, are a common problem in domestic cats. They are solid waste particles that form in a cat's urine and can cause severe damage to the bladder lining, leading to urinary tract infections (UTI) and blood in the urine. The most common type of bladder stone, struvite, is caused by an infection. Other types include calcium oxalate and urate stones, which are caused by metabolic abnormalities, nutrient imbalances, or genetic conditions.

The treatment for bladder stones in cats depends on the type, size, and location of the stone, as well as the cat's medical history. In some cases, bladder stones may dissolve with a prescription diet, while in other cases, surgery may be required. A prescription diet can also be used to prevent the recurrence of bladder stones after surgical removal.

The most important consideration for preventing bladder stones in cats is increasing water intake to dilute the urine. This helps to keep minerals in solution and prevents the formation of stones. Wet food is preferred over dry food as it increases water intake and prevents dehydration, especially in older cats. Canned food is an efficient way to increase water intake and promote urine production. It is recommended to feed canned food only and even mix in some extra water to bring the cat's urine specific gravity to 1.030 or below.

Several commercially available diets are formulated to prevent bladder stones in cats. These diets typically include lower levels of magnesium and phosphorus than regular cat food, which increases the acid content of the urine and helps dissolve struvite stones. Additionally, these diets may be higher in caloric density to help reduce the amount of food consumed and, consequently, the amount of minerals excreted in feces. Higher sodium levels can also be beneficial as they increase urination, aiding in the elimination of crystals and bacteria from the urinary tract.

It is important to note that not all cats may prefer canned food, and it is recommended to transition them gradually from dry to wet food over a week to ten days to avoid stomach upset. The amount of food per feeding should be determined by a veterinarian based on the cat's weight, level of exercise, and temperament. Additionally, periodic veterinary monitoring is necessary while the cat is on a bladder stone diet, as some of these diets have a high salt content and can affect the cat's acid-base balance and renal function if fed for too long.

Frequently asked questions