Urinary cat foods
It was a horrible shock for us when Basho howled whilst using his litter tray. There was a little tiny pool of blood stained urine in the tray and he looked so frightened. A rush trip to the vet revealed that his urethra was blocked where an x-ray revealed small stones in his bladder. Basho needed an emergency catheter inserted to allow stones to pass, medication to reduce inflammation and a pain killer. Luckily, because of our £4.00 a month cat insurance, we were able to navigate around a £750 vet’s bill!
What are struvite
crystals
Acidity is key. Struvite crystals are made up of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. The crystals and stones are more likely to develop in alkaline urine. Your vet will be able to advise on foods that have been developed to minimize the risk of your cat forming struvite crystals and becoming ill. These diets were low in magnesium and cats eating them produced an acidic (low pH) urine.
Water water water! One of the causes of struvite crystals in cats is dry commercial pet foods and low interest in drinking water. Due to the lack of moisture in a dry diet, the urine becomes too concentrated, and due to the use of plant-based ingredients in dry kibble, the urine becomes too alkaline. And as we have already mentioned. Acidic urine environment is better for kitty.
What to look out for
Blood in the urine (haematuria) If you use light coloured or white litter its easier to check
Painful urination. – If your cat howls or cries while on the tray this is not a good sign
Straining to urinate. – You might see the tail shuddering indicating straining muscle tension also a sign
Frequent urination.
Genital licking.
Urine spraying.
Please seek attention from a vet if you see any of these signs. A blockage can lead to kidney failure and a very painful slow death.
