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Cats seem as if they have simple and easy lives, but the truth is they can quickly get stressed and deal with a couple of health issues, including Urinary tract related diseases and conditions.
When our kitties are stressed, they tend to develop feline urinary problems.
For that reason, cat owners need to know all the signs and symptoms that indicate a cat has feline Urinary issues and how to help the cat deal with such conditions.
If the cat is comfortable and healthy, it’s very likely to use the litter box for defecating and urinating.
But if you notice that the cat is exhibiting any unusual behaviors, there’s the likelihood that it’s experiencing feline urinary stress, better known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease.
Table of Contents
Major signs of Feline Urinary stress or FLUTD
- Urinating small amounts of urines at a time
- Prolonged attempts to urinate
- Straining to urinate
- Crying while the cat is urinating
- Excessive licking of the genital area
- She is urinating outside the litter box.
- Blood in the urine
What Causes Urinary Stress in Cats?
Several things participate directly or indirectly to feline urinary stress.
Most of the causes can easily be reverted, but other causes need immediate medical attention to reverse and help the cat recover.
Here are a few major causes of FLUTD.
Urinary Stones
One major possible cause of urinary stress in cats is Urinary stones.
However, emotional changes, environmental changes, or abrupt changes in the cat’s daily routine can increase this condition’s risk.
But urinary stones are a common cause of this condition.
Urinary stones refer to a collection of minerals in the urinary tract.
The veterinarian may either choose X-Rays or Ultrasounds to diagnose the condition.
One major method of treating this condition is introducing the cat to a special stone-dissolving diet that can dissolve the stones.
However, the veterinarian might choose to remove the calcium oxalate surgically.
Urinary Infections
Bacterial, viral, fungi, parasitic, or any other urinary tract infection type can cause FLUTD.
Bacterial infections are more common than viral, fungal, and parasitic infections.
The vet can look for any other underlying health conditions if a kind of urinary infection is found.
Some diseases such as uroliths and diabetes increase the chances of a feline Urinary infection.
Urethra Obstructions
The cat’s urethra can either be totally or partially blocked.
This is a severe condition that requires sophisticated medical procedures to correct.
In this case, the cat will be straining to urinate and produce urine.
If you carefully look at the cat, you can quickly realize that the cat is either constipated or straining to pass stool.
This condition can easily cause major damages to the urinary tract and other organs in the cat’s body.
How your cat’s diet affects its urinary health
Suppose your cat is suffering from any urinary tract diseases such as urinary stones.
In that case, you must first of all get in touch with your veterinarian for medical and surgical treatment to get rid of the stones.
The vet might also recommend some diet changes to maintain a healthy cat’s urinary system.
The diet supports a healthy urinary system by creating a favorable environment to discourage urinary tract infections.
A healthy cat diet can equally help discourage the formation of urinary stones.
It’s also imperative to look for wet Urinary cat food because it makes the cat urinate more.
Top 3 best cat foods for Urinary Tract Health
Cat foods specifically introduced to the market as good for the cat’s urinary tract help dilute the excess minerals, which are the main culprits in urinary stone formation.
The foods contain methionine, an amino acid preventing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract cells.
Most urinary cat foods are fortified with enzymes, antioxidants, probiotics, and prebiotics to promote a healthy urinary system in cats.
At this point in time, I’ll introduce the top 3 best cat foods for urinary health.
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary Cat Food
This cat food tops the list for all the good reasons.
It’s a wet food formulated to help cats with specific urinary tract issues.
It has excess water, which makes the cat urinate more.
It equally helps dilute some minerals in cat foods that can accumulate to cause urinary stones.
Furthermore, the formula has lower levels of Magnesium, which is highly associated with urinary stones.
Another benefit is that this cat food helps in lowering the ion concentration in urine.
I highly recommend authorization from your veterinarian mainly because this formula is for cats with urinary issues.
To buy the food, you just have to scan and upload a letter from your veterinarian to the retailer’s website.
Ingredients
In this case, the first ingredient is the water sufficient for processing, while the second ingredient is pork by-products that are defined by AAFCO as non-rendered, clean parts other than meat got untrusted sources.
What this means is that the pork B-products refers to pork parts that are not consumed by humans.
The food is also made using pork liver, which provides high-quality proteins and fat.
Pork liver equally contains essential vitamins and minerals.
The other ingredient in this cat food is chicken by-products containing all parts of the chicken except the meat that humans commonly consume.
The manufacturer equally uses chicken liver, which is an excellent source of proteins, essential vitamins, minerals, and fat.
We also have the powdered cellulose that is produced from minuscule pieces of wood pulp and plant fibers.
It contains high fiber contents, but it lacks any nutritional contributions.
Pros
- The food is made from pork ad chicken liver, which is a great source of minerals, vitamins, proteins, and fat
- There are no added and artificial colors and preservatives
- It’s a wet food for increased hydration and urination
- Its relatively inexpensive
- Made from pork and chicken by-products
- Contains potassium supplements
- Helps in diluting urinary stones.
Cons
- Needs veterinary approval before buying.
Final verdict
The ingredients used to make this urinary cat food show that most of the proteins are animal-based.
This is a very excellent property for cat foods.
This equally means that the food contains the necessary amino acids that are required by cats.
It doesn’t contain artificial colors, preservatives, or any anonymous meat ingredients.
Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Cat food
This is the second cat food for the urinary tract that I’m going to discuss today.
The food is manufactured by Purina, which has channelled all the expertise in crafting food to help cats with common urinary tract issues.
It contains all the ingredients to make the cat healthy and comfortable.
The first benefit of this cat food is the fact that it contains high moisture content for hydration and easy digestibility.
Furthermore, Purina Pro Plain Focus Urinary Tract cat food contains low Magnesium content, which is the main culprit in urinary stones formation in our feline friends.
The cat will enjoy this food because it has all the nutritional contents, including vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats to help the cat grow healthy.
It can lower the pH to dissolve the urinary stones and help reduce stone formation chances.
Ingredients
The food is made with real chicken and beef, offering proteins that cats usually crave.
It contains Vitamin E for healthy hair and skin and Vitamin B to support healthy metabolism.
The manufacturers have equally blended it to support the cat’s immune system, which eventually adds to the cat’s overall health.
Pros
- The food has low magnesium contents
- It’s a tailored UT health food for cats
- It’s a wet formula for hydration
- It lowers the urinary pH
- It’s made with real beef and chicken
- The food contains Vitamin E and Vitamin B
- The food promotes healthy immune system.
Cons
- The food is relatively expensive
Final verdict
Purina is a well-known manufacturer of healthy cat foods worldwide.
In this urinary food formula for your cats, I like the fact that the food can lower the pH levels, which eventually dissolves the urinary stones.
It also contains low magnesium contents, thus discouraging the formation of urinary stones.
Moving on, the food has the right minerals and vitamins to support the health of your cat.
It’s specifically blended to help and promote the cat’s immune system.
Wysong Uretic Feline Formula Dry Cat food
Lastly, Wysong Uretic Feline Formula dry cat food is a beneficial cat food formula for cats suffering from urinary issues.
The company has earned itself a spot on this list for making the best cat food for urinary health.
It’s the only dry food on this list, but it contains a perfect blend of natural and nutrient based properties for the overall cat’s health.
The manufacturer has removed excessive minerals that can lead to urinary stones.
Furthermore, this cat food is excellent for the overall health of your cat.
It contains wholesome fruits and vegetables that provide a wide range of micronutrients that your pet needs for a healthy, comfortable, and happy life.
Additionally, it’s rich in Omega Fatty acids that promote a healthy coat and skin.
It’s equally rich in antioxidants to support the cat’s immune system for fighting common urinary tract infections.
There are no fillers or artificial additives, and the food remains to be a tasty and natural option for your cat.
The food is suitable for all types of cats, bleeds, and ages.
Ingredients
The key ingredients in this urinary cat food are chicken meat, fish meal, Turkey meal, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat, Chicken meal, Flax seeds, Beet Pulp, Eggs, sesame seeds, Crab meal, and Natural fish and chicken Flavors.
Most of the ingredients are sourced naturally in the US, making it a natural remedy to most cat urinary issues.
Pros
- This product can prevent urinary tract diseases
- 36% min. guaranteed crude proteins and 16% min. guaranteed crude fats
- It doesn’t contain any By-products
- The food is made in the US.
- The formula is 100% free of artificial flavors and artificial ingredients
- It contains the essential amino acid taurine, which is important for the cat’s heart and eye health
- The formula is cruelty-free
- It’s good value for your money.
Cons
- Tomato Pomace might be very acidic for cats with sensitive stomachs
- The manufacturer doesn’t describe the type of fish and the source of most ingredients.
Final verdict
The first five ingredients are very beneficial to the cat’s health.
The food also has an average 3 star review in major sites meaning that it’s average cat food.
The food contains taurine and methionine.
These two are essential additives that are very beneficial to the cat’s health.
FAQs
Does Urinary Tract Cat food really work?
Cats can develop urinary Crystals or better known as bladder stones, usually forming when calcium, protein, phosphorus, and calcium accumulate.
Although this is a serious condition, some cat foods can greatly help.
What ingredients in cat food cause crystals in urine?
Cat foods should have restricted amounts of minerals such as Magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.
These minerals contribute to urinary crystal and stone formation.
The minerals can also make your cat’s urine slightly acidic to discourage crystal formation.
What cat food is best for cats’ urinary health?
There are several cat foods that can help with urinary health.
But I personally liked the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary SO in Gel Canned Cat food.
The food contains ingredients that make the cat’s urine slightly acidic to discourage crystal formation in the urinary tract.
How do you get rid of struvite crystals in cats?
The Struvite stones in a cat’s urinary tract can be dissolved.
In this case, the main aim is to create slightly acidic and dilute urine to dissolve the Struvite stones.
Conclusion
Cats, just like any other animal, can suffer from fatal urinary complications.
However, the actions you’ll take as the cat’s parent to detect, diagnose, treat and prevent these conditions will play a key role in the overall health and the quality of life the cat will lead.
I’ve shared the top best Urinary Cat foods that you can buy today.
But, you must consult with your veterinarian before switching to any of the Urinary Cat foods reviewed above.
