Photo by Dutch Della Rocco
In my last article, I described the effect that stress can have on cats and ways to reduce it. Urinary-tract problems are common in cats, and stress can be a major predisposing factor. There are many other causes of these illnesses—some we can control, others we cannot. The main problem is crystal formation in the kidneys, ureters, urethra or bladder, the latter being the most common cause. Stress is a major predisposing factor.
This problem has had several names over the years. It started as feline urologic syndrome (FUS), was changed to feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), and is now sometimes referred to as feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC).
One of the areas we have control over is the formation of crystals. These crystals irritate the bladder and urethra, causing symptoms of straining, blood in the urine and inappropriate urination. This can be a chronic and frustrating problem.
The two most common types of crystals are struvite, made up of magnesium, ammonia and phosphorous, and the chemical compound calcium oxalate. If they are formed in large enough quantities for a period of time, they can cause a stone in the bladder. In male cats particularly, they can obstruct the urinary tract and completely prevent urination, which constitutes a medical emergency.
Over the years, a special-diet product has been developed to help minimize these crystals. This food has been a great success and helped many cats in minimizing struvite and calcium oxalate crystals as well as stress. It’s called Hills C/D Multicare Feline Stress.
Our website has many more details about bladder stones and urinary tract disease. Click the links to learn more.