URINARY HEALTH
I’m Worried About My Cat’s Urinary Health, What Should I Do?
Animal Nutritionist, Nutrience
If your cat is showing signs of urinary issues—such as frequent urination, blood in the urine, urinating outside the litter box, or crying during urination—it’s crucial to consult your veterinarian promptly. These symptoms can indicate conditions like urinary tract infections or bladder stones which require professional diagnosis and treatment.
Once any medical conditions are addressed, dietary adjustments can play a significant role in supporting your cat’s urinary health. Nutrience Care® Urinary Health cat food is specifically formulated to help maintain a healthy urinary tract. This diet is formulated to control urinary pH levels to create an environment unfavorable for crystal formation and reduced magnesium levels to decrease the likelihood of struvite crystal formation. Additionally, it includes fresh cranberries, which are rich in antioxidants and support overall urinary tract health. Remember, while dietary changes can support urinary health, they are not a substitute for veterinary care.
How Does Wet Food Help with Urinary Problems in Cats?
Water intake plays a key role in reducing the likelihood of all types of crystal formation. When the cat drinks water, the urine is diluted. Wet food plays an important role in keeping your cat hydrated and can help prevent the formation of urinary crystals.
Nutrience Care Urinary Health wet food is the perfect complement to the Nutrience Care Urinary Health dry food to increase hydration and palatability of meal time.
Common Questions and Answers from Our Animal Nutritionist
How do urinary crystals in cats form?
There are many types of uroliths (bladder stones); however, the two common in cats are struvite or MAP (magnesium ammonium phosphate) and calcium oxalate uroliths. If the pH of the urine is too alkaline, this creates a favorable environment for struvite crystals to form. On the other hand, if the pH of the urine is too acidic, a favorable environment is created for calcium oxalate crystal formation. It is a delicate balance to keep the urine pH in an optimal pH range to prevent both types of crystals.
How to know if my cat is suffering from urinary stones or blockages?
Urinary stones in cats are common which is why it is important to watch out for the signs. Severe damage or even death can result if a urinary stone or crystal is left untreated.
Here are some common symptoms of a urinary stone or crystal:
– Frequent urination
– Urinating outside of the litter box
– Blood in the urine
– Loss of appetite
– Urinating small amounts
– Crying out while urinating
– Excessive licking of the genital area
If your cat is experiencing any of the above, they may have a urinary infection, stone, or crystal and should be examined by a veterinarian.
My cat is prone to urinary infections or crystals, can I feed them Nutrience Care Urinary Health?
After diagnosis and treatment from your vet, long-term urinary support is essential. That’s where Nutrience Care Urinary Health comes in, it’s designed to help manage urinary health and reduce the risk of flare-ups.
What is the difference between a prescription and a maintenance diet?
A maintenance formula is not intended to treat cats suffering from crystals, stones, or blockages, but to help prevent only. Prescription diets are formulated to dissolve struvite crystals by drastically acidifying the urine and therefore physically dissolving the crystals. Once the crystals are dissolved, the cat may be taken off this food and put on a urinary maintenance diet to prevent the crystals from reforming. After treatment, a urinary maintenance diet, such as Care Urinary Health is designed to prevent both types of crystals from reoccurring.
Our Nutrience Customer Care team is available to provide detailed product information and technical support should your veterinarian require it.
Learn More About Urinary Health Cat Food
What to Do If Your Cat Has Urinary Problems
Is your cat prone to urinary problems? In the blog, we will go over what you need to know about urinary problems in cats and why they develop as well as how they can be treated and prevented.
How Cat Urinary Issues Develop
Urinary issues in cats are more common than many pet parents realize and addressing them early with the right support can make all the difference.
Try Our Products Formulated for Cats in Need of Urinary Health:
