Bladder Crystals in Cats

Bladder crystals in cats is a topic not often discussed outside veterinary clinics. Nevertheless, this topic is worth investigating further especially if you are feeding your favorite feline a diet that consists solely of high mineral content dry food.

Bladder crystals are formed when minerals such as calcium and magnesium clump together. In most cases they are simply flushed out through the urethra in the normal process of urination. Other times they simply stealthily reside in the bladder for years without your cat showing any sign of discomfort. A problem arises only when these tiny bladder crystals bond together, forming an entity that is too large to comfortably reside in the bladder or cannot be passed out of the urinary tract.

There are a number of viable explanations for their formation. The most widely accepted conclusions have to do with three basic factors, diet, infection and urine concentration. Cats that are fed a diet high in minerals (specifically calcium and magnesium) are more prone to be victimized by bladder crystals. It is not fully understood what starts the process, but it is likely that an abundance of minerals in the urinary tract seem to be as likely a starting point as any.

Note: Cat foods often suggested for magnesium phosphate crystals are Hills Prescription Diet Feline s/d, Purina UR St/Ox, and Eukanuba Low pH/S.

If the minerals are not flushed out of the system they will tend to form bladder crystals. Once the crystal is formed it is much like a snowball rolling down a hill, if not flushed out the crystal simply gets bigger over time. At some point it can no longer be eliminated through natural means. This is a point you should try to avoid at all costs, both for your wallet and your pets health.

Prevention is an important part of overall pet health and the subject of bladder crystal in cats in no different. Most experts would suggest that an effective preventative approach would include a diet low in calcium and magnesium, promoting a consistently high water intake, and avoiding mineral laden dry cat foods. Additionally, many cat owners are implementing natural preventative therapies such as homeopathy. Homeopathic formulas for pet urinary tract health work naturally to improve urine flow, restore healthy pH levels, and are effective in improving bladder and overall urinary tract health.