Just as we humans have health challenges, our pets have their share of the disease conditions too. For cats, one of the most common impairments in health is the development of bladder stones. These are tiny deposits that collect in the bladder, which is also part of the urinary system.
The effect is usually pain and blockage, making passing out urine altogether challenging for your furry little friend. Without overthinking it, bladder stones aren’t stones cats pick up from the ground while on adventures; they are mostly a result of poor diet. It means you can totally keep them at bay as a pet owner.
You can keep the traffic flowing in your cat’s urinary system by adopting cat foods that limit certain minerals and ingredients in your cat’s diet. If you want to know more and also avoid the hassle of selecting from the tons of products in the market, here are the top 10 best cat foods for urinary health.
Top 10 Best Cat Foods for Urinary Health
Below you can find the best cat foods for Urinary health for your beloved feline friend.
1. Wysong Uretic Dry Natural Cat Food.
Let’s kick off the list with this healthy urinary cat food from Wysong. If you are looking for a cat food close to how nature wants it to be, then you might want to make this Wysong Uretic Dry Natural Cat food your stop.
While high moisture content is essential in the diets of cats with urinary issues, special dry foods are also a good option for maintaining a healthy urinary tract. This is especially true when your cat isn’t a fan of wet foods. The Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food is what many cat owners adopt for urinary tract maintenance whilst keeping things less moist.
Apart from the high-quality chicken that provides protein, the recipe also contains a blend of probiotics, vitamins and minerals that promotes a healthy immune system.
It’s also devoid of ingredients like magnesium that allow crystal or stone formation but rich in methionine to reduce the pH of your cat’s urine. Furthermore, it contains wholesome vegetables and non-GMO vegetables for the supply of required nutrients. Your cat’s coat and immune system is also catered for with a blend of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
That’s not all, Wysong didn’t make this one with carb fillers and artificial flavors, so you don’t have to worry about allergy. Altogether, your cat will enjoy the rich taste and the formula is great for all cats of all age groups (making it a perfect option for multi-cat owners).
2. Ziwi Peak Canned Urinary Health Cat Food
If your aim at an overall healthy feeding plan for your cat, you can never go wrong with a limited ingredient formulation. The selected ingredients of the Ziwi Peak Canned Urinary Cat Food not only decreases the chances of bladder blockage in your cat, but the recipe is also a one-stop for cats with sensitive gastrointestinal tracts and allergic reactions.
The protein is from a single source and the animal is fed with foods devoid of chemicals or GMO products. What’s more, the presence of New Zealand green mussels also ensures your cat’s joints are healthy, which is excellent for both seniors and growing kitties. Vitamins and minerals are not absent in this formulation, so you can rest knowing your cat is getting the best nutrition.
3. Royal Canin Urinary Health Cat Food
When it comes to caring for your cat’s urinary health, Royal Canin is not a name you’ll miss in the cat food market. The Royal Canin Urinary Health Cat Food has a moisture content which aids urine dilution and prevents bladder stone formation. It also helps with proper digestion, and healthy GIT are also achieved with this food.
Royal Canin also brings a selection of high-quality fish oils to the table, which offers your cat a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. No doubt, this cat food is one of the few products in the market that’s rich in iron for your cat’s daily adventure.
4. Hill Science Diet Dry Cat Food Urinary & Hairball Control
Hill science is another force to reckon with in the world of special cat food. The manufacturer is well-known for making a prescription diet for pets, including cats with specific or special needs.
In a lot of cases, infection through the urinary tract is common due to hairballs, and hairball cat foods can often help reduce this problem.
The Hill Science Diet Urinary and Hairball Control Cat Food is specially tailored to cater to cats with urinary tract challenges. If your cat also experiences difficulties in removing fur balls, you are in luck as this formulation also helps your cat eliminate them easily. Thanks to the fiber content, your cat will also enjoy a healthy digestive system.
Apart from the low magnesium and high moisture content, the food is a blend of carrots, green peas, apples and cranberry, all from a high-quality source to satisfy your feline’s craving for meat. With a blend of vitamins and minerals for your cat’s coat and immune system, your furry little friend has all it needs.
5. Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Cat Food
This manufacturer is one of the big names in special cat food formulation. So this wet food recipe won’t deliver less than your exceptions. Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Cat Food comes in with a high moisture content, a feature that promotes hydration of the GIT thereby, aiding easy digestion.
Furthermore, since magnesium is a nutrient that promotes bladder stone development, Purina Pro wet food formulation is carefully put together to ensure a relatively low magnesium content. What’s more, the food also helps to lower the PH of your cat’s urine, which also helps to reduce the tick of crystal and stone formation.
While you keep your cat’s urinary tract healthy, there’s no trade-off whatsoever as your pet will still enjoy a rich taste from a high-quality blend of chicken and beef. Now add vitamin E and B (which promote healthy skin and optimum immune system operation) and you have ean all-around healthy option.
6. Hill’s Science Hill’s Prescription Diet Dry Cat Food
It’s no brainer that Hill’s Science has a big name in the cat food market. That’s because they consistently roll out foods for pet’s health maintenance. The Hill’s Science Hill’s Prescription Diet Dry Cat Food is specially made to lower the occurrence of urinary tract problems by 89%. What’s more, you can adopt this diet for hairball control.
The foods also help in acidifying your cat’s urine, which also allows stones to dissolve. What’s more, the reduced magnesium also helps cats maintain a healthy urinary tract.
Your cat will love the delicious meat from high-quality ingredients also reduces the chances of developing calcium oxalate crystals and struvite.
7. Iams Proactive Health Urinary cat food.
With a balanced level of magnesium and other nutrients, Iams Proactive Health Urinary cat food is a formulation that not only dissolves existing bladder stone/crystal blockage, it also prevents future formation. If your cat has been experiencing recurring urinary tract issues, you might want to opt for one of these.
The kibbles are a blend of real chicken for that meaty taste cat’s love, vitamin E, potassium, and calcium and are very easy to chew (and are, of course, stomach-friendly). Cat owners who love Iams also adopt this one for picky eaters and adult cats with changing metabolism.
8. Purina One Urinary Tract Health Cat Food.
For a brand that has a successful urinary health wet food formula that cat owners recommend to their friends, you bet this dry formula will deliver equally. If you’ve got a cat that’s not big on taking water yet you want to stick with the kibbles, this cat food might just be what you need. The recipe promotes water intake in thereby diluting their urine. It also hydrates the urinary tract of eliminating any blockage from stones or crystals.
The Purina One Urinary Tract Health cat food is a blend of real chicken as one of the first ingredients. Vitamins, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants are also present in every bowl.
Every ingredient that could impair the urinary tract is not part of the formulation.
Furthermore, fillers and artificial flavors are also not present. Apart from catering to your cat’s urinary health, the formulation is altogether essential for a healthy digestive and immune system.
What’s more, the kibbles are easy to munch. So your kitties should have any problem adjusting to it even if they were previously on a wet formula. It’s also recommended for picky eaters.
Cat Foods for Urinary Tact Help Buying Guide
5 Ingredients to Look Out For When Buying Cat Food for Urinary Tract Health.
– Magnesium
Magnesium helps the body to properly secrete hormones. It also participates in the build-up of teeth and bones. Complete deficiency can cause adverse effects for your cat. On the other hand, a little too much magnesium can also be a problem. Magnesium is the major culprit that contributes to the formation of bladder stones and crystals. So, you might want to ensure magnesium is very minimal in the cat food you want to purchase. It should not be higher than 0.1%.
– Moisture
Water is one of the most important dietary factors in your cat’s food. If you have a cat that doesn’t fancy drinking water from a bowl, then moisture-rich food is not something you want to ignore. High moisture containing cat food will help in keeping your feline friend hydrated thereby promoting free flow in the digestive and urinary system.
– pH reducing ingredients.
Another thing you want to look out for in a urinary health cat food is pH reduction. Reducing pH means promoting more acidity. When your cat’s urine is more acidic, stones and crystals dissolve in them. What’s more, acidic urine prevents future bladder stone formation. Therefore, you’ll do well to look out for food that reduces urine ph or promote acidity.
– Fish
Fish is undoubtedly an amazing source of protein. In fact, it’s the usual flavor veterinarian recommends when cats have allergies to other sources of proteins, such as poultry and beef. However if your cat is experiencing urinary tract issues such as difficulty in urinating, you might want to stay away from fish-flavored food as they promote stones and crystals development due to the presence of phosphorus.
– Limited ingredients.
While limited ingredients are mostly recommended for cats experiencing an allergic reaction, many that contain fiber are also suitable for promoting healthy GIT and urinary tracts. Easy
to digest foods, whether wet or kibbles will naturally not give you cat difficulty. Make sure you opt for the ones with low magnesium and phosphorus.
What Causes Urinary Tract Problems in Cats?
Urinary tract disease is quickly becoming a chronic problem that affects cats and animal lovers alike. A urinary tract infection in cats can have many causes, and the symptoms are often similar. Particularly noticeable: the urination is painful for the cat, it grimaces or meows when visiting the litter box.
Bacterial infections are arguably the most common cause of urinary tract disease and an often recurring problem. In the chronic course, crystals can form in the bladder, which can combine to form bladder gravel or bladder stones. These irritate the bladder wall. It is a painful disease for every cat and it can also be life-threatening.
Stress should also be considered as a cause. Cats are sensitive animals and particularly susceptible to changes in their life situation—be it a new cat in the family, a new partner or a move. Chronic stress has a negative effect on the immune system and can lead to seemingly unfounded symptoms of illness.
How to Tell in Your Cat Has Urinary Problems
The following are the signs and symptoms of urinary tract problems in cats. It is essential to know these telltale signs so that your vet can administer the best care and recommend the right cat food.
– Domestic cats are very neat creatures. It’s uncommon to find them urinating in inappropriate locations, like their bedding or sleeping spot. Therefore, it might be a pointer to an infection in the urinary tracts which may cause cats to attempt urinating whenever and wherever they feel discomfort.
– Blockage of the bladder is common when cats have crystals or bladder stones is another sign. The effect is usually difficulty or painful urination. Check if your cat’s urine volume is less than normal or it’s displaying signs of discomfort when it’s attempting to urinate.
– In severe cases, your cat may have blood in the urine so look out for your cat’s urination spot.
Tips to Maintain Your Cat’s Urinary health.
Kidney disease, bladder stones, bladder inflammation, bladder or urethral obstruction are common heath conditions in cats. As a cat owner, it might be great to know how to keep these conditions away or manage them when they show up in your cat. That said, follow these simple tips to maintain your cat’s urinary health.
– Increase Your Cat’s Water consumption.
Whether your cat consumes wet or dry food, it’s best to ensure a high intake of water. Cat urine contains minerals and toxins. Therefore, concentrated urine has a greater potential to form crystals and stones.
However, when the water intake is high, your cat will urinate more due to hydration thereby flushing out excess minerals and toxins which can collect in the bladder as stones and crystals. If your cat isn’t a fan of water-in-bowls, it might be nice to create a fountain or running water.
Running water attracts cats, which are will make them drink more. If your cat already has an impaired urinary system, wet canned food with high moisture content is the way to go. Furthermore, a cat that strictly feeds on dry food can alternate with wet food that contains high moisture content.
– Adopt a special urinary Health cat Diet.
Bladder stones and crystals aren’t picked up from the ground. They are the product of some food constituents. Reevaluate your cat’s food and do away with formulations that have high magnesium or phosphorus as they contribute to urinary stones and crystals formation. You’ll do well to opt for food that promotes acidic urine which helps to dissolve stones.
– Book Veterinary Appointments for Your Cat
Like other members of the family, your cat needs the attention of a doctor too. Once your cat starts to approach the senior’s age, i.e eight years and over, you should book regular appointments with the veterinarian.
The doctor will check for a change in metabolism which may require a change in diet. Also, blood work and urinalysis will expose any disease condition such as kidney dysfunction, diabetes. Many of these diseases lead to death when they go undetected and untreated.