Cat Food for a Healthy Urinary Tract

Proper can help ensure a happy and healthy cat.

A cat's urinary tract is made up of four separate, yet equally important, parts that are critical to the feline's overall health. The urinary tract consists of the cat's kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra, all working together to cleanse and remove toxic waste from the feline's bloodstream. The urinary tract is very delicate, and the wrong cat food might actually cause severe urinary tract disease and death.

Expert Insight

Dry food is not a good option for urinary tract health.

In choosing a cat food for optimal urinary tract health, veterinarian Lisa A. Pierson cautions on CatInfo.org to avoid dry cat foods. The reason is simple: lack of water. A cat's urine is a highly concentrated liquid, designed not only to remove the toxins filtered out of the blood, but also to prevent the formation of mineral-based stones that could block the urethra. As explained by Pierson, a cat in the wild derives approximately 70 percent of water from its prey; canned wet cat food is approximately 78 percent water and, comparatively, dry cat food is only 5 to 10 percent water.

Raw Diet

Domesticated cats are a big cat's "mini-me."

Domesticated cats are miniature big cats, and they love nothing more than to munch on their "prey" from head to toe. Their bodies are designed to obtain optimal nutrition by eating their food raw, according to Pierson. The advantages of feeding a raw food diet for a cat's optimal urinary tract health are simple: the feline receives more hydration with the raw food, optimal nutritional value and the raw foods do not contain carbohydrates and fillers that are detrimental to the pH balance in the feline's urine. Raw food is available commercially or may be homemade under the supervision of veterinarian.

Prescription/Special Diets

Cats with urinary trouble may be prescribed a special diet.

Many cat food manufacturers have specially formulated cat foods designed to improve a cat's urinary tract health. If the feline is already suffering from urinary tract complications, prescription diets available through your vet are designed to meet the special needs of the feline. Commercial cat foods are also available that are formulated to promote a healthy urinary tract. These foods tend to be lower in magnesium than regular cat foods and, although not recommended by Pierson or VetInfo.com, do come in dry food formulas.

Considerations

Water is critical for urinary tract health.

Fresh water should always be available to the cat regardless of the type of cat food chosen for optimal urinary tract health. If you have had a bladder infection, you know the importance of frequent urination to help clean out the unwanted bacteria; this is also true for a cat. VetInfo.com warns that a cat's urine becomes thick and unable to remove crystal formations and bacteria if the feline becomes dehydrated. Therefore, plenty of fresh water is critical to any healthy cat's diet, particularly urinary tract health.

Warning

Take your cat to the vet if it shows signs of trouble urinating.

If a cat is having difficulty urinating, crying out in pain when trying to urinate, has bloody urine, is cleaning itself excessively or urinating outside of its litter box, this is symptomatic that something is wrong, despite the dietary efforts in maintaining a healthy urinary tract. Urinary tract health concerns range from curable bladder infections to the chronic Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, known as FLUTD. Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine recommends an immediate trip to the vet should the cat exhibit any difficulty urinating at all.

References

• Doctors Foster and Smith Pet Education.com: Urinary System in Mammals: Anatomy and Function
• "Feline Urinary Tract Health: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection"; Lisa A Pierson, DVM; Dec. 2009
• "Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition"; Lisa A. Pierson, DVM; Updated March 2010
• VetInfo: How Cat Food Affects Urinary Tract Health
• Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease