If you’re like me, you probably haven’t thought too much about urinary crystals in cats.  But if you have a cat who’s prone to cat urinary problems, you need to know more about cat bladder crystals.

Why Are Feline Urinary Crystals Important?

Even though these crystals are hard to see without a microscope, they have sharp edges which rub against the bladder walls, causing your cat’s bladder to become inflamed and irritated.The inflammation is what causes symptoms of a feline bladder infection.

Because a male cat has a long narrow urethra, it can easily become plugged if large numbers of feline urinary crystals are present.  This is a veterinary emergency, as a cat that can’t pass urine will fall victim to a fatal case of uremic poisoning within a couple of days.  Since it’s hard for an owner to tell if the cat is blocked or not, it’s important to have your cat examined by the vet if he has a feline urinary tract infection.

Struvite crystals and calcium oxalate crystals are the most common types of urinary crystals.

Struvite Crystals In Cats

Struvite crystals, which contain magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate, used to be very common in cats.  This problem was thought to be a result of a diet with high levels of magnesium.  Cat food manufacturers responded by producing diets lower in magnesium.  Cats eating this food also produce more acidic urine. This helps to prevent the formation of struvite crystals, which are still the most common type of crystal that causes feline urinary blockage.

Although this dietary change helped to lower the incidence of struvite crystals in cats, now vets are seeing calcium oxalate crystals more often.   

Why Do Some Cats Get Calcium Oxalate Crystals Instead?

Certain breeds of cats seem to have a genetic predisposition to developing calcium oxalate crystals if they’re fed a diet low in magnesium.  This problem is often seen in Himalayans.If you feed these cats a diet to prevent struvite stones, you may be encouraging the formation of calcium oxalate stones instead.  

Now you can understand why a urinalysis is essential to find out what kind of crystals you’re dealing with.  You don’t want to feed your cat a diet that will encourage his body to form feline urinary crystals.

Can Urinary Crystals In Cats Be Prevented?

Cat owners can do several things to prevent their felines from developing cat urinary problems.  The first is to feed your cat a high-quality canned food.  People don’t realize that cats are meant to get most of their water from their food, which is why cats don’t seem to drink much water.  

Canned food has a moisture level that’s much closer to what your cat would eat in the wild.  You can also add a little water to the canned food to increase the moisture even more.Your cat should always have access to lots of clean, fresh water.

You may want to give your cat one of the many natural remedies for pets that are available now.These remedies not only support bladder health, but they also lower his risk of developing a feline bladder infection.  You’ll want to be sure to buy one that’s especially formulated for pets, and that’s safe enough to give your cat every day.

Make no mistake about it, if your cat has already had a feline urinary tract infection, you can’t afford to be ignorant about urinary crystals in cats.  Take steps now to protect your cat’s health.

Let’s face it.  Until your cat is one of the lucky ones who comes down with a cat bladder infection, you probably don’t even think about feline bladder infections.  But they can be prevented, with a little care on your part.  Here’s how.

Does Your Cat Drink Enough Water?

It comes as a shock to many cat owners to find out that their cats are chronically dehydrated.  Cats don’t always drink a lot of water.  This is because your cat’s ancestors lived in the desert, where there’s not much water around.Your kitty should be able to get most of his water from what he eats. 

Did you know that a mouse is more than 90% water?  A cat in the wild who is living on the animals he catches and eats gets most of his water from what he eats.  This isn’t true of our domestic house cats.  Dry commercial cat food contains about eight percent water.  So if your cat’s diet consists exclusively of dry food, he could be heading for trouble in the form of cat urinary problems.

The problem with a dehydrated cat is that his urine is very concentrated.  This puts him at a much higher risk of developing cat bladder stones and cat bladder infections.

The best thing you can do is to feed your cat a good quality canned food.  Most canned cat food has a moisture content around 75 percent.  The problem is that many cats are addicted to dry food, so it can be very difficult to get them to eat canned food.  But with patience and persistence, it can be done.

Your cat should always have clean fresh water to drink.To be safe, give him filtered drinking water that’s free from contaminants.  Change your cat’s water several times a day so it’s appealing to him.  You wouldn’t drink bad-tasting water with stuff floating in it, and your cat won’t either.

Prevent Cat Bladder Infection With Natural Remedies For Pets

Humans have been using herbs to treat and prevent bladder infections for centuries.  These remedies are still used on a daily basis in many parts of the world. 

Homeopathic remedies have also been proven to be safe and effective in treating bladder infections in people, with no side effects.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were herbal and homeopathic remedies for cats that would prevent cat urinary problems?It’s important that this product is made up especially for use in pets, not people.  It would have to be safe enough to give your cat every day, along with being effective for preventing feline bladder infections.  Most importantly, it needs to be in a form that’s easy to administer.Most cat owners would rather not attempt to poke a pill down their cat’s throat.

You’ll want to purchase this remedy only from a reputable manufacturer who has years of experience in formulating natural remedies for pets.  Do your homework to be sure that the company stands behind the safety and effectiveness of its products.

Do your kitty a favor.  Prevent the pain and stress of feline bladder infections by using a safe and effective natural remedy for cats.

You may not know this, but if your cat is prone to feline urinary tract infection, he may have urinary crystals in cats.  Feline urinary crystals are a major cause of cat urinary problems.  Here are three natural ways you can prevent these crystals from forming in the first place.

Your Cat’s Diet Is Very Important

Most people who are owned by felines are very conscientious these days about feeding their cats a diet low in magnesium.Struvite stones in cats were commonplace in the 1970’s and 80’s.  It was found that if a cat was fed a diet high in magnesium, he was more prone to developing mineral crystals in his bladder, which often led to a feline urinary tract infection.  Cat food manufacturers changed their formulas, and everyone thought the problem was solved.

But are you aware that your cat is probably chronically dehydrated if you feed him only dry food?  Since kidney failure is the leading cause of death in older cats, it makes sense to put these two things together.

Dry cat food has a very low moisture level, usually under 10%.  This is great if your only concern is to keep mold from growing on it, but if you’re worried about the amount of water your cat is taking in, it’s not so good. 

Cats normally don’t seem to drink a lot of water.In the wild, a cat gets most of his water from the prey he catches and eats.  Did you know a mouse is 98% water?  Canned cat food has a moisture level of around 75%.  You can also add a little water to it to bring the moisture level up to a cat’s natural diet.

Of course, your cat should always have plenty of clean, fresh water to drink at all times.

Stress Causes Feline Urinary Crystals

Your kitty develops a certain routine.  They really don’t like change at all.  Introducing a new pet into the household, moving, and even going to the vet are all stressful events for your kitty.

A stressed cat can develop many different types of health problems, including urinary crystals in cats.The best remedy for a stressed cat is extra love and attention.

Natural Remedies For Pets Can Prevent Cat Urinary Problems

Many cat owners use herbs and homeopathic remedies to treat their own ailments, so it’s only natural that there would be rising interest in natural remedies for pets. 

Uva ursi and barberry are traditional herbal remedies for human bladder problems.  Homeopathic remedies used for urinary tract infections in people include Cantharis and Staphysagria.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could give these safe, effective remedies to your kitty to support bladder health and prevent inflammation from urinary crystals in cats?  Well, now you can. 

There’s a remedy available now that combines all four of these traditional remedies for urinary problems.  This product has been specially formulated for pets, which is a very important safety consideration.  It’s made by a long-established company that has a sterling reputation for producing only the highest quality natural remedies for pets. 

So there you have it; three natural ways to prevent feline urinary crystals and support your cat’s bladder health.

Are you sick and tired of dealing with feline bladder infections?You and your cat aren’t the only ones.  Cat urinary problems are probably the most common reason for a vet visit.  In this article, we’ll take a look at how your vet treats a cat bladder infection, and what you can do at home.

Cat Bladder Infection Treatments

Your vet may want to do a urinalysis to check your cat’s urine for the presence of bacteria, blood, white blood cells, or crystals.  White blood cells indicate an infection, while crystals can show that bladder stones are forming.  If your vet suspects bladder stones, x-rays or an ultrasound may be the next step.

Most bladder infections are treated with antibiotics.  If your cat suffers from frequent feline bladder infections, your vet will want to do a urine culture to try to identify the bacteria involved.Your vet needs this information to decide which antibiotic will work the best.

If your cat has a bladder infection, it’s very important to treat it.  If you don’t, it can progress to a feline kidney infection, cat bladder stones, or other cat urinary problems.

Home Treatments for Bladder Infections In Cats

Diet is very important for cats with urinary problems.Most cat owners are shocked to learn that if their cats eat only dry food, they’re probably chronically dehydrated.A consequence of a dehydrated cat is extremely concentrated urine, which has been linked to both cat bladder infection and cat bladder stones.

Some cats don’t drink enough water either.  This is because cats in the wild get most of their water from their prey, so they don’t have to drink a lot of water.However, a cat that eats only dry food is heading for big problems.

How can you change this?  The best answer is to feed your cat a good-quality canned food.Your cat gets almost the same amount of moisture from canned food as he would from eating his natural diet in the wild.  

Be sure that your cat always has access to clean, fresh water.  You wouldn’t want to drink water that’s old and has stuff floating in it, and your cat won’t either.

Cranberry juice is an old remedy for preventing bladder infections in people.  However, most cats won’t drink it.  You can find cranberry capsules at the drugstore.  If you’re good at giving your cat pills, this can be an effective way to prevent and treat bladder infections in cats.  But if you’re like most cat owners, poking a pill down your cat’s throat is not high on your list of fun things to do.

Natural Remedies For Pets And Cat Urinary Problems

Over the centuries, people have learned by trial and error which plants can help heal different health conditions.  Uva ursi and barberry are two herbal remedies for human urinary tract problems that have stood the test of time. 

Safe, gentle homeopathic remedies are very effective for bladder problems in people.  Cantharis and Staphysagris are proven natural remedies to support bladder health.

The question is, how to use these natural remedies on your cat.  It’s very important to find a product that’s specially formulated for pets, not people, so it’s safe for your kitty.  And of course, it has to be easy to give to your feline friend, or you won’t use it for long.

Take charge of your cat’s health by finding a product that’s effective and easy to use, and so safe that you can give it to your cat every day. This is the easiest way to prevent feline bladder infections.

Ever wondered if there’s something you can do at home to prevent or treat cat urinary problems?  Here’s a list of five natural remedies for cat bladder infection, along with how to choose the best natural remedies for pets.

Feed Your Cat A High-Quality Canned Food

But, you say, this isn’t a natural remedy.  Actually it is.  Feeding your cat the best diet possible is the easiest natural way to keep him healthy and prevent future problems due to poor nutrition. 

Did you know that cats that eat only dry food are chronically dehydrated?  Dry food has an extremely low moisture level, compared to canned food.  Cats are meant to get most of their water from their food, so many of them don’t drink enough water, which can lead to cat urinary problems.

Fresh, Clean, Water Is A Must

Lots of clean, fresh water is another natural remedy that promotes bladder health in your cat.  Your tap water may taste funny to your cat, so give him filtered water to make it more appealing to him.  If your cat still won’t drink enough, you can add a little extra water to his canned food to increase his moisture intake.

Recommended Supplements

If your cat is suffering from a feline bladder infection, try giving him between 250 and 500 milligrams of vitamin C every day.  Vitamin C is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps to relieve the pain of a cat bladder infection.  It helps an irritated, inflamed bladder to heal itself, too.

A side effect of high doses of vitamin C is diarrhea, so start with the smaller dose and increase it gradually to find the best size dose for your cat.

A well-known natural remedy is cranberry, which works by keeping bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder.  Avoid the super-sweet cranberry juice at the grocery store, and give your cat cranberry capsules instead.

Herbal Pet Remedies

Many of these same herbs that people have been using for centuries can be used on pets, too.Feline urinary tract infections can be treated with the well-known herbal remedies, uva ursi and Oregon grape holly.

Uva ursi is a strong diuretic that kills bacteria in the bladder, and also supports urinary system health. 

Oregon grape holly contains berberine, a natural antibiotic that’s effective against strep and staph bacteria.  It also relieves inflammation in the bladder.

Homeopathic Remedies For Cat Bladder Infection

Cantharis is a homeopathic remedy that is very effective for relieving pain.  It’s also useful when your cat is straining to empty his bladder, since it gets rid of the feeling that the bladder is still full, even after it’s just been emptied.

Staphysagria also relieves pain and promotes healing of inflamed tissues.

How To Choose The Best Natural Remedies For Pets

You may be wondering how it’s possible to give your kitty four different herbs and homeopathic remedies.  Wonder no more.  There is a product available now that combines all four of these traditional remedies.  It’s safe and effective, as well as being easy to use. 

You’ll be relieved to know that you can give this remedy right along with any antibiotic treatment your cat is on.  This herbal remedy for pets doesn’t interfere with the antibiotics in any way.  And you can continue giving your cat this remedy to support bladder health long after the antibiotic is finished.

Now that you’re armed with this information, you can prevent cat urinary problems from sneaking up on your feline friend.

Has your cat ever been blindsided by a feline bladder infection?  Don’t let this happen to your kitty.If you need to know more about cat bladder infection, you’ll find answers to your questions in this article.

Your Cat’s Urinary Tract

The kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra make up your cat’s urinary tract.  The kidneys are constantly filtering waste products out of your cat’s blood.  These waste products are carried out of the kidneys into the bladder by the ureters, tubes that run between your cat’s kidneys and his bladder.

The bladder is a muscular little bag that holds the urine until it leaves the body.  The urine passes out of the body through the urethra.

This system usually works with no problems, but sometimes trouble arises in the form of a bladder infection.

Cat Bladder Infection Symptoms

Bacteria aren’t normally found in the bladder because it’s a sterile environment.  However, if bacteria find a way in, they can cause a bladder infection in your cat.

• Symptoms of a feline bladder infection include:
• Urinating outside the litter box
• Straining to urinate or having trouble passing urine
• Crying out in pain when trying to urinate
• Bloody urine
• Drinking a lot of water

Inflammation in the bladder is what causes these symptoms, not the infection itself.It’s possible for your cat to have a bladder infection with no inflammation if he’s being given anti-inflamatory drugs like cortisone.

Be aware that if your cat can’t urinate at all, this is a blockage, which is a veterinary emergency.  Get your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

How Your Vet Treats Cat Bladder Infection

Your vet will probably prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection.  Tests ordered may include a urinalysis to check for white blood cells and crystals in the urine, and a urine culture to identify which bacteria is causing the problem.  The results of the urine culture can help determine which is the best antibiotic to use.

Tips For Preventing Cat Urinary Problems

There are several ways to prevent your cat from getting a bladder infection in the first place. 

First, try to feed your cat canned food.  A cat that eats only dry food is more prone to a bladder infection.  Cats are meant to get most of their water from their food, and moisture levels are much too low in dry cat food.

Second, your cat must have access to lots of pure, clean water at all times.Filtered water is a good idea to keep him from being exposed to any contaminants that may be present.

Prevent Cat Bladder Infection With Natural Remedies For Pets

People have been using herbal and homeopathic remedies for bladder problems for centuries.  Now many cat owners are wondering if these remedies are available for cats. 

The answer is yes.It’s necessary to use a remedy that’s been formulated especially for pets.  The remedy should include the herbs uva ursi and barberry, along with the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagris.  These ingredients have a proven track record for treating bladder problems.

You’ll also want to find a remedy that’s safe enough to give your cat every day to prevent cat urinary problems.  It needs to be easy to administer, too.PIlling a cat is a challenge, so you won’t use it for long if you have to do this every day.  Be sure you purchase your remedies only from a company with a good reputation that stands behind its products.

Now it’s time for you to put these tips into action so your cat won’t suffer from feline bladder infection.

Do you have unanswered questions about the cat urinary infection treatment your vet provides?Many cat owners don’t understand the treatment for cat urinary tract infecitons, and they still have questions that haven’t been answered.In this article, you’ll find answers to your questions.

Are Feline Bladder Infections Contagious?

The short answer is no.  Cat urinary tract infections can’t be passed from one cat to another or from a cat to a person.

What’s The Difference Between Feline Bladder Infections And Cat Urinary Tract Infections?

People get really confused about this, and for good reason, since the terms are used interchangeably.  However, to answer the question, a cat bladder infection really only affects his bladder.  A feline urinary tract infection (also called a UTI) can affect any part of your cat’s urinary tract.  This includes his kidneys, his ureters (the tubes that carry urine from his kidney to his bladder), his bladder, and his urethra (the tube that carries urine out of his body).  

Usually, when someone is talking about a UTI, they really mean a feline bladder infection.

What’s The Difference Between A Urinalysis And A Urine Culture?

Your vet may want to perform both of these tests.  Many cat owners don’t understand exactly what they are, and what they’re for.

Usually a urinalysis is done first.  Your vet looks at the sample to see if the urine is cloudy or bloody.  Cloudy urine is due to the presence of white blood cells, which indicate an infection.  If the urine is bloody, there’s obviously a problem.  Your vet may see that crystals are present, which indicate cat bladder stones.  The urine is also checked for protein.  

Based on the results from the urinalysis, your vet may want to do a urine culture.

A urine culture involves separating out the bacteria found in the urine sample from your cat.  These bacteria are then grown in the lab.  This test gives your vet some important information, namely, how many bacteria are present, what kind of bacteria it is, and which antibiotic will kill it.  

It takes at least a couple of days to do this test, as the bacteria need time to grow.

Why Do I Need To Give My Cat All Of The Antibiotic?

The good thing about antibiotics is that the cat urinary problems go away quickly.  But the infection isn’t completely gone.  Many cat owners make the mistake of not giving their cats the antibiotics for the entire ten or fourteen days.If you don’t give your cat all the antibiotics, the infection may come back.  

A more serious problem is that of antibiotic resistance.  More and more disease-causing bacteria are becoming resistant to common antibiotics.  One of the reasons is that people are not finishing up all the antibiotics, which encourages the bacteria which aren’t killed right away to keep growing.  So you can see that it’s very important to finish the antibiotic treatment, no matter how much your cat resists it.

Natural Remedies For Pets Can Help

You may be interested in learning more about herbal pet remedies.  These remedies are safe and effective, and can be given every day to prevent cat urinary problems.  Be sure you purchase them only from a company with a good reputation that’s known for providing excellent products for pets.

Now that you’re armed with this information, you can understand cat urinary infection treatment better.