Male cats are far more likely to form urine crystals than females but that doesn t mean females can t be affected.
Crystals in cat urine.
Many believe that this is due to cats eating commercial foods that acidify the urine.
Crystals in the urine irritate the cat s bladder and can lead to bladder stones or to a condition known as feline lower urinary tract disease or flutd.
This is because crystals or bladder stones do not form when minerals are adequately diluted.
The detection of urinary crystals is not synonymous with kidney stones or the clinical signs associated with them nor is detection of urine crystals irrefutable evidence of a stone forming tendency but there is some association with an increased risk for kidney stones in animals that are.
Cats may develop urine crystals when the have a urinary tract infection or they may develop these crystals independently of any infection.
It was formerly referred to as feline urological syndrome or fus.
If you cat is adequately hydrated there are minimal chances of your cat suffering from urinary crystals.
Interestingly these crystals used to be extremely rare but now account for roughly half of feline urinary crystals.
Water is the most important solution for a cat s urinary health.
Struvite crystals are microscopic crystals that are found in the urine of some cats.
The crystals themselves can be perfectly normal but become problematic when they combine to form grit or stones of varying shapes and sizes.
If the crystals form in to stones diets are not effective at dissolving them and they require more drastic intervention.
Also any condition that changes your cat s urine ph such as kidney disease or long term medication use can cause crystals.
Struvite specifically is a material that is composed of magnesium ammonium and phosphate.
Crystals in cats also known as feline crystalluria is a medical condition which involves the formation of crystals in the cat s urine.
Some normal animals can have crystals in their urine although sometimes they are indicative of an underlying issue especially if present in large numbers or accompanied by urinary symptoms.
I just changed her entire diet to wet cat food beginning today and going to see if i notice any changes in her urine within the next month.
These crystals which are microscopic in size tend to appear like fine sand and often occur as part of or because of other conditions.
Different types of crystals may develop if your cat isn t eating a proper complete and balanced diet.
Crystalluria is a medical condition where crystals are expelled into the urine.
Younger cats can develop crystals in their urine just as easily as older cats so age isn t really a factor.