Cat Feline Urolithiasis: Stone Types and Prevention

Urinary stones in cats cause pain and obstruction, with stone type determining appropriate dietary prevention strategies.

Key Facts

Struvite and calcium oxalate are the two most common urinary stone types in cats
Struvite stones dissolve on prescription dissolution diets making surgery avoidable in many cases
Calcium oxalate stones cannot be dissolved and require surgical or laser removal
Stone type determines dietary management - diet for struvite dissolves calcium oxalate and vice versa
Urinalysis and imaging characterize stones; quantitative analysis after removal confirms type definitively
Male cats with calcium oxalate urethral plugs face life-threatening urethral obstruction
Increased water intake through wet food reduces urine concentration and stone formation risk for both types

Welfare Considerations

Urinary stones cause pain from bladder irritation and acute severe pain during urethral obstruction in males. Obstructed cats experience excruciating inability to urinate with rapidly progressing bladder distension and kidney failure without emergency catheterization. Dietary prevention after stone removal is highly effective but type-specific - using the wrong diet can worsen rather than prevent recurrence. Accurate stone analysis enables targeted dietary management that prevents the painful recurrence.

What You Can Do

Feed primarily wet food to increase water intake and dilute urine in stone-prone cats
Request quantitative stone analysis after surgical removal to guide dietary prevention
Follow the specific prescription diet recommended for your cat's confirmed stone type
Provide multiple fresh water sources including fountains to encourage adequate hydration
Recognize urethral obstruction as an emergency - straining without producing urine requires immediate vet care
Monitor urine pH when prescribed as a proxy for dietary compliance in struvite-preventing protocols