Companion Animal Welfare

Cat Feline Bladder Stone Management Welfare

Feline bladder stones cause urinary obstruction and pain requiring appropriate management to prevent recurrence and chronic suffering.

Key Facts

Struvite and calcium oxalate are the most common stone types in cats
Struvite stones dissolve with appropriate acidifying diets in 4-8 weeks
Calcium oxalate stones require surgical or laser removal
Identifying stone type through analysis is essential for appropriate management
Males are at higher risk of urethral obstruction from stones than females

Welfare Considerations

Bladder stones cause urinary pain, frequent voiding, and haematuria, with the life-threatening complication of urethral obstruction in males. Recurrence is common without appropriate dietary management matched to stone type. The welfare cost of untreated or mismanaged bladder stone disease includes repeated painful obstructions and emergency interventions that could be prevented with correct ongoing management.

What You Can Do

Submit bladder stones for mineralogical analysis to guide dietary management
Maintain appropriate dietary management indefinitely to prevent stone recurrence
Monitor urine regularly in cats with a history of bladder stones