Crystals In Cat Urine

If you cat is adequately hydrated there are minimal chances of your cat suffering from urinary crystals.

Crystals in cat urine.

Crystalluria is a medical condition where crystals are expelled into the urine. Cats may develop urine crystals when the have a urinary tract infection or they may develop these crystals independently of any infection. The crystals themselves can be perfectly normal but become problematic when they combine to form grit or stones of varying shapes and sizes. 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.

Flutd includes crystal formation in the bladder which might obstruct the cat s urethra. Interestingly these crystals used to be extremely rare but now account for roughly half of feline urinary crystals. Urinary crystals are microscopic structures that can be found in the urine of many animals including cats. Different types of crystals may develop if your cat isn t eating a proper complete and balanced diet.

Struvite crystals are microscopic crystals that are found in the urine of some cats. Water is the most important solution for a cat s urinary health. Also any condition that changes your cat s urine ph such as kidney disease or long term medication use can cause crystals. This is because crystals or bladder stones do not form when minerals are adequately diluted.

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. 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. Male cats are far more likely to form urine crystals than females but that doesn t mean females can t be affected. Crystals in cats also known as feline crystalluria is a medical condition which involves the formation of crystals in the cat s urine.

If the crystals form in to stones diets are not effective at dissolving them and they require more drastic intervention. Struvite specifically is a material that is composed of magnesium ammonium and phosphate. It was formerly referred to as feline urological syndrome or fus. Many believe that this is due to cats eating commercial foods that acidify the urine.

These crystals which are microscopic in size tend to appear like fine sand and often occur as part of or because of other conditions.