Urinary tract problems are a frequent concern for feline companions, leading to the umbrella term Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Diet plays a crucial role in managing and preventing these issues. This article delves into the best dietary choices for cats experiencing FLUTD.
Understanding Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)
FLUTD is not a single disease but rather a collection of conditions affecting a cat’s lower urinary tract, specifically the bladder and urethra. These conditions share common symptoms, making it essential for owners to recognize them.
The primary conditions encompassed by FLUTD include:
- Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC): This is the most prevalent form of FLUTD, accounting for 55-69% of cases. FIC is characterized by bladder inflammation with an unknown cause, often linked to stress, abnormal stress responses, and a compromised bladder lining.
- Urolithiasis (Bladder Stones): Making up 15-20% of FLUTD cases, bladder stones are hard mineral formations in the urine that irritate the bladder lining. If they obstruct the urethra, they can lead to a life-threatening condition known as a “blocked bladder.”
- Urethral Plugs: These are blockages in the urethra composed of mucus, crystals, and inflammatory cells. Urethral spasms can also contribute to blockages.
Less common causes of FLUTD are anatomical defects, cancer, and bacterial cystitis, which is rare in younger cats but can affect up to 50% of older cats over ten years old.
Recognizing the Signs of Urinary Issues in Cats
Cats experiencing FLUTD often exhibit a range of symptoms, making it difficult for owners to pinpoint the exact cause without veterinary examination. Common signs include:
- Dysuria: Straining or crying out while attempting to urinate. This can be mistaken for constipation, so veterinary consultation is advised.
- Pollakiuria: Increased frequency of urination.
- Haematuria: The presence of blood or blood clots in the urine.
- Periuria: Urinating in inappropriate locations outside the litter box.
- Lethargy: A noticeable decrease in energy levels.
- Behavioral Changes: This can manifest as unusual aggression, hiding, or increased affection.
- Overgrooming: Excessive licking, particularly around the genital area or abdomen.
Any of these symptoms warrant a veterinary visit. Critically, if a cat is straining to urinate but passing no urine, it is a medical emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention due to the risk of a blocked bladder.
Treatment Approaches for FLUTD
Veterinary treatment for FLUTD is tailored to the specific underlying cause. A veterinarian will conduct a thorough history and physical examination. If a definitive cause isn’t immediately apparent, further diagnostic tests such as urine analysis, blood tests, and imaging may be recommended. In many cases, a presumptive diagnosis of FIC is made.
Common treatment strategies include pain management, encouraging increased water intake, dietary modifications, and stress reduction. Additional treatments will depend on the diagnosed condition, and ongoing management is often necessary, especially for FIC, as cats prone to it may experience recurring episodes.
Promoting Urinary Tract Health in Cats
While completely preventing FLUTD recurrence, particularly FIC, is challenging, several measures can significantly contribute to maintaining a healthy urinary tract for your cat.
Key strategies include:
- Ensuring Adequate Water Intake: Cats often prefer separate locations for eating and drinking. Offering multiple water bowls in various accessible spots can be beneficial. Many cats are drawn to wider bowls that don’t touch their whiskers and may favor ceramic or metal over plastic. Drinking fountains can also encourage increased water consumption by mimicking fresh, running water. Feeding wet food, with its high moisture content (75% or more), is the most effective way to boost a cat’s daily water intake, as kibble-based diets often fall short. It’s important to remember that milk is not a suitable water substitute and can cause digestive upset.
- Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight: Obesity is a significant risk factor for FLUTD and numerous other health problems. A diet rich in protein and lower in carbohydrates and fats can help manage weight effectively. Consult your veterinarian for personalized weight management advice if your cat is overweight.
- Minimizing Stress: Cat stress differs from human stress and can be triggered by changes such as new pets, home renovations, moving, or even the rearrangement of furniture. Insufficient resources, like food bowls, litter boxes, and resting spots, shared among multiple cats, can also be a major stressor. Maintaining a consistent routine, ensuring an adequate number of resources (at least one per cat, plus an extra), and utilizing feline pheromone diffusers can help create a more calming environment.
Dietary Recommendations for Cats with Urinary Problems
Diet is a cornerstone of FLUTD treatment, management, and prevention. For common conditions like FIC and bladder stones (urolithiasis), specific dietary considerations are paramount.
Managing Bladder Stones
Bladder stones, such as struvite uroliths (composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate), are common in cats. Fortunately, struvite stones can often be dissolved through a specialized prescription urinary diet. These diets are formulated to be low in magnesium and phosphorus – the key minerals in struvite formation – and help to acidify the urine. Increasing fluid intake by feeding the wet version of these diets also aids in reducing urine concentration and is highly beneficial.
Preventing FLUTD Recurrence
While FLUTD cannot be entirely prevented, strategic dietary choices can significantly reduce the likelihood of bladder stone and crystal recurrence, as well as FIC flare-ups. Your veterinarian may recommend a long-term diet low in magnesium and phosphorus, ensuring it is nutritionally complete and appropriate for extended feeding. Some prescription diets are only suitable for short-term use. Non-prescription options low in these minerals might be viable, but always confirm suitability with your vet.
Increasing water intake is critical for preventing FIC recurrence. Studies indicate that feeding a diet high in moisture content, such as canned or wet food, can more than halve recurrence rates. Exclusively feeding wet food can reduce the chances of FIC recurring by at least 50%, and this practice is likely beneficial for most cats suffering from FLUTD, irrespective of the underlying cause.
Key Takeaways
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) encompasses a spectrum of conditions affecting the bladder and urethra. Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC) is the most frequent diagnosis. While FLUTD cannot be entirely prevented, dietary management plays a vital role in mitigating recurrence. Prioritizing increased water intake through wet food diets has demonstrated significant benefits. In specific cases, a vet-guided diet low in magnesium and phosphorus may be recommended. Urinary diets for particular feline urinary tract issues should always be determined on a case-by-case basis with veterinary guidance. Generally, for cats with FLUTD, diets should aim for approximately 0.07-0.14% magnesium and 0.5-0.9% phosphorus on a dry matter basis.
Notes from the team at Zealandia:
Zealandia’s canned food products are formulated with 95% meat and organs (excluding water for processing). A typical ingredient breakdown includes:
Deboned Meat: ~61.5%
Lamb Organs: ~30% (Liver, Lung, Green Tripe, Heart, Kidney, Plasma)
NZ Green Mussels: ~3%
Dried Yeast: ~3%
Vegetable Gums: ~1% (Guar Gum, Agar Agar)
Salmon Oil: ~0.5%
Vitamins & Minerals: ~1% (Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Glycine Complex, Niacin Supplement, Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Glycine Complex, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Acetate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Cholecalciferol)
The Zealandia variant most suitable for dogs and cats with a history of Urinary Health issues is: Salmon (Adult)
- Low magnesium
- Moderate phosphorus
- Moderate calcium
- High moisture (wet food)
- Adequate protein without excess
