Does your cat have a urinary condition?

Urinary conditions are painful, frustrating and can even be life threatening in cats, so it's important to know the signs.

Urinary disorders are more common in cats than you might think.

Urinary disorders include bladder stones/crystals, infections, FLUTD and idiopathic cystitis – and treatment will depend on the correct diagnosis. Chronic renal (kidney) disease is a common disease in cats, particularly older cats. If you suspect your cat has a urinary condition, contact your vet immediately.

Traditionally all urinary conditions were treated with medication only. More recent work has shown that some conditions could be linked to lifestyle factors such as boredom, stress and obesity. Therefore, making changes to the diet and environment can help to keep your cat’s urinary tract healthy. Read on for our top tips for avoiding urinary problems in your cat.

How to encourage a cat to drink:

  • Always provide clean, fresh water

    Clean, fresh water should always be available in several places around the house. Even if the water level does not appear to be decreasing, it is important that the water is refreshed regularly.

  • Avoid resource guarding

    Resource guarding is a common problem (where one cat stops the other using a bowl, litter tray or a bed) so several bowls are vital if you have more than one cat.

  • Find the right bowl

    Some cats prefer a certain type of bowl – many don’t like reflective metal bowls and others don’t like bowls where their whiskers touch the sides so a larger bowl may be required.

  • Check the taste of your water

    The taste of water is important. Tap water can taste strongly of chlorine and so collecting rain water may be an economical option. Consider a water drinking fountain if your cat likes to drink from a dripping tap – there are many styles available.

  • Keep away from the litter tray!

    Don’t forget that cats won’t drink water if their bowl is right next to their litter tray!

  • Add water to the cat food

    Try adding warm to hot water to your Burns Cat Food for a delicious alternative to feeding the food dry. The warmth of the water brings out the aroma of the food and encourages eating (cats prefer their food at body temperature). Avoid boiling water as it may destroy heat-sensitive vitamins and could result in your cat burning his/her tongue.

Does diet affect my cat's urinary health?

Yes. Increasing the water content of your cat’s diet is essential for cats prone to urinary problems, however there are other dietary considerations to maintain a healthy urinary system. A natural, good quality food such as Burns will be easy to digest, so the daily feeding amounts are lower. Avoiding ingredients such as sugar means the urine is a less favourable environment for bacteria to thrive. A better quality diet may reduce waste products in the urine which can irritate the bladder. 

See Burns Cat Food Feeding Amounts here.

How to avoid my cat getting a urinary condition:

Don't let your cat free feed

Free feeding or feeding ad-libitum has been shown to increase the risk of developing urinary conditions in certain cats. There are several reasons for this:

 – A diet containing high quality protein that meets but does not exceed the cat’s maintenance requirements should be fed. The food should provide adequate calories from carbohydrates and fat to minimise use of dietary protein for energy.

– Overfeeding or overeating is more common in cats that a free fed and increases the amount of waste products in urine which can irritate the bladder membrane.

 – It also means that the ratio of dry food to water is increased so the urine becomes more concentrated; this is likely to make the bladder a more favourable environment for bacteria.

Monitor obesity and keep your cat active

Overweight cats and those with a sedentary lifestyle are more prone to urinary conditions. A low fat diet and increased exercise is therefore recommended to maintain urinary health. Try to encourage exercise by playing with your cat in short 5 minute sessions throughout the day.

Use puzzle balls to encourage your cat to work for his/her food or use your stairs to encourage exercise. Moist food can be put at the top or the bottom of the stairs so the cat has to use them to get food, or dry food can be scattered on the stairs or in and around cat activity centres.

Consider a specialist diet

Veterinary advice on the correct diet for your cat is recommended if he/she has a urinary problem. A specialist diet may be needed and the correct diet will depend on the diagnosis. Urinary diets often contain substances which change the pH of the urine to make it more acidic or more alkaline (depending on the type of bladder stone). Often these diets will have a reduced protein or mineral content too.

Hungry for more? Check out our other cat guides:

  • How to enrich your cat's life

    Ensuring they stay happy and healthy.

  • How much should I feed my cat?

    Recommended feeding amounts for your cat.

  • Is my cat overweight?

    Checking in on your cat's size and health.
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