Best Cat Food To Prevent Urinary Blockage

Brands Making The Best Cat Food For Urinary Health

Dont know which brand to choose? You may have heard of Royal Canin, Purina, IAMS, and other big cat food giants, but what are the specific lines that target health problems like FLUTD? Our top picks include:

• Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet
• Hills Prescription Diet
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet and
• Wysong Uretic.

Your vet may have given you an initial recommendation, but that doesnt mean your kitty has to stick to one brand or flavor for life. Check with his medical professional first, but usually:

• Most vets will approve other brands, as long as a formula is designed for your cats special urinary requirements, and
• They dont necessarily need to stick to dry food often, the best wet cat food for urinary health is just as good.

Purina One Urinary Tract Health Adult Formula Dry Food

So the Purina FOCUS food we chose as the best also has a dry variant, and its a wonderful all rounder.

You lose some of the incredible value for money you get with the wet food, because the competing dry foods are good value themselves. However, you dont lose any of the nutritional value that made us favor it.

The easily digestible formula contains healthy omega-6 fatty acids that not only work to boost your cats digestive system, but also improve coat and skin health.

Of all the dry foods on this list, this comes in the most convenient quantities 3.5 lb, 7 lb 16 lb and 22lb bags are all available for purchase.

It also has a respectable 31% minimum crude protein content, which is up there with some of the best dry cat foods around. This means its a little heavy on the calories though. At a meaty 452 kcal/cup, you should take extra care to portion this food appropriately.

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Hills Science Diet Canned Hairball Control & Urinary Cat Food

Of course, when it comes to urinary cat food, this is a hard formulation to beat. This specific brand specializes in providing cats with optimal nutrition to meet their specific dietary needs and to help prevent a host of different conditions and diseases.

What makes it such a great pick if youre looking out for your cats urinary health is the fact that it contains a precise amount of micronutrients to help maintain proper renal function. This non prescription cat food for urinary crystals guarantees the proper pH balance and helps maintain hydration to prevent many of the common issues cats face with renal health.

Another reason why it works well for most cat owners is the fact that the food is specially designed to satisfy picky eaters. So despite being something of a prescription cat food, it doesnt sacrifice taste or texture, so you can be sure your cat will finish a serving without too much of a fuss.

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Best Treats: Get Naked Urinary Health Crunchy Treats For Cats

All cats love treats- just because your pet has troubles with their urinary health doesnt mean that they dont get to indulge from time to time! However, you shouldnt go overboard, especially with treats that are not formulated to meet the needs of cats with urinary problems. Get Naked Urinary Health Crunchy Treats For Cats is a healthier alternative to the feline version of junk food and, to boot, it is designed to help with urinary issues rather than exacerbate them. These functional treats are made with real chicken cranberry juice, which is thought to help cleanse the urinary tract and acidify the urine, and are grain-free, so no wheat, corn, or soy in sight. The best part is that each treat is under 2 kcal, so you dont have to worry about occasional treats ruining your pets figure.

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Premium Pick: Nom Nom Chicken Cuisine Cat Food

• Type: Fresh
• Made In: United States

This recipe from Nom Nom ticks all of our urinary health boxes and does a few things that other foods cant. For starters, its moisture-rich, meat-based, and it doesnt have too much ash.

The recipe features chicken muscle meat and organs as its primary ingredients. While its not a prescription diet, its meat-centric recipe and relatively low carbohydrate content should promote a healthy urinary pH.

In addition to nutritionally meeting our basic requirements, this Nom Nom food offers a level of service that you wont get from many other brands.

The Nom Nom team includes feline nutrition experts ready to help you ensure that your cats diet meets his needs.

If youre not sure whether or not the food is the right choice for you, the team is ready to give personalized advice, even offering to review your cats latest bloodwork and communicate with your veterinarian.

Between its custom-portioned pouches and attentive customer support, this brand is a good choice for those who make personalization a priority.

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Best Variety: Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Variety Pack Canned Cat Food

Key Ingredients: Varies by flavor | Calories per Serving: 82 to 107 depending on flavor | Texture: Wet, varies | Balance: Varies but most are Crude Protein min. 10.0%, Crude Fat min. 6.5%, Crude Fiber max 0.5%, Moisture max. 78.0% | Life Stage: Adult

• Nutritional and flavor diversity for your cat

• No prescription needed

• Meat by-products are the first ingredient

• Added color

If your cats digestive system can tolerate more than one type of food, a variety pack is a wonderful way to give them a broader range of flavors and nutrients at the same time.

Purina Pro Plan Focus Classic Urinary Tract Health Formula Adult Wet Cat Food Variety Pack comes as a case of 12, 24, or 36 cans. It can be purchased as four, eight or twelve cans each of three flavorsOcean Whitefish or Beef & Chicken, Chicken, and Turkey and Gibletsor as twelve cans each of two flavorsOcean Whitefish and Salmon.

Each recipe has low dietary magnesium and has been designed to reducing urinary pH. Purina products are also manufactured in the U.S. and are widely available and among the more affordable brands on shelves today.

Key Ingredients: N-Acetyl Glucosamine from shrimp and crab, D-mannose, cranberry extract | Calories per Serving: Not listed| Balance: Not listed | Life Stage: Adult | Texture: Soft chews

• Incorporates D-mannose ingredient known to decrease urinary tract infections

• Several inactive ingredients

Why Use A Urinary Tract Cat Food

As cats age, they develop different urinary problems and because your kitty is sneaky about it, you wont notice the symptoms unless you are very attentive. Sometimes this can be dangerous because if there is a blockage in the urethra, it can be fatal.

More often than not, the problem could be caused by Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease , which is a collection of various symptoms. There are several reasons for urinary health issues in cats but the most common ones are kidney stones, debris in the bladder and/or urethra, blockage in the urethra from urine build-up, and inflammation.

Stress, injury, congenital abnormality, and problems with the spinal cord can also be the contributory factors. However, theres one aspect that often goes unnoticed but it could be playing a major role in aggravating urinary problems and its symptoms.

It is the dietary intake of your cat. If your furry feline isnt getting proper nutrition, it will show up in form of health issues. Ingredients in cat food influence the pH of urine, its concentration, and volume.

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Provide Enough Litter Trays

It is important to ensure you have enough litter trays throughout your house. A good formula to work off is to provide the same number of litter trays as you have cats, plus one extra. So for example, a one-cat home should have two litter trays, and a three-cat home should have four litter trays.

There are many ways you can help to avoid urinary issues in your cat. By maintaining a good body weight, decreasing stress, encouraging water intake, and providing enough litter trays and toys, you will be giving your cat the best chance at a healthy urinary tract.

Dr Carla Paszkowski

When Carla isn’t talking about petcare at PetCircle, she enjoys playing mum to her fluffy little cross-eyed feline fur baby, Smudge.

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How To Diagnose If Your Cat Has A Urinary Tract Infection

Sometimes its harder to diagnose either our cat has issues or not. But we can spot it with the symptoms given below.

• Cats will be using the litter box very often than on regular days.
• Urinating in other spots instead of using the litter box.
• Straining in the litter box.
• Excessive urethral licking
• Loss of appetite
• Depression

If your feline is facing any of the symptoms mentioned above, then its wise to consult your vet as soon as possible.

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What Does The Best Urinary Cat Food Contain

Prescription recipes focus on alleviating your cats discomfort, using specific ingredients and formulas to prevent the problem from recurring. But what are those special ingredients, and can kitty still have a balanced diet?

Heres the truth: prescription recipes wont always contain the most natural ingredients. Therefore, you will have less choice when youre restricted to shopping for veterinary formulas but your cats health should always be your #1 priority. You will sometimes need to settle for a kibble with the odd animal by-product or filler if it means protecting your cat against painful and potentially fatal urinary conditions.

Warning aside, the best urinary tract cat food usually contains:

• Regulated mineral levels to support good urinary health
• This generally means balanced magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium to prevent crystal buildup
• Ingredients to lower your cats urine pH and
• Controlled calories overweight kitties are generally more prone to developing FLUTD.

Ready to look closer at the best urinary cat food brands? Lets see!

What Is The Takeaway On Restrictive Diets

Fixing a diet for the prevention of struvite crystals can seem more complicated than it is, so here’s a summary of crucial points:

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How Much Moisture Is In The Cat Food

Whats the percentage of moisture in the cat food youre considering? The higher the number, the better for your kitty. More moisture means your cat will urinate more. Increased urination will flush out any crystals that may be trying to form in your cats urinary tract. Canned cat food has a higher moisture content than dry.

Also Read: Best Wet And Canned Cat Food

The Best Cat Food For Urinary Tract Health Is Rich In Moisture

Moisture is the single most important dietary factor in FLUTD defense. High-moisture food keeps water flowing through your cats system, flushing out mineral deposits and helping to prevent infection. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of high-moisture food, showing that it can help to reduce FLUTD recurrence and may prevent it altogether.

Why high-moisture food, though? If hydration is key, why not just give your cat a bowl of clean water?

Cats evolved as desert animals, adapted to life without water bowls. Instead of getting thirsty and drinking like dogs and people do, cats get most of their hydration from their prey. A mouse is 65-80% water. The best cat food for urinary tract health is equally juicy, effortlessly providing all the moisture your cat needs.

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Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary So

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet SO is the next canned food to make it onto our list. Royal Canin is also a well-known name when it comes to special diets, and the Urinary SO is one of their best offerings.

This particular formula helps your darling cat tackle a range of health issues, including cystitis. According to Royal Canin, it promotes a urinary environment that is unfavorable to the development of urine crystals and kidney stones.

Thanks to its low magnesium content, your kittys kidneys arent taxed since they dont filter excessive amounts of minerals. Also, the high moisture content of the food helps dilute urine and increase urine volume, making it easier to flush out wastes.

Moreover, this canned food is quite appealing to cats because it primarily consists of chicken, with pork as its second protein source. Adding to that is a selection of safe and high-quality fish oils that supply your kitty with omega fatty acids to help its skin and coat flourish even more.

Since an impaired kidney function cant properly produce hemoglobin, I appreciate that Royal Canin also fortified this recipe with iron. As such, your cat is a step ahead of anemia and maintain high energy levels.

However, you will need your vets prescription to buy the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary SO even when purchasing online.

S For Maintaining Your Cats Urinary Health

Cats are notoriously plagued by urinary problems. Kidney disease, chronic bladder inflammation, and urethral obstruction are common feline medical conditions, and many owners want to know how they can maintain their cats urinary health and keep these problems at bay. Whether your cat has a history of urinary trouble, or you hope to prevent disease development, use these five tips:

#1: Increase Your Cats Water Intake

A higher urine water content dilutes the toxins, minerals, and urinary irritants that can lead to problems. Concentrated urine is more likely to form crystals and urinary stones, and irritants can contribute to chronic bladder inflammation. Increasing your cats water intake is one of the most important steps toward keeping her urinary tract healthy. More water also means your cat will stay hydrated and urinate more frequently, which will flush out toxins and maintain kidney function.

Try incorporating these ideas into your cats daily routine to increase her water intake:

#2: Reevaluate Your Cats Diet

Before changing your cats diet, consult your family veterinarian. Many urinary diets are available, and she can help you choose one that is appropriate for your cats needs. She can also counsel you about gradually changing your cat to a new food so she will accept it. Cats are creatures of habit and may not do well with a sudden switch.

#3: Reduce Your Cats Environmental Stress

#4: Provide Environmental Enrichment for Your Cat

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Runner Up: Wholehearted Urinary Support Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food

Designed to balance the pH value of your cats urine, WholeHearted Urinary Support Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food relies on DL-methionine to acidify urine in order to minimize the chance of struvites and calcium oxalates. Rich in protein, this grain-free formula contains no corn, wheat, or grains of any kind and is rich in antioxidants to boost your pets immune system. Omega 3s and 6s give their coat a lustrous shine and the balanced blend of nutrients makes sure that all of your cats dietary needs are met. The savory chicken flavor makes this kibble popular with picky eaters, too- and the fact that this cat food for urinary health is formulated to support their overall well-being certainly doesnt hurt.

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Hills Science Diet Hairball Control & Urinary Dry Cat Food

If youre one of the millions of cat owners who need to leave their cat at home while they go out to work or run errands, then you probably already know that leaving out a serving of wet cat food is like asking for disaster. Wet cat food cant stay out for longer than 20 minutes, so its likely to turn bad just a few minutes after you rush out the door. For that reason, wet cat food might not be the best choice if you find that you need to leave your cat at home for more than a few hours.

Fortunately, there are some choices that help maximize urinary health despite being in dry kibble form. One of the best options in this category would have to be Hills Science Diet Urinary & Hairball Control Dry Cat Food.

Although dry kibble isnt recommended for urinary health, this specific formulation features the same blend of ingredients found in the wet food variation. Its also a lot cheaper than its wet formulation counterpart, which makes it a great investment for pet owners who want the benefits of Science Diet without putting too much of a dent on their wallet.

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Editors Choice: Wysong Uretic Dry Natural Food For Cats

This dry cat food is not just meant to support your pets urinary health but their whole immune system, as well. Wysong Uretic Dry Natural Food for Cats has a low mineral content and includes natural sourced, DL-methionine to help acidify urine and prevent crystal formation. This makes it suited for urinary health issues, but the rest of the formula is pretty impressive as well- the first ingredient is real meat and it contains prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants to promote healthy digestion, healthier-looking fur and skin, and overall vitality, too. Tasty and loved by most cats, this formula boasts 42% protein and 15% fat and no cheap fillers such as wheat or corn.

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