The Best Foods for Cats With FUS

Feline urologic syndrome, also known as feline lower urinary tract disease or feline idiopathic cystitis, affects up to 1 percent of cats, according to PetPlace.com. The disease covers a range of conditions that interferes with a cat's ability to urinate. There are certain diets that control the symptoms, and you can prevent this potentially fatal disease through dietary changes for your cat.

  1. Identification

    • FUS encompasses a variety of health issues that affect a cat's lower urinary tract, including the bladder and urethra. Bacterial infection, bladder stones, urinary tract blockage or even cancer are causes of FUS, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Hyperthyroidism and diabetes can also lead to problems with a cat's urinary tract. A veterinarian treats the underlying conditions causing FUS symptoms, including blood or crystals in the urine. In severe cases the crystals end up blocking the urethra, especially in male cats, because they have a narrower urethra. A cat with a urinary obstruction can't eliminate toxins from its body through urination and the condition can become fatal, requiring immediate treatment.

    Canned Cat Food

    • PetPlace.com recommends switching your cat to a canned-food diet. Canned food contains about 78 percent water, while dry foods have only 7 percent, according to Lisa Pierson, DVM, of CatInfo.org. Choose one that contains high-quality proteins such as chicken or beef and no byproducts or preservatives. Lower-quality diets contain higher amounts of magnesium and ash, which may contribute to the formation of bladder stones or crystals, according to 2ndchance.info. If your cat has been diagnosed with FUS, feed it a specialty canned cat food designed to prevent struvite or oxalate crystals in the urine by adjusting its pH. Feed your cat three to four small meals a day to prevent the urine from becoming alkaline after a large meal. Regulate the amount of food your cat eats to prevent obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes, which can also lead to urinary tract issues, according to the ASPCA.

    Water Intake

    • You should also increase your cat's water intake as much as possible to avoid FUS. By increasing water consumption the cat's urine becomes more diluted, less irritating to the bladder walls and less likely to form crystals. Increased urine flow flushes crystals or other debris from the cat's body. Add extra water or low-sodium chicken broth to your cat's wet food or mix in water from low-sodium tuna to entice your cat to eat a new or different canned cat food especially for cats with FUS.

    Prescription Veterinary Diets

    • Depending on which type of crystals found in your cat's urine, purchase prescription canned cat food designed to treat the condition, which are available through your veterinarian. Feed a cat diagnosed with struvite crystals a diet that acidifies its urine to dissolve any stones in the bladder and prevent new ones from forming. To dissolve stones, feed Hill's special diet, Royal Canin Dissolution or Royal Canin Urinary SO to your cat for a short period, as directed by a veterinarian, according to Holly Nash, DVM of PetEducation.com. Use maintenance diets such as Hill's, Royal Canin Control, Royal Canin Urinary SO or Purina CNM UR Formula to prevent stones from forming. If a veterinarian has diagnosed your cat with oxalate crystals, feed the cat a diet to keep its urine's pH as neutral as possible, such as Hill's c/d or x/d, Royal Canin Urinary SO, or Purina CNM UR Formula. Oxalate crystals do not dissolve by these foods and you need to have the crystals surgically removed by your veterinarian.