Cat Foods for Urinary Tract Disease

Formerly known as Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS), feline lower urinary tract disease in cats is serious and may be life-threatening. Proper feeding helps prevent the condition, and cats treated for it must follow special dietary restrictions to help prevent a recurrence. Signs include straining in the litter box, pain while attempting to urinate, constantly going to the litter box, blood in the urine or urinating in inappropriate places. Take a cat exhibiting any of these signs to the veterinarian immediately, as time is of the essence in treating urinary blockage.

  1. Canned Cat Food

    • According to Dr. Lisa Pierson in "Feline Urinary Tract Health:Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection," feeding canned cat food rather than dry food seriously reduces the risk of cats developing urinary tract disease. She explains that the most important elements in keeping the urinary tract healthy is water flowing through it. In the wild, cats prey is about 78 percent water, while commercial canned foods are approximately 75 percent water. Dry foods are only five to 10 percent water, according to Pierson.

    Hills Prescription Diet C/D

    • This food, available only from veterinarians, is designed to limit the formation of crystals that cause urethral blockage. It has low levels of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium to help prevent bladder stones, along with additional potassium citrate to prevent their formation. Ample amounts of vitamin B-6 are included to hinder oxalate formation, another culprit in bladder stones. The product is low sodium, with fish oil as a source of Omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and vitamin E.

    Raw Meat

    • For those who are willing to feed it, certain raw meats help maintain a healthy feline urinary tract. Feral cats, true carnivores, subsist on birds, mice and other small rodents. This prey consists of meat and water. Feed raw poultry including chicken livers and chicken and turkey necks, available at most supermarkets. Many natural pet food stores carry raw meat food lines for easy feeding. These commercial raw foods may contain vegetables for their immune boosting properties or cranberries to aid the urinary tract.