Holistic Food for Cats With Bladder Stones

Bladder stones aren't just painful for cats. In male cats, they can block the urethra, causing a medical emergency and even death. Some of the symptoms of bladder stones are straining to pass urine, passing small amounts of urine or none at all, bloody urine, and urinating outside the litter box. While surgery may be necessary to remove the stones, holistic cat food can keep them from recurring.

  1. Read the Labels

    • Check the labels on cans and bags of cat food. In holistic food, meat or fish is the first ingredient. While the food might also include vegetables or fruit, holistic brands do not contain meat byproducts, wheat gluten, corn gluten meal or artificial coloring or preservatives.

      "All natural" cat food isn't necessarily holistic. And not all holistic foods are organic. The ingredients in organic food must be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture.

    Feed Wet Food

    • Wet food helps prevent dehydration and keeps the urine dilute, creating an environment that is not conducive to the formation of stones.

      If your cats are not used to wet food, help them make the transition from dry by putting about 1/8 tsp of wet food under about 1 tbs of dry. Increase the amount of wet food gradually, over a period of several days. Some other tricks are covering about 1/8 tsp of wet food with your cat's favorite treats or sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese or FortiFlora on top of the food. FortiFlora is a probiotic that contains animal digest, the ingredient that makes dry food so appealing to cats. Most veterinarians sell FortiFlora, or you can buy it online.

    Consider Raw Food

    • Raw food most closely resembles a cat's natural diet and helps maintain the correct pH in the cat's urine to discourage formation of stones. Frozen raw cat food is available from independent pet supply retailers, or try making your own.

      To transition your cats to raw food, mix a tiny bite in with their wet food. Gradually increase the amount of raw food until that's all they're eating. Another trick is to put a bowl with just a bite of raw beside your cat's bowl of wet food. When cats are offered two kinds of food, they tend to go from bowl to bowl sampling the contents of each.

    Phase Out Dry Food

    • Even holistic brands of dry food create concentrated urine, which is the ideal environment for the formation of stones. Cats prone to bladder stones should not eat dry food.

    Offer Filtered Water

    • Filtered water contains fewer of the minerals that contribute to the formation of bladder stones. Putting water bowls in several locations around your house will encourage your cats to drink more.