Cats Urinating Less and More Often: Possible Causes

Formation of urinary stones primarily occurs when the concentration of crystalline salts in urine becomes too high, leading to precipitation and accumulation, which eventually results in the formation of solid matter that grows larger over time. In reality, there are two types of stones, but for most people, knowing the difference isn't crucial. What's most important is understanding how to prevent them.

Signs of Urinary Stones in Cats:

1. Frequent urination, but with very little or no urine produced each time.

2. Difficulty in urination, which may indicate severe blockage by urethral stones.

3. Pain during urination.

4. Blood traces in the urine.

5. Lethargy and decreased appetite.

6. Licking at the urethral opening.

7. Sudden preference for urinating in inappropriate places, indicating a change in habits.

Causes of Urinary Stones:

The formation of urinary stones is a gradual process, as the precipitation and growth of mineral crystals in urine take time.

1. Insufficient Water Intake: The direct cause of stones is the high concentration of urine, a concept we learned in middle school chemistry. When a solution becomes saturated, other substances can no longer dissolve in it, and they crystallize into a solid form. Cats, as a whole, are not very fond of drinking water, making them more prone to stone issues.

2. Excessive Mineral Intake: A large amount of minerals in the urine is a direct cause of stones. The relationship between minerals and urine is a seesaw; with a fixed amount of minerals, less water intake leads to less urine and a higher mineral proportion. Conversely, with a fixed amount of urine, less mineral intake results in lower urine concentration, and more intake leads to higher concentration. Once it exceeds the solubility limit (saturation), crystals will precipitate and form stones.

3. Bacterial Infection: Some stones are also attributed to bacteria, which cause an overabundance of bacteria and their byproducts. These can act as nuclei for crystal growth, becoming the core and attachment points for stones.

4. Low Physical Activity: If a cat is not very active, stones or crystals may adhere to the inner walls of the urinary system and cannot be naturally expelled (when they are small). Regular exercise can help detach these crystals from the inner walls, allowing them to be flushed out with urine before they grow large enough to affect health.

Other possible factors may include genetic predisposition, physiological structure (male cats are more prone to the condition than female cats), emotional stress (stress responses), and holding urine for extended periods.

Prevention of Urinary Stones:

Now that we understand the causes of stones, we can take appropriate preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of their formation.

1. Adequate Water Intake: Encourage your cat to drink more water. If your cat isn't a big drinker (this varies from cat to cat), consider adding something your cat enjoys to the water, like catnip!

Combine dry and wet food, canned food, and homemade meals. Wet food can help cats consume a certain amount of water during meals, which is ideal for those who don't like to drink. You can also add water to canned food to mix it in.

Use cool, boiled water for your cat's drinking water. If your local water is hard (with a lot of limescale), it indicates a high mineral content in the water. It's best not to give this water to your cat, and humans should also avoid drinking it, as it can increase the risk of stones.

Additionally, feeding wet food can lead to dental calculus, which is not as effective as dry food. Cats on a wet food diet should be brushed regularly.

2. Avoid HighProtein, HighMineral Diets: Longterm consumption of highprotein, highmineral foods, such as seafood, can increase the supply of "ingredients" for stones. Therefore, a lowmineral diet can help control stone formation.

This also includes the water quality issue mentioned earlier. Avoid giving your cat hard water and raw water. On one hand, there are hygiene concerns (parasites), and on the other hand, boiling water causes some minerals to crystallize and form limescale, which also reduces mineral content. Providing your cat with highquality drinking water is the best option.

Cats are carnivorous animals, and they naturally have a higher protein intake. Proteins contain components that are the raw materials for oxalates, which can form oxalate stones, one of the main causes of stones. This explains why cats are generally prone to stones, which can be related to their dietary structure.

Of course, changing the diet structure is difficult, but you can control the amount of protein your cat consumes to some extent, which can reduce the impact of this factor.

3. Regular Exercise: Engage in regular playtime with your cat. Ragdolls are very affectionate and enjoy playing with their owners, especially with games that involve "intense" movement, such as teaser sticks and laser pointers. These games can be played regularly to help small crystals detach and be excreted.

4. Maintain a Good Mental State: Reduce stress and keep your cat's mood relaxed, which will make drinking, eating, and excretion more smooth.

If your cat is stressed, shows a decrease in appetite and water intake, and is unwilling to excrete due to a lack of security (so don't watch your cat while they are excreting, and the litter box should be placed in a quiet, undisturbed place for your cat's comfort), these factors can indirectly affect the formation of stones.

Observe your cat's drinking and excretion habits daily. If you notice any abnormalities, take them seriously.

Excretion can also give you a rough idea of your cat's urination situation. By examining the litter, you can effectively count the ratio of urine clumps to feces clumps. The urine clumps should be three times the number of feces clumps. If this ratio is lower, as the owner, you should find ways to encourage your cat to drink more water or increase their water intake.