Cats Urinary Stones: Symptoms & Treatment Guide

As a cat parent, have you ever paid close attention to your feline friend's daily urination habits? It's easy to overlook this aspect, thinking it's not a big deal. However, be aware that when cats experience difficulties in urination, blood in their urine, frequent urination, or even urinary blockage, their health is under serious threat.

① Causes of Urinary Tract Diseases in Cats

Low Water Content in Cat Food

Pet cats that consume dry kibble are often in a state of chronic dehydration. Cats are descendants of desert animals, adapted to dry climates. In the wild, their diet is rich in moisture (6575%), allowing them to survive on minimal water. This has led to a natural aversion to drinking enough water, which can contribute to urinary tract diseases such as blood in urine, urinary blockage, and urinary tract stones.

While it may seem that cats drink plenty of water, the amount of moisture they intake from dry kibble is only oneeighth to onetenth of what they would get from eating meat. Over time, insufficient water intake leads to highly concentrated urine, which can trigger urinary tract diseases.

Cat's Physiological Structure

Unneutered male cats are most susceptible to urinary tract obstruction and urinary tract stones due to their shared urethra and vas deferens. This can lead to urinary tract blockage. Although neutering can improve the condition, it doesn't solve the root problem. It's essential to focus on daily hydration for your cat.

② Difficulty in Urination, Frequent Urination, and Painful Urination

Lower urinary tract diseases (bladder and urethra) are common in both male and female cats. The underlying mechanism involves bladder wall damage and stimulation of sensory nerve endings in the bladder or urethra, both of which can increase urinary resistance or cause lower urinary tract pain and inflammation.

Symptoms in affected cats include difficulty urinating, frequent urination (small amounts but increased frequency), and painful urination (slow and painful, with a thin stream of urine). These symptoms may be accompanied by blood in the urine or inappropriate urination outside the litter box. In severe cases, the bladder becomes extremely full, leading to urinary blockage for over 72 hours, which can result in acute kidney failure, along with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, spasms, and seizures.

Cats' urinary tract issues are no laughing matter. As a caring owner, it's crucial to pay close attention to your pet's health.

③ Diseases Causing Difficulty in Urination in Cats

1. Feline Idiopathic (Nonbacterial) Cystitis;

2. Bacterial or Fungal Cystitis;

3. Urethral Obstruction;

4. Urinary Tract Stones (bladder or urethra);

5. Bladder or Urethra Tumors (benign or malignant);

6. Bladder Neck or Urethral Soft Tissue Strictures;

7. Neurogenic Bladder Dysfunction;

8. CyclophosphamideInduced Cystitis;

9. Urethral Inflammation or Strictures;

10. Traumatic Cystitis or Urethritis;

11. Iatrogenic Bladder or Urethral Injury (catheterization, retrograde irrigation, urinary tract irrigation);

12. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Normal Male Cats.

④ The Efficacy Mechanism of Urination Tablets

Urinary tract infections, stones, and associated pain or blood in urine fall under the category of "Ling Zheng" in traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine often uses diuretic and analgesic herbs to treat symptoms such as frequent urination, shortness of urine, sharp pain, hematuria, and sandlike deposits. The Chinese Materia Medica records that Herba Lysimachiae can treat urinary tract stones and infections. It can increase blood flow to the kidneys and femoral arteries, thereby increasing urine output and promoting urination and stone expulsion.

According to the Urology Department of Beijing Medical University, using Conlter Counter particle size distribution measurement technology and particle surface zeta potential measurement technology, combined with a mathematical model of crystal growth and aggregation, the inhibitory effects of some antistone drugs on calcium oxalate monohydrate crystal growth and aggregation were detected and evaluated. The experiment found that Urination Tablets can significantly slow down the growth rate of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals and reduce crystal aggregation, demonstrating strong in vitro inhibitory activity. This suggests that Urination Tablets can prevent the formation of urinary tract stones.

Urination Tablets are listed in the "State Food and Drug Administration" and are made from Herba Lysimachiae, Poria, Herba Spatholobi, Herba Epimedii, Herba Prunellae, Cornus, Rhizoma Imperata, and Herba Plantaginis as the raw materials. They are compressed into tablets, coated with sugar, and then obtained. They can clear heat, remove dampness, promote urination, and relieve pain and stop bleeding. They are used for urinary tract infections, cystitis, nephritis edema, urinary tract stones, hematuria, turbid urine, and urethral burning.

In a study involving 39 cats with urinary tract infections and urinary tract stones, most of the cats showed significant improvement in their spirits and appetite after a course of treatment with Urination Tablets and antiinflammatory pills. The total effective rate of Urination Tablets for the treatment of 39 cases of urinary inflammation, hematuria, and urinary tract stones was 97.4%.

Urination Tablets can usually help expel sandlike or mung beansized stones within a week after taking the medication. However, for cats with longstanding conditions or larger stones, it may be difficult to expel them. Recently, the combination of physical methods such as ultrasonic lithotripsy with Urination Tablets has been shown to improve efficacy.