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Urine Crystals and Bladder Stones in Cats

Urine Crystals and Bladder Stones in Cats

Crystalluria and Urolithiasis

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Cats can develop crystals in their urine which can progress to formation of stones.
SEVERITY:
Severity is mild to severe
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves within weeks to months
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian, by the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    Increase water intake, feed special diet if indicated
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible between animals or from animals to humans
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires Physical exam, x-rays, urinalysis, blood work.
VERY COMMON IN
Any age, gender or breed of cat can develop urinary crystals or stones.

Symptoms & Signs

Some cats with bladder stones may show no signs at all. Other cats with crystals or bladder stones may have blood in their urine and may urinate frequently, passing only small quantities of urine each time. Often, they will strain while urinating, holding their body in the urinating posture for much longer than normal. If a stone becomes lodges in the urethra, the cat will strain to urinate and may cry out. If it is not treated promptly, the cat can develop renal failure and other complications that may lead to death.

Diagnosis

Urinary crystals are routinely diagnosed on examination of a urine sediment. Some stones can be found on routine physical exam during palpation of the urinary bladder. If the stones cannot be diagnosed through palpation, the diagnosis of bladder stones in cats is made or confirmed with abdominal x-rays or ultrasound. Most stones are radiopaque, meaning they show up on the radiographic film as obvious white circles or shapes just as bones do. A few are radiolucent and cannot be seen on the radiographic film. To confirm the presence of these types of stones, abdominal ultrasound or radiographs with a special dye may be needed. Blood work may be recommended if a cat is ill or has a urinary blockage.

Causation

Bladder stones are formed by minerals, which first precipitate out in the urine as individual microscopic crystals. Over time, these crystals unite and small grains of sand-like material may be formed. Once these first grains are present, additional precipitation forms on their surface and the tiny specks are gradually built into stones that sometimes reach over 1" in diameter. It appears that some diets may increase the risk of a cat developing urinary crystals, stones, and urethral plugs. The development of crystals and stones is mostly dependent upon the pH of the urine and the concentration of minerals in the urine. There are three common crystals (and stones) in cats: *struvite*, *oxalate*, and *urate*. - Struvite crystals are made up of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. These crystals and stones are more likely to develop in alkaline urine. - Oxalate crystals and stones are more likely to occur in acidic urine and in cats with high calcium levels in the blood. This could be caused by excessive intake of calcium, protein, sodium, or Vitamin D. - Urate stones are more common in certain breeds of dogs, such as Dalmatians, although they have been diagnosed in cats. They are more likely to occur in acidic urine. They can also be seen with some liver disorders and metabolic diseases.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
Dietary modification is often the first step if the cat does not need immediate surgery or hospitalization. Special diets are available that decrease the probability of crystals and stones forming in the urine. The choice of diet will depend on what type of crystal or stone your pet has. Some diets modify the pH by making the urine more alkaline, while others make the urine more acidic. Your veterinarian will prescribe the appropriate diet based on what they find on exam and urinalysis. Another goal of therapy is to produce dilute urine, so any method to increase water consumption should be used. For this, canned diets may be recommended. Alternatively, water or broth can be added to dry cat food. Some cats will increase water consumption when running water is present, as with a pet fountain or slowly dripping faucet.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
None
icon MEDICATIONS
If your cat has a concurrent urinary tract infection, antibiotics will be prescribed for 10-14 days.
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
The surgical removal of stones within the bladder is done through a cystotomy (incision into the bladder). With the cat under anesthesia and lying on his back, an incision is made through the abdominal wall in front of the pelvis. The bladder is exposed and lifted out through the incision. Urine is collected for culture and analysis. The bladder is then opened and the stones are removed. The bladder and urethra are flushed with sterile saline solution to wash out any small or microscopic particles. The bladder and abdominal wall are then closed with sutures. The bladder stones are sent to a laboratory for analysis to determine their chemical make-up and the remainder of the therapy will vary depending on the results.
icon SPECIALISTS
Most general practice veterinarians can diagnose and treat these conditions. Occasionally, a board certified veterinary surgeon may be brought in to perform surgery.

Cost Of Treatment

Diagnosis and treatment without surgery in an average sized cat may cost between $500 and $900. A cystotomy (bladdder surgery) or nephrotomy (kidney surgery) to remove stones may cost $1500 or more.

Recovery

After cystotomy, recovery is expected within 7-10 days. If a cat requires hospitalization for urethral obstruction, recovery is expected within several days. Depending on the type of crystals and stones, some cats will require life-long dietary changes.

Monitoring

Rechecks will be determined based on the condition with which your cat has been diagnosed.

Prevention

In cats with a history of crystals or urinary stones, prescription diets to limit reformation of crystals may be needed. Encouraging increased water intake by providing a pet fountain and feeding wet cat food will help flush out extra minerals before they have the chance to turn into crystals and stones.

Questions about Urine Crystals and Bladder Stones

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

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My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

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My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.