It is becoming more and more common to find urinary cystitis in cats. The biggest problem is dry cat food. Dry cat foods are composed of high amounts of fillers like corn and gluten. Eating the dry food and not getting enough moisture in the diet keeps the urine too concentrated, so it is difficult for the urinary system to eliminate bacteria or flush out crystal formations before they become too large. If cats are feed only dry food they need extra moisture and plenty of water to compensate for dehydration. The best thing to do is give your cat moist food or at least replace moisture in the dry food by adding broth or water. Cats not fed this way from the time they are kittens will probably not eat it, so you either have to slowly replace some moisture in the dry food or gradually switch to canned foods.
The symptoms of cystitis in cats can range from blood in the urine, difficulty urinating, or not able to urinate at all, urinating outside of the litter box, crying out in pain when trying to urinate and sometimes licking their urethral opening excessively because of the pain. Urinary cystitis in cats sometimes needs to be treated with antibiotics if they have an infection. An infection can develop quite easily, especially if their immune system is already compromised from another disease, such as diabetes.
Cats also have and feel emotional stress which can contribute to urinary cystitis in cats. Stress, just like with us humans can cause illness; mainly because stress lowers our immune system response. Cats are very sensitive to change and especially change in routine. So, if there is a new person in the household, multiple cats that do not get along, or not having a quiet place to hide, will create stress for the cat.
In order to prevent cystitis in cats, the urine needs to be on the acidic side so bacteria and crystals which form in the urinary tract, can be dissolved and flushed out with the urine. Vitamin C and cranberry capsules mixed in with the food can help with the pH levels. Be sure and use Ester C which is a mild form of vitamin C, and does not cause diarrhea. Start out with small doses, maybe 1 capsule of Vitamin C and one capsule of cranberry and see how your cat reacts to it. A product with uva ursi helps with keeping pH levels at optimum levels in preventing urinary cystitis in cats Berberis vulgaris or barberry promotes urinary tract health.
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