What causes crystals?

There are many types of crystals. Your cat may have crystals for many reasons. Ornites and calcium oxalate are the most common crystals, but their formation cannot usually be attributed to one cause.

If your cat does not eat an appropriate, complete and balanced diet, different types of crystals may form. In addition, any change in the pH of cat urine, such as kidney disease or long-term medication, may lead to crystallization.



Younger cats are as likely to form crystals in urine as older cats, so age is not a real factor. The unique physiological function and disease history of a cat are most likely to predict the formation of crystals in its urine.



Crystals may indicate bladder stones or uroliths, which are rock like mineral structures formed in the bladder. Not all pets diagnosed with crystals have bladder stones. X-rays or ultrasound may be required to determine if there are stones.



Does my cat's food cause crystallization?

There are many factors that cause the formation of urine crystals, so it is very important to provide your cat with a complete and balanced diet suitable for its proper life stage. Please consult your cat food manufacturer to ensure that its formula produces the best urine pH value.



Can wet cat food handle crystals?

Veterinarians usually use a multi pronged method to treat crystals. First, they will eliminate the root cause as much as possible. Many veterinarians would recommend high-quality wet food because they have seen canned food reduce crystals in their practice. In any case, for cats that often do not drink enough water, adequate water is essential.



What is the best cat food to reduce urine crystallization?

Feeding a proven therapeutic diet for urinary tract care may help to reduce crystals in cats that are prone to crystal formation. In addition, if guano stone urolith is present, your veterinarian may use a therapeutic diet to nutritionally control and dissolve the stone and prevent the formation of calcium oxalate urolith. If necessary, other types of stones can be removed by surgery.



What else does the vet do with the crystals in my cat's urine?

In addition to changing the cat's diet, your veterinarian can also increase the volume and frequency of cat urine through hydration, thereby helping eliminate or control the root cause of urine crystallization.



In some cases, changing the pH of cat urine by prescribing drugs may also be part of the treatment plan.



After your cat has received initial treatment, your veterinarian will analyze her urine again to see if crystals still exist, because chronic formation may lead to kidney stones in the future.