What is cystitis?
Bladder stones are a common cause of bladder and urethral problems in cats. When there is cystitis, it means that there are small crystals in the urine. Crystals are formed by the presence of certain substances (magnesium, phosphate, ammonium, calcium and oxalate) in the urine. They are taken from the diet or the substances that form bladder stones are present in too high a concentration because too little urine is formed. If there are small crystals then they are called bladder stones and when the crystals are larger they are also called bladder stones.
Blattery stones what causes them in your cat?
It has been found that cystitis or bladder stones are often the cause of bladder infections in cats. Besides causing a bladder infection, the crystals can also get stuck in the urethra, which can clog it. A blocked urethra can have very serious consequences. Therefore, it is important that as an owner you can recognise bladder and urinary tract problems such as a blocked urethra.
What changes do you notice in cats with cystitis?
The presence of salt precipitates in the urine in the bladder, because that is what bladder stones and bladder stones actually are, causes bladder to become irritated and often painful. The bladder can become inflamed as a result and the grit can also enter the urethra during urination and cause irritation, swelling and even occlusion there. But what do you see and notice about your cat?
- The urine is often a slightly different colour than normal and sometimes contains some blood.
- The cat often finds urination less pleasant and sometimes even painful.
- The frequency of urination becomes more frequent, as the cat often does not urinate in 1x.
- Cats that need to urinate more frequently do so more often in the house, even if they think the pain while urinating is due to the litter box, they often stop going on it.
- Cats in pain are more often more restless, often eat and drink less and want to sit with you less. All behavioural changes that are often noticeable.
Cause of cystitis in cats
How does a cat actually get cystitis? This is not really known to date. We do know that some cats are more susceptible to developing urinary calculi than others, i.e. there is most likely a hereditary predisposition. It is also known that overweight cats have an increased risk of bladder crystals. Either this is that being overweight causes less movement to the litter box so urine stays in the bladder longer or perhaps extra weight causes more stress. The exact cause is not yet known, but the fact is that being overweight contributes negatively to bladder health. Of course, the type of food certainly contributes to the formation of bladder stones. Food high in salts creates more salts in the urine and thus contributes to the increased risk of bladder crystals forming. When choosing food, it can be useful to look at the difference in the amount of magnesium, phosphate, ammonium, calcium and oxalate. The choice of wet or dry food can also affect the formation of bladder stones. If a cat ingests more fluid, more urine is formed. More urine reduces the salts that cause bladder stones. In addition, a cat, which produces more urine, will also urinate more often so that the urine formed is also in the bladder for a shorter period of time and so this too gives it less chance to precipitate.
Besides quality of food, hereditary susceptibility and body weight, anxiety and/or stress are a very big cause of developing bladder problems. Stress and anxiety lead to the production of certain substances that increase the chances of bladder infections and thus bladder stones.
Is all bladder stones the same?
There are different types of bladder stones but in cats, we actually almost always see Struvite and calcium oxalate crystals. Exactly which of the two it is can be determined via a microscopic examination at your vet. However, it is important for treatment if you know which type it is because not all diets work against both at the same time.
Crystals due to Struvite, solve and prevent with:
