What do crystals in cat urine look like? CAUSES & TREATMENTS

What do crystals in cat urine look like?  Crystals are microscopic deposits that can form in your cat’s urine. Commonly found when taking a cat to the vet for common urination problems, such as urinating too often, not urinating enough, or having an accident outside the toilet. Your veterinarian will do a urine test to check for sediment or crystals in your cat’s urine.

What Are crystals in cat urine?

Urinary crystals are microscopic mineral systems that could arise in pussycat urine. Sometimes those crystals will acquire and solidify into stones, known as struvite stones. Urinary crystals are made from minerals — magnesium, phosphate, ammonium, calcium oxalate — that arise evidently in a cat`s body. When those minerals exceed their everyday concentration, they could increase and disrupt the cat`s everyday urinary function, inflicting pain, blood withinside the urine and hassle urinating.

What causes crystals in cat urine?

There are many types and many reasons why cats can have crystals. Although struvite and calcium oxalate is the most common crystals, their formation cannot always be attributed to a single cause.

Different types of crystals can form if your cat does not eat an accurate, complete and balanced diet. Also, any condition that changes the pH of your cat’s urine, such as kidney disease or long-term medication, can cause crystals to form.

Symptoms of Crystals in Cat Urine

Since the minerals that make up crystals in a cat`s urine are naturally occurring, urine crystals and stones are fairly common at low levels. While they can be microscopic and pass easily through the urinary tract, they can also grow large enough to cause pain and block the passage of urine. The inability to eliminate toxic waste can be fatal if not treated.

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Watch your cat for these symptoms, and contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat:

  • Uses the litter box with increasing frequency
  • Strains to urinate
  • Urinates outside of the litter box
  • Experiences painful urination (listen for crying meows)
  • Licks genitals excessively
  • Has bloody urine
  • Has a poor appetite
  • Seems lethargic and depressed

It`s been noted that urine crystals and struvite stones occur more often in male cats since their urethras are narrower than female cats`. Siamese, Himalayan and Persian cats also seem more likely to develop struvite stones, which leads some animal health experts to believe the cause can be genetic.

Diagnosis of crystals in cat urine

Diagnosis of crystals or stones in urine requires a visit to the veterinarian. After obtaining your cat’s urine sample, your veterinarian will order a urine test that will reveal:

  • Red Blood Cells: Consequences of Bladder Stimulation
  • White Blood Cells: The Body’s Response to Inflammation
  • Struvite Determination: Magnesium, Phosphate, and Ammonium Accumulation, or Calcium Oxalate Accumulation

Visible bladder stones or struvite are best seen with x-rays. diagnosed. Your veterinarian may also recommend blood tests to rule out other medical conditions that can cause bladder stones.

Treatment of crystals in cat urine

There are several ways to treat crystals and stones in your cat’s urine.

Prescription Diet: Your veterinarian will prescribe special foods that change the chemical composition of your cat’s urine and allow the stones to dissolve gradually over 12 months. Regular x-rays allow the veterinarian to monitor the progress of the stone. Cats cannot swallow anything other than prescribed food. This means you don’t need to self-medicate, don’t snack on other cats’ food, and don’t hunt outside. This treatment should be temporary. Cats will not need to eat this diet for the rest of their lives.

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Surgery: A cystectomy may be performed to remove the stone if the cat is unable to follow the prescribed diet.

How Else Will the Veterinarian Treat Crystals in Urine?

In addition to modifying your cat`s diet, your veterinarian may help eliminate or control the underlying cause(s) of urine crystals by increasing the volume and frequency of your cat`s urine through hydration.

In some cases, modifying your cat`s urine pH by prescribing medications may also be part of the therapeutic plan.
After your cat`s initial treatment, your veterinarian will analyze her urine again to see if crystals are still present since chronic formations can lead to kidney stones in the future.

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