Can Bladder Stones In Cats Be Prevented?

If you've ever had any experience with a cat bladder stone, you want to know why this happened to your cat and how to prevent it from happening in the future.  By the time you've finished reading this article, you'll have a better understanding of bladder stones in cats.Researchers have several theories on this.  The most commonly accepted one is that they form due to high mineral levels in your cat's urine.  This can be due to a bladder infection or from his diet.  When the mineral levels get too high, crystals form.  These crystals grow and form stones in your cat's bladder.  These stones can be very small, about the size of a grain of sand, or they can grow to the size of a small pebble.
If a stone blocks one of your cat's ureters (the tube leading from the kidney to the bladder), or his urethra, a urinary blockage can occur, making it difficult or impossible for him to pass urine. A urinary blockage is a very serious conditon, which can lead to death by uremic poisoning within 36 hours.  This is a veterinary emergency, so it's important to get your cat to the vet as soon as possible.The most important thing you can do is to start feeding your cat a high quality canned food.Cats who eat dry food exclusively are more prone to developing bladder stones because they are usually chronically dehydrated. Since the leading cause of death in older cats is kidney failure, there's bound to be a relationship between long-term dehydration and kidney disease.Cats are made to get most of their water from their prey.  A mouse is over 90% water, so a cat in its natural environment doesn't need to drink as much water.
Most canned foods have a moisture level of about 78%.  You can see that feeding your cat canned food will help prevent him from becoming dehydrated.  A cat that is dehydrated will have very concentrated urine, which can lead to the formation of bladder stones.Be sure your cat always has plenty of clean fresh water available.  It's best to give him filtered water to be sure it's pure.  A cat that drinks plenty of water will have dilute urine, which is helpful in preventing bladder stones.Some cat owners give their cats a supplement containing cranberry.  Cranberry is great for making the urine more acidic and preventing the formation of bladder stones.  It also helps to prevent cat bladder infections, too.People have been using herbal remedies like uva ursi and barberry to treat and prevent urinary problems for centuries.  Homeopathic remedies are  in great demand as well.Now cat owners are asking if these herbal pet remedies can help their cats.The answer is yes.The advantages of these remedies is that not only are they safe and effective, but they're inexpensive, and don't have any side effects.