5 Cat Foods for Urinary Health

The urinary health of your cat is incredibly important. If your cat begins displaying symptoms of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) – such as straining in the cat litter box, having increased urination, showing blood in the urine, urinating in an unusual spot (often soft or smooth surfaces) or excessively licking the genitals–your cat should see a vet right away. The syndrome can have many causes, some serious. Get facts on urinary tract disease in cats. Many foods, both prescription cat food and over-the-counter cat food, can help prevent and heal lower urinary tract disease. Here are five:

This canned prescription food primarily consists of chicken, with pork as a second ingredient. Even when purchasing online, you’ll need a vet’s prescription. This formula also comes in a diet formulation. According to Royal Canin: “This diet promotes a urinary environment unfavorable to the development of both struvite (urinary stone) and calcium oxalate crystals (kidney stones). The low levels of magnesium, increases urine volume, and encourages a healthy level of pH, while preventing painful bladder stones.”

This canned food is a chicken entrée in gravy and can be purchased without a vet’s prescription (Again, this does not mean you should try to diagnose your cat’s symptoms on your own. A vet visit is critical in this situation). Similarly to Royal Canin, this Pro Plan formula helps urinary tract healthy by reducing urinary pH and providing low dietary magnesium.

The Hill’s formulation is prescription, as noted in the name, and comes in two flavors: Ocean Fish and Chicken. Hill’s states that their formulation can be fed long term as a way to reduce the recurrence of urinary stones. And say their food is: “Clinically tested to dissolve struvite uroliths in as little as 7 days (Average 28 days).” As with the other brands, the Hill’s cat food controls levels of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus to help limit the creation of crystals and stones. Potassium is also added to interrupt bladder stone formation, and vitamin B6 also helps to decrease oxalate (kidney stone) formation.

This dry diet contains: chicken, fish and turkey, in that order. Wysong was created by a veterinarian and grew in popularity by word of mouth and through the veterinary community. Their new formulation contains: “higher levels of fresh/frozen and dried meats and organs, protein, and fat, and a comprehensive spectrum and higher levels of micronutrients/nutraceuticals including prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, omega-3s, antioxidants and more.” Additionally, excess minerals have been eliminated and natural sourced, urinary-important amino acids added.

As with the other urinary diets, Purina One can help maintain a cat’s urinary tract health by reducing urinary pH and providing low magnesium. This dry formula contains chicken and brewers rice. According to Purina: “The chicken in the Purina One Urinary Tract Health Formula provides an excellent source of protein, while the grains provide necessary carbohydrates for energy.”

Read more:

• Do You Know How Much To Feed a Cat? The Definitive Guide To Cat Food Portions
• Senior Cat Age: At What Age Is My Cat a Senior?
• The Best Senior Cat Food: A Guide to Feeding Your Older Cat

Want to give your pet superior health and nutrition? Chewy offers a variety of premium cat food so you can feed your feline the highest quality ingredients. Shop Chewy’s selection of premium cat food here.