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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (formerly known as FUS) occurs when bladder and/or urethral inflammation occurs, resulting in a partial or complete urinary obstruction and inflammation. Symptoms include frequent urination, difficult or painful urination or blood in the urine. The urinary tract becomes irritated most frequently from calculi (stones) or crystals in the urine. This condition is 100% dietary related and affects 13.5% of the cat population. Research demonstrates that the majority of urinary tract infections in cats are secondary to the urine being too alkaline which allows crystals to form in the urine and traumatize the lining of the bladder. Once the bladder mucosa becomes compromised, secondary infection can occur. Why are diets alkaline? Because the grain content is so high in most commercial foods, an alkaline urine pH is produced. Diets containing too much magnesium (a component of ash in the diet) also contribute to struvite crystal formation. The majority of bladder stones and crystals in cats are struvite (97%), composed of magnesium, ammonium and phosphate. Excessive dietary intake of magnesium leads to excessive urinary output and stone formation. Struvite crystals occur when the urine pH is above 6.6. A species-specific raw food diet naturally maintains cat’s urine between 6-6.5, naturally making the urine the incorrect environment for crystals. Most dry foods contain excessive amounts fiber for cats, which unnaturally increases water excretion into the colon and decreases urinary water excretion, making the urine more concentrated (and concentrating the minerals which leads to inflammation and stones). Many vets do not recommend feeding dry foods to cats with urinary disease. A raw food diet contains 80% water, produces the perfect urinary pH and is ideal for cats. The pH scale Most
calcium Struvite crystals oxalate *Healthy dog and cat urine (6-6.5) |
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4 5 6 7 (neutral) 8 9 10 |
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Acidic (less than 7) Alkaline (greater than 7) |
