Struvite bladder stones in cats can occur secondarily to bacterial urinary tract infections. In many cases, however, these stones form in sterile urine and may be the result of dietary factors.

Typical signs of struvite stones include pollakuria (frequent urinations), hematuria (blood in the urine), dysuria (straining to urinate) and inappropriate urination (urinating outside the litter box). It is not uncommon, however, for a cat to show no outward signs of a problem.
Once these bladder stones have been identified and removed (typically with surgery), we recommend the following steps to avoid recurrence:

1. Diet change. An acidifying diet is fed as these stones form in alkaline urine.

The following diets are acceptable to feed:

Hill's C/Ds, R/D, W/D cat food
IVD Control cat food
Purina UR cat food

Do not add table food or other treats without checking first with your veterinarian.

2. Increase water consumption. This can be accomplished by feeding canned food, watering down the dry food, or adding a small amount of flavoring such as bouillon to the water. Some cats prefer to drink from a continuously circulating fountain. Adequate water consumption is important to flush bacteria and crystals out of the bladder.

3. Bring a urine sample in regularly (one month after surgery). By assessing the urine we can ensure that the diet changes and other preventative measures are adequate.

4. If the stones have been found to be associated with a bacterial infection, have the urine cultured for abnormal bacteria on a regular basis (three months after surgery). A sterile urine sample will be collected by the Pet Care staff and submitted to the lab to ensure that there is no bladder infection. (Remember one of the causes of these stones is a urinary tract infection). If detected early, the infection can be cleared with antibiotics prior to the formation of a stone.

5. Radiograph regularly (three months after surgery). This enables us to identify bladder and kidney stones. If detected early enough (ie when the stones are small), they may be able to be removed by non-surgical means.