My cat has bladder stones. How can I help her get rid of them?

Surgery may be the next option if he won't eat the prescription diet. Discuss other diets, both canned and dry, with your veterinarian first. It may take several weeks to months to fully dissolve any stones or crystals. Try to get him to drink as much water as possible to dilute his urine.

Sounds like you all are doing quite a bit already. If you feel that pain is not well controlled the addition of something like buprenorphine may be beneficial. Also, there is a surgical procedure that is commonly performed on cats that get urinary blockages. Essentially the urinary tract is changed from a male to a female shape, thereby widening the urethra and making it much less likely to allow for obstruction in the future. Whether or not your vet is comfortable performing this procedure is another thing altogether. I know many vets that can perform it perfectly well while I know others that have never had to perform it a single time. It is a delicate procedure because the urethra of the cat is so small so finding a doctor that is comfortable with it is of utmost importance. If your cat is not a repeat offender or has not yet blocked completely, surgical change may not be the best option at this time. Continue following the directions of the doctor and be patient with waiting for dissolution. You can also consider lithotripsy to break apart stones if there are any instead of bladder surgery. Hope this helps.

I think the treatment plan is sound and you are all on the right track. As long as she is producing some urine I would not be overly worried. A blockage is not impossible in a female cat but it is uncommon. Very common to have a blockage in male cats as their urethra is very narrow (a females is wider). Only be worried if she is producing no urine at all. If you have multiple cats it is best to separate her and put her in her own room with her own food/water/litter box, etc so you can keep track. She can have stones and cystitis concurrently so I suggest you also try to reduce stress by using Feliway diffusers in the house (calming pheromones) and try to increase water consumption by giving her a water fountain to drink from. Many studies have shown that cats will drink twice as much water if they have running water to drink from. Hope this helps. If you have more questions you are welcome to post again or if you would like more 1 on 1 help you can opt for a private consultation with me or one of our other experts where you can ask as many questions as you want in a back and forth dialogue. Best wishes.

Poor Pearl and poor you! I can certainly understand why this is driving you crazy. When a cat has bladder stones, unfortunately, there is the chance that they will occur again. You can try covering the food in tuna juice or gently warmed low sodium beef broth. Also try mixing it with some really smelly wet food that you've gently warmed up, such as sardine or fished based. If these things don't help and Pearl won't eat the dry food from the vet, then the stones will likely have to be removed surgically. I'm not sure which brand of food you are feeding her, but you can ask the vet if there is another brand you can try before having to resort to surgery. I'm sorry you are going through this, but I hope my answer helps you!

I'm sorry to see that Beau has this large bladder stone! The most common types of bladder stones in cats are struvite and calcium oxalate, but the only surefire way to differentiate between the two is with a stone analysis after the stone has been surgically removed. The Hill's C/D multicare can dissolve some struvite stones, but will not dissolve calcium oxalate stones. For the long term, however, this diet is fantastic at preventing a recurrence of such bladder stones and crystals. It's a bit of a gamble using a diet to dissolve stones, particularly in male cats, because of the potential of part of the stone breaking off and causing a urinary obstruction, or blockage, as this is a life-threatening emergency. I generally find it to be safest and most effective to remove bladder stones surgically since you know that it's going to work right away without the same obstruction risks. I hope that everything goes well for Beau!

I am afraid bladder stones are very painful. Home remedies are not reliable and at best prolong this painful condition. It is much more humane to feed Franko a specific diet food that will usually dissolve bladder stones within about three to six weeks, provided they are struvite stones. Your veterinarian can sell you the diet. Apple Cider Vinegar, Oolong tea etc., are not palatable for cats and will not dissolve bladder stones.

Urinary issues are quite common in cats. Different issues can include urinary tract infections, crystals in the urine, bladder stones, feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) that is often related to stress, among many other conditions. As with most health-related issues, prevention is the name of the game. Offer your cat ample quantities of water to assure that they are drinking appropriate volumes. Some cats prefer running water sources, so a water fountain designed for cats may be helpful. Water can also be mixed in with canned foods or added to dry food. Monitoring your cat at home for changes is another critical step. Always be sure that your cat is using the litter box appropriately by urinating normal volumes several times per day and is not straining excessively in the box. Too much or too little urine volume can indicate changes that warrant veterinary attention, as can straining to urinate, vocalizing while urinating, or blood in the urine. If a cat has been previously diagnosed with bladder stones or crystals, your veterinarian may recommend a prescription diet to regulate the pH of the urine and mineral content of the diet to prevent the recurrence of these issues. Cats with previously diagnosed FLUTD may also benefit from calming pheromone collars or diffusers to keep their stress levels at bay.