Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common health concern for cats and cause discomfort and potentially serious complications if left untreated. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have been reported to affect 1-2% of cats throughout their lifetime, with older cats (over 10 years old) more prone to UTIs.

When cats do develop UTIs, it could be a signal that they are also suffering from endocrine diseases, such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus which is why early detection and prevention is important for your cat’s health. UTIs normally manifest in an array of symptoms, the most common being difficulty to urinate and pain or discomfort whenever they do. Habits like peeing outside their litter box or in unusual spots in the house is also a subtle sign that suggests a cat has contracted a UTI.

While it may be worrying and stressful for you as a cat owner, you can help prevent or alleviate your cat’s UTIs with the right dietary changes. Read on for our nifty diet tips!

Diet Change #1: Increase water intake

Consuming sufficient liquids is the most important component for your cat’s urinary health. However, felines evolved from desert dwellers, resulting in them having a lower thirst drive. Most carnivorous cats are sufficiently hydrated from the food they eat, but indoor house cats who eat dry cat food don’t always get enough hydration from their food alone.

Therefore, ensuring that your cat gets enough hydration is important – here are some ways in which you can get your cat to drink more water: 

• More water bowls in convenient locations

  • Making more water points available can help improve their water intake and alleviate UTIs. Refresh the water daily to prevent a stale taste.

• Water Fountains

  • Water fountains provide a constant water source. Not only that, cats are attracted to moving water. Water fountains mimic the flow of a stream, which helps to encourage them to drink more water on their own.

• Flavored Water

  • You can try making plain water tastier by adding some bone broth to get them to drink more liquids. Sodium-free bone broth is a good addition to any cat’s meal.

• Add Water to Dry Food

  • If your cat is used to a dry food diet, you can consider adding some warm water to soften the dry food and increase their hydration levels.

• Wet Food

  • Wet food, either canned or fresh, has higher moisture content which gives cats extra hydration. If you feed an all-dry diet, you might want to consider making things more balanced and varied by going for a mixed (wet food and dry food) feeding approach.

Diet Change #2: Move away from dry cat food 

Dry food like kibble, with its low moisture content (typically below 10%), can lead to cats inadvertently becoming slightly dehydrated. This means that cats need to drink more water to make up for their diet.

Aside from the low water content, certain ingredients in dry cat food can also contribute to urinary issues. Added minerals commonly found in dry food, such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus can potentially contribute to irritation or crystal and urinary stone formation. 

Feeding your cat with fresh cat food, such as The Grateful Pet’s raw cat food which is a great option to consider for your cat. Raw cat food is minimally processed, so, when compared to heat-processed foods like kibble, it retains the highest level of moisture from the fresh ingredients.

The Grateful Pet is made with premium whole-muscle meat, organs, and superfood ingredients like New Zealand green-lipped mussels and prebiotic seaweed for an added health boost. Choose from a variety of flavours such as raw beef and chicken, to duck and beef – you’ll be sure to find a flavour that they enjoy! 

Overall, adequate hydration is often the most important component in keeping UTIs at bay for cats. Feeding your cat with wet, fresh cat food can keep your feline adequately hydrated in the hot weather of Singapore even if they do not drink a lot from their water bowl. 

Diet Change #3: Try cranberry supplements or unsweetened diluted cranberry juice

Studies have shown that cranberry supplements may be beneficial in preventing urinary tract infections in cats. This is because cranberries contain proanthocyanidins, which can help prevent bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract walls, leading to the flushing of harmful bacteria during urination and reducing the risk of infection. Additionally, the normal pH range for cat urine is between 6.0 to 6.5. This slightly acidic range helps to keep your cat’s urinary tract healthy and makes it less hospitable for urine stones or crystals to develop.  Cranberries can help acidify urine, lowering the chances of developing blockages or infections. 

Avoid sweetened cranberry sauces and juices since they contain high amounts of sugar and other additives that could be harmful to your cat. Instead, you can give your cats raw, cooked, or dried cranberries without any additives, a cat-formulated cranberry supplement, or dilute the unsweetened cranberry juice with water before pouring it over their food.

The Grateful Pet is here to help!

Though it can be stressful to work through your cat’s UTI, prevention can be relatively easy and spares your cat the agony of these infections. The same steps that may be used to treat mild infections – improving water intake, and changing diet, can help keep feline UTIs from recurring. 

Try The Grateful Pet’s raw cat food for a complete and balanced diet. High-quality, AAFCO complete and balanced raw cat food that’s made from 100% unprocessed, biologically appropriate raw food (BARF). By providing your cat with a diet naturally high in moisture and making certain lifestyle changes, you can help alleviate your cat’s struggles with UTI and help them lead a more comfortable lifestyle. 

With The Grateful Pet, you can rest assured that your pet is getting only the best. Try it today!

Sources: 

https://www.purinainstitute.com/centresquare/therapeutic-nutrition/feline-urinary-tract-infections#:~:text=Urinary%20tract%20infections%20(UTIs)%20have,of%20lower%20urinary%20tract%20diseases

–https://www.nevccc.com/site/blog/2022/03/15/urinary-tract-infection-cat#:~:text=Urinary%20problems%20are%20often%20seen,years%20of%20age%20or%20older

https://www.purina.com/articles/cat/health/nutrition/guide-to-cat-hydration

https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/healthcare/cat-urinary-tract-disease?lightboxfired=true#

-https://www.guilfordjamestownvet.com/site/blog-greensboro-vet/2021/05/31/cat-urinary-tract-infection#:~:text=Using%20an%20indoor%20litter%20box,to%20determine%20the%20underlying%20cause.

–https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/does-dry-cat-food-cause-urinary-problems/

–https://www.thesprucepets.com/food-and-urinary-tract-health-552033

–https://wagwalking.com/wellness/can-cats-eat-cranberries

–https://untamed.com/blogs/nutrition/best-cat-food-for-cats-with-uti#:~:text=Wet%20vs%20dry%20food%E2%80%94what,the%20need%20for%20separate%20drinking