Feline bladder stones are up there with some of the most uncomfortable, painful, and life-threatening illnesses that can plague cats.
Even leaving bladder stones untreated for a couple of days can kill your cat.
They don't call the illness a silent killer for nothing.
Whether it's preventing cat bladder stones or calling your vet, there are simple some things that you must do if you even have a minute suspicion that your cat is suffering from the condition.
Here are 5 steps to take as soon as you suspect that bladder stones may be bugging your cat.
1.
Call your vet.
Do not take a wait-and-see approach if you think your cat may have feline bladder stones.
If you recognize symptoms such as straining to urinate, blood in the urine, and frequent urination, take your cat to the vet immediately.
2.
Decide on a treatment plan.
Preventing cat bladder stones is important but you have to address treatment first.
Effective treatments of cat bladder stones include removal through surgery or manipulation and dissolving them through diet.
Your vet will have all of the information you need regarding treatment.
If your cat has an accompanying bacterial infection, your vet will probably prescribe antibiotics.
However, it is up to you if you want to give your cat antibiotics or not.
Often a natural remedy like homeopathy will do the trick.
3.
Give your cat plenty of water to drink.
Meanwhile, make it harder for any more feline bladder stones to form and promote optimal urine flow by giving your cat lots of water.
Cat water fountain bowls are very helpful in this regard.
Don't give your cat tap water because it can contain harmful toxins.
Give him filtered water instead.
4.
Reduce stressors in your cat's life.
To keep your cat healthy and to help in preventing cat bladder stones, make sure he leads a stress free lifestyle.
Some things that can increase stress in your cat's life include moving to a new house, moving furniture around, sharing space with many other cats, and spending a lot of time at home alone.
To reduce stress in your cat's life, try to spend quality time with him each day and designate a certain area of the house as his territory so he feels like he has his own space.
If you do have to leave your cat home alone, leave the TV on and leave him with toys to play with.
5.
Give your cat a homeopathic remedy.
Feline bladder stones are recurrent in nature.
If your cat has had them once, he is very likely to have them again.
In order to prevent them from recurring, you need to make preventive treatment a part of his lifestyle.
The most effective preventive remedy to date is homeopathy.
It is completely natural and safe so you can give it to your cat every day without worrying about it causing side effects.
Look for a commercially prepared formula that contains ingredients such as uva ursi and cantharis.
These herbal ingredients are highly effective in maintaining a healthy bladder, urine flow, and urinary tract.
They also keep your cat's immune system strong to prevent the formation of bladder stones.
For optimal results, give your cat a homeopathic remedy twice a day, every day.
When you even slightly suspect that your cat is suffering from feline bladder stones, take these 5 simple steps.
By doing so, you can avoid further complications and unnecessary suffering.
Your cat's bladder stones will only come back unless you make preventive treatment a priority.
It's important to get treated quickly but if you only take your cat to the vet for treatment and then forget about the problem until it comes back, you won't be able to assist your cat in healing permanently.