What Causes Bladder Stones In Cats?

Bladder stones in cats are rock-like minerals that form in the bladder. The correct name for them is “uroliths,” but a bladder stone by any name is a pain for your cat.

The stones may be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a pea. The most common idea for why these stones are formed is called the “precipitation-crystallization theory.” This simply means that there are elevated levels of stone-forming minerals in the cat’s urine. The trickier question is why. It may be due to diet, disease or an infection. In any case, these crystals do not get broken down in the urine—instead, they build up into a rock and mineral collection no kitty wants to own. Talk to your veterinarian about treatment options.