Choosing the best cat food for your cat's urinary health is important, as veterinarians have discovered that a poor diet can cause your cat to develop bladder infections or kidney stones. A proper diet is also good for your cat's overall health, of course, but your cat's urinary system has specific needs.
Magnesium Prevent Kidney Stones
Fortunately, many high-quality commercial cat foods are fine for your cat's urinary health. Most veterinarians have discovered that the "pH" of your cat's urine has the greatest impact on your cat's urinary health; "pH" is a scale that measures how acidic a certain liquid is. Most cat food manufacturers already prepare their product to maintain the proper pH balance for your cat. Some manufacturers even state on their packaging that their product is designed to promote the proper pH balance for your cat's urinary health. Another ingredient to check is magnesium, which can prevent your cat from developing kidney stones. Only a trace amount is needed, however (no more than 0.025%). Check the nutrition information on the packaging to determine how much magnesium is in any brand of cat food.
Water Content in Canned Food
Choosing between canned food and dry food is also important. The more water in your cat's diet, the better for your cat's urinary health, so canned food is generally better. However, a good quality dry food is also fine if you provide plenty of fresh water daily.