New research from pet nutrition experts PURINA® has revealed that nearly one in three cat owners (32 per cent) would consider having their cat euthanased if it was urinating in the house[i].

Inappropriate urination is a common clinical sign associated with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), a condition that affects up to three per cent of all cats seen in general practice[ii]. This puts an alarming number of cats at risk of their owners unnecessarily giving up on them, when actually, many of the common pathophysiological changes associated with FLUTD can be easily tackled through dietary management.

Encouraging a cat to eat a new diet when they feel under the weather can be really difficult though, so palatability is vitally important and something that PURINA is dedicated to. All PURINA VETERINARY DIETS® are formulated to be highly palatable and with the recent addition of new flavours to the Feline UR ST/OX range, now all tastes - however fussy - are catered for when it comes to managing FLUTD.

There are a number of well recognised factors contributing to the development of FLUTD, including stress, making the condition sometimes complicated to treat. Dietary management is useful for combatting the physical aspects of the condition by reducing the likelihood of urinary crystal/stone formation and inflammation. An ideal diet for management, such as PURINA VETERINARY DIETS® Feline UR ST/OX, does this by achieving the following:
  • Promote the dissolution of struvite stones – one of the most common types to form in cats[iii].
  • Promote the production of undersaturated urine within a controlled pH range of 6.0-6.3 to discourage the formation of crystals/uroliths.
  • Increase water intake, which will increase urine volume and so reduce the concentration of minerals and inflammatory irritants present.
  • Provide a source of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are often deficient in the lining of the bladder of cats that develop FLUTD[iv].
  • Contain moderate levels of fat and calories help to prevent obesity; a known risk factor for the condition.


Judith Nicholson, Head of Vet and Recommendation at PURINA says, “FLUTD can be a frustrating and emotional condition for vets and owners to deal with, so it is essential that dietary management is as easy as possible. The addition of the new dry Chicken and Ocean Fish and wet Turkey, Chicken and Salmon flavours to the Feline UR ST/OX range broadens the options available to cats and their owners, increasing the chances of compliance and successful long term management of this sometimes tricky condition.”

For more information about the new additions to the PURINA Veterinary Diets® Feline UR ST/OX range, please contact your local PURINA sales representative.

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[i] OnePoll survey of 2,000 pet owners, 2013

[ii] Lund EM et al. Health status and population characteristics of dogs and cats examined at private veterinary practices in the United States. JAVMA (1999) 214; 1336-1341

[iii] Bartges JW et al. Nutrition and lower urinary tract disease in cats. Vet Clin Small Anim (2006) 36; 1361-1376.

[iv] Buffington CAT. Idiopathic cystitis in domestic cats- beyond the lower urinary tract. JVIM (2011) 25; 784-796