Studies show that the risk of Chronic Kidney Disease, the leading cause of death in felines, could be shown by the increase of oxalate found in cat’s urine. Oxalic acid is an organic acid produced in animals and plants when sugars, other carbohydrates, and carbon sources (protein) are metabolized. This is important because plant material is high in oxalate, and it has been estimated that 10% to 50% of urinary oxalate is derived from dietary oxalate. The Instinctual diet of a cat should be derived from animal based proteins – not plants and filler ingredients high in oxalate. —
“Is there an etiologic link between kidney disease and calcium oxalate uroliths? Is kidney disease a cause or consequence of urolith formation? Hyperoxaluria may be the common link between these two processes. One group of investigators reported that excessive oxalic acid damages kidney tubules. It is also probable that high concentrations of urine oxalate would be a significant risk factor for the formation of calcium oxalate uroliths in cats. If these assumptions are correct, what is the source of oxalic acid? The answer to these questions likely can be found in the evaluations of various diets.”
Osborne CA, Lulich JP, et al. Analysis of 451, 891 Canine Uroliths, Feline Uroliths, and Feline Urethral Plugs from 1981 to 2007: Perspectives from the Minnesota Urolith Center
