Fortunately, the dietary factors and infections can be controlled and even prevented. In a significant number of cases no cause can be determined. Two of the more common minerals that cause these crystals are struvite and calcium oxalate. We tend to encounter this mineral combination in young adult cats. They are usually treated with diets to decrease the pH of the urine.
Calcium oxalate is the other common mineral.
It tends to occur more in older cats. They are usually treated with surgical removal when found in the urinary bladder. It used to be thought that diets low in magnesium are particularly helpful in preventing the struvite crystal problem. This is not true in most cases, it is the change in urine pH from alkaline to acidic that prevents struvite crystals. In spite of this, many cat foods have restricted magnesium.