Urinary Blockage, My experiences

I posted this pretty much word for word on another forum I am a member of, but I wanted to share it with everyone here, and get some input, as I had never even heard of this condition. Let alone, how to prevent it, when I had a cat.

Here is what I came up with:

So what is a UI Blockage?
A UI Blockage occurs almost exclusively in male cats due to their narrow urinary tract, it happens when mineral build up in the urine causes a crystal which blocks the UI tract preventing the cat from urinating. This can either be one big crystal or multiple small ones, called grit.

What causes the "Crystals and Grit"?
It is caused by the food ingested by the cat. The crystals are formed by minerals, most commonly Magnesium and Ash which is found in cat food, in varying percentages. Usually, the cat's urine will be of acidic enough a PH to prevent the crystals from forming, but if the food is too alkaline, or the cat does not have access to enough water, the crytals form.

Why is this a big deal?
A full UI Blockage can be deadly to a cat within 24 hours, and can cause some serious damage. Basically the cats bladder becomes like a balloon, filling up with urine until it cannot take any more. The Urine is forced back into the kidneys which can cause kidney damage, even if treated.

How do I know my cat is showing symptoms?
The symptoms appear like constipation, which is why I missed it. If the cat is going unsuccessfully to the litter tray, crouching, squeezing and nothing is coming out, this is a sign. If the cat is beginning to cry when urinating, or urinating outside the tray, this can be an early indicator of an issue. If the cat is licking his penis so much that it is visible, and red, this is a warning sign. If the cat feels bloated, and you can feel the bladder, and the cat begins to hide, it may already be to late.

What can I do if I notice the signs?
GO TO THE VET! This condition can turn deadly very quickly, and you should not waste time. People have said if a cat is showing mild symptoms, adding a small amount of Apple Cider Vinegar to the food, and adding extra water to the food can help elevate the symptoms.

What's the treatment?
An emergency procedure. The cat will be sedated, and a catheter will be placed to remove the urine and crystals. Blood works and urine analysis will be done.

How can I prevent this?
There are things you can do to prevent this.
Avoid a dry only diet is the number one recommendation. Cats do not like to drink water, and expect to get most of it from their food. In a dry diet this is not the case.

Adding water to all food, not only dry, can increase the water intake, and prevent blockage by flushing the bladder frequently.

Look for food low in ash, magnesium, and produces a Urine PH of 6 - 6.5 This is very important. If there are too many minerals in the food crystals will form regardless of what you do, so it is important you find one that you cat can eat that has minimal ash and magnesium, and most importantly creates a pH of 6 - 6.5.

Overweight cats are more at risk from the condition, so make sure you keep your cat happy and healthy.

Hopefully my knowledge will help someone else's kitty from going through what my poor cat suffered through. You can ask me any questions you want on the subject, I will do my best to answer. I am not a Vet but I take the health of my cats pretty (maybe too) seriously.