How Do I Know If My Cat Has A Urinary Infection
If you notice your cat has a change in behavior, such as reluctance to move, difficulty walking, or constant scratching, it is important to take them to the vet for a check-up. While there are many possible causes of a change in behavior, such as a new pet or change in environment, if your cat has recently had a urinary tract infection , the vet may be able to diagnose the problem and prescribe treatment.
If you think your cat may have a UTI, the first step is to take them to the vet for a check-up. The vet will take a thorough history of your cats health and will perform a physical exam. They may also perform a urinalysis to determine if
Bladder Stones And Crystals
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Symptoms Determining The Severity Of Uti
The urinary tract infection can be more or less severe and you need to look for symptoms to see if you can use home remedies or whetheryou will need to get veterinary help.
The symptoms indicating that the UTI is severe include:
- Severe pain when urinating
- Blood and impurities in the urine
If the cat doesnt have these symptoms, at home remedies may be recommended.
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Symptoms Diagnosis And Treatment
Common signs of a cat with a urinary tract infection are:
- Persistent straining in the litter box
- More frequent trips to urinate, but urine often limited to just a few drops
- Inappropriate urination in other areas
- Crying while straining
- Licking the genital area
- Bloody urine
A urinary tract infection in a female cat may seem like a minor issue, though annoying and needing treatment. But in male cats, a urinary tract problem can easily become life-threatening due to the narrowness of their urethra, which can easily become blocked. A urinary blockage can turn out to be deadly if veterinary attention is not sought immediately. A cat with a urinary blockage will produce no urine and become poisoned by a buildup of toxins.
Vomiting, nausea, lethargy, and loss of appetite in a male cat should never be ignored. A male cat urinating a few drops is slightly better off than one not producing any urine at all, but still requires immediate intervention.
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Cat Utis Vs Other Urinary Disorders
One important thing to note about cat UTIs is that theyre relatively uncommon, but unfortunately, other urinary disorders are pretty common. If you suspect your cat has a UTI, talk to your veterinarian right away because it could be another urinary issue.
One of the most common urinary issues that plague our kitties is urinary crystals. There are two types of crystals, struvite and oxalate. Both of these crystals are caused when there is an imbalance in a cats urinary pH. These tiny, microscopic crystals can irritate the inside of the bladder and urethra, making it difficult for your cat to urinate. These urinary issues can lead to serious medical conditions such as kidney stones or urinary blockage, or bladder stones in cats, which can be fatal.
Another urinary issue in addition to a feline UTI is feline idiopathic cystitis or FIC. FIC presents itself in a similar way as a urinary crystal or a UTI, but there is no root cause of the problem. Vets agree that some common causes could be stress, dehydration, a small urethra, or inflammation in the bladder, but thereâs no way to know for sure without ruling out other causes . This urinary issue can also become extremely serious if your kitty is unable to urinate.
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The Signs And Symptoms Of A Cat Uti
Just as you might assume, the symptoms of feline lower urinary tract infections are intimately associated with the functioning of the cats kidneys as well as the bladder, the urethra, and the ureters. If you imagined that the symptoms of UTIs in cats included difficulty urinating and foul odors, you would be correct. The following are indicators that your cat has a UTI:
- Symptoms of feline lower urinary tract infections are intimately associated with the functioning of the cats kidneys, bladder, urethra, and ureters, as one might anticipate. For example, if you believe that cats UTI symptoms include urinary incontinence and foul smells. If your cat has a UTI, you should look out for the following symptoms:
When compared to the symptoms of urinary tract infections in humans, the consequences of urinary tract infections in cats are very comparable. There is a significant difference between cats with urinary tract infections and humans who are suffering from urinary tract infections in that humans can speak up and seek care on their own. Unlike dogs, cats are unable to find the phone number of their local veterinarian and arrange an appointment on their own behalf. That is why it is really essential that we keep a careful eye on our cats and take appropriate action if their behavior appears to be abnormal.
Home Remedies For Cats With Uti
It may surprise you to learn that urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are more frequent than you believe. Unless you are one of the very fortunate few, the odds that you have had a urinary tract infection before are rather high. On an annual basis, over ten million people seek treatment for a urinary tract infection . Even more intriguing is the fact that UTIs afflict women at a higher rate than they do males. Approximately twenty percent of women throughout the world will experience the symptoms of a UTI at least once in their lifetimes, and approximately thirty percent of the aforementioned twenty percent of women will have numerous UTIs during their lives.
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What Are The Treatments For Lower Urinary Tract Problems
When you bring your cat to the vet, they will examine your pet for any injuries or physical problems that might be contributing to the urinary problems.
The treatment will differ depending on the diagnosis.
Antibiotics Can Treat Cat UTIs
Your vet will prescribe the right medication for your pet. They can advise you on diet changes that might prevent future UTIs.
Clearing Obstructions in the Urethra
The vet will insert a tube into the urinary opening and flush the area with sterile fluid to clear the obstruction. Follow-up care may be required as well.
Special Diet
In other cases, a special diet can dissolve stones in your cats bladder. Your vet may suggest special food to prevent more stones from forming in the future.
Treatments for Other Health Problems
Continued
If your cat has diabetes, thyroid disease, or cancer, talk to your vet about treatment options.
Cat urinary tract issues are serious and you should not ignore the symptoms. Call your vet if you think your cat has a UTI or other urinary tract problem.
Cat Urinary Tract Infections
True urinary tract infections in cats are very rare. Instead, in cats, we see a range of conditions which can cause cystitis, referred to as feline lower urinary tract disease .
FLUTD is any disorder affecting the bladder or urethra of cats. It is common, affecting approximately 1-3% of cats each year. Both male and female cats can be affected. Male cats are more prone to obstructions by crystals or plugs, due to their long narrow urethra.
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Where To Purchase Cbd Oil For Your Cats Uti Symptoms
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How To Prevent Cat Urinary Tract Infections
There is always a chance, and sometimes a good chance, that your cats UTI or other lower urinary tract problem will recur. Some recommendations to help prevent recurrences of UTIs and other issues are relatively inexpensive. Your veterinarian may suggest some menu of options like these:
Adjust your cat’s diet. Feed small meals on a frequent basis and keep your cat to a healthy weight. With your vets recommendation, consider a change to a specialized diet for urinary conditions or a switch to canned food. Here are tips from the American Association of Feline Practitioners covering best practices for healthy feeding.
Manage the water. Keep bowls clean and fresh at all times. More water keeps the flow going!
Improve your litter box hygiene. Offer enough litter boxes . Dont hide them away where theyre hard to get for your cat, Primm says. Scoop the boxes twice daily and replace all the litter at least weekly. Note your own cats preference. Primm says some cats like covered boxes, some dont, and different litter appeals to different litter box users. The American Association of Feline Practitioners has helpful tips on how to manage and prevent cat house soiling, covering everything from litter box size to the location of the box within the home
Talk to your vet about the best preventive care and UTI treatments for your cat.
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When Should You Go To The Vet
If left untreated, a UTI can get worse and cause additional problems for your feline. Bladder stones and even kidney infections can develop if the UTI isnt addressed in time. Worse, UTIs can even lead to FLUTD.
At the first sign of any UTI symptoms, you might be able to head off the infection and cure it early with one or more of the at-home natural remedies weve shared with you. But if things continue to get worse, youll need to take your cat to see a professional and ensure it gets the proper care necessary for treating a full-blown UTI.
If your cat is completely unable to urinate, youll need to take it to the vet. Likewise, if you see that their urine is bloody, things might be getting serious and you need to see a vet. Also, seek professional help if your cat is in high levels of pain.
Your vet can determine whether a UTI is the real issue or not and then treat the problem from there. They often use antibiotics to cure such ailments and this might be the only option if your cats UTI has progressed past the beginning stages.
Recognizing A Cat Uti
Symptoms of a UTI in a cat include:
- Excessive grooming of the genital area
- Frequent attempts to urinate/Making multiple trips to the litter box*
- Squatting to urinate in front of you
- Urinating in unusual places outside of the litter box
- Vomiting
- Absence of large clumps in the litter box
- Straining to urinate
- Acting painful
- Discolored urine
*If you have the automatic Litter-Robot 3 Connect, check your smartphone to see how often your cat is using the box. Cats normally visit the box 1-4X/day, and if its more than that, it may indicate a medical problem.
In my previous blog post Why a Clean Litter Box is Essential To Good Cat Health, I talked about Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease and the more life-threatening Feline Urethral Obstruction . Well, the majority of the time, these urinary signs are due to a sterile inflammation of the bladder , and are rarely a UTI. First, know that UTIs are very rare in young cats. These infections are more often seen in older cats . Some studies estimate that less than 2% of the time, male cats presenting with these symptoms end up having a UTI. However, the clinical signs of a UTI are very similar to both FLUTD or FUO. So how do we tell a difference between all these problems?
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What To Do If Your Cat Is Having Urinary Issues
If you suspect that your cat has a urinary condition like the ones described above, take them to the vet immediately because these issues can turn into a bigger problem, such as a urinary blockage.
Your vet will run a few important diagnostics to determine if your cat has a UTI or another issue. The first is to do a urine culture to see if there are any bacteria, such as e. Coli, responsible. They will also run a urinalysis to test your cats urinary pH and to look for blood in the urine. These tests will help determine the root cause if there is one. The cause could be an infection, crystals, or inflammation.
Depending on the cause, your vet may recommend antibiotics if there is an infection or urinary tract problem. If there is another issue, such as a urinary crystal or two, they may recommend putting your cat on a special prescription diet specifically formulated for urinary health. These cat foods are designed to create an inhospitable environment for both types of crystals.Changing your cat’s diet is sometimes the best way to rid them of their urinary stones.
For an immediate solution to the problem, they may also recommend pain meds if your cat is crying while trying to urinate and some antispasmodic medications to help if there is inflammation in the bladder.
When Is A Cat Uti An Emergency
If you are noticing that your cat is struggling to produce urine, your cat cant pee, or is straining to urinate and there is no urine coming out, this is a true emergency especially if your cat is male.
This can be a sign of a urethral obstruction which can lead to severe health conditions and even death if not addressed right away by your veterinarian.
If your cat is blocked, this means your cat cannot pee and can lead to acute kidney failure and as mentioned, a painful death if not addressed.
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Holistic & Home Treatment For Cats With Flutd
In addition to diet and hydration, a variety of other holistic treatments can be helpful in treating FLUTD. Chinese herbs, western herbal combinations, nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies and acupuncture can be beneficial for FLUTD, depending on the cause and specific symptoms. Some of these are available at Only Natural Pet Store as listed below. Please ask for assistance in choosing supplements if you do not have the guidance of a holistically trained veterinarian.
- Only Natural Pet Tract-Ease: Designed to rebuild and strengthen the entire urinary tract. It is specifically developed for kidney and bladder problems, and to help relieve hemorrhaging, bleeding, or infection.
- Vetri-Science Acetylator: Helps improve mucosal lining of the bladder. Can be helpful when there is blood in the urine with no infection present.
- Vetri-Science UT Strength for Cats: Helps prevent recurring bladder infections, maintain pH, improve circulation and maintain health of the Urinary Tract.
- Nature’s Herbs for Pets Urinary Relief: Helps prevent recurring bladder infections, aid elimination, and sooth inflamed membranes.
- Animal Essentials Tinkle Tonic: Helps prevent recurring bladder infections and aids the healing of inflamed urinary tract tissues.
Additional Resources for FLUTD:
Bladder Stones In Cats
Bladder stones are rock-like formations of minerals that develop in the urinary bladder. All stones form because of disease or inflammation in the bladder. The most common signs of bladder stones in the cat are blood in the urine and straining to urinate. Large stones may act almost like a valve, causing an âon-offâ or partial obstruction at the neck of the bladder. In males, small stones become lodged in the urethra and cause an obstruction. X-rays or ultrasound may be necessary for diagnosis. The fastest way to remove bladder stones is via a surgical procedure called a cystotomy. Special diets or passing a catheter may be successful for some bladder stones. Your veterinarian will advise you of the best course of action for your cats particular situation.
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How To Tell If Your Cat Has A Uti
Feline urinary tract infection is not as common in cats as other urinary tract issues, but it does not mean that cats never develop UTI. Cats do develop UTI, which may become quite painful for them if not treated timely. Therefore, it is advised that you always stay vigilant of the signs of sickness in cats.
Diagnosis Of Urinary Tract Infections In Cats
Cystocentesis
Your vet may collect a sample of your cats urine , called cystocentesis. This process will involve inserting a needle directly into the bladder to collect an uncontaminated sample of urine. In order to reach an accurate diagnosis, the urine must be free from contaminants found in the environment.
The urine may be sent to a lab to allow for cultures to grow. This way, the vet can see the specific type of bacteria present in your cats urine, which will aid with diagnosis and treatment.
Basic Urinalysis
The urinalysis will reveal the amount of blood present in the urine, as well as the urines pH balance, glucose, and protein levels. The vet will then analyze the urine using a microscope, looking for bacteria and uroliths, or stones in the urinary tract.
X-Ray
Your vet may perform an X-Ray on your cat in addition to the urine culture and urinalysis. Any crystals or stones in the bladder will show up on an X-Ray.
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