Thursday, March 21, 2024

Urinary Tract Problems In Cats

Must read

Symptoms Of A Urinary Tract Infection In A Cat:

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)
  • Excessive grooming or licking of the genital or abdominal areas
  • Frequent attempts to urinate, including multiple trips to the litter box
  • Urinating in unusual places outside of the litter box, especially on a cool surface like tile or the bathtub
  • Absence of large clumps in the litter box
  • Straining to urinate or crying out while urinating
  • Discolored urine or blood in urine

The most common symptom is when the cat is no longer going to the bathroom in their litter box. Do not assume this is a behavior issue. Take your feline companion to the vet to rule out a urinary tract infection or other serious problem.

The Benefits Of Homemade Cat Food

Youve heard the saying, If you want something done right, do it yourself. For many cat owners, thats the primary motivation behind switching to homemade cat food. If you really want to know what youre putting into your cats body, the best option might be making the food yourself.

Homemade cat food could be a good option for cats who:

  • Suffer from food sensitivities or allergies to specific ingredients
  • Have specific food and flavor preferences, aka picky eaters
  • Have digestive problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease
  • Could benefit from a higher level of moisture in their diet
  • Experience skin problems related to diet or digestive issues
  • Are sensitive to artificial additives and chemical ingredients

The truth is homemade cat food isnt perfect, but neither is commercial food. As a cat owner, its your duty to make a responsible decision regarding your cats diet. Whether you choose homemade cat food, a fresh cat food delivery service, or high-quality commercial food is up to you.

We simply want to help you understand the options so you can make an educated decision.

What Are Todays Most Popular Best Dry Cat Food For Cats With Urinary Tract Problems Models

There are many best dry cat food for cats with urinary tract problems items accessible today for men and women seeking quality and reliability. Every best dry cat food for cats with urinary tract problems model follows the same essential premise. But they appeal to various users.

Inevitably, certain products will only appeal to particular types of people. Which products are the most popular amongst customers as a whole, you could ask. If you’d want a list, we have one here. Check out our wide range of products that look to be appealing to people of various ages, genders, and places.

Recommended Reading: How Do You Treat Urinary Incontinence

How To Detect Urinary Issues In Senior Cats

April 12, 2020Pet Health, Senior Cat Articles

A cat is considered a senior cat at age 7 and oftentimes, senior cats develop urinary tract issues. Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease is not merely one problem, but a collection of clinical symptoms that may have more than one possible cause. Cats with FLUTD can experience painful urination, bloody urine and frequent licking of the urinary opening. Causes can include bladder stones, urinary tract blockage, infection or cancer. Cystitis or inflammation of the bladder is the most common diagnosis.

Some of the symptoms of lower urinary tract problems include:

  • Inability to urinate or only passing a small amount of urine
  • Bloody or cloudy urine
  • Loss of bladder control, dribbling urine
  • Increased frequency of urination or visits to the litter box
  • Straining and or crying when passing urine
  • Prolonged squatting in the litter box
  • Fear or avoidance of the litter box
  • Soiling in inappropriate places
  • Constant licking of urinary opening
  • Strong odor of ammonia in urine
  • Increased water consumption
  • Hard, distended abdomen

If you suspect that your cat has a urinary tract issue, it is important that she is seen by her vet as quickly as possible. Untreated urinary problems can cause partial or complete obstruction of the urethra, preventing the cat from urinating. This is a medical emergency that can very quickly lead to kidney failure and or rupture of the bladder, which can prove fatal if the obstruction is not relieved right away.

Symptoms Of Feline Urinary Tract Disease In Cats

Cystitis and Lower Urinary Tract Disease in Cats

If your cat has FLUTD or a cat urinary tract infection you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Drinking more water than usual
  • Loss of bladder control
  • Strong ammonia odor in urine
  • Avoidance or fear of litter box
  • Hard or distended abdomen
  • Excessive licking of genital area
  • Cloudy or bloody urine

Read Also: What To Do When You Have A Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary Tract Infections In Cats

Though less common than most people assume, urinary tract infections can affect cats. As is the case in humans, female cats are more likely to suffer from UTIs than males due to the length of their urethra. UTIs, as well as other urinary issues, cause a variety of symptoms that cat owners should learn to recognize in order to get their cat the help it needs and prevent complications.

Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Problems In Cats

Since cats are unable to communicate with their owners in plain English , it can sometimes be hard to know what is wrong with your cat when they start to act differently than usual.

Urinary problems in cats can be painful and very unpleasant for a cat, which is why it is crucial for owners to know about the symptoms of urinary tract problems in cats.

The most common signs that your cat might be experiencing the dreadful effects of FLUTD may include:

  • Urine may seem cloudy or even bloody at times.
  • When the cat urinates, they might give out a cry due to the pain.
  • A cats urine will usually have a strong ammonia smell to it.
  • Urine may dribble from the cat due to a loss of control over their bladder.
  • The cat may frequently lick the opening of their urinary tract.
  • You may notice your cat visits the litter box more frequently the cat may also sometimes squat over the litterbox for prolonged periods of time.
  • The cat may seem lethargic.
  • Some cats may also vomit when they have FLUTD.

Also Check: Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Over The Counter Medication

What Are The Symptoms Of Positive Urine Culture

A positive urine culture indicates that there are bacteria in the urine. The most common symptom is burning with urination. Other symptoms can include: feeling the need to urinate more frequently, cloudy urine, blood in the urine, and pelvic pain in women.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria has a significant impact on the use of antimicrobial medications in hospitals. Even if the patient has no incontinence, a urine culture is frequently obtained from a hospitalized patient. Confusion and fever were the most common causes of receiving the urine cultures. It is critical to implement effective strategies to improve urine culture ordering and antimicrobial utilization in hospitals. The following is a list of the events that will take place in 2006. Les auteurs examiné de patients adultes, not enceintes, et sans abacterique. In the year 2016, 51% of the products were manufactured in France, and 28% were manufactured in the United States.

Bacteria or yeast can be detected if your urine culture is positive. You have most likely contracted a urinary tract infection or a bladder infection as a result of this condition. It may also be possible for your provider to determine which bacteria or yeast is causing the infection and which antibiotics will be effective in treating it. If there is a negative urine culture, no bacteria or yeast can be found in the sample.

Diagnosing And Managing Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

How to Prevent Urinary Issues in Cats

To take the CE quiz, .This quiz is open until November 2022.

Johanna Heseltine

DVM, MS, DACVIM

Dr. Heseltine is a clinical assistant professor at Texas A& M University. She received her DVM from the University of Saskatchewan and then completed a rotating small animal internship at the University of Prince Edward Island. She completed her masters degree and small animal internal medicine residency at Virginia Tech and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Medicine . Dr. Heseltine has held faculty and teaching positions and worked in private specialty practice. She is interested in a broad range of internal medicine disorders of small animals.

Feline lower urinary tract disease is a general term used to describe conditions affecting the bladder or urethra of cats 1 it is not a syndrome or specific diagnosis. It has been reported that between 4.5% and 8% of cats presenting to veterinary practices or teaching hospitals have FLUTD.2,3 Causes of FLUTD include physical conditions and behavioral disorders resulting in inappropriate urination . Because FLUTD encompasses a set of diseases manifesting similar clinical signs, an individualized, thorough diagnostic approach is required to determine the cause and optimize therapy .

  • Feline idiopathic cystitis
  • Congenital anatomical defects
  • Neurologic disorders
  • Behavioral disorders

Read Also: What To Drink To Help Urinary Tract Infection

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.

Treatment For Urinary Tract Problems In Cats

There are different ways that urinary tract problems in cats can be treated. Urinary problems in cats treatment options depend on what caused the condition in the first place. When the underlying causes are treated, symptoms of FLUTD may improve, and the risk of recurrence may also be greatly reduced.

One particular problem often faced with FLUTD in cats is the fact that in as many as 64% of cases, the condition is classified as idiopathic. This means that no actual physical cause can be identified. It becomes harder to initiate an effective treatment protocol to help address any underlying root causes.

Antibiotics are often used when an infection is suspected to be present. The possibility of infection can be confirmed by testing the cats urine. Urinary acidifiers may also be administered to the cat. Another possible medical option may include fluid therapy.

You may also be advised to increase the cats intake of water and to make appropriate dietary changes, depending on the cats existing diet.

In more serious cases, surgical procedures may be used to remove stones. Surgery may also be used when congenital abnormalities are present. There is also a surgical procedure that can be used to assist in removing an obstruction or blockage within the cats urethra. This may help to relieve symptoms associated with urinary problems in cats.

Don’t Miss: What Clears Up A Urinary Tract Infection

Things You Can Do Yourself

To help ease symptoms of a urinary tract infection :

  • takeparacetamolup to 4 times a day to reduce pain and a high temperature for people with a UTI, paracetamol is usually recommended over NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin
  • you can give childrenliquid paracetamol
  • rest and drink enough fluids so you pass pale urine regularly during the day
  • avoid having sex

Some people take cystitis sachets or cranberry drinks and products every day to prevent UTIs from happening, which may help. However, theres no evidence they help ease symptoms or treat a UTI if the infection has already started.

Inflammation Of The Bladder

Urinary Tract Disease in Cats

Commonly referred to as a urinary tract infection, this problem in cats is more properly called idiopathic cystitis in veterinary terminology. Cystitis just means inflammation of the bladder, while idiopathic means the problem arises spontaneously and without a known cause.

Inflammation is a useful aspect of the bodys immune response, serving to increase blood flow to an injured or infected area to facilitate healing. In the case of cats with urinary tract disease, however, sensory neurons trigger the inflammation of the bladder not because of infection or injury but in response to stress.

You May Like: Ms And Urinary Tract Infections

Preventing Urinary Tract Infections In Cats

Your vet may recommend a diet that helps not only with healing but prevents recurrence as well. Certain stone-dissolving foods can help prevent crystals from forming in your cats urinary tract. There are also commercial foods that promote urinary tract health. Consult your vet on what type of food is right for your cat.

Feeding your cat a canned-food diet or mixing wet food with dry kibble helps provide additional hydration.

Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is also important overweight/obese cats tend to have more health issues than cats of a normal weight. Provide your cat with toys that stimulate physical activity.

Because anxiety may play a part in urinary tract disease, its important to keep your cats stress level as low as possible. Cats do not like change, no matter how subtle it may be, so try to keep changes to your cats routine and/or environment to a minimum.

Reducing Stress For Your Pet

Reducing stress for your pet can help prevent urinary tract infections from coming back or developing into a more serious condition.

Try these tips for reducing stress for your cat:

  • Spend more time together.
  • Give your feline friend access to windows or more toys.
  • Regularly clean litter boxes or increase the number of available litter boxes.

Catching a urinary tract infection early can help ease the stress and discomfort for both you and your cat. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, please contact us.

Don’t Miss: Cvs Urinary And Prostate Plus

What Does A Urinalysis Look At

If your cat presents to your veterinarian with urinary signs, your veterinarian will first perform a urinalysis. The urinalysis can reveal so much important information about the urine when a UTI is suspected. Your veterinarian will look for the following:

  • urine-specific gravity

Once these levels are measured, the urine specimen is placed into a centrifuge and spun down to allow cells and other debris to accumulate at the bottom of the sample tube. That debris can then be evaluated, revealing the presence of red blood cells, white blood cells, bacteria, and crystals.

How Vets Diagnose Utis In Cats

Feline Urinary Tract Infections

Vets diagnose urinary tract infections by collecting a urine sample and examining it for the presence of bacteria. These samples must be collected through a process called cystocentesis, where urine is drawn directly from the bladder with a fine needle. This is necessary to prevent contamination of the urine sample from cups, tables, or any other surface the urine may come into contact with.

After cystocentesis, your veterinarian will run a culture-and-sensitivity test. During this test, the bacteria are isolated and studied. This helps the vet determine the best antibiotics for your cats exact infection.

Occasionally, acute infectionsespecially first-time infections that show up suddenlyare treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic without trying to determine which bacteria are involved.

Chronic infections, however, almost always require more testing to isolate the type of bacteria causing the problem and identify the best antibiotic.

Don’t Miss: How To Heal Urinary Tract Infection

How Is Flutd Diagnosed

Because FLUTD has many causes, it can be difficult to diagnose. Based on your cat’s symptoms, your veterinarian will do a physical examination and most likely will run a urinalysis assessing urine pH and concentration and presence of crystals, bleeding, inflammation and infection. If the cause is still not identified, tests such as urine culture, x-rays, blood work and additional urine tests may be recommended.

The Next Step After A Positive Urine Culture Test

Following the positive urine culture test result, a second step is to determine the type of infection. To perform this, researchers examine the bacteria present in the urine culture. Each type of bacteria can cause a different type of infection, resulting in a different set of symptoms. A UTI is more likely if the bacteria in the urine culture are from a type of bacteria that is frequently associated with the condition. As a result, if the bacteria in the urine culture do not come from a type of bacteria that is commonly associated with UTIs, other possible diagnoses such as bladder infections should be ruled out.

Also Check: Urinary Tract Infection Antibiotics Metronidazole

Benefits Of Homemade Cat Food For Cats With Utis

It has been noted that if felines are given the proper care they live longer, and with no such severe underlying health issues. Healthy homemade food is ideal for felines suffering from any urinary infections or urinary tract issues.

This is because it will contain low or no ash, and will be high in moisture which is good for felines with UTI issues. It helps to fight against the infection, and reduce the risk of a stone issue in your felines urine.

Here we have dropped down a few benefits which will give you a clear image.

What Are The Symptoms Of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease In Cats

HOW TO SPOT FELINE LOWER URINARY TRACT DISEASE IN CATS

Urinating can be difficult, painful or impossible for cats suffering from FLUTD. They may also urinate more frequently, or in inappropriate areas outside their litter box .

If your cat has FLUTD or a cat urinary tract infection you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Inability to urinate

Read Also: Urinary Tract Infection And Cancer

How Are Cat Urinary Tract Infections Caused

There are many risk factors identified for cats with FLUTD, a combination likely plays a role in the development of the disease. These are:

  • Idiopathic cystitis stress and dietary changes can increase the risk. Many cats will have repeated episodes, but we cannot predict which cats will have relapses. Causes of stress can include multi-cat households, abrupt changes in routine, new pets and territorial disputes.
  • Disease such as diabetes and hyperthyroidismcan lead to urinary tract infections in older cats

Less common causes include injury to the urinary tract, abnormal anatomy and tumours.

More articles

Popular Articles