Not all cats that seems to have trouble urinating are experiencing urinary tract infections and, contrary to what most owners think, it’s not out of spite.
Most cats that start urinating outside of the litter box or need to urinate small amounts frequently are experiencing a medical condition. In older cats it may very well be a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a metabolic / endocrine condition such as diabetes, kidney failure or thyroid issue.
But for the majority of cats under 8 years of age, UTI’s are less likely than other issues that collectively are known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or FLUTD.
Cats that don’t get enough fluid intake can develop bladder crystals, bladder stones and even bladder inflammation called cystitis. All of these syndromes mimic what one would expect to see with a UTI, but since bacteria isn’t the cause of the problem, antibiotics won’t fix it.
The best things you can do are talk with you veterinarian and have your feline friend thoroughly examined to rule out medical causes. From you end, work with your veterinarian on adding more water dishes and encouraging drinking. Hydration plays a major role in FLTUD cats. Canned cat food instead of dry can also be helpful as it’s composed of 70% water.
Male cats showing FLUTD or any trouble urinating require immediate attention as male cats are highly prone to becoming obstructed, where they are unable to urinate. This quickly turns into a life threatening issue from both the buildup of metabolites needed to be excreted to bladder rupture.
Urban Animal helps your cats maintain prime urinary health. Call us to schedule an appointment today!
