Urinary diseases are frequent, progressive and recurrent in cats, and they are not always easy to detect as soon as they appear: cats can be very secretive!
Blood in the urine, even if initially invisible to the naked eye, is often present in feline urinary tract infections.
It therefore represents a potentially good early marker of these pathologies, which is why we recommend the use of OdorLock maxCare litter for cats at risk, as it detects the presence of blood and/or glucose in the urine as soon as it appears!
What are the signs of urinary disease?
Urinary diseases in cats are characterized by certain clinical signs that appear as the urinary pathology progresses, including :
- blood in the urine (invisible or, in more advanced cases, visible to the naked eye),
- difficulty urinating,
- pain during urination (meowing, abnormal position, etc.),
- intensive licking of the urogenital sphere,
- frequent urination,
- urine outside the litter box (periuria),
- sometimes, urethral obstruction (partial or total; in the latter case, the urine no longer passes and this is a life-threatening emergency),
- change in behavior (isolation, loss of appetite, aggressiveness, etc.).
Which cats are most affected?
Cats with a history of urinary disease are very often prone to relapse: even when adequate treatment has been put in place, they will still need to be closely monitored.
Let’s also talk about “risk factors” = characteristics that could increase the risk of certain cats developing a urinary pathology and that should be closely monitored, namely :
- Stress/Anxiety
- Overweight
- Sedentary/indoor lifestyle
- Multi-cat environment
- Male cats
- Cats eating dry food, non-specialized for the urinary tract and who don’t drink much.
- History of urinary diseases
What are the most common urinary diseases?
We’re talking here in particular about diseases of the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra).
Ranked by frequency, we find :
- Idiopathic cystitis, sometimes called “Pandora’s syndrome”: inflammation of the urinary tract without the presence of an infectious agent;
- Urolithiasis: the formation of stones in the urinary tract;
- Urinary tract infections, usually bacterial.
How is urinary tract disease treated?
Treatment begins with a veterinary diagnosis to identify the type of urinary disease causing the symptoms.
Depending on the pathology diagnosed, different treatments and recommendations may apply. The following advice is often found:
- Increase the cat’s water intake: water fountain, wet food, multiple water bowls, etc.
- Switch to a specific urinary tract diet;
- Creating a “stress-free” environment for the cat: access to high, secluded areas, creation of play areas, secure access to food and, last but not least, the location, quality and maintenance of the litter box.
- Help cats lose excess weight: switch to a lower-calorie diet, add cooked vegetables to the ration to improve the feeling of satiety (e.g. zucchini), encourage activity, etc.
When clinical signs are severe, pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and/or muscle-relaxing treatments may be prescribed.In the case of bacterial origin, antibiotics may be prescribed, depending on the case (note, however, that bacterial origin is an uncommon cause of urinary problems in cats).
In the case of very advanced pathologies or complications, surgery and/or hospitalization are also options, particularly in the case of urinary blockage.
This article was written in collaboration with Élodie Khenifar, Veterinary Doctor, M.Sc. (clinical pathology), Medical Director of Laboratoires Blücare. Élodie is a graduate of the École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, did her specialty training at the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort and her Masters in Veterinary Science at the Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire de Saint-Hyacinthe, Université de Montréal.
