Cat Urinary Disorders
Problems that affect a cat’s urinary system warrant urgent veterinary investigation, since such cat urinary disorders can be serious and life threatening. If your cats strains when passing urine, or cannot pass any at all, you should contact a vet at once.
A cat’s urine is fairly clear or pale yellow, and if it becomes cloudy or colored, this may indicate a bladder infection or even the start of kidney disease. Excessive thirst and frequent urination can sometimes be a sign of diabetes or liver disease, while incontinence may often be associated with a hormonal imbalance, or a spinal injury.
To prevent cat urinary disorders, make sure water is always available, and do not feed a cat only on dry food, since too little fluid can lead to a urinary obstruction.
Is your cat drinking too much?
If your cat is drinking to excess or passing more urine than usual it must be examined by a vet without delay, since this may be a sing of kidney disease.
Urinary Infections in your cat
An inflammation of the bladder, known as cystitis, may be due to a bacterial infection and can be treated successfully if it is detected early. The symptoms of infection are frequent urination with some discomfort, straining, and constant licking under the tail.
Cystitis can affect both sexes, but it is mainly toms and young neutered males that suffer from the more serious Feline Urological Syndrome. If a cat does not drink enough water, or is fed only dry food, the urine may become too concentrated and the salts in it form a sandy deposit or stones, which block the urethra, the narrow passage to the outside.
The cat then experiences difficulty and pain when urinating. FUS is not usually found in females. It is a condition that requires emergency veterinary treatment.
Kidney Problems in Cats
The kidneys are often the first organs to show signs of again deteriorating gradually. Without treatment the cat’s condition may worsen, until the kidneys produce little urine, resulting in a build-up of toxic material inside the cat, which can be fatal.
Urgent medical treatment is needed before the condition become irreversible. However, if the symptoms are recognized early enough, the cat may be treated successfully and go on to enjoy a long and normal life.
Apart from deterioration through old age, kidney failure can also occur as the result of an injury, or following a serious disease, such as Feline Infectious Peritonitis.
Chronic kidney disease – This is the most common cat urinary disorders that affects elderly cats. The gradual deterioration of the functioning of the kidneys makes it difficult for a cat to eliminate waste products from its body. An affected cat may start to urinate more frequently and will have an increase thirst. Other common signs of kidney disease are weight loss, bad breath, and mouth ulcers.
Action – Consult a vet, who will be able to make a proper diagnosis after taking a sample of blood. Careful dietary management is essential in order to compensate for kidney damage.
Acute kidney disease – Acute kidney disease is not as common as the chronic form and usually affects younger cats. It may be cause by bacterial or viral infection, or as the result of a cat swallowing a toxic substance. The signs are vomiting and loss of appetite, severe depression, and dehydration.
Action – Consult a vet immediately, who will try to combat the toxin if the disease is cause by poisoning. Fluids need to be given to combat dehydration.
Urinary obstruction or Feline Urological Syndrome (FUS) – Minute crystals or a sandy sludge can sometimes cause a blockage of the bladder if they build up to plug the urethra. This particularly affects neutered male cats because the urethra of the female cat is relative wide. A cat with urinary problems will strain to pass a little bloodstained urine and, in server cases, it may not be able to pass any water at all. The bladder may be distended and the abdomen tense and painful to the touch. This condition causes an affect cat a great deal of pain and distress.
Action – Urgent veterinary treatment is required to relieve a bladder obstruction. Left untreated, a cat may die in two days. Careful dietary control is needed to ensure that a cat has a high water intake. A cat should not ingest excessive amount of magnesium, since this produces acid urine.
Cystitis – An inflammation of the bladder is most commonly caused by a bacterial infection or may be associated with FUS. In Australia, cystitis can be cause by a bladder worm. Signs include frequent urination accompanied by straining and an increased thirst. The urine by be blood-stained and the cat may persistently lick its rear end.
Action – Consult a vet immediately in order to ensure that the condition does not worsen – if this happens, the bladder may become blocked.
Incontinence – Frequent or constant urination due to a loss of voluntary control may be due to old age, injury, or an infection of the bladder. This is not the same as urine marking or spraying which is territorial behavior.
Action – If there are any other signs, such as straining, consult a vet immediately. Do not limit the cat’s water intake.
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