Feline urinary tract disease (FLUTD) is the medical term used to describe a range of conditions which affect the bladder and urethra in cats. FLUTD is commonly diagnosed in cats and can lead to a variety of painful and uncomfortable symptoms.
Causes of Feline Urinary Tract Disease
Many cases of FLUTD are idiopathic, meaning their cause is unknown. Other contributing factors include urinary stones or crystals (uroliths), bacterial bladder infections, anatomical defects, tumors, and urethral obstruction. Although FLUTD can occur at any age, it is most commonly seen in middle-aged, overweight, and sedentary cats.
Symptoms of Feline Urinary Tract Disease
Please take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible if you notice any of the following signs and symptoms of FLUTD.
- Urinating outside the litter box
- Blood in the urine
- Difficulty urinating
- Increased urination
- Painful urination
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive licking of the genital area
Diagnosis of Feline Urinary Tract Disease
Your veterinarian will ask you a series of questions about the onset and severity of your cat’s symptoms. They will then perform a thorough physical examination to check for clinical signs of FLUTD.
Diagnostic testing may include a urinalysis, urine culture, blood tests, and imaging techniques such as X-rays or ultrasound. These will help your veterinarian to assess your cat’s overall health and rule out other causes of their symptoms.
Treatment of Feline Urinary Tract Disease
Treatment of FLUTD will depend on the severity and underlying cause of your cat’s symptoms. If there is evidence of bacterial infection, antibiotics will be prescribed to address the problem.
Other treatment methods include flushing the urinary tract with a sterile fluid to remove obstructions, and intravenous fluid therapy to combat dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
If stones or crystals (uroliths) are present, they will need to be removed. This can sometimes be achieved with therapeutic diets that dissolve uroliths in the urinary tract. In other cases, surgical removal may be required.
Following initial treatment, your veterinarian may prescribe analgesics to relieve pain and other medications to support your pet’s urinary health. Please follow treatment advice closely and administer all medications as instructed.
Prevention of Feline Urinary Tract Disease
Make sure to provide plenty of fresh, clean drinking water at all times to help flush out your pet’s urinary tract. If your cat is susceptible to FLUTD, speak to your veterinarian about selecting a specialized diet to support their urinary health.
It’s also important to practice good hygiene and keep litter boxes clean and well maintained. Finally, please schedule regular checkups with your veterinarian to monitor your cat’s overall health
