Feline lower Urinary Tract disease

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Many phone calls come into the pharmacy from concerned cat owners trying to buy a medication to stop their cat from taking too long to urinate or from urinating outside the litter box. When urination habits change in cats it is important to visit the veterinarian because it’s possible that the cat is suffering from a condition called Feline lower Urinary Tract disease (FLUTD). My last blog explained bladder and kidney stones so I decided to discuss another related condition in order to cover feline urinary tract health more thoroughly.

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) is a general term used to describe several different conditions of the urinary tract in cats. This is a fairly common problem found in cats of all ages and sex, however it is most frequently seen in middle-aged, neutered male cats that are mostly restricted to the indoors and are using a litter box. FLUTD has many causes and while some of them resolve in a few weeks, others such as when the urethra becomes obstructed do not. An obstructed urethra can become a life-threatening emergency.

FLUTD can occur because of an infection, stones in the urinary tract, cancer, and stress. Interestingly, stress is usually the biggest cause and could be due to the litter being too dirty, constantly moving from home to home, another cat not being nice, or an owner not paying attention to the cat. Cats, like most pets, thrive on the attention and love of their owner. I know when I sit next my cat and give him some attention he gets a relaxed looking “smile” on his face and starts to purr. When a cat is in a good place emotionally fewer things are likely to go wrong physically. stress isn’t only responsible for causing this condition but it can also be responsible for a variety of other illnesses. It is interesting to note that stress is the cause of multiple illnesses in humans also, so petting a cat can be good for both the cat and the human.

Symptoms of FLUTD are mostly seen in and around the litter box. The cat is urinating too often, seems to be in pain when urinating, blood in the urine, the cat appears weak and not motivated to do anything, and may also be vomiting. If any of these symptoms are seen it is important to take the cat to see the veterinarian. The veterinarian can determine the cause and come up with a treatment plan. since this condition could potentially be life-threatening, the sooner the vet is visited the better.

Treatment may include antibiotics if there is a bacterial infection, surgery if there is an obstruction, or making a dietary change if a struvite stone is identified. It is possible that the veterinarian might want to minimize calcium oxalate stone formation by giving the cat potassium citrate Urocit-K which comes in 10mEq (1080mg) and 5mEq (540mg) controlled release tablets. If struvite stones are suspected, a dietary change may be recommended. A product called Methio-Form may be prescribed for some cats as a urinary acidifier which will help to dissolve the struvite stones.

It is generally better for the cat, and less costly, to prevent FLUTD than to treat it. The key to prevention is reducing stress and diluting the urine. The good news is that both of those things are free and can be accomplished by giving the cat lots of love and lots of water.

As always if you suspect anything wrong with the cat it is very important to make an appointment to see the veterinarian. If you have any medication related questions your 1800Petmeds pharmacist is also available to answer those for you.