Feline cystitis is associated with feline urological syndrome, feline lower urinary tract disease, and feline idiopathic cystitis. Feline cystitis means "inflammation of the bladder". The term idiopathic translates to unknown cause. This is because the direct cause of feline cystitis is unknown; however, certain behaviors have been known to aid the illness once it has been initiated. It can affect both males and females of any breed of cat. It is more commonly found in females cats; however, when males do exhibit cystitis, it is usually more dangerous.
A common nickname for this type of illness is "crystals". This is because tiny crystals or sand like particles form within the urine. This can be treated. If this illness trails on too long then the cat's life may be at risk.
Signs and symptoms
- Frequent bathroom trips to the litter box.
- Attempting to go to the bathroom with little urine passed.
- Blood is present in the urine.
- Odorous urine is being exhibited.
- Irritability in their personality.
- Urinating in other places of the house; not in their litter box.
- Licking their genitals.
- Lying on cold surfaces, such as tile floors or in showers (the cold surfaces help ease pain).
- Experiencing pain when urinating
Pathophysiology
Feline cystitis blocks a cat’s urinary tract. This blockage can be from a bladder stone or a buildup of crystals, which are bacterial build up in the form of sand. These crystals lead to an obstruction causing stagnant urine to evolve in their bodies. The urine will eventually build up to a point where it can harm the kidneys. If the buildup goes on for a long period of time the cat’s kidneys may fail. Stagnant urine will also create a perfect atmosphere for bacteria to build up even faster. The main reason as to why feline cystitis is more dangerous in male cats is because their urethra is much narrower than females. Therefore, when a buildup occurs in their system, time is not on their side. Females do not commonly experience a complete obstruction due to their wide urethra.
Cause
The direct cause of feline cystitis is unknown. Research is still being pursued for the causes of cystitis in cats; however, they have found many correlations. Cats who are neutered or spayed too early have experienced a higher incidence of feline cystitis. Too much dry cat food can aggravate the cystitis once it has already occurred in a feline. These correlations do not initiate feline cystitis, however, they do worsen the illness once it does occur.
Factors that may be associated with an increased likelihood of developing feline cystitis include:
- Increased body weight
- Stress from house moving
- Stress from having conflicts with other cats
- Being kept strictly indoors
Treatment
The veterinarian may use a urine sample from the cat to carry out urinalysis tests. An appropriate antibiotic may be given. Within a week the cat should be doing much better. However, feline cystitis is commonly known to reoccur, therefore precautions should be taken. Prescription diet cat food may be recommended by your veterinarian to ensure that it does not reoccur. An antibiotic may prevent some but not all cases.
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