One of the most common complaints pet owners have regarding
cats is urinating outside the litter box. There can be a variety of different
causes this behavior, one in particular is cystitis. This means inflammation in
the bladder. Cystitis can be a frustrating condition because many times we do
not know the cause and have to manage the symptoms.
Let’s start at the beginning. If your cat starts urinating
inappropriately the first thing to do is to visit the veterinarian. Although we
do not always find an answer to why they are demonstrating this behavior, there
are several medical reasons we need to rule out. The easiest is a bladder
infection. To determine if this is the cause most of the time a urine sample
may be obtained and examined under the microscope or sent off to a lab for a
culture and sensitivity. With a culture and sensitivity this will identify what
if any bacteria are growing and what specific antibiotics can be used to combat
them. If no bacteria is found further diagnostics may be indicated. This could
include x-rays or blood work to rule out bladder stones or other underlying
conditions. One of the most consistent findings with cystitis is blood in the
urine with no signs of infection or stones.
One of the most frustrating causes for cystitis is what is
known as idiopathic. This means we do not know and cannot determine the exact
cause. Many times this can be attributed to stress. Cats have a variety of ways
they can show stress. They may stop eating, they could become more aggressive,
they may hide and sometimes they will begin to urinate inappropriately. If
other causes have been ruled out we may look to managing the inflammation of
the bladder.
Medical management of cystitis will be tailored to each cat
specifically. Many times pain medication may be prescribed to help with the
discomfort associated with straining and inflammation. Anti-anxiety medication
may also be used long term to help combat some of these symptoms. There are
also prescription diets that promote a healthy bladder environment and some
newer products also have ingredients to combat stress. Diet can be crucial to
helping flare ups occur less regularly.
One of the most important aspects of managing feline
idiopathic cystitis is environmental enrichment. House cats can get bored
easily. Sure many of them enjoy lounging but they also need mental and physical
stimulation throughout the day. Taking them on a walk would be great but not
every cat can be leash trained so we must look to their inside environment for
areas to improve. One way is to give them different perches throughout the
house. Also moving these perches from time to time will keep them interested.
Designating playtime throughout the day will help keep them physically fit.
Food puzzles can be great mental and physical game they can play while most
owners are away during the day.
 |
| Source |
Each cat is unique and some
strategies that work great for one may not work for your cat. It will be important
to work closely with your veterinarian to tailor a specific plan to your feline
friend. This is a very brief overview of a complicated issue in cats. For more
information you can visit veterinary partner’s feline cystitis page here.
No comments:
Post a Comment