Kittens and Cats
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, more commonly
known as FLUTD, is a clinical condition that occurs as a result
of a cystitis (a bladder infection) or as a result of the formation
of mineral crystals in the urine. These crystals cause irritation
to the lining of the urinary tract and may even block the tract,
which can be life threatening.
FLUTD occurs as frequently in female cats as in
male cats; however, due to anatomical differences, blockage occurs
more often in the male cat.
The onset of this problem seems quite innocent.
Your cat may show signs of decreased appetite and doesn't drink
as much water as usual. You may also begin to notice that after
years of using the litter box faithfully, accidents start to happen.
They may visit the ltter box more frequently, crouching down instead
of squatting down, straining (sometimes giving the appearance
of constipation), crying, and if urine is produced it may have
a very strong odour with a very dark appearance.
These cats require immediate veterinary attention.
Vomiting may start as a result of the build-up of wastes, often
to toxic levels, in the body. This stage is very serious and if
left untreated may be fatal. No breed is safe from this disease.
How does the problem get started?
Cats have the ability to conserve body water
by highly concentrating their urine. In urine, there are mineral
elements - magnesium, ammonium, phosphates and others, the natural
components of the food. In most cases, these minerals are dissolved
and leave the body.
But this process can fail - the less cats drink,
the more concentrated their urine becomes. The result - crystalline
complexes can form and accumulate in the bladder and urethra.
In males, the very narrow urethral channel easily traps these
crystal fragments, causing blockage. In females, the crystals
cause a urinary tract inflammation as opposed to a blockage.
Watch for the Signs
- Frequent attempts to urinate
- Flow reduced to a dribble
- Urinating outside the litter box
- Crouching instead of squatting
- Obvious straining
- Very dark urine
- Very strong odour of urine
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive licking of the genital area
- Vomiting
- Listlessness
- Bloated or tense abdomen
Prevention
Your cat's diet is the key in preventing FLUTD. Using high quality,
well-formulated diets that reduce the minerals in the urine that
cause the formation of the crystals and maintaining urinary pH
is the best method of prevention.
In the past there have been some misconceptions
on the importance of " Ash" in the diet. Ash is the
measure of all the minerals in the food. It is now thought that
a low level magnesium (a component of ash) in combination with
a consistent acidic urinary pH is the more appropriate measure.
Home Management
Cats that have a history of FLUTD are at risk to have it recur.
Lifelong management is necessary to decrease this chance. Following
are some helpful hints:
- Strictly adhere to your veterinarian's instructions
- Provide clean fresh water - cats are more likely
to drink larger volumes if it is clean.
- Maintain clean litter - your cat may settle
for retaining urine as long as possible if it isn't lean or
is hard to reach - an invitation for crystal formation
- Encourage exercise - obesity or lack of exercise
may contribute to FLUTD
- Feed the diet recommended by your veterinarian
Summary
FLUTD can be prevented - by following a few
simple steps you can protect your cat by helping to avoid the
occurrence of this disease.
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