Lower Urinary Tract Disease in Cats

The bladder is part of the urinary system which also includes the kidneys, and the tubes that connect these organs. The urethra is the tube connecting the bladder to the outside world and, along with the bladder, is part of the Lower Urinary Tract. Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is a term used to describe a number of conditions affecting the bladder and urethra in cats, including urinary blockages. A blocked bladder means urine is unable to pass through the urethra. This most often occurs due to a blockage caused by inflammatory changes or the presence of urinary crystals (bladder stones). As there is nowhere for the urine to go, the bladder expands (which can lead to fatal bladder rupture if left untreated), and waste products that are usually excreted in urine start to build up in the bloodstream (making affected cats seriously unwell).

There are numerous environmental factors that may increase your cat’s risk of a urinary blockage including sex (with desexed male cats most commonly affected), diet, other cats in the household, stress, and fresh water availability. Common causes of stress in cats may include stray cats moving into the area, changes around the home (like new people or pets), or moving house, just to name a few. Obesity is also a risk factor – another reason for us to maintain our cats within a healthy weight range!

Did you know? The ideal number of litter trays should add up to the number of cats in a household plus one extra tray. Three cats at home? That’s at least 4 litter trays.

So what should we be looking out for? A blocked bladder is very painful. Your cat likely won’t want to move around much or may seem reluctant to be picked up. They may also be licking their back end excessively. As mentioned above, the inability to excrete urine makes them very unwell, so they will often show very little interest in eating or drinking. Most of all, they will likely be visiting the toilet much more frequently than usual, with little success. Often we can mistake this for constipation or, for cats that go to the toilet outside, we may miss this sign altogether. If you’re concerned something might be wrong, try and observe your cat toileting – if no urine is being passed, it’s definitely time to call the vet.

Straining to urinate, or more frequent attempts, don’t always mean your cat’s bladder is blocked. Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) can be associated with bladder inflammation that can produce similar signs (however small volumes of urine should still be able to be passed). Urinary tract infections may also present similarly and may be more commonly seen in female cats due to anatomical differences. If you do notice any Lower Urinary Tract signs in your cat, it’s a good idea to have them seen by a vet sooner rather than later as all of these conditions are painful, and can lead to something more serious if left untreated.

Although we can’t always prevent a blocked bladder condition from occurring, and Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease isn’t something that we can ‘cure’, managing the risks outlined above (especially your cat’s diet and environmental stress levels) may mean they are less likely to suffer from a blocked bladder in their lifetime. As always, we’re here to help! Simply get in touch on 8258 7978 if you are concerned your cat might be experiencing lower urinary tract signs.