Idiopathic Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (IFLUTD) or cat urinary tract disease for short is a condition that affects many felines. It is also known as Interstitial Cystitis, Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC) or Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS), and describes a number of conditions that are characterized by difficult or painful urination, blood in the urine, incontinence, blockage of the urethra (both partial and complete) and frequent urination in inappropriate places in your home. As you can probably guess, this is a distressing condition that affects both your life and your pet?s. Fortunately, it is also perfectly treatable.
The causes are multiple and are sometimes hard to pinpoint, as the disease usually erupts rather spontaneously and unexpectedly. Among the most common ones are noninfectious diseases, viruses like calicivirus and herpesvirus. Too many white blood cells or bacteria in the urine can also be causes for cat urinary tract diseases. Stress may also play a decisive factor. This is because stress causes lowered resistance of the body. This is not, however, a primary cause, so if your cat does suffer from this condition, there are other, much worse factors at play.
Cat urinary tract disease is a condition that occurs in both male and female cats, so no pet is truly safe from it. Diagnosis can prove to be tricky even for a professional veterinarian. You should not panic if the results don?t simply show themselves, as you might have to wait a period of time. This waiting period is for the best, as you surely want your pet to be properly diagnosed, or else what?s the point of all these medical exams?
There are many possible outcomes when looking for a diagnosis. Some of these include kidney stones, obstructions, disease caused by bacteria, fungi or parasites, nervous system disorders, physical trauma, abnormalities of an anatomic nature, and so on. Not all these, however, suggest that your cat might be suffering from urinary tract disease.
The preferred method when it comes to diagnosing this condition is to use X-rays, as these are helpful in locating kidney stones or other suspected causes of cat urinary tract disease. The vet might also insist on a cystocopy, so as to determine if there might be any stones, cysts or polyps in your cat?s urinary tract that are causing this condition.
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. If the cat does not suffer from blockage of the urethra, you will most likely be able to take care of your cat at home. However, diagnostic evaluation could result in a brief stay in the hospital for your pet. If your cat does have blockages of the urethra, then hospitalization becomes mandatory, in order to ensure proper diagnosis and management of the condition.
If your cat happens to have crystals in the urine that are associated with urethra plugs, you will need to ensure a proper diet to your pet. Feeding moist foods instead of dry one can prove to be an effective way to minimize the reappearance of symptoms.
Make sure that your vet will continue to monitor the blood in the urine, and try to keep stress low for your pet during the recovery period.
