Feline Cystitis

Feline cystitis is an illness that is defined by the swelling of a cat’s urinary tract and bladder. The condition usually travels up into the bladder instead of originating there. Female cats are more likely to develop the infection because it has to cover a shorter distance in their urinary system.

The exact cause of cat cystitis is not quite certain. This is very different from humans and dogs, where the cause of cystitis is known to simply be a bladder infection. Cats that are diagnosed with cystitis rarely have any bacteria in their urine, which veterinarians find to be very confusing. Some conditions that might heighten the risk of developing the illness are kidney stones, certain prescription medications and infections in the reproductive tract.

Cystitis usually causes many different symptoms to appear. Infected cats will take more trips to the litter box but will have difficulty releasing urine. This difficulty is often caused by small crystals that form inside the urethra. Difficulty urinating is more often seen in male cats because the urethra is considerably narrower. This problem may cause the cat to develop kidney failure and will lead to death within 48 hours if it isn’t looked after.

The appropriate way to treat a cat that has this health issue is to make sure it has plenty of water to drink and remove the minerals from its diet so that the urine becomes thinner and easier to pass. It is also important to remove any sources of stress from your cat’s life. The vet will prescribe antibiotics that will last for around 6 weeks. Anti-inflammatory drugs can be given to ease the cat’s pain and make urination easier in the mean time. If the cystitis was caused by kidney stones, they must be treated by either changing the diet or removing them surgically.

Once a cat contracts cystitis, it is more susceptible to getting the illness again. For this reason, you should keep your cat on the special diet once the first bout of the disease is cured. Keep your cat’s water bowl full to help prevent the formation of stones.

To learn more about other cat diseases and the many causes and symptoms, visit www.catillnesseshq.com