Cat owners love their cats, but when it comes to cat pee, they don't want to see it, smell it or — you get the idea.
Ironically, though, knowing your cat's urinary habits could be what saves its life.
Feline lower urinary tract disease, also known as FLUTD, is a broad term that encompasses multiple disease processes. It includes urinary tract infections, bladder stones and urethral blockages, as well as feline idiopathic cystitis, a common form of the disease that has no true known cause.
Depending on the underlying disease process, it can be difficult to tell whether a cat has a simple UTI or is in need of life-saving care, which might even include emergency surgery.
The disease can present with very subtle clinical signs such as inappropriate urination outside of the litter box. More advanced stages can cause pain, nausea, decreased appetite and vomiting. When urinating, cats may cry out in pain, struggle to or not be able to pee, urinate frequently, or have blood in their urine.
While urinary tract infections and bladder stones can usually be treated with appropriate antibiotics and prescription urinary diets, urethral blockages are an emergency.
Urethral blockages in cats are common and usually occur in young to middle-aged male cats due to the narrowness of their urethra. When the urethra is blocked for an extended period — most commonly by a buildup of crystals and sediment at the distal urethra — urine begins to back up into the bladder and kidneys and the body is unable to appropriately eliminate nitrogenous waste products and maintain electrolyte balance. This can eventually lead to dangerously high levels of waste products and even fatally high levels of potassium.
Your veterinarian can relieve this condition by inserting a urinary catheter, but when urethral blockages are not caught early enough cats can decline rapidly and these cases may end in humane euthanasia.
When no specific cause is found for an inflamed urinary tract, cats are diagnosed with feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). Causes for FIC are still unclear, though it's possible that underlying stressors such as negative relationships among cats living in the same house, abrupt changes in the home environment or moving to a new house, or owners being away from their cats for extended periods of time may play a role.
There are many things that owners can do to avoid FLUTD in all its forms. At the most basic level, be sure to provide plenty of clean water or even consider mixing water with food to support hydration. The more hydrated the animal, the less likely it is to suffer from bladder stones and urine crystal formation leading to urethral blockages.
Feeding a high-quality diet designed for the life stage of the cat can also be helpful in preventing this disease. Ask your veterinarian which diet is most appropriate.
Other ways to ensure a cat's urinary health include maintaining a healthy weight, providing access to clean litter boxes, making time for exercise and play, and creating a safe, stress-free home environment.
The big message and point here is to be aware of your cat's urinary habits. If you have any inkling your cat may have a problem, don't make the mistake so many others have: Take your animal to a veterinarian sooner rather than later.
Matt Mason is a staff veterinarian at Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.