Mpati Veterinary Clinic
Dr A.D. (TONY) Grace (B.V.Sc.) DR A. (ASHLEIGH) OWEN (B.V.Sc.)
28 Douglas St P.O.Box / Posbus 581 Dundee 3000
Telefax: 0342123466 / 0342181956
Cell: +27 72 972 3105
E-mail / E-pos: mpativet@telkomsa.net
NEWSLETTER JULY 2011
FLUTD in Cats
FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) is a group of symptoms affecting the cat's lower urinary system & bladder, including urolithiasis (stones in
the urinary tract), cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) & urethral obstruction. Approximately 1% of the cat population will experience FLUTD; it is
more serious in males than females as they have a narrower urethra, making them more likely to become blocked, which is a medical emergency.
What are the causes of FLUTD?
 Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC) or unknown cause: This is the most common cause of FLUTD in cats, and is seen in 50 - 65% of cases. Cystitis
means "means irritation of the urinary bladder". Even with extensive testing, much of the time a cause of the symptoms cannot be
determined.
 Urinary Stones (uroliths): Uroliths are seen in 15 - 20% of cases. Your veterinarian will be able to perform an x-ray to detect urinary stones
in your cat. Depending on the type of stone, it is possible to prescribe a stone dissolving diet.
 Urethral obstruction: Urethral plugs are usually composed of large quantities of matrix (protein) mixed with minerals. Some urethral plugs
are predominantly composed of matrix, some may contain tissue fragments, blood cells and cellular debris, and a few may be composed
primarily of crystalline minerals.
 Stress: FLUTD has been linked to stress in some cases. So reducing stress in the household may be of help. This includes providing enough
litter trays in hour household.
 Diet: A diet of dry food & fish flavoured foods can both lead to FLUTD.
 Bacterial infection: This is an uncommon cause of FLUTD & is seen in around 1 - 3% of cases.
What are the symptoms of FLUTD?
 Urinating in places other than the litter box, such as the bath or floor. Prolonged squatting or straining in or out of the litter box and not
producing urine or only a small amount (some owners may confuse this with signs of constipation)
 Pain while urinating (meowing or howling)
 Blood in the urine
 Frequent licking of the genital area
How is FLUTD treated?
It is extremely important to note that difficulty urinating is a medical emergency & you should take your cat to the veterinarian immediately. Failure
to act quickly can result in death.
 Treatment depends on the cause & severity of the condition. Therefore if your cat is completely blocked then your cat will be hospitalised. He
will then be placed on a drip and his bladder emptied. Your veterinarian may extract urine by placing a syringe through the abdomen &
directly into the bladder & draw out the urine. This is a fast & effective way of emptying out the bladder in an emergency situation.
Alternatively he may choose to place a urinary catheter immediately which takes place while the cat is under anaesthesia and thus depends
on the cat’s condition.
If your cat is not blocked, he may be managed with out-patient therapy.
 Diet: It is also important to feed the cat dry food that is low in minerals and which produces and acidic urine (such as Hills c/d diet®) or else
avoid dry foods altogether and feed only fresh food or tinned food, which have a higher moisture content.
 Medications: Methigel® to acidify the urine and Ketofen® (pain killers) are two examples of medications which may help a cat with FLUTD.
Because cats that get cystitis normally have recurring problems, it is important to keep them on a modified diet, urinary acidifying tablets
and reduced stress.
 Antibiotics: This form of treatment is used for mild cases of FLUTD. The decision to prescribe antibiotics to a cat who is affected by FLUTD
depends upon the severity of the case. Most cases of FLUTD resolve themselves within 5 days. However, since FLUTD has been known to
cause severe pain & damage in many cats, it is better to be safe than sorry. Antibiotics can help in some cases.
 One aspect of long-term management of FLUTD is to promote increased water consumption by the cat. This can be problematic as cats are
reluctant drinkers. Increased drinking has been thought to increase the mechanical flushing of the urinary bladder and thus reduce the
formation of crystals. Encourage drinking by other means, such as providing a drinking fountain for your cat, moisten dry food or change to
canned/raw food. Dry food contains approximately 10% water, whereas canned or raw food contains approximately 70% water.
 Reduce stress and enrich the environment
 Keep to as normal a routine as possible.
 Provide toys, window perches, scratching posts and other means to prevent boredom and encourage instinctual behavior such as stalking and
pouncing. Increase the time you spend with your cat. Playing, grooming, or simply sitting with the cat on your lap may help the cat feel more
secure and less anxious.
 Locate litter boxes in a quiet location. Use large litter boxes. It is recommended to have one more litter box than the number of cats in the
household (e.g. if you have two cats, have three litter boxes).
 Reduce any conflict between other pets or humans and the cat. For conflict between cats, be sure to provide separate feeding locations,
litter boxes, sleeping areas, etc. to reduce conflict over resources.
 Provide sufficient space for the cat. The more room the better. Also think vertically - most cats like to be up high.
 Consider using a cat pheromone product such as Feliway. Pheromones are chemicals which are used to communicate with other members of
the same species. You may notice your cat rubs her face and chin on vertical surfaces. She is leaving a scent there which contains these
pheromones. The pheromones from the face have a calming effect on other cats.
If you have any enquiries please do not hesitate to contact us at the clinic for answers.