Mary Allen
FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) is a disease of the lower urinary tract in cats, often caused by stress. Learn all about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of chronic FLUTD disease in cats.
The diseases of the lower urinary tract in cats are summarized under the English term “Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease” (FLUTD). The disease is characterized by problems with urination and can range from painful bladder infections to life-threatening urethral obstruction.
Causes Of FLUTD Disease In Cats
The disease FLUTD usually develops between the second and sixth years of the life of the cat. The following risk groups are particularly affected:
- Pure indoor cats, especially in multi-cat households
- Overweight cats
- Cats who are sedentary
- Cats that are only fed dry food
- neutered cats
In addition, stress promotes to no small extent the development of sterile bladder infections of unknown cause, also called “idiopathic cystitis” in technical jargon. This is considered one of the main causes of FLUTD.
Bacterial bladder infections, on the other hand, are quite rare in cats, in contrast to urine gravel and sharp-edged urine crystals: since cats, as former desert dwellers, can concentrate their urine particularly strongly, mineral salts such as struvite or calcium oxalate are relatively easy to precipitate in them. Urinary gravel irritates the sensitive bladder wall.
Symptoms Of FLUTD Disease In Cats
Cats suffering from FLUTD feel a strong urge to urinate and visit the litter box more often, but can only urinate drop by drop and it is painful. Going to the litter box is often associated with clear expressions of pain, such as pitiful meowing or a stiff posture. Going to the toilet takes a disproportionately long time, after which the cat often licks its genitals.
Treatment Of FLUTD Disease In Cats
In the worst case, bladder debris or inflammatory cells can form plugs that block the cat’s urethra. Then the bladder fills to the point of rupture and toxic urine can back up into the kidneys – a life-threatening emergency! Since the urethra narrows particularly strongly towards the tip of the penis in male cats, they are more frequently affected by such urinary blockages than female cats. The urinary tract must then be flushed out using a catheter and under anesthesia, while infusion therapy is sufficient for mild forms.
In addition to the clinical therapy by the veterinarian, the cat owner is particularly in demand: Many supportive measures have to be carried out within the four walls at home. This also includes a little detective work, because FLUTD and stress almost always go hand in hand. It is therefore important to eliminate possible stress factors in the household:
- suitable measures around the litter box: setting up several toilets, meticulous hygiene without sharp-smelling cleaning agents
- In the event of conflicts between conspecifics in a multi-cat household: consult an animal psychologist who specializes in cat behavior
- Increase stress tolerance with pheromones: the synthetically produced messenger substances give cats security.
- Increase the cat’s fluid intake: switch to wet food, offer several (flowing) water points
if overweight: diet in consultation with the treating veterinarian
Despite all precautionary measures, FLUTD can flare up again and again. In order to keep these recurrences as low as possible, lifelong FLUTD management by the cat owner and stress-free cat husbandry is essential.