Treating Cystitis in Cats
Treating Cystitis in Cats
A bladder infection (cystitis) is extremely unpleasant for your cat. It can have several causes and should never be taken lightly.
Here's how you can tell if your cat has cystitis. You'll also learn what causes it and what measures can be taken to treat and prevent it.
Causes of Cystitis in Cats
In humans, cystitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection. This is also a possible cause in your house cat, although in this case it is usually older cats with kidney failure or cats with diabetes.
In kittens, on the other hand, pathogens are rarely responsible for the inflammation of the bladder. Instead, the inflammation of the bladder is usually caused by bladder gravel and stones.
Other possible causes of cystitis in cats are tumours and congenital malposition of the ureters.
Symptoms of cystitis in cats
A bladder infection is associated with a number of symptoms. The inflammation is very painful, especially when urinating. It also causes problems when urinating, but can also lead to the development of incontinence.
The typical symptoms of cystitis in cats include
- Conspicuously frequent urination, often with only a few drops coming out
- Strong pressing and meowing during urination due to the pain
- Increased licking in the genital area
- Accidental incidents outside the litter box
- Urine that is changed in colour or bloody, often smelly
If the cystitis in your cat occurs together with an inflammation of the kidneys, it is also possible that your cat vomits and your cat suffers from fever, fatigue and lack of appetite.
Diagnosis of cystitis in cats
If you notice some of the above-mentioned symptoms of cystitis in your cat, you and your four-legged friend should visit a vet as soon as possible. The veterinarian will first palpate your cat's abdomen.
He will also examine your pet's urine to see if there are any bacteria, urine crystals or even an increased protein concentration in it. The vet can use an ultrasound scan to check whether any tumours have formed in the area of the bladder or whether the ureters of the quadruped have malformations.
Treatment of a cat with cystitis
What exactly is needed to treat your cat's cystitis depends mainly on its exact cause. Depending on what the vet finds during his examination, he will suggest appropriate measures.
Anticonvulsant and pain-relieving medication is usually part of the treatment for cats with cystitis, regardless of the actual cause. In addition, in the case of a bacterial infection, for example, it is common to administer antibiotics to the quadruped.
If your cat's cystitis was caused by urinary crystals or urinary stones, these must be dissolved. For this purpose, the animal can be prescribed special medication, which in most cases brings quick improvement. In addition, a special dietary food can help to counteract the urinary crystals.
However, in the case of larger bladder stones it is occasionally necessary to remove them surgically. While in female cats a cystoscopy can be performed for this purpose, in male cats the abdomen and bladder must be opened to remove the urinary stones.
Prognosis for cats with cystitis
In principle, it is in most cases very well possible to treat cystitis in cats. Thus, slight infections as well as possibly existing urinary crystals can usually be reliably removed, so that cystitis should soon be a thing of the past.
However, in cats with diabetes or a kidney inflammation you should be aware that on the one hand a permanent treatment is necessary and on the other hand the risk of repeated bladder infections is correspondingly higher.
Apart from this, it's quite possible that your cat's bladder infection may also cause problems. It is not uncommon for urinary crystals or bladder stones to block the urethra, especially in cats. In this case, the urine accumulates. In the worst case, this can lead to the bladder bursting or the quadruped suffering kidney damage.
How can cystitis in cats be prevented?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to prevent cystitis in your cat with absolute certainty. However, there are some things you can do to at least significantly reduce the risk.
In addition to regular check-ups at the vet, you should also keep an eye on the weight of your four-legged friend. Overweight and lack of exercise play an important role in the risk of cystitis in cats.
You should also avoid over-stressing your four-legged friend, as stress can also contribute to the development of cystitis in cats.
It's also important to provide your cat with a high quality cat food that doesn't contain too much magnesium and to make sure your cat drinks enough. Otherwise, the risk of urinary crystals and bladder stones forming, and thus of your cat developing cystitis, will increase dramatically.
Our detox tip: Kidney power from I Love My Cat
To avoid kidney problems as a possible trigger for cystitis, we recommend that you regularly help your cat's kidneys to detoxify. For this purpose, you will find the perfect nutritional supplement in our range of products: I Love My Cat Nierenkraft.
This natural product has been specially developed to support normal kidney function and, thanks to carefully selected herbs, can make a valuable contribution to the prevention of kidney failure in your cat.
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