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Does You Cat Have Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)?
FLUTD, also known as feline urologic syndrome or FUS, is a common term that applies to an assortment of ailments affecting a cat’s lower urinary tract such as cystitis, infection of the urinary tract, kidney stones and the formation of crystals in the urinary tract.
More prevalent among male cats over 12 months old FLUTD is a problem that can keep cropping up in some cats over their lifetime and is usually very painful and potentially lethal if not treated quickly. If you think your cat has FLUTD take them to the Vet as quickly as possible because in some extreme cases death can occur within a day.
FLUTD - Potential Causes
Since FLUTD comprises several different diseases it can be hard to isolate the exact causes but here are some commonly accepted reasons your cat can contract FLUTD:
Most cats usually don’t drink very much water and because of this they may not urinate enough to keep their urinary tract cleansed.
Overweight cats usually are not very active and tend to make fewer visits to the litter box so their urine sits in their bladder longer and crystals can form or infections can develop.
Some evidence suggests that having your cat neutered might make it easier for them to get FLUTD.
Cats that are always indoors and use a litter box have a greater chance of having urinary tract problems as opposed to cats that spend a lot of time outdoors.
Your cat can become dehydrated if you use a dry cat food but you should know that many cat experts recommend dry cat food over moist in most cases.
Even though it might be hard to believe stress can play a major role in a cat’s life and this is also felt to be a trigger for FLUTD.
FLUTD - Symptoms
It is important to make note of any change in your cat’s daily behavior as this can be a clear sign a urinary tract problem is developing:
Is your cat urinating more frequently?
Are there any traces of blood in your cat’s urine? If so take them to the Vet immediately.
Does your cat strain while urinating or is unable to go at all? Do not mistake this for constipation which is the inability to have a bowel movement.
Is your cat urinating outside the litter box or spraying doorways? This might indicate FLUTD but can also be attributed to behavioral problems.
Does your cat have a sudden loss of appetite?
FLUTD - Treatments
If you think your cat might be having some type of urinary problem your Vet can do a simple urine test to check for Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease.
The good news is that FLUTD is easily treated through medicine and changes in your cat’s diet. Be sure and follow your Vet’s advice and your cat will be healthy in no time.
FLUTD – Prevention
FLUTD related diseases typically go away in a week or two but you do not want to take the chance and wait to see if your cat gets better because doing so can be risky to your cat’s long term health.
You need to make sure your cat is drinking enough fresh water and using a water fountain designed just for this purpose might help.
If you think stress is the problem you need to find out what the stressors are and eliminate them.
Follow your Vet’s advice to the letter.
If there is one central theme to this article it is that you do not want to take risks with your cat’s health. If you think they have FLUTD you need to get them to your Vet quickly so a professional diagnosis can be made and the appropriate treatment prescribed. Do not disregard your cat’s sickness thinking it will go away as FLUTD can not only be very painful but lethal as well.
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