Cat Urinary Blockage Recurrence: What Pet Owners Overlo

Cat urinary obstruction is a common and terrifying condition affecting the lower urinary tract. It's a situation where the cat can only urinate once or never, and if the obstruction persists for more than 24 hours, it can damage the kidneys. Beyond 48 hours, it can be lifethreatening!

So, how can we prevent or reduce the recurrence of cat urinary obstruction?

Understanding the Causes of Cat Urinary Obstruction:

1. Urinary Stones or Crystals: Many cats do not drink enough water, leading to a higher concentration of crystals in their urine. Over time, these crystals can form stones, blocking the urethra and preventing urine from flowing freely.

2. Urinary Tract Infection: Infections can cause swelling of the urethra and produce inflammatory secretions, forming clots that lead to urethral blockage and difficulty urinating.

3. Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC): Also known as spontaneous cystitis, this condition is often associated with stress and is a very common urinary system issue in cats, accounting for 5563% of clinical cases.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Cat Urinary Obstruction:

1. Frequent visits to the litter box with little to no urine, resulting in small or no clumps in the litter.

2. Licking at the urethral opening.

3. Signs of discomfort or pain during urination, such as crying out.

4. Urinating outside the litter box, excluding the possibility of estrus.

5. Blood in the urine, with clumps appearing pink.

6. Loss of appetite, vomiting, and an enlarged abdomen.

How to Prevent Recurrences of Cat Urinary Obstruction!

(Pay attention here!!!)

In clinical practice, the most common cause of cat urinary obstruction is feline idiopathic cystitis, which often affects unneutered male cats!

Therefore, in addition to encouraging cats to drink more water and pure water, many cat owners may overlook an important factor: reducing stress on the cat to avoid stressrelated reactions!

How to reduce stress on cats in daily life?

1. Provide a stable and comfortable living environment, minimizing changes such as moving, changing furniture, adding new pets, or family members.

2. Avoid taking cats out as much as possible. If strangers visit, allow the cat to retreat and rest first.

3. When bathing, trimming claws, or grooming the cat, do not perform these tasks simultaneously. The process should be quick and gentle to prevent the cat from being startled.

4. Ensure the cat has adequate resources, such as food, water, and a litter box.

5. Play with the cat regularly to help it relax and respect its personality; do not force a close approach.

ps: When necessary to take the cat out, you can use products like pheromones, catnip, and gabapentin to help alleviate stress.

Principles of Treatment for Cat Urinary Obstruction:

● Partial Obstruction

This refers to symptoms before complete obstruction, such as frequent urination, reduced urine output, and pain during urination, but there is still some urine being released, and the bladder is not particularly large.

1. Gently massage the cat's bladder from top to bottom, using a warm towel to apply heat for about 10 minutes to relieve bladder spasms and stimulate urination;

2. Administer Diurex (hydrochlorothiazide tablets) and Enrofloxacin (enrofloxacin tablets)/amoxicillin clavulanate potassium for diuresis and antiinflammatory effects.

● Complete Obstruction

1. Seek immediate veterinary care for catheterization to relieve urethral blockage;

2. Administer intravenous fluids to dilute urine, correct electrolyte imbalances, and promote renal function recovery;

3. Administer analgesics orally or by injection to relieve pain;

4. Treat the underlying cause, such as using antibiotics to control infections and medications to dissolve urinary tract stones.

Regularly feeding the cat urinary tract prescription food can also help reduce urinary tract stones and maintain urinary tract health.