How Your Cat's Urinary Tract Infection Might Have Been Prevented

Once again the time had arrived to drop my cats off at the vet for his annual teeth cleaned. Later in the afternoon I returned to pick him up and was quietly invited behind the counter to see whether he was ready to go home. On the way I was escorted by the sick pet area and couldn't help but notice cage after cage labeled "CAT UTI".

What struck me as odd was how few dogs there were, since I have read that dogs tend to be more susceptible to bacterial infections of the urinary tract than cats.

My experience above was partially responsible for motivating me to write this article in hopes that at least some pet parents will be able to take these suggestions, implement them, and avoid the time, expense, and wear and tear on their cat that is part and parcel of what is embodied in the term "cats urinary tract infection".

How your cats urinary tract infection might have been avoided

*Reducing or Eliminating Stress. Surprisingly stress is a major contributing factor when it come to cat UTI. As to the reasons why most research is vague at best but seems to lean toward stress comprising immune system function especially in older animals.

*Better Litter Box Hygiene. As a general rule litter boxes should be scooped at least twice a day and litter should be changed regularly. I would suspect most pet parents already know this. That said, some cat litter products simply are not very good when it comes to absorbency which in turn means boxes filled with these litters need to be changed more often. Additionally, some finicky felines may refuse to use wet or dirty litter boxes which can result in retention of urine. Urine retention or not being able to fully empty the bladder are two major contributing factors for pet urinary tract infection.

*Better Hydration. When cats are fully hydrated they tend to urinate more which flushes invading bacteria out the urinary tract before it has a chance to cause a problem. In order to keep your pet hydrated clean, fresh water should be available at all times. Another tip is to feed them canned food, at least on occasion, to put more liquid in their diet. Some pet parent have found that leaving a faucet dripping works well though it is not something I have tried.

*Keeping Their Weight in Check. Obesity is a contributing factor in many for many cat diseases and condition including cat UTI, diabetes, arthritis, and immune deficiency. All of which can contribute a cats urinary tract infection. As painful as it is for pet parent to restrict food intake this might be the best way to put your roly-poly feline friend on a diet. Additionally, your local pet food store likely carries quality pet foods for weight management.

*Maintaining High Activity Levels. Statistics show that inactive cats are twice as likely to become ill as active ones. Inactivity tends to weaken immune system function, encourage obesity, raise stress levels, promote urinary stone formation, and reduce litter box visits; all contributing factors for development of bacterial urinary tract disease.

In conclusion, the steps above are just a few preventative steps we can take as pet parents to reduce our cats chances of contracting a urinary tract infection. Other preventative steps many pet parents has used with success are adding an eye-dropper of cranberry/blueberry juice to their water each day, avoiding pet foods with high levels of magnesium (to discourage crystal and struvite stone formation), and periodically adding one of the highly regarded homeopathic remedies to their general wellness routine containing berberis (bladder and urinary tract health), cantharis (urine flow and bladder health), and staphysagris (urogenital and prostate support). specially formulated to improve pet urinary tract health.

A couple of final points worth remembering. First, homeopathic remedies for pet urinary tract health can be used in conjunction with conventional treatment, as a standalone treatment in mild cases, and as a preventative resource as described above. Second, it is important to know that around 40 percent of the time your cats urinary tract infection will not be curable becoming chronic or recurring.

No More Fat Cats

No More Fat Cats, Please

Take a look at your cat. Be honest. Is she/he overweight? Maybe even slip the word obese into that thought?

We wouldn't be surprised at all if you admitted that your cat looks a wee bit on the chunky side. According to reports, overweight and obese cats outnumber cats of normal weight. The extra fat can cause several health problems, including diabetes.

But what to do?

Keep this in mind: any mammal (that includes humans, cats, dogs, etc.) will gain weight if it eats more calories than it burns as fuel for energy.

Humans can control how much and what our pets eat. Yes-WE have control over this, but must be disciplined.

Any cat that is overweight should be seen by a vet and a weight loss plan discussed and put into place asap. It's important that this process of losing weight is gradual for the cat, though. Do NOT give it a crash diet as it can be dangerous to the cat's health.

FREE CHOICE FEEDING

This method of feeding your cat is likely the main cause of obesity. Too much food is set out for the day as people tend to dump a bunch into a bowl and walk away. Experiment with feeding the recommended amount listed on the food package (bag, can, whatever). You may need to adjust that amount, too - usually to LESS.

Next, feed your cat two meals a day, preferably morning and night. In other words, whatever the recommended amount is for one day, or what the veterinarian instructs, divide that into two separate meals instead of one feeding. Think of cat food in ounces, not cups.

Here are some thoughts to consider...

CARBOHYDRATES

Dry pet food is loaded with carbohydrates. A cat is a carnivore and doesn't need all those carbs so in turn can more easily gain weight on dry food.

PROTEIN

Most dry cat foods are low in protein... especially if corn is one of the first major ingredients. Protein is THE key nutrient in a healthy weight carnivore diet.

>>Dry food is more convenient, too. No spoiling or drying up during the day like wet food will do. And when I say, "during the day", I'm still referring to a specific measured amount of food that she will either gobble up in the morning or nibble on throughout the day.

CAT TREATS

Stop feeding treats to fat cats. If you do give your cat treats, keep it to 2 - 4 a day in between the other meals. That's it!

EXERCISE

Increase kitty's calorie burning activities. Add interactive toys to the cat's environment. Get another cat so the two can play with each other. Buy a cat harness and leash to safely walk her. Spend 15 minutes zipping a feather toy through the air and have her chase it.

WHAT ABOUT DRY FOOD TO HELP CLEAN THE TEETH?

Do not worry about the teeth needing dry, crunchy food to help remove tartar. Cats fed soft, meat-based food have fewer teeth and gum problems than cats eating all dry diets! (according to studies) So if you want to feed only wet food (good quality), go for it!

THE WEIGHT LOSS PLAN

First, if this is truly a serious weight condition, take your cat to a veterinarian. The vet may do blood work (looking for health problems), an exam and record the weight.

If changing the actual food, then gradually over a period of three to four weeks add more of the new weight-loss food/diet with the old, decreasing amount of the old diet and adding more of the new one. Feed foods high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates. Feed the proper portion size twice a day. Skip treats if possible during the weight loss program.

Don't forget about increasing her activity level, as mentioned earlier, to burn more calories.

Weigh the cat at least once a month. Or every week if you can to track it. If your scale doesn't register when you sit her on it, then weigh yourself - write it down. Grab your cat and step on the scale holding her and check the weight. Subtract one from the other and you have her weight. If her weight isn't budging at all after a month, decrease the total amount you're feeding her - by a tiny bit. You'd be shocked how a little makes a huge difference in affecting a cat's weight.

If you do have a fat cat, it can take several MONTHS until she reaches an ideal weight. Once this happens, maintain it. That means if she hits the weight that is about perfect but keeps losing, then you need to increase the food amount just a smidgen.

With her weight loss, she should be more active and happy. Her appearance and fur will look healthier. Hopefully you've helped her avoid diabetes, arthritis and other health issues related to being overweight. You've likely added years to the length of her life, too! Isn't that wonderful?

Feline Natural Supplements and How to Choose the Best One for Your Cat

There are many feline herbal supplements on the market but the tricky part is deciding exactly what the supplement is going to achieve? Will this supplement be for general health, or a specific ailment such as a urinary tract infection, diabetes, energy, immune system function or for general health? You can even find supplements for your pets stress and aggression! The choice is overwhelming.

If you are buying a feline herbal supplement for general health or, if your cat is ill, your mind will be put at ease because there are no side effects with a true natural feline supplement. Also, the dosages are designed in therapeutic amounts for pets taking the guesswork out for you. On the other hand if your cat is using prescription medications and eating a deficient diet there can be side effects, but the startling fact is that health care professionals and animal breeders alike are exposed to hundreds or thousands of animals during their careers and they have seen how diet, the overuse of antibiotics and vaccinations have not helped decrease certain diseases, but how they have increased chronic health conditions. That's pretty much mimicking the medical problems facing humanity, which are mainly due to diet, exercise and over medication. In a sense, we are doing to our pets what we are doing to ourselves.

Yearly vaccinations and cat foods filled with unnatural products that animals are not meant to eat are the main cause of increasing rates of chronic illness in our pets according to many holistic veterinarians who are now switching to feline natural supplements, none or less vaccinations, and a more natural diet that cats have eaten before commercial products took over the market.

Most feline herbal supplements made for pets can be used alone or with prescription medications but always check to be safe. Homeopathic supplements can replace the need for harsh drugs and have shown to be just as effective. Prevention is always better of course, using feline supplements along with diet and exercise can save hundreds, thousands of dollars down the road when many illnesses start to surface.

Whether you are looking for feline herbal supplements or any type of natural supplement for your cat either in sickness or health it can be an added benefit for a long and healthy life, with less vet visits and also less anxiety and worry for you.