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.
