What Is Feline Idiopathic Cystitis?

Your kitty is showing all the symptoms of feline cystitis.  He strains to urinate, but doesn’t pass much urine.  His urine may be bloody.  He’s obviously in pain when he’s using the litter box.  And he may be urinating in places other than his litter box. 

But when your vet examines him and runs a urinalysis and a urine culture, there’s no sign of a feline bladder infection.  There’s no bacteria in his urine, and bladder stones, tumors, and even an anatomical defect have all been ruled out. 

Feline idiopathic cystitis is the diagnosis when there doesn’t seem to be any reason for feline urinary problems.  It’s very difficult to watch your cat suffer with FLUTD symptoms when there doesn’t appear to be any reason for these cat urinary problems.Vets are commonly seeing this condition more as time goes on.

Is A Stressed Out Cat Related To Feline Idiopathic Cystitis?

Research is showing that this condition in cats is very similar to interstitial cystitis in people.  In both cats and people, some sort of stressful event often happens just before the cat or person suffers another bout of cystitis.

We like to think our cats have easy lives, but they face stresses we aren’t always aware of.  It may be hard to believe, but being an indoor cat is stressful for felines.  We keep them inside for their own safety, but this is an unnatural environment for felines.  They do like to prowl around, especially at night.They get plenty of exercise while hunting for food every day. 

We also feed them the wrong type of diet, which is another stressor.  Most dry cat foods are made mostly from corn, which is very high in carbohydrates.  Too much of the wrong type of food leads to obesity, feline diabetes, and other health issues. 

Something that many cat owners don’t consider is that the moisture level in dry cat food is extremely low.  Cats are meant to get most of their water from their diet, which should be mostly meat-based.  A cat who is always fed dry food is more than likely chronically dehydrated.  Even if a cat who is fed dry food does drink water, it’s hard for him to drink enough.

The problem with a dehydrated cat is that water doesn’t pass through his body often enough to flush out toxins.  His urine is also concentrated.  Urine is caustic, and if it’s too concentrated, it can irritate the bladder, which often leads to FLUTD.If his urine is too concentrated, the result is high mineral levels, which can cause cat bladder stones and urinary blockage in cats.

This type of stress is low-level, but it can lead to problems over time. 

Your feline may be under other kinds of stress.  Cats are very set in their ways, and any kind of change can be upsetting for them.  Moving to a new home, remodeling, adding another person or pet to the household, even a change in the weather, can all be stressful for your cat.  Your cat may be having problems with another cat in the home, too, especially if the other pet is more aggressive and seems to bother him a lot.

Helping Your Stressed Out Cat

It’s been shown that reducing stress in cats does reduce the frequency of FLUTD.It’s essential to reduce stress on your cat’s body by feeding him a diet more naturally suited to felines.

If your kitty is plagued with recurring feline urinary problems, natural remedies for cats may help.  Just click on any link in this article to learn more.

What Is Holistic Cat Care?

Holistic medicine is a different way of looking at illness. Conventional medicine treats the symptoms of cat urinary problems, but doesn’t address why your pet is showing these symptoms.

Holistic practitioners, on the other hand, look at the animal as a whole, not just as a urinary tract. Holistic cat care follows the principle that your cat’s body is able to maintain a balance that protects her from disease and helps her to heal herself. Upset the balance, and your cat gets sick. The holistic approach is to restore this balance.

Our pets are exposed to many toxins in their food, from the environment, and even in the grooming products you use on them. Choosing to use only natural food and pet supplies will go a long way toward keeping your kitty healthy and protecting her from FLUTD, or feline lower urinary tract disease.

Ten Benefits Of Holistic Cat Care

1. Feeding your cat a natural diet reduces her exposure to artificial coloring agents and preservatives which can upset her system. Excellent nutrition is the best way to help your kitty resist a cat urinary tract infection.
2. A high-quality natural diet will prevent health problems like allergies, digestive problems, and cat urinary problems.
3. Less stress in your cat’s life will help her to stay healthy. Try to identify stressful situations she may be facing. Is she having territory issues with another cat? Is she lonely? Exercise can also help to lower her stress levels, too, as well as keeping her in shape.
4. With excellent holistic cat care, your kitty will live a long and healthy life.
5. If your pet doesn’t feel well, her quality of life won’t be as good. Natural cat care will improve your feline friend’s quality of life by helping her to stay healthy.
6. Your cat will recover more quickly if she should get sick or be injured. Ingredients in natural remedies for cats are absorbed better, which aids in the healing process.
7. By using natural pet care products, you’ll reduce your own exposure to toxins. You and your family are exposed to the ingredients in the products you use on your cat.
8. Natural remedies are “greener” than conventional products. They break down quickly, and don’t leave harmful residues in the environment,
9. You’ll save time by not having to take your kitty to the vet as often. With holistic cat care, you’ll be treating the source of feline cystitis, not just the symptoms, which will help prevent new a cat urinary tract infection from developing.
10. And, finally, you’ll be saving money in the long run by avoiding expensive products that can lead to more health problems for your cat.

The Best Natural Remedies For Cats

It can be overwhelming to try to choose the best natural remedy for your cat from the many on the market. Look for a product that’s specially formulated for pets, not people. Look for a highly-recommended company with a great reputation for producing only the highest-quality remedies for pets. Read testimonials from other pet owners who have used the product, too.

If your cat is already struggling with cat urinary problems, click on any link in this article to learn more about safe and effective natural remedies for cats that can help solve your problem.

Holistic cat care involves looking at your kitty as a whole, as an alternative to focusing on her kidneys and bladder when she has cat urinary problems.Instead of just focusing on the symptoms of FLUTD, a holistic practitioner will want more information about your cat’s diet, along with information on any stressful situations in her life.Natural remedies for cats are commonly used, too.

Cat Urinary Problems And Your Kitty’s Diet

Many cat owners don’t realize that there’s a direct link between their cat’s diet and cat cystitis.  Ads on tv and in magazines tell us repeatedly how great dry food is for our cats.  It has all the nutrients your cats needs, yes.  But that’s not the whole truth.

Here’s the problem.  In the wild, cats don’t drink much water, for the simple reason that they’ve been designed to get most of their water from their food.  All people and animals are over 90% water.  A cat who eats mice and other prey animals will almost completely satisfy her water requirements without having to drink any extra water.

It’s a different story for our kitties.  We want to do the best for them, so we feed them what we have been told is the best possible diet.  But dry cat food has a moisture content of less than 10%.  This is good for a long shelf life, but it’s not so good for your cat’s health.  A cat who eats only dry food is probably a chronically dehydrated cat, since it’s hard for her to drink enough water to make up the difference between what’s in her diet, and what her body needs.

Did you know that kidney failure is the leading cause of death in older cats?This can happen as a result of a lifetime of chronic dehydration.

You should know that increasing the amount of water going through your cat is the best way to prevent FLUTD.  A more than adequate water intake flushes impurities out of your cat’s body and his urinary system.  Be sure your kitty always has access to plenty of clean fresh water.

Cat Stress Is Linked To Feline Cystitis

Most of us would think that our cats lead a charmed life.Wouldn’t you just love to lay around and sleep all day?

Well, maybe not.  Cats face a lot more stress than most of us realize.  Just being an indoor cat is a stress on an animal that’s meant to be outside hunting, and slinking around in the dark.  Add a lack of exercise, too much of the wrong food, not enough water, annoyances from other cats and pets, and just being cooped up inside, and you can see that maybe life isn’t quite as easy as you thought for your furball.

Feline interstitial cystitis has been linked to cat stress.  If your vet can’t find any reason for your cat’s bladder problems, maybe you should be looking for hidden stress in your cat’s life.

Natural Remedies For Cats With Cat Urinary Problems

You may be interested in one of the many natural remedies for cats available now.  You should look for one that contains the herbs uva ursi and barberry, along with the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagris.These remedies prevent feline cystitis by keeping your cat’s urinary system working well.

Learn more about natural remedies for cats with feline cystitis, and find the best place to buy them, by clicking on any link in this article.

Sometimes the most obvious symptom is that your cat is urinating outside the litter box.  As wonderful as cats are, they don’t have advanced powers of reasoning.  If your cat is hurting every time he uses the litter pan, he thinks that somehow the litter pan is causing his pain.  In his little kitty mind, if he urinates someplace else, it won’t hurt when he goes.

Of course, we humans know it doesn’t work that way.  But if your cat suddenly stops using his litter box, it may not be a behavior issue.  It could be one of several cat urinary tract infection symptoms.

If you use clumping cat litter, be observant of the size of the clumps when you scoop or change his litter.  You should see a few large clumps.  A whole bunch of little clumps indicates that he can’t pass much urine at one time.  This is another symptom of cat urinary problems.

Bloody urine is another clue to watch for.  It’s a little harder to see in cats than it is in dogs.  However, if your cat is urinating outside his box, you may be more apt to notice it.

Be aware of your cat’s behavior in his litter box.  Is he crying out in pain when he tries to urinate?  Is he straining to pass urine?  Often cat owners mistake this for constipation.

Your feline should be visiting his litter pan several times during the day.  If he is urinating less and less, or stops completely, he may have a cat urinary blockage, which is a veterinary emergency.

Treatments For FLUTD

In order to treat a cat urinary tract infection, your vet will need to run several tests to find out what’s going on with your cat.  A urinalysis is necessary to determine if your cat has feline cystitis, or if he has feline bladder stones.  A cat urine culture will tell your vet which bacteria are causing the problem, and a sensitivity test indicates which antibiotic will work best.

If your feline has a cat urinary tract infection, he’ll probably be treated with antibiotics.  Bladder stones in cats are a common problem, too.  Your cat may have to eat a special diet so the stones can dissolve.  If your cat is blocked, he may need to be catheterized.

Can Cat Urinary Problems Be Prevented?

Take these easy steps to keep your kitty from becoming a statistic.

First, feed your cat a high-quality canned food.  In the wild, cats are meant to get their water from their food, which is why cats don’t seem to drink much water.  When we take our cats out of a natural situation and feed them an unnatural diet of dry food with an extremely low moisture content, we’re setting them up for cat urinary problems.

Canned cat food has a moisture level of about 75%, which is much closer to a cat’s natural diet.  If your cat has always been fed dry food, he may resist a change in his diet.Although cats are very resistant to changes, it’s possible to can switch him over to canned food, with patience, time, and persistence.

A steady supply of clean, fresh water is a must, too.

Consider giving your feline friend natural remedies for cats that support bladder health.  Look for a remedy that’s made especially for cats.Choose a a company with a long-standing reputation for producing only the best-quality pet remedies.

If your furry friend is already a victim of FLUTD, click on any link in this article to learn more about natural remedies for cats that can help treat and prevent this problem.

What Is Holistic Cat Care?

Holistic cat care involves looking at your kitty as a whole, as an alternative to  focusing on her kidneys and bladder when she has cat urinary problems.Instead of just treating the symptoms of FLUTD, a holistic practitioner will want to know more about your cat’s diet, stressful situations in her life, and any underlying problems.Using natural remedies for pets is also accepted.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease And Your Cat’s Diet

Many cat owners don’t realize that there’s a direct link between their cat’s diet and feline lower urinary tract disease.  Ads on tv and in magazines tell us repeatedly how great dry food is for our cats.  It has all the nutrients your cats needs, yes.  But that’s not the whole truth. 

In the wild, cats don’t drink much water, for the simple reason that they’re meant to get most of their fluid intake from their food.  All people and animals are over 90% water.  A cat who eats mice and other prey animals will almost completely satisfy her water requirements. 

It’s a different story for our kitties.  We want to do the best for them, so we feed them what we have been told is the best possible diet.  But dry cat food has a moisture content of less than 10%.  This is good for a long storage life, but it’s not so good for your cat’s health.  A cat who eats only dry food is probably a chronically dehydrated cat, since it’s hard for her to drink enough water to make up the difference between what’s in her diet, and what her body needs. 

Did you know that kidney failure is the leading cause of death in older cats?This can happen as a result of a lifetime of chronic dehydration. 

It’s been proven that increasing the amount of water going through your cat is the best way to prevent FLUTD.  A more than adequate water intake flushes impurities out of your cat’s body and his urinary system.  Be sure your kitty always has access to plenty of clean fresh water.

Cat Stress Is Linked To Feline Cystitis

Most of us would think that our cats lead a charmed life.Wouldn’t you thnk it’s great to just lay around and sleep all day?

Well, maybe not.  Cats face a lot more stress than most of us realize.  Just being an indoor cat is a stress on an animal that’s meant to be outside hunting, and slinking around in the dark.  Add a lack of exercise, too much of the wrong food, not enough water, annoyances from other cats and pets, and just being cooped up inside, and you can see that maybe life isn’t quite as easy as you thought for your furball.

Feline interstitial cystitis has been linked to cat stress.  If your vet can’t find any reason for your cat’s bladder inflammation, maybe you should be looking for hidden stress in your cat’s life.

Natural Feline Urinary Support

You may be interested in one of the many natural remedies for pets available now.  You should look for one that contains the herbs uva ursi and barberry, along with the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagris.These remedies work together to keep your cat’s urinary system healthy by providing natural feline urinary support. 

Your goal now?  To use holistic cat care to keep your cat healthy and to prevent feline cystitis.

Visit Natural Pet Urinary Health to learn more about holistic cat care, and to find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies.

However there could be a medical problem causing incontinence in cats to be a problem for your feline friend.If your cat suddenly starts showing signs of feline incontinence, a trip to the vet is in short order.

Feline Incontinence Versus Inappropriate Urination

An incontinent cat has no control over his bladder at all.  He may urinate when he’s lying down, or sleeping, or even dribble as he walks around.A weak sphincter muscle usually causes this.  This is not a very common condition in cats, although it’s sometimes seen in spayed females who are somewhat overweight.  

Incontinence in cats may also be a symptom of feline diabetes.  Diabetes causes your cat to be extremely thirsty.  If he’s drinking lots more water, he may not always make it to the litter box in time.

If your cat is incontinent when he’s resting, you should have him checked for feline leukemia. Both male and female cats who are positive for this virus are sometimes incontinent.  

While inappropriate urination is sometimes a behavior problem, it can be a result of feline lower urinary tract disease.    

Feline Cystitis Is The Most Common Reason For Urination Outside The Litter Box

A cat with a feline bladder infection has an inflammation of his bladder.Because of this he’ll need to empty his bladder frequently.If you use clumping cat litter, you should see a few big clumps of urine when you clean his box.  If you find many small clumps, this is a sign of cat urinary problems.

Crying out in pain as he tries to use the litter box is another symptom to watch for.He may be crouching over, straining to pass urine.  Many cat owners mistake this for constipation, which can be a fatal mistake if he has a urinary blockage.  A blocked cat is a veterinary emergency.  Your cat will die within a day or two if he’s completely blocked.

What Your Vet Needs To Know

Your vet will ask the following questions:

• Has your cat been under a lot of stress lately?  Have you moved, or added a new person or pet to the household?  Have you changed his diet?
• Where is your cat urinating?  In a corner?  On your bed?  Where he sleeps?
• Is he drinking more water than he usually does?
• Is he dribbling urine or is he just urinating more often than usual?
• Does he have blood in his urine?
• Has your cat ever been injured?

Your vet will check your cat for a urinary blockage that could be caused by cat bladder stones.

Treatment For Feline Cystitis

Antibiotics are usually prescribed to clear up any infection.  What you need to do at home is to increase the amount of water your cat is taking in.  The easiest way to do this is to switch him over to canned food, which has a much higher moisture level than dry.The key to preventing feline bladder infections is increasing the amount of liquid going through your cat.

You may also want to consider a natural remedy for feline urinary support.  Look for one that contains both herbal and homeopathic remedies that support bladder health in animals.  Uva ursi and barberry, along with Cantharis and Staphysagria have stood the test of time in humans, and they can be very effective for cats, too.

Your next step? To take what you’ve just learned and determine what’s causing feline incontinence in your furball.

Learn more about solving the problem of incontinence in cats, and find feline urinary support information at Natural Pet Urinary Health.