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Posts Tagged ‘stressed out cat’

Cat urinary problems can be frustrating to deal with.  If recurring FLUTD is a problem for your kitty, maybe stress has something to do with it, especially if your vet can’t find any reason for the repeated feline urinary problems.  If your kitty has been diagnosed with feline idiopathic cystitis, read on for answers.

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.

Is cat urine odor a problem in your home?  If your kitty is urinating in different places all over your home, you have a problem that can’t be overlooked.  Often a stressed out cat is at the root of the problem.

Cat urine problems are sometimes caused by a health issue, including feline diabetes, or a feline urinary tract infection, so your first response should be to take the kitty to the vet for a check-up.Once she has a clean bill of health, you can focus on relieving her stress.

Cat Litter Pan Problems Due To Stress Are More Common Than You Think

What could be better than being a cat?  All you have to do is just lay around and sleep all day, right?  Well, life for your kitty may not as rosy as you believe it is.Most cat owners aren’t aware of how common the problem of a stressed out cat really is.

A kitty with nothing much to do but eat and sleep may become stressed.  Cats get bored, just like we do.  Set aside time to play with your kitty several times a day.  She needs the exercise, and enjoys interacting with you.

Adopting a feline companion is a solution to the problem of a cat who is alone all day.  Or buy a cat video that features birds and other creatures that she can watch on TV while you’re gone. 

The cause of the problem may be due to another pet, or even a child.  If a dominant cat, a dog, or a small child is bothering Kitty while she’s in the litter box, she just may find another, more private place to do her business. 

Your feline may not like where her cat litter pan is located.  If you keep it in the basement, she may be scared of the furnace, or the washing machine, since they come to life when she least expects it, and make lots of noise.  Look at the situation from your cat’s point of view.Kitties have a different way of looking at the world than people do.

If her pan is in a busy, noisy place, she may be unhappy with it, too.Cats, like people, would rather have a private place for bathroom activities.

Tips For Solving Your Cat Urine Problems

If you have more than one cat, you should have one box for each feline, plus an extra one.Put them in various places around the house.  This helps to prevent one cat from claiming the litter pan as hers alone.It’s important to provide an extra escape route at each litter pan, so one cat can’t corner another one in there.

Try putting the cat litter pan in the location where the cat has been urinating.  This may help to encourage her to use it.Once she begins using her litter pan, you can move it an inch or so a day until it’s where you want it.

Feeding the cat where she’s been urinating is suggested, because kitties prefer not to eat where they potty.Make the problem area less appealing to Kitty by covering it with aluminum foil, or a piece of plastic sheeting.  Be sure to use a pet deodorizer to neutralize cat urine odor, so she won’t be drawn back to use the same place again.

Cleaning cat urine on carpet is a messy job that nobody wants.  Learn how you can end your cat urine problems once and for all by clicking on any link in this article.