FLUTD was earlier known as feline urological syndrome (FUS). FLUTD is a combination of diseases with multiple causes that target the lower urinary system of felines.
It involves symptoms such as painful irritation of the urinary bladder to chronic dangerous conditions that require urgent attention.
Because felines with FLUTD experience painful irritation while using the litter box, they associate the pain with using the litter box and abandon the box eventually.
The urinary system of a feline function just like that of human beings whereby the kidneys filter waste products from the blood and channel the waste products via ureters and empty finally into the bladder.
Each kidney has a ureter and the bladder expands progressively as the urine drains into it. When it is fully distended, the nerves relay impulses to the brain, and the brain communicates back to the bladder resulting into contractions.
The feline then relieves himself via the urethra, which leaves the bladder to the penis or vagina.
Feline lower urinary tract disease occurs most commonly in cats, both males and females that are between one to six years old.
Males have a longer and narrow urethra causing them to be more susceptible to feline lower urinary tract disease.
Females have a shorter and wider urethra hence feline lower urinary tract disease isn’t as common unlike in male cats.
What causes feline lower urinary tract disease?
FLUTD may be caused by:
- Bladder stones
- Bacterial infections
- Bladder irritation
- Viral infections
- Urethral blockage, which is the most serious of them all.
In urethral blockage, tiny struvite stones or sand accumulate in urine and block the urethra, preventing the feline from urinating. Male cats suffer the most from this due to their longer narrow urethra.
The urine slowly retreats causing the bladder to expand, inflammation and it becomes painful for the cats. If he cannot empty his bladder completely, straining to urinate, the urine pressure pushed backward all the way through the ureters and into the kidneys.
This eventually damages the kidneys and they cease functioning. Toxins build up in the blood system too. Blood in the urine may be present too.
At this point, emergency veterinarian intervention is needed otherwise the cat dies a painful death due to the urethral obstruction disease.
How do you prevent lower urinary tract infections in cats?
Recurrence of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) signs and symptoms depends on the underlying cause.
Prevention measures to reduce the probability of recurrence include:
- Scoop the litter box every day and keep it clean
- Avail clean and fresh water every day
- Have the cats litter box in a quiet, low traffic area
- Scoop the litter box every day and keep it clean
- Get the best diet for your cats with the help of the veterinary officer.
- Provide small meals frequently
- Ensure enough litter boxes are provided and the right litter type used
- Minimize stress levels
- Ensure any infection and disease are treated promptly and not left to exacerbate. Blood in the urine shouldn’t be ignored. It may also lead to a worse condition. A urine culture may help determine the causative agent.
- Change your cat’s diet to a raw diet that mimics what a wild one would eat. Dump the dry grainy foods.
- Introduce a pheromone diffuser such as feliway into the house.
- Eliminate environmental stressors such as presence of guests and other pets.
- Introduce environmental enrichment platforms such as a cat tree for climbing.
What is the best food for cats with urinary tract issues?
Following your vet’s guidance on how to feed your cats is important.
Qualities that this diet should fulfill include:
- The foods shouldn’t be dry
- Should have the correct mineral balance.
- It should promote a healthy urinary pH.
In instances where struvite crystals in the urine are the cause of FLUTD, provide food that is low in magnesium as it makes the pee more acidic. Struvite crystals form when the pee is too alkaline.
If calcium oxalates stones are present in the urine, feed the cats a diet high in magnesium. This is because calcium oxalates stones may form when the urine is too acidic.
In both cases, provide a raw diet or canned foods instead of dry food. Should your pet prefer the dry food, ensure that you wet it before issuing it to the cat.
The foods shouldn’t be dry
This is important for the cat’s urinary tract health.
When cats take in adequate water, it washes out the urinary tract, keeping the bladder system clean. This also moderates the urine concentration preventing crystal formation into stones.
High moisture foods include:
- Raw foods such as raw muscle meat, organs
- Home-made cooked foods
- Rehydrated freeze-dried raw food
- Canned food
Wetting dry food with some water is discouraged because the dry food may also contain mold and fungus which thrive in wet and damp areas. Should you choose to moisten your cat’s dry food, please don’t leave it out for more than thirty minutes.
Diets have increased the sodium content to encourage cats to take up more water, which causes them to pee more frequently. This type of diet though should be avoided in case your pet has a heart disease.
It should promote a healthy urinary pH.
A too low pH in the urinary tract leads to formation of struvite crystals and this environment is friendly for the growth of bacteria, which can lead to an infection.
A urinary tract that is too acidic favors formation of calcium oxalate crystals.
Foods that contain potatoes, grains, and other starchy plant content increase the pH level.
Prescription foods and acidifiers lower the pH level.
A diet that hasn’t been processed as much containing bones, muscle meat and organs will lower the pH slightly to a urinary pH level of between 6.0-6.5.
Should have the correct mineral balance.
Commercially sold foods of high quality and home foods that have been correctly formulated contain the right mineral content for majority of cats with urinary tract issues.
Cats with urolithiasis should be fed with food containing the right balance of magnesium, phosphorous and calcium.
Pro tip: If a diet is low in phosphorous, it will most likely be low in magnesium and calcium.
Ash is an inorganic substance that is rich in trace minerals such as phosphorous, calcium and magnesium. Excessive amounts though lead to urinary tract problems.
Foods should be low in ash content.
Fish is high in magnesium and phosphorous since it’s ground with its bones. Keep a fish diet out of your cat’s meal plan.
Is canned foods good?
Canned food for cats is made up of about 75% water, and hence suitable for cats with FLUTD.
Transitioning your cat to a canned diet should be done methodically, by introducing 25% of the canned food to his normal diet. This can be done over a couple of days and consistently increase the amount of canned food until it replaces the normal diet completely. This process can take a few weeks.
Adding some tuna or salmon juice can entice your cat into trying out this new diet.
Increase water intake
Adding a few extra bowls of fresh water for your cat may encourage him to drink more water. Flavored ice cubes added into the water may entice some cats to take up more water.
Don’t forget to clean out and change the water on a daily basis.
What ingredient in cat food causes urinary problems?
1. Magnesium:
This is a low contributor when compared to the impact of pH on causing FLUTD.
Magnesium is key in energy production, bone growth, muscle function, teeth health and cardiac health in cats.
A diet high in magnesium chloride may increase the pH causing crystals to form.
However, if the pH remains low, a diet high in magnesium will not cause struvite crystals to occur.
Since urine pH is the leading cause of struvite crystals, so pet food manufactures began to incorporate ammonium chloride to cat food to acidify it.
This however may cause chronic acidosis upon continued use causing mobilization of calcium from the bones of the cat.
Acidosis plus calcium loss from the cat bones causing increased calcium levels in the blood and urine plus low magnesium levels in the diet causes the formation of oxalate stones.
2. Ash:
This is a mineral content made up of different minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium, sulphur and other trace minerals.
Initially, it was thought to be a contributor to crystals but research has proved that the main issue is the formulations found in commercial pet foods.
These may cause a higher pH in urine, leading to struvite crystals.
A raw protein diet is the ideal way to keep a low pH.
Phosphorous is a good indicator of the level of magnesium and calcium in the cat’s diet. If it is low, it is most likely low in magnesium and calcium and vice versa.
3. Dry food:
Dry foods is a leading cause of cystitis.
When cats take in adequate water, it washes out the urinary tract, keeping the bladder system clean. This also moderates the urine concentration preventing crystal formation into stones.
Diets have increased the sodium content to encourage cats to take up more water, which causes them to pee more frequently. This type of diet though should be avoided in case your cat has a heart disease.
