FLUTD and FUS in Cats
Feline lower urinary tract disease is still not fully understood, but stress is thought to be the main driver.
The comparison is a useful one: in the same way people develop stomach ulcers and heartburn from stress, cats develop bladder ulcers and urethral spasms. Managing stress is therefore a real part of managing the disease.
This is an emergency — go now
If your male cat is vocalizing intensely, repeatedly visiting or staying in the litter box, and not passing any urine, he needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. A blocked cat is a life-threatening emergency and cannot wait until morning.
If we're closed, go straight to the nearest 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital. Do not wait for us to reopen.
What Else to Watch For
Keep an eye out for excessive grooming of the groin or genital area. If you notice it, an e-collar can help reduce the chance of things getting worse, since persistent licking inflames the tissue and makes the problem harder to treat.
Calming Techniques That Help
Because stress sits at the centre of this disease, the approaches below work best used in combination rather than one at a time.
Calming treats
Anything containing L-theanine — for example Composure by VetriScience, which comes in a cat formula.
Increase water intake
A running fountain encourages most cats to drink far more than a still bowl. Stainless steel models are easier to keep clean than plastic.
More litter boxes
The rule of thumb is one box per cat, plus one — so three cats means four boxes.
Spread them around the house rather than lining them up together. Boxes side by side count as one location to a cat.
Feliway
A synthetic pheromone many cats find calming. We suggest the spray rather than the plug-in, since you can apply it wherever your cat spends time and around the litter boxes.
Probiotics
Probiotics may help support calmer behavior. Profivex is one option that works well sprinkled over food.
Reduce household stressors
Consider what may have changed — a new pet, a move, visitors, building work, or tension between cats in the home. Identifying the trigger is often as useful as treating the symptoms.
Diet: Wet Food Only
This is the single most important change you can make. Wet food dramatically increases water intake, which helps flush the bladder and reduce inflammation. Any wet food is better than dry food.
The broad aim is to reduce carbohydrate content and increase protein, bringing the diet closer to what a cat would naturally eat. If your cat has already developed crystals, however, a medicated urinary diet is the better option.
Prescription urinary diets:
- Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care with Chicken, canned
Commercial wet diets we also recommend:
- Tiki Cat
- PureVita
Questions or concerns?
Urinary issues in cats can escalate quickly, so it's always better to ask early than to wait and see.