Cat Urinating Problems
Natural Therapies for Cats Urine Problems
Copyright (c) 2008 The Naturally Healthy Pet.com
Introduction: Urinary problems are becoming commoner in cats. Lower urinary tract (LURT) problems are diet-related, while kidney failure increases with maturity and so is commoner in older cats.
Symptoms of urinary problems may include more frequent visits to the cat litter tray, weight loss, loss of appetite, and drinking excessively, and blood in the urine is common.
Stress and Cystitis: Emotion-induced cystitis in cats is related to chronic nerve stimulation, with excessive neurotransmitter release and re-use. Anti-depressants work by inhibiting the re-use of the neurotransmitter 5-HT. Additional methods of reducing stress, such as encouraging relaxation and uninterrupted sleep, and moving the cat litter tray to a calmer area, will also help.
Natural Defences: There are several ways in which the cat's physiology reduces the chances of LURT infections, making these rare, although commoner in females. There are natural, beneficial bacteria in the urethra, which by their very presence prevent colonisation by disease-causing bacteria. Mucus in the bladder helps stop any pathogens from becoming invasive, although mucus and urate crystals can cause painful urethral obstruction in male cats. Antibodies are released into the urine to help in the defence against pathogens, and urea and urine acidity reduce bacterial multiplication. Prostate secretions in males have antibacterial properties.
Most feline urine infections do not appear to be caused by bacteria, although it is possible that they are viral in nature.
Problems in the Urinary Tract: These include genetic abnormalities, injury, infection, poisoning, poor diet, age-related chronic renal failure, tumours, stress-induced cystitis, and mineral deposits - struvite and calcium oxalate
Conventional Treatments: There is now felt to be no need for a low protein diet in chronic kidney disease. Manage uraemia (excessive urea in the blood, a consequence of renal failure) instead by maintaining nitrogen balance, reducing dietary phosphorus, and feeding a medium-protein diet. Anti-oxidants are important for scavenging free radicals (which damage kidney cell membranes), reducing kidney damage for example from excessive lipid in the blood.
1-2% of the cat population suffers from lower urinary tract disease (LUTD), and these are more likely to be fed exclusively dry cat food. Aim to reduce urine specific gravity to <1.020, eliminate urinary tract infections (UTI), and maintain pH between 6.00 and 6.40. Alkaline urine causes struvite crystal formation, while acidic urine is more prone to calcium oxalate crystals. Potassium chloride crystals may be given to adjust the pH, and broad spectrum antibiotics to reduce UTIs.
Urethral blockages are more common in males as their urethra is anatomically narrower. These may be managed by flushing the urethra clear under a general anaesthetic. Large stones may need to be removed surgically. Incontinence can be helped by drugs that help the bladder muscle. A complete blockage requires surgical intervention within 48 hours or the cat may die from renal failure.
Complementary Treatments: Many cats with LUTD recover within a week with no specific intervention. Encourage owners to feed wet rather than dry foods, as cats naturally get virtually all of their fluid intake from diet such as mice. Ensure fresh water is always available. Avoid scented cat litters.
Nutritional therapies: Avoid standard dry foods (but note that eating habits develop early, and may be difficult to change). Supplement tinned food with fresh cooked meat and cooked mashed vegetables. If calcium oxalate stones have developed, reduce the protein, calcium and sodium in the diet and avoid excessive amounts of vitamin D and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Asparagus contains asparagines, which may break up oxalate crystals.
Herbalism: Herbs that may reduce urinary stones include stoneroot (Collinsonia calladensis) and horsetail (Equisetum arvense).
Diuretic herbs to increase urinary flow include dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and couch grass (Elymus repens)
Oedema (swelling, which may be a consequence of excess protein loss in urine and reduced blood protein level) can be reduced by cherry stalk extract (Prunus avium).
Urinary antiseptics herbs include bearberry leaf (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) and juniper berry (Juniperis communis).
Soothing herbs include peppermint (menthe x piperita), fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare) and marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis).
General well being may be improved by cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), comfrey leaf (Symphytum officinale) and celery seed (Apium graveolens).
Dr Alison Grimston, a holistic doctor and animal healer, has a natural animal therapy website informing the public about animal therapies while connecting and informing animal therapists. http://www.TheNaturallyHealthyPet.com
cat urinating problem?
i have a fixed cat, behavior problem, and she hides under the bed during flea season...although she is an inside cat , she still gets a few fleas but stays under the bed for the rest of the season, even loses weight frrom not eating much... but... she has peed on backpacks, clothes, my papason cushions, and today, she topped it off by peeing on me, when the geek squad was installing my new computer.... any help?
i have several clean litterboxes, i have put flea meds on her from the vet, that is the start of her problem, the season i used them, she went nuts after a few months of them, i think she got some in her system and now this is what i deal with, her peeing everywhere, but now she is under the bed, only during flea season...i did get her to pee in a litterbox not to far from the bed, but the peeing on me.... thats some kind of behavior problem bc someone else was in my room with me... she is very territorial.... help!
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Cat urinating problems...help!!!!!?
We have an 18month old cat that we are having extreme problems with. There are three other cats in our house who either pick on her or ignore her totally. She is sweet and a lap cat but urinates every place except for the litter box... On our wooden furniture, countertops, on our mail, on top of our lanai table etc etc. We don't have the money to have her spayed either. This destruction has ruined antique family heirlooms and i am so angry. When she is in heat" we keep her primarily outside on the lanai (with an accessible litter box). This week she is having her shots with surgery the following day. I am crying about this but think our solution is to have her get the shots and then have animal control take her from us. We DO NOT WANT TO give her to the local humane society (or anybody really) but both my daughter and i have NO idea what to do. We know it could a urinary tract infection. it could also be behaviorial, or maybe even her "annoucning" herself being in heat for t
the male cats OUTSIDE our home. PLZ, if anyone has any idea or clue, or somthing; help me. I love this cat, and it is breaking my heart just thinking about giving her up, but i am at my whits end, and i think that it may be my only choice.
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Urgent Cat Urinating problem!?
My 1 year old male cat has a problem urinating.Today i noticed that he frequently visited his litter box and stood there for 10 min and no urine..this continued trough the whole day.My last cat had this same problem .. he had bladder stones and died from it.What kind of food should i give him to eat? What kind of antibiotics should i give him?Any additional advice? I always fed him with a variety of food and cared for his dieting.Please help me i am desperate and i donīt want my baby to have the same fate as my other one.I adore him and i dont know what i would do if it happens again!! Please help!Thank you in advance!
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Cat urinating problems?
We recently got a cat on Dec. 24 and the first night kept her in the hallway with food, litter and water. That night she peed on a blanket and figured it was just stress. Well, today, almost a month later, I notice the rug underneath her litter box is covered in urine, then I look around more and find it all over her cat bed as well. The reason I am just noticing it is because I was out of town for a week and someone else was coming over to clean and feed her. She is 1-2 years old, and spayed, and other than that she is great and starting to feel comfortable in our house. She is in her own room at night and then mornings I let her out. ANy suggestions. Please help, thanks
Im sorry, I forgot to metion she is deficating in the box, and there is some urine, just not a lot, and she does drink about 2 litres in a week....not sure if thats enough.
My cat eats a very good dry food....right now we are mixing it Science Diet(we are trying to stop because thats what the foundadtion was feeding her) and Nutro Natural Choice Indoor. Once/Twice a week she will get Nutro Canned food, but I don't want to give her can all the time because I want to make sure she has health teeth.
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cat urinating problems?
how do I stop my cat from urinating on the carpet. Litter box is cleaned regularly
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