Cat Health

You arrive at home exhausted after a full day, wash your face, and start dinner but instead of the appetizing aroma of dinner you smell the unpleasant stench of urine. After a quick search you notice a puddle in the hall and what seem to be pinkish urine stains on the carpet. Your cat has uncharacteristically failed to use the litter box once again. Could these be signs your cat has a bladder infection?

Having experienced this scenario above first hand I can tell you that the summary above is a pretty good indication that something is medically wrong, with one of the most likely possibilities being infection of the bladder.

According to the Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health "The signs your cat has a bladder infection include frequent urination, painful and difficult urination, and urinating in inappropriate places. There may also be blood in the urine. This may be more noticeable at the end of the urine stream. Rarely, cats with a bladder infection may show no signs at all."

While good information, most cat owners who have seen this condition up close and personal will tell you there likely will be quite a few other revealing signs as well.

Other are: licking the genital area for relief, redness or rawness in the genital area, howling when urinating, scooting across the floor, fatigue, uncharacteristic hissing when touched in the hind quarter, and isolationism.

Another sign that often signals the presence of a bacterial bladder infection is excessive water drinking.

The cause

Bacteria which has gains access through the urethra and made it way up the urinary tract to the bladder where it is flourishing is the cause. This occurrence can be a byproduct of a weakened immune system, possibly due to age, or another disease or condition altogether. Examples of other diseases and conditions would be stones in urinary tract, urinary tract cancer, urinary tract trauma, diabetes, and diminishing kidney function. In other words anything that either impedes the flow of urine, weakens the immune system, or alters urine pH to a point where bacteria can flourish.

What next?

A veterinary visit will likely be in order, complete with a urine analysis and bacterial culture, to confirm your suspicions. Additional tests may be required as well to rule out stones or other possible causes. Once bacterial infection of the bladder is confirmed your veterinarian will likely treat the condition with a round of antibiotics.

My veterinarian normally prescribes either Clindamycin or Amoxicillin but yours may favor another antibiotic depending on the type of bacteria causing the infection.

Additionally, bladder infections, especially in older cats, have a very high probability of becoming chronic, or recurring, especially when the infection is not treated successfully.

To avoid this many pet parents have chosen to add a homeopathic remedy containing such ingredients as Berberis, Cantharis, and Staphysagris combined with adequate exercise, easy access to a clean litter box, plenty of filtered water, and a high quality natural diet free additives. These types of treatments can be used in conjunction with conventional forms of treatment, as a standalone treatment in mild cases, or as a preventative measure to prevent infection down the road.

Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. To learn more about bladder infections in cats along with information about safe and effective homeopathic remedies for treating pet bladder and urinary tract infections Click Here

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As a pet owner, you can usually tell when something is wrong with your cat. Changes in diet, activity, behavior and sleep patterns can all be signs that your cat is having health issues; these changes also play a key role in figuring out what the problem is. This means that if your cat is acting different, and you suspect a cat urinary tract infection, you have probably noticed things like:

Obvious pain when urinating, including crying when urinatingBlood in the urine, small amounts of urine, or no urine at allExcessive grooming of genitalsUrinating outside the litter boxSpotted urine in the box like raindropsStarts spraying or a puddle away from the litter box

If you have noticed that your cat is showing these behaviors, then he or she most likely has a cat urinary tract infection, and needs treatment. There are two options for treatment - you can take your cat to the veterinarian and get him or her on medication, or you can use a home remedy. If you are on a budget and your cat's UTI (urinary tract infection) does not seem too bad, then you may want to try home remedies for cats before going to the veterinarian. Following are the top four home remedies that are best for treating a cat urinary tract infection:

Store bought remedies. Medications such as Better Bladder Control and UTI Free are available to purchase from pet stores for treating cat urinary tract infections, and are both safe and effective.
Home remedies. Cranberry juice is effective at treating cat urinary tract infections because it stops bacteria from sticking to the lining of the bladder. Vitamin C is also effective at treating cat urinary tract infections because it strengthens the lining of the bladder and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Prevention. When treating a urinary tract infection it is also important to make lifestyle changes to make sure it does not happen again. This includes encouraging hygiene by providing more than one litter box, keeping all litter boxes clean, making sure your cat gets enough exercise, and always providing bottled water. Bottled water is free of chlorine and fluoride that can be toxic to cats over time.
Provide a healthy diet. Urine pH changes from your cat's diet and with certain foods can give your cat's urine high and unsafe pH levels. High pH levels lead to urinary tract infections. To avoid this, feed your cat a well-balanced diet and do not allow him or her constant access to food. Stop feeding your cat dried food because it is one of the reasons your cat has urinary tract infections. You can also try feeding your cat foods that support urinary tract health. Pro Plan, Purina and Nine Lives are just three of the many brands of cat food that sell cat food that supports urinary health. My best recommendation is to convert your cat from commercial pet foods to natural whole raw foods.

You should always check with your professional pet caregiver as to treatments and dosages for your animal. I always like to buy standardized tonics so I do not have to worry about giving it too much at one time.

I have been a pet owner all of my life and for the last thirty years my wife and I have raised over a dozen cats. Please visit my website at: http://tipsaboutcats.com is your information source for their health, diet, disposition, and exercise. We even show the basics of making your own cat toys and condos. All tips and proceeds from this website is contributed to our local animal shelter who is short of funds from the county. I have a number of recommended natural food, supplements, products and books that are in my store which will save you time hunting on the web for at http://tipsaboutcats.com/store/. There are two expert interviews in the blog pages that are must reads because they will answer most of your questions and concerns about natural cat health and diet. Please feel free to leave comments on my website where you will also find links to me on Facebook and Twitter.

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