Cat Health

If your cat is frequently urinating, and having a recurring problem with bladder infections, then they likely have a condition now known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. This is a frustrating health condition, but there are many more options than just conventional medication. This article will show you the signs of urinary disease, go over some of the causes, and I will give you my 5 most effective natural remedies.

You need to be aware of the more common signs of feline urinary problems, and recognize if this is an emergency requiring immediate veterinary care. The most common signs include: frequently urinating, straining to urinate, has bladder pain, he or she may excessively lick their genitals, and there is blood in the urine. Sometimes they will urinate outside their litter box, as they seem to prefer cool, smooth surfaces like a tile floor or a bathtub. If you have a male cat which is straining and not producing any urine, then he may be completely blocked, and he requires immediate veterinary care.

The disease goes by many names, one being called idiopathic because we don't really know the underlying cause. There is marked inflammation of the bladder; the bladder lining is thickened, and the result is blood in the urine. Some are related to diet, there may be bacteria/viruses that affect the bladder, the immune system may over-react and attack the lining of the bladder, or it can simply be a response to stress, such as having another cat or not letting your cat go outside. It can be seen in cats of any age, but it is more frequent in middle-aged, overweight cats that get little exercise, use an indoor litter box, and eat a dry food diet. Very few cases are caused by bacteria; bacterial infections account for less than 3 % of feline urinary tract disease, meaning antibiotics are seldom needed.

If your cat is straining to urinate and not producing any urine, it is imperative to have him examined immediately. He may be blocked with a bladder stone in which case he would need emergency care. It is a good idea to have urine checked for any urinary tract problems; you are then able to use the appropriate remedy knowing what the specific problem is.

Additional fluid is key to treating and preventing recurrence of the inflamed urinary bladder. This is best accomplished with a higher protein canned cat food, along with providing many sources of fresh water; ideally your cat will only eat canned food, and be completely off dry cat food. You can encourage fresh water consumption by adding tuna juice to the water bowl.

The use of a specific natural hormone can be very beneficial. Pheromones in the facial glands convey messages of peace and contentment. Cats have less incidence of urinary disease if they are feeling happy. A product called Feliway, available from your veterinarian, contains these facial pheromones. This can be sprayed on your cat and on the areas he has sprayed twice daily for 3-4 weeks.

There are additional sources to provide natural anxiety relief in your cat, and potentially decrease the symptoms of bladder inflammation. Bach Rescue Remedy may make your anxious cat feel calmer and less likely to have recurrent urinary tract inflammation. Place 1 drop twice daily in your cat's mouth. Try this for 3-4 weeks.

Two very common supplements used for arthritis, glucosamine and chondroitin, can also be helpful for cats with feline lower urinary tract disease. Glucosamine helps replenish a compound found in the lining of the bladder wall, called glycosaminoglycans (GAG), while chondroitin helps protect the GAG from being broken down. By supplementing with glucosamine and chondroitin, GAG is replenished, and the bladder inflammation, along with clinical signs of frequent urination, and blood in the urine can be resolved. The cat glucosamine dose is 100mg per 10 lbs of body weight daily. The chondroitin dose is 50mg per 10lbs of body weight daily.

Homeopathy has been successfully used for many cases of feline urinary disease. There are two homeopathic remedies I suggest that you try, aconite and pulsatilla. Aconite is best if early in the disease with few other signs. Give two 30C pellets 2-3 times daily. Pulsatilla will help some of the more recurrent cases of bladder inflammation. When the other remedies fail to work, then this one is often tried. Dose one 30C twice daily.

You should now be aware of the signs of feline lower urinary tract disease, and now know when to see your veterinarian. The causes of urinary inflammation are varied, but as bacterial infections seldom cause the problem, antibiotics should be rarely needed. I encourage you to use some of suggested home remedies to help treat, and potentially prevent this very painful and frustrating disease for both you and your cat.

Dr Jones Ultimate Feline Health Formula at http://www.thecatsupplement.com is a completely natural cat health supplement to help you heal your cat's health problems at home. It contains therapeutic levels of glucosamine and chondroitin which can help your cat with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. You can get 50% OFF your first trial bottle of Ultimate Feline Health Formula at http://www.thecatsupplement.com

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ByGayle Burandt

The term Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease is a general term, used to describe a variety of disorders, including struvite crystals, oxalate stones, cystitis, bladder stones and kidney stones. It is generally noticed by the pet caregiver when they observe that the cat is urinating frequently, or when the cat is straining to urinate, when there is blood in the urine, or when the cat is urinating in unusual places. It cannot be stressed strongly enough that if this happens it is absolutely essential that a veterinarian must be contacted immediately, and a diagnosis made. Urinary blockage is extremely painful for the cat, and a diagnosis and treatment must be made within 72 hours at most, in order to prevent permanent damage.

The treatment of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) sometimes involves surgery, particularly in the case of oxalate stones, but prevention is relatively straight forward. Statistics indicate that one in three cats will be diagnosed with this disease in its lifetime, so prevention is essential. Most studies have shown that a diet, based on dry commercial cat food creates a very concentrated urine, and this is generally where the trouble starts. Contrary to popular opinion, a cat is not a natural water drinker. The domestic cat originated in the arid regions of Africa, Europe and China, where water was very often unavailable. The cat therefore derives its moisture from the prey that it eats. A diet that is devoid of moisture is foreign to the natural diet of the feline, it creates a chronically dehydrated state, and should therefore be avoided.

Dry, commercial kibble also tends to be very high in carbohydrate content, in the form of grains and vegetable matter. This elevated carbohydrate content creates an alkaline urine, which in turn enables struvite crystal formation. A healthy pH balance in the urine is fundamental to feline health. The biologically correct diet of the cat is meat, which creates an acidic environment, and struvite crystals do not typically form in the presence of a more acidic urine.

Several years ago, when it was discovered that struvite formation was due to commercial pet foods, these pet food companies created a more acidic food, in order to alleviate the situation. As a result, oxalate stones became the word of the day. These are even more serious, as they very often require surgical removal, especially in the case of male cats, where the urethra is too small to pass these stones in the urine. In light of these findings, a balanced biologically sound diet of raw cat food is essential.

Vitamin supplementation should be avoided. Vitamin C, in particular is not recommended, as oxalic acid forms in the presence of Vitamin C, and this modifies into oxalate. Leafy green vegetables in particular are not recommended, as are various other vegetables and grains.

What is "chronic kidney failure?"

Chronic kidney failure is, by definition, not the inability of the kidneys to produce urine, but rather the inability of the kidneys to remove waste products from the blood. In cats with chronic kidney disease, the kidneys are actually producing large quantities of urine, while the body's wastes are not being eliminated effectively. There is a difference between cat kidney disease and severe chronic renal failure (CRF). In other words, cat kidney disease is simply a diagnosis where the kidneys are overworked or damaged due to environmental poisons, drugs, diabetes, cancer, etc.

"Chronic renal failure", on the other hand can mean the complete shut-down of the kidneys. The prognosis is not a good one. In the case of complete kidney failure, daily intravenous or subcutaneous fluids may be required in order to maintain body hydration.

Cat kidney disease can be recognized by the pet guardian if the cat displays signs of increased thirst, dehydration, loss of appetite, urination changes, nausea and pain.

According to Russell Swift, DVM "I believe there are three major reasons for kidneys to degenerate and eventually fail:

1) poor quality nutrition,
2) toxicity, and
3) chronic disease.

Inadequate and improper protein sources and low moisture content (of dry foods) are the two major kidney stressors I believe occur in commercial foods. The kidneys also take a hard hit from many toxins to which the body is exposed. Many conventional medications, notably nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and certain antibiotics, are very damaging to the kidneys. Ultimately, there is not much known about the long-term effects of many food additives and preservatives; fluoride in the drinking water; and all the pesticides and herbicides used in, on and around our companion animals (and ourselves)."

To lower protein or not to lower protein?

According to Dr. Russell Swift, the best approach to take, when faced with CRF, is to educate the pet guardian with regard to the dangers of feeding dry commercial pet foods, and the benefits of making the switch to raw, fresh foods. Low protein diets have been recommended by conventional veterinarians, as they are under the misunderstanding that their only option is heat-treated, commercially available foods, which by their very nature, are difficult to digest, put heavy stress on the kidneys, and result in a higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level. "Raw protein, in comparison, digests more completely with less waste. This results in more protein for healing and rebuilding tissue without the renal stress." The obligate carnivore must eat a meat-based diet in order to maintain health, and the same holds true for the repair of damaged tissue, convalescence, and healing.

Dietary protein has no effect on the development of renal failure. It must be argued that it is the quality of the protein that is at the heart of this question, not the quantity of the protein. A diet that is based on dry, heat-treated ingredients is simply not the diet that nature intended for our kitties. This diet creates an environment of chronic dehydration, toxic load, and kidney, liver and pancreatic stress.

Kidney disease is very likely the leading cause of mortality in the cat, according to Lisa Pierson, DVM. "The prescription dry 'renal diets' such as Science Diet k/d - which are commonly prescribed by veterinarians - contain only a small amount of moisture leaving your cat in a less than optimal state of water balance.....I find it truly amazing when I hear about the very large numbers of cats receiving subcutaneous fluids while being maintained on a diet of dry food. This is extremely illogical and every attempt should be made to get these cats on a diet that contains a higher moisture content." Dr. Pierson goes on to say that the purpose of the prescription diet is to restrict protein, and this it certainly does, as it is based mostly on grains, and a small percentage of 'meat meal'. By restricting the protein in these diets, the cat will often catabolize his own muscle mass, and this results in muscle wasting and weight loss. (Doesn't sound like a healing process to me!)

A raw meat-based cat food diet creates a more acidic balance and helps prevent the formation of crystals in the urine.

Gayle Burandt
Know Better Pet Food
http://www.knowbetterpetfood.com

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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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