Does Your Cat Have A Urinary Tract Infection?

When cats are out and about, exploring the world, they can pick up all sorts of infections. One of the easiest things for them to pick up is a urinary tract infection. They tend to be more common, and more likely to develop into something more serious. Especially in male cats that have been neutered. However, female cats are still at risk so don’t ignore any odd symptoms. This quick guide will show you how to identify the infection, and how to deal with it.

Symptoms

If your cat has a urinary tract infection, they will struggle to go to the toilet. You’ll notice them going very regularly throughout the day. When they do go, they will usually only pass a few drops at a time and there is often blood in the urine. It looks scary and I know I thought it was something more serious when I saw it in my cat, but they’re very easy to treat so don’t worry. If your cat usually goes to the toilet outside, it might be worth getting a litter box while they are ill because they’ll have less control over their bladder and might not be able to make it outside.

Sites like catboxhq.com can give you more information on how to choose the right litter box. When your cat has a urinary tract infection, they are going to experience a lot of distress. This is because they will constantly feel as though they need to go to the toilet, but they won’t be able to. You might notice them grooming themselves more than usual, especially around the belly area. This is perfectly normal and will calm down again after a few days.

Medication

The only way to get rid of the infection is medication, so you’ll have to take them to the vets. Your kitty would most likely be given an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory, and a painkiller. They will be on this medication for around two weeks in total, but you should start to see an improvement in their condition in around 48 hours or so.

Water

Anybody out there that’s had a urinary tract infection themselves will know that the doctor advises you to drink lots of water to flush the infection out. Not so easy with cats, as they tend not to drink that much as it is. Most of them get all of the water from their food. If you feed them mainly dry food, they might be lacking in water which could cause the problem in the first place. The medication will do the bulk of the work but getting them to drink more water always helps.

Cats are naturally curious creatures, so if there is a new water source around, they’ll go and investigate and have a drink. But they’ll soon get bored of it and stop drinking it again. What I tend to do is use a few different bowls or cups and move them around each day. It keeps her interested and it becomes a bit of a game for her because I hide them around the house.

When it comes to your cat’s health, you should always be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. Contact your vet if you are concerned.