The feline idiopathic cystitis

The disorders in cats’ lower urinary tract are very usual. Generally, this is due to some gallstones, infections or primary behaviour anomalies. However, many animals may present some problems when urinating that do not have to do with any of these three causes: this is the feline idiopathic cystitis.

The cats suffering from this disease have problems to urinate, and stay much time in their urinating box, besides the urine may can be dyed with blood, and may take place in different parts of the house. However, these symptoms are not different from those caused by infections, litiasis or marking, so in order to rule these possibilities out, urine analysis and ecographies are necessary.

The affected animals are usually young or medium age. The 85% of these cases are often solved within two or three days with or without any treatment, and at least, the 50% repeat these episodes through life with more or less frequency.

This problem is quite unpleasant for the animal and frustrating for their owners, besides it is more and more common at the vet’s and has a difficult treatment. The causes of these disorders are complex and they are still pending to be found. It seems to be that they have to do with some problems in the autonomic nerve system, associated to some changes in the permeability of the wall of the bladder. These signs get worse with stressing circumstances.

As we have said above, the treatment is not easy since the cause laying behind is still unknown. The goal is to try to decrease the seriousness of the symptoms and increase the intervals between the episodes, although the animal does not get healed. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory, and even powerful painkillers like fentanilo or morphine, related to tranquillizers, seem to be recommended in the most serious cases.

It is very important for the owners to try to get involved in the search of a suitable environment consisting of trying to delete the things stressing the animal as well as changing the kind and place of the boxes. There are special diets rich in salt that stimulate the animal to drink some more water. Finally, it also seems to be beneficial the use of facial pheromones in spray as well as certain drugs such as clomicamina or fluoxetine (Prozac) in order to decrease the anxiety. These treatments should be used only in serious cases and they do not interfere either in the behaviour strategies or diets.