The urinary tract infection in a cat is not only an infection but also leaves an unpleasant odor in your house. If the urinary tract infection is left untreated in the cat, it can lead to kidney diseases and at times kidney failure which can be fatal. Usually, cats with urinary tract infection show similar signs but the degree might vary.

When the cat suffers from a urinary tract infection it usually avoid going to the litter box and sprays all over the house. They tend to look for cool and smooth surfaces for urinating like the floor or bathtub. This can also be considered as a symptom of stress. Urinating for the cat becomes painful and difficult during the infection and the amount of urine is lesser than normal. At times, there might be traces of blood observed in the urine and the cat tends to lick itself more than usual. These symptoms are observed in some of the cases. There are many cats that would not show up any symptom at all.

Once the cat urinary tract infection is diagnosed, the main line of treatment is antibiotics. For severe cases, a high dose of antibiotic is required and for cases that are worse, a surgery might be suggested. The vet might also prescribe some medicines to manage the pain because the cat might be suffering from a lot of pain. Antibiotics have side effects so you can opt for a homeopathic treatment to reduce the side effects.

Putting the cat on a proper diet is one of the parts of management of the disease. It helps the cat to recover fast and also would prevent any further recurrence of the disease. While undergoing treatment, it is important to keep the cat hydrated. Make sure that it drinks a lot of water. Change the water many times in a day to keep it fresh and clean. Once the cat is cured then it is important to pay special attention to the diet. Wet food should be a predominant factor in your cat’s diet. You can also opt for unprocessed food. It is also recommended to add magnesium supplements to the cat’s diet.

If in case the tests show crystals or bladder stones then a special diet must be followed. The diet should be for 6 weeks and is aimed at changing the pH of the urine of the cat that will dissolve the crystals. Once these are eliminated then the cat has to be put on a preventive diet to avoid formation of further crystals.

The cat urinary tract infection is not very common. There are just 10 percent of the cats that are affected by the infection. However, in some of the cases this can be fatal. Keep a watch on your cat to observe any symptoms of the urinary tract infection. You will have to collect the urine samples for determining the infection. Consult your vet for proper treatment of the infection and follow the schedule of medicines strictly.

Jonathan Pitts

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