Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)

Trouble was in serious trouble. My normally vibrant, chatty cat was sprawled out on the floor, growling at any cat who came near, and barely reacting to me. Over the past few days I had noticed he wasn’t eating, and he kept having small accidents outside of the litter box. My roommate and I initially assumed he was cranky because I had been gone a lot. But that night, I knew something was seriously wrong. I called the vet the next morning and I was instructed to come in immediately. The diagnosis was swift: Trouble had a urinary tract blockage. In veterinary medicine, it’s generally referred to as “Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease,” (FLUTD). Normally, the urinary tract is made up of two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder and a urethra. Blockages can occur at any point in the urinary tract. Most people have heard of kidney or bladder stones, but the stones can also get stuck in the ureters or urethra. Female cats have a straight urethra, but the male cat’s urethra makes a sharp turn between the bladder and the penis. Thus FLUTD can occur in both
Other times, they will have a complete, or obstructive, blockage caused by a stone, a narrowed urethra, or tumor. Symptoms may include improper urination, inflamed bladder, enlarged bladder, inflamed urethra, bloody urine, difficulty urinating, “dribbling” urine, and crystals in their urine (Pallos, Taibo). Left untreated, the feline will become lethargic, unresponsive, and usually dies within 3-6 days due to buildup of waste or a ruptured bladder. Diagnostic procedures may include urinalysis, bloodwork, bladder palpation, and sometimes x-rays (Pallos). An unobstructed FLUTD may be treated with appropriate diet changes, lifestyle changes, medication, and performing a urinary catheterization to flush out the urethra. An obstructed FLUTD is an emergency procedure and a urinary catheter or surgical incision into the bladder is performed to clear the