What Is A Feline Bladder Infection and What Can Be Done To Cure This Common Condition?

For most of us our pets are like our children and keeping them healthy and out of harm's way is always on our minds. In this regard, one of the conditions your cat is most likely to encounter is a feline bladder infection. A feline bladder infection is one of those conditions that generally starts slow, but can turn into something very serious if allowed to go untreated. It is also one of those conditions that can co-exist in a cats body for a long period of time without any noticeable symptoms. In other cases, the infection may resolve itself without any type of treatment or intervention.

What is a feline bladder infection?

A feline bladder infection is a bacterial infection of the bladder that can be encouraged by number of different factors including immune system weakness, stress, diabetes, age, or a partial blockage or the urethra caused by a stone. The bacterial itself gains access to the bladder through the urethra, and is most common in female felines due to urethral length. That said, male cats are not immune to this condition and by current estimates about twice as many female cats will fall victim to a feline bladder infection at some point in their lives.

What are some of the common symptoms?

The symptoms of a feline bladder infection vary depending on severity and your cats personality. For my felines the first sign has always been inappropriate urination. They will start to prefer shoes, paper, laundry baskets, furniture and almost anything else instead of their litter box. Other signs often described from a clinical perspective are foul smelling urine, straining when urinating, irritability, isolationism, tenderness in the bladder area, lethargy, fever, and in some instances blood in the urine.

How is a feline bladder infection generally treated?

The answer is antibiotics with amoxicillin being a common choice. Your vet will need to run a urine analysis to check for the presence of bacteria. It may save some time to take a urine sample with you if possible. If the urine tests positive for bacteria the appropriate antibiotic will be prescribed to cure the infection. Results should be seen within a few day and the infection should be eradicated in 10 days or less. Your vet will want to do a follow up urine analysis to confirm the successful treatment outcome.

Can a feline bladder infection be treated without a veterinary visit?

It can, but you should watch closely to make sure your cats condition is improving, always keeping in mind that allowing the bacteria to spread can produce a serious, if not life threatening condition engulfing the whole urinary tract.

That said, sometimes circumstances simply don't allow us the luxury of professional assistance and we will be forced to make the best of a bad situation. If this is the case your goal will be to flush the bacteria from the urinary tract by giving your cat plenty of clean fresh water, adding either blueberry or cranberry juice to that water loosen its grip, keep the anal area closely trimmed to prevent re-infection, eliminate any stress for your cats life, keep them active with play time, keep litter boxes obsessively clean, and implementing a natural homeopathic urinary tract supplement. This seven step approach will bolster immune system function and promote the elimination of bacteria through voiding.