If your cat has been urinating outside its litter box it may be more that just a naughty kitty. Urinating in odd locations, like the bathtub, the sink, or the bed is often one of the first signs of Feline Lower urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Other signs include frequent, sometimes bloody urination, straining, and excessive licking of the genitalia in males. FLUTD occurs most commonly in cats 1 to 9 years of age. It occurs in both males and females, but can be life threatening in males. If your cat exhibits any of these symptoms, call us right away.

In cats with FLUTD, mineral crystals (especially the minerals Magnesium and Phosphorus) collect in the bladder and its outflow tract (urethra). The accumulating crystals irritate the lining of the urinary tract and may clump together to form plugs or stones. Female cats can usually pass small stones and plugs because they have a fairly wide, short straight urethra. Male cats have a longer and narrower urethra by comparison, and the plugs can get stuck. This can result in total urinary obstruction: the cat simply cannot pass any urine at all. A male cat with total urinary obstruction may be depressed, stop eating, crying, vomiting, and could die within 48 hours.

There is no single cause of urinary tract disease in cats, but there are a number of important factors. Indoor, overweight cats are more prone to get the disease. Prolonged urine retention predisposes cats to FLUTD; so make sure that your cat's litter box is kept clean enough that they don't try to "hold it" rather that go in a stinky box. Another predisposing factor is concentrated urine, so always allow your cat access to fresh, clean water. Water should be changed daily. Most important, dietary control is essential to treatment and prevention of FLUTD. Diets designed to treat or prevent FLUTD contain low levels of minerals and cause increased water consumption and production of acid urine. Acid urine tends to prevent formation of mineral crystals.

If you suspect your cat may have FLUTD he should be examined and have a urinalysis. How do you get a urine sample from a cat? Clean the litter box thoroughly then replace the regular litter with styrofoam packing peanuts. You can just pour the urine off the peanuts after the kitty goes. If this trick doesn't work, we can get a urine sample from your cat at the hospital.