Factors like crystal formation, urethral plugs, stress-induced cystitis, and certain diseases contribute to FLUTD. Risk factors vary, including diet changes, stress, and underlying health conditions.

Watch for frequent or painful urination, blood in urine, inappropriate urination, and excessive genital licking.

A vet examines your cat, assessing bladder size, kidney health, and signs of discomfort. Urinalysis and additional tests like X-rays and ultrasound help identify crystals, infections, or other issues.

Ensure a clean water source, use water fountains or large bowls, and feed wet food to increase water intake. Maintain clean litter trays, minimize routine changes, provide enrichment, and reduce stress using pheromone diffusers or essential oils.

Your vet may recommend a diet for your cat that helps not only with healing but prevents recurrence as well. There are also commercial foods that promote urinary tract health. Consult your vet on what type of food is right for your cat.  

• Feeding your cat a canned-food diet or mixing wet food with dry kibble helps provide additional hydration.  

• Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is also important; overweight/obese cats tend to have more health issues than cats of normal weight. Provide your cat with toys that stimulate physical activity.  

• Anxiety may play a part in urinary tract disease, it’s important to keep your cat’s stress level as low as possible. Cats do not like change, no matter how subtle it may be, so try to keep changes to your cat’s routine and/or environment to a minimum.  

Most cats will fully recover within 7-10 days of developing a urinary tract infection, your vet may check a urine sample after treatment to determine if your cat is fully recovered.  

Occasionally, cats will develop repeated urinary tract infections. Cats with recurring UTIs often require more testing to determine the underlying cause.