Just imagine if your feline friend developed a cat urinary blockage. This condition is a serious complication of feline lower urinary tract disease, also known as FLUTD. It's often caused by cat bladder stones blocking the urethra so your male cat can't pass any urine.
Why Does This Happen To Male Cats?
A cat blockage is rarely seen in female cats.This is due to females having a urethra that is much shorter and wider than in males. Although this puts females at greater risk for cat bladder infections, this does protect them somewhat from a feline urinary blockage.
Because male cats have a much smaller urinary opening than females do, it doesn't take a very big feline bladder stone to cause urinary blockage in cats.
How Your Vet Treats A Urinary Blockage In Cats
If your cat is unable to pass any urine, or can pass very little, this is an emergency. Your cat's kidneys stop functioning when the urine has no place to go, which allows toxins to build up in the body very quickly. This toxin build-up causes death within a few days if it's not treated.
Your vet will insert a catheter to allow the urine to drain out of the bladder.A few days of hospitalization will be necessary for your cat if the catheter needs to be stitched in place.Flushing out your cat's bladder with fluid may be done to get rid of any bladder stones that are there.
To keep him from becoming dehydrated, your feline friend will need to be given fluids, either by IV or under the skin. He'll also be assessed for any problems related to the toxic build-up in his system.
Most cats can go home after a few days. But you'll need to feed your cat a special diet for the rest of his life to prevent bladder stones from forming again.
What If The Blockage Happens Again?
If your cat continues to have problems with a cat urinary blockage, surgery may be the next step.Your cat's urinary opening can be enlarged to prevent recurring blockages by means of an operation called a feline perineal urethrostomy.
This operation only prevents cat blockage, not FLUTD. A cat who has had this operation is more likely to develop feline bladder infection and bladder stones. He should have urine cultures done three or four times a year to be sure he's not suffering from a feline lower urinary tract infection.
Prevent Cat Bladder Stones
If you can keep cat bladder stones from developing in the first place, your cat won't get this condition. Cats with very concentrated urine are more prone to developing stones.
If you feed your cat canned food instead of dry, you can avoid this problem. Cats are meant to get most of their water from the food they eat. A high quality canned food has a moisture content closer to what a cat in the wild would eat.Chronic dehydration is a result of feeding your cat only dry food.
Be sure your cat always has access to plenty of clean, fresh drinking water.
Herbal and homeopathic remedies for cats are now available. These remedies are especially formulated to treat and prevent cat urinary problems.Buy them only from a reputable company that's known for providing high-quality pet products.
Now that you have this information, you can take steps to protect your kitty from ever experiencing a cat urinary blockage.
Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Here you can discover how herbal and homeopathic remedies can help prevent and treat feline bladder infection that can lead to urinary blockage in cats. Find the best place to buy these remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com
