Prevent your Pet Become Ill from Feline Urinary Tract Problems

The UK has a wide variety of pet insurance plans available. When making a comparison it can be tempting to go for the cheapest policy, but cheap pet insurance doesn't always offer the extensive cover included in more comprehensive pet insurance plans. It is well worth investigating policies in depth before your pet becomes ill; an illness such as urinary tract problems should be dealt with as quickly as possible as if it develops it can be life threatening -and you would not want your insurance plan to delay your pet's treatment.

Triggers:
The most common trigger for conditions such as FLUTD is stress. Cats are sensitive animals and changes within their immediate environment can leave them feeling anxious. Social change can also have an impact on your cat; the loss of a family member or a new addition to the household can shift the social dynamic. Cats can find readjusting to these social changes just as challenging as adapting to physical disruptions.

Symptoms:
If your cat has a urinary tract problem, they may go to the toilet more frequently, and could even have blood in their urine. They may have difficulty urinating, only passing small amounts of liquid at any given time.

Cystitis can be very painful and your cat may come to associate this pain with the litter tray itself and look for other places to relieve themselves. Thick rugs and piles of clothes or laundry are often popular spots.

Blockages:
If FLUTD is left untreated, it can become extremely serious; the backup of toxins can lead to kidney failure and death within 72 hours.[1] Therefore, if you notice that your cat is displaying the symptoms mentioned above, it is important to act quickly.

Treatment:
Most vets will put your cat on a course of antibiotics; some of these have anti-inflammatory or pain relieving effects.

There is also a wide range of complementary therapies available and as FLUTD is often stress related, some people believe treatments that attempt to address the underlying causes can be extremely effective. Reputable pet insurance plans will often pay for complementary therapies as well as clinical treatments.

Whichever course of treatment you go for, clinical, complementary or a combination of the two, if diagnosed quickly your cat should make a full and speedy recovery.

[1] - merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/130615.htm