UrbanAnimal

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Dear UrbanAnimal,

My cat, Jeeves, is just recovering from his second attack of FLUTD and my vet has prescribed increased water intake plus a special diet of canned food and kibble. He's enjoying the new food but how do I get a cat to drink more water? Any ideas?

Jenny P.

Dear UrbanAnimal,

Ten months ago my two-year-old Burmese had a bout with cystitis and he was close to death's door when I got him to an emergency vet clinic. Without a moment to spare, he was treated over a course of days and while no relapses have occurred, he has developed behavioural issues regarding his litter box. When he needs to use the litter, he cries and sometimes howls, which sounds as if he's in pain, but he manages to urinate and defecate with no problem. Is it possible he now views the litter box as a source of pain?

Judy B.

Dear readers,

According to Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, the term FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) covers a range of issues that relate to a cat's bladder and urethra.

While causes vary, symptoms are similar and include difficulty and pain when urinating, increased frequency of urination and blood in the urine. Affected cats tend to lick their genital area excessively and sometimes they will urinate outside the litter box, often preferring cool, smooth surfaces such as a tile floor or bathtub.

Causes can include cystitis, urolithiasis (urinary stones) and urethral obstruction (www.vet.cornell.edu" www.vet.cornell.edu).

One of my own cats was rushed to emergency a few years ago where the vet quickly diagnosed "blocked cat syndrome," a lay term that demands no further explanation until treatment has begun and the cat is out of danger.

In my cat's case, urinary stones had caused urethral obstruction, a serious situation requiring immediate veterinary intervention. My cat appeared healthy and happy when I left for work that morning but when I returned home, he was tearing uncharacteristically around the house, yowling and howling and clawing at the floor and positioning himself as if he needed to urinate.

It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to empathize with any human or animal who suffers from any type of "blockage" and it can become deadly as the kidneys become unable to remove toxins from the blood.

According to Cornell University, "The time from complete obstruction until death may be less than 24 to 48 hours."

You don't need to know what type of FLUTD your cat is suffering from, if you see any of the symptoms, get your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

Jenny, I'm glad to hear that Jeeves' is enjoying his new diet and you'll find that he's naturally increasing his liquid intake through the canned food. To entice him to drink further, try adding chicken broth or water from canned tuna to his water bowl.

Some cats abhor the idea of wetting their whiskers or face in a bowl and prefer to drink directly from a household tap or hose. Your veterinarian can give you more ideas.

Judy, it's very possible that your cat relates his litter box to his recent and painful experience but I wouldn't take any chances. Consult with your veterinarian to see if a checkup is in order. If a health check shows no signs of FLUTD, consider purchasing a new litter box and placing it in a different location to help break the link between litter and pain.

If you have more than one cat, experts often recommend one litter box for each cat plus one more box as a kind of tie-breaker. Even if all the cats choose to use the same box, experts say that by providing optional boxes, the cats feel mollified. (And we all know how cats like to feel mollified!) Place the boxes in quiet places and clean them regularly.

E-mail jacque-newman@rogers.com with a question, comment or suggestion.