Autumn is just around the corner.
As the temperature drops, you may also notice a drop in your cat's water intake as well. This produces concentrated urine which can be one of the factors to lead to urinary obstruction. Urinary obstruction occurs mainly in male cats due to their narrow and long urethra.
Symptoms:
If your cat is straining to urinate and producing little or no urine each time or seems to be in pain when his abdomen is touched, a veterinarian should check him IMMEDIATELY! It may be suffering from a urinary obstruction.
Urinary obstructions are life threatening. If urine is prevented from exiting the bladder, pressure within the urinary tract can damage the kidneys. Urine contains metabolic waste products that the body must eliminate; urinary obstruction causes these toxins to build up. In addition, the bladder wall may be stretched to the point where muscle function is lost; in the worst cases, it ruptures. If not treated quickly, pets with a urinary obstruction can die a painful death from complications.
Unfortunately urinary obstruction is not 100% preventable but there are ways to reduce the risk. Increasing your cat's water intake is essential. Unlike dogs, many cats will not drink water regularly so a good way to promote the intake is by adding wet food in the diet. Wet diets are high in water. Also, there are prescription diets available that are designed to lower the risk of urinary tract problems. Please inform us for more details on these products.