Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lower urinary tract signs in young pet cats reported by owners
By Longstaff, Louise et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2017·1 School of Veterinary Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Owner-reported lower urinary tract signs in a cohort of young cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of young cats, specifically those under 10 years old, showed signs of lower urinary tract issues, such as difficulty urinating or blood in the urine. The study found that about 4-6% of these cats reported such symptoms at different ages. Interestingly, cats that lived indoors only and those that had a change in diet between 12 and 18 months were more likely to experience these urinary problems. While the exact dietary changes weren't specified, this finding suggests that diet may play a role in urinary health for young cats. If your cat is showing any urinary issues, it's a good idea to discuss their diet and living situation with your veterinarian.
People also search for: cat urinary problems · feline idiopathic cystitis symptoms · indoor cat urinary tract issues · cat diet change effects · young cat urination issues
Abstract
Objectives The most common cause of lower urinary tract signs (LUTS) in cats under the age of 10 years is feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). The prevalence of LUTS in the UK pet cat population is difficult to assess. This study used data collected prospectively to investigate the prevalence of, and risk factors for, owner-reported LUTS in a cohort of young pet cats. Methods Cat owners were recruited into a long-term longitudinal study and asked to complete questionnaires at specified age points for their cats. All cats were at least 18 months of age at the time of analysis. The prevalence of owner-reported LUTS at 18, 30 and 48 months of age was calculated, based on whether the owner had seen the cat urinating, and whether the cat had displayed one or more of the following clinical signs: dysuria, haematuria or vocalising during urination. A case-control study to investigate the risk factors for owner-reported LUTS in study cats at age 18 months was also conducted, using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results The prevalence of owner-reported LUTS in cats seen urinating by the owner was 4.3%, 3.8% and 6.0%, with 95% confidence intervals of 3.2-5.7%, 2.5-5.7% and 3.4-10.5% at ages 18, 30 and 48 months, respectively. An indoor-only lifestyle at the age of 18 months and a change in diet between the ages of 12 and 18 months were identified as risk factors for owner-reported LUTS at the age of 18 months from the multivariable model. No clear type of change in diet was identified in our sample of cats with LUTS. Conclusions and relevance The prevalence of owner-reported LUTS in a cohort of young pet cats was higher than the previously reported prevalence of LUTS in cats presenting to veterinary hospitals for LUTS or other reasons. A novel risk factor of change in diet between 12 and 18 months of age warrants further investigation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102690/