Introduction
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, in people are most commonly associated with bacterial infections. However in cats, urinary tract infections are only caused by a bacterial infection in less than 10% of all diagnosed cases. There is still a lot that is not known about urinary tract infections in cats, but there are certain types of conditions that can cause these infections to develop.
Causes of UTIs in Cats
In most cases of urinary tract infection in cats, the UTI developed as a result of an underlying condition. Medical conditions such as diabetes, feline leukemia, and feline immunodeficiency virus, are known to cause repeated UTIs to develop in a cat even with strong antibiotic treatments. In other cases, a UTI can develop as a result of something wrong with the bladder or urethra such as bladder stones or a narrow urethra.
Some cats have repeated UTIs that are termed idiopathic UTI, meaning the cause is not known. While still under investigation, it is believed that some types of allergies can cause inflammation in the bladder in cats which may lead to repeated urinary tract infections.
Diagnosing UTIs in Cats
Urinary tract infections in cats are sometimes caught during a routine screening, or they are diagnosed when a pet owner notices there is something wrong with their cat. Once a cat has been diagnosed with a UTI, the infection is treated based on the cause of the infection or the type of infection that developed. In more frustrating cases, cats develop repeated UTIs for no known reason. In these cases, pet owners can take steps to help prevent repeated infections from occurring in their cat.