Introduction
Urinary tract infection in cats is a painful condition which, if left untreated, can develop into dangerous kidney infections. Once a cat has been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection the cat is placed on a course of antibiotics and the cause of the urinary tract infection is investigated.
Treating UTIs in Cats
Cats will from time to time develop a urinary tract infection, and these infections are treated successfully with antibiotics. However sometimes the cat has an underlying condition which causes the urinary tract infection to develop. In these cases the infections will continue to reappear after antibiotic treatments unless the cause of the infection is resolved. Underlying conditions such as bladder stones or diabetes are famous for causing repeat urinary tract infections in cats.
Whether or not a pet owner should decide to further investigate the cause of the urinary tract infections depends on if the infection is accompanied by other symptoms or if the infections keep occurring. Urinary tract infections by themselves normally do not cause any other symptoms besides frequent urination, blood in the urine, and painful urination.
Urinary tract infections that develop as a result of another condition are often accompanied by additional symptoms which may include: lethargy, depression, different eating or drinking habits, change in behavior, and weight loss.
If your cat develops a urinary tract infection the infection is normally diagnosed through a urinalysis. If you, or your veterinarian, feels that further investigation is warranted than blood tests and x-rays are normally performed next to find the possible underlying cause of the urinary tract infection. Once this underlying cause is discovered the urinary tract infection can be treated successfully.