Do you like this story?
Does your cat have a “bladder migraine”?
By Kim Campbell Thornton
June 9, 2009
That’s how Tony Buffington, DVM, at the Ohio State University, describes feline idiopathic cystitis to his clients. In the notes I took from the proceedings for his talk on expanding treatment approaches for FIC, Dr. Buffington explains that the condition–bladder inflammation with unknown cause–isn’t normally treated with antibiotics or surgery. That’s often a tough pill for cat owners to swallow. But unless a bacterial urinary tract infection is documented, he says that environmental modifications are more effective than medication. The following changes to a cat’s environment can help to manage FIC.
Use the 1 plus 1 rule for litter boxes: that is, one litter box per cat, plus one extra.
Feed the cat in a quiet location where it won’t be startled by other animals or any sudden movement, sound or activity of an appliance such as a washer, dryer or air duct.
If a change in diet is recommended, don’t just abruptly take away the cat’s regular food. Offer the new food in a separate container adjacent to the food the cat is used to. This allows the cat to express its preference.
Hide small amounts of food around the house or place some in a food puzzle or paper bag so the cat has to “hunt” to eat.
Cats seem to have a preference for water in motion. They often like to drink from pet fountains or dripping faucets. (My cats were the exception; a dripping faucet might have been okay, but the pet fountain we tried out scared them to death. They were even more freaked out when we added a couple of ice cubes.)
Take into account the shape and size of the water container. Some cats don’t like their whiskers touching the sides of the bowl when they drink.
Provide horizontal and vertical opportunities for scratching, plus climbing, hiding and resting places. Think hammocks, window seats, raised walkways, shelves.
Reduce conflict between cats by providing separate dishes, litter boxes, toys, etc.
Tricyclic antidepressants can help in chronic cases if environmental changes aren’t enough, but they shouldn’t be used to treat acute cases of FIP because they can increase the risk of recurrence.
In other words, cat owners, don’t demand drugs upfront, thinking you can skip all that hard stuff mentioned above.
Dr. Buffington ends by noting that FIC is one of those conditions that’s best treated with, well, prevention–by recognizing the effects of quality of housing on pet health.
Want more? Look here.
Share & Enjoy
|
Facebook
|
Twitter
|
Google Buzz
|
Digg
|
|
Technorati
|
StumbleUpon
|
Delicious
|
Email
|
Home
My cats hate any movement or noise when they eat so I go away from the area until they finish. I do the same when they are using the cat litter.
Comment by Colorado Transplant — June 8, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
This can be difficult when there are other circumstances, i.e., dogs to be kept out of the litter box and basement. I feed Dickens in the basement - it’s his room, his place to escape to from the dogs if he wants to. In a small house, it’s the only option. But I can move things around within the basement.
Having more than one species in a home can make for some interesting juggling.
Good points all around, Kim. Instead of looking for easy fixes like popping a pill, the harder and slower environmental fix is often just the ticket.
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — June 9, 2009 @ 5:39 am
I had a situation a little over a year ago where my new young cat (“the kitten”) would repeatedly charge and steamroller the previous adult cat, who was not NEARLY as into such rough play. The adult cat started peeing about every 15 minutes at which point I took her in to the vet immediately.
The vet diagnosed FIC and explained there was a good chance that in this case it was stress-related. For a few days I shut the adult cat up in a room with a Feliway diffuser (and also ran diffusers in other parts of the house) until her peeing was back to normal. I continued the diffusers for a few more weeks, and adopted a practice I continue to this day - at bedtime, the “kitten” gets shut into the front bedroom and the adult cat gets the rest of the house as a Kitten-Free-Zone overnight. I also make sure the adult cat gets about 15 minutes dedicated play and attention time every morning.
This has really helped. The adult cat has remained much calmer, and her self-confidence has improved. And she’s not hiding all the time like she was.
With the addition of a third young adult cat, the dynamic has changed slightly - for the better. Turns out the new cat and the kitten BOTH like rough play, so they pretty much keep each other occupied. I’ve kept an eye out to be sure they’re not ganging up on the adult cat (they’re not) and the overnight Kitten-Free Zone is still in effect. I have another area of the house (bathroom and hallway) that the new cat stays in overnight. I’d let her in the bedroom with me and the dog, but he’s just five pounds and scared of her, so I have to be fair to him, too.
So far it’s working . . . . . . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — June 9, 2009 @ 6:01 am