Has your cat ever shown signs of discomfort when using the litter tray or developed changes to their urination pattern? If so, you might already know how worrying this can be. There are so many potential causes of urinary issues in cats, but one often-overlooked factor is stress. Cats are highly sensitive creatures and stress can play a big role in triggering or worsening bladder inflammation, also known as cystitis.
Understanding the link between your cat’s emotional wellbeing and their physical health can be essential in preventing urinary problems and keeping them as comfortable as possible.
What is feline idiopathic cystitis?
Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is a condition where the inner lining of the bladder becomes inflamed, making cats feel like they need to urinate more often. FIC falls under the umbrella category of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), used to class a group of conditions characterised by signs of abnormal urination like straining, blood in the wee and painful urination.
Unlike bladder infections, stones, or tumours, FIC is diagnosed when no obvious cause can be found. The term ‘idiopathic’ simply means a condition where the cause is unknown. In fact, many cats with cystitis symptoms don’t have a urinary tract infection at all, which can surprise owners.
FIC is most commonly seen in young to middle-aged cats and especially indoor cats. Both male and female cats can be affected, but male cats are more prone to developing a urinary blockage (urethral obstruction) as a result of FIC, which is an emergency.
Common symptoms of FIC include:
- More frequent trips to the litter tray
- Repeated attempts to pass urine, often only producing small amounts
- Blood in the urine
- Urinating outside the litter tray
- Crying or showing signs of pain when urinating
- Over-grooming (excessive licking, often of the belly or around the genitals)
Episodes of FIC can start suddenly or seem to come out of nowhere and some cats suffer from recurrent bouts. If you have ever experienced cystitis yourself, you’ll know how painful and distressing it can be, and it’s the same for our cats.
What causes FIC?
Believe it or not, the most common cause of FIC in cats is actually stress. You might be able to think of something obvious that might stress your cat out, like moving house or having noisy building work done, but sometimes even the most subtle changes can upset them, leading to bladder trouble. There might be tension with another cat or animal in the home that is hard to spot, or even new people or furniture in the house can cause a stir.
There are several risk factors that make it more likely a cat will become stressed and therefore develop FIC, including being an indoor-only cat or living in a multi-cat household.
The link between stress and FIC
It’s generally thought that some cats just don’t handle stress in a ‘normal’ way, whether it’s due to genetics or learning from their early life experiences. Stress can overstimulate nerves that affect the bladder, making it more sensitive.
Anxiety and stress can also disrupt the protective layer inside the bladder, leaving it more exposed and prone to irritation from urine.
In summary, stress doesn’t just upset cats emotionally, it can physically upset their bladder.
The risk of FIC and urinary blockages
If a cat’s bladder is exposed to inflammation over a period of time, it can lead to a build up of crystals and mucus in the urine which can block the passage between the bladder and the outside of the body (the urethra). As mentioned above, urethral blockages or obstructions are medical emergencies and can be life threatening to cats. Male cats are particularly at risk due to their longer, narrower urethra compared to females.
Urethral obstruction is when the urethra becomes completely blocked, whether that be due to a plug of mucous or stone from the bladder getting stuck on the way out, or a spasm of the muscle in the urethra. Cats with an obstruction are unable to pass urine or empty their bladder at all, leading to a build-up of toxins in the blood which can make them very sick, as well as being incredibly painful.
I’m worried my cat has a blockage, should I make an emergency call to my vet?
Contact your vet immediately if your cat is showing any of these signs:
- Straining to urinate but not producing any urine
- Repeatedly visiting the litter tray without passing anything
- Crying in pain or seeming restless
- Lethargy, vomiting or loss of appetite
These could all be signs of a urinary obstruction, especially in male cats. Don’t wait to see if it improves, seek veterinary help as soon as possible.
How can I prevent my cat becoming stressed?
As an owner, there are plenty of relatively easy things you can do to lower your cat’s stress levels and reduce the risk of FIC:
- Provide plenty of hiding places: Ideally, places that are high up where your cat will feel more safe and can relax undisturbed.
- Multiple toilet spaces: Cats like options, especially if you have multiple cats at home, try to provide one litter tray each plus one extra (the one per cat, plus one rule).
- Separate their resources: As per the last point, cats also appreciate having a choice of eating areas, so make sure they have plenty of private space around their food and water bowls, and that each cat has their own.
- Use pheromones: These often come in the form of plug-ins or sprays and can promote a sense of calm at home.
- Giving supplements: These can help keep your cat calm, or even support their bladder lining, just ask your vet.
- Play and enrichment: Providing daily playtime, scratching posts and puzzle feeders help combat boredom and stress.
How will my vet diagnose and treat FIC?
If your cat shows any of the symptoms of FIC, it’s important to see your vet quickly. They’ll rule out serious problems like urinary blockages first, then may check a urine sample or carry out imaging (like an X-ray or ultrasound) to look for stones or other causes.
There’s no one test that can diagnose FIC, rather it’s a diagnosis of exclusion that’s made once other possible causes of FLUTD are ruled out.
FIC is usually managed with a multimodal approach – involving a combination of medical treatment and lifestyle changes. Treatment often involves:
- Anti-inflammatory pain relief to keep your cat comfortable
- Increasing their water intake (feeding wet food, providing plenty of water or adding in water fountains)
- Giving supplements to support their bladder lining
- Feeding a special prescription diet
- Reducing stress using the steps outlined above
FIC can be a frustrating condition, especially if your cat suffers with recurrent episodes, but the upside is that you can make a huge difference by making some relatively simple changes at home. By focusing on your cats emotional wellbeing as well as addressing their physical health together with your vet, you can reduce flare-ups and help them live a happier, more comfortable and relaxed life.
Your local vet practice will be able to provide plenty of practical advice specifically for you and your cat, so don’t be afraid to give them a call to chat more in detail about FIC or stress if you have any concerns.
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