Help! My cat is straining to pee!
- veterinaryvoicesuk
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Feline FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease)
If your cat is hopping in and out of the litter tray, visiting the garden constantly,
straining to pass urine or passing small amounts of urine frequently, they may be
showing symptoms of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). You may even
notice that their urine is blood-tinged.
One serious complication of FLUTD is urethral obstruction, commonly known as a
blocked bladder. Male neutered cats are especially at risk of becoming blocked,
which is a true emergency. The obstruction can be caused by stones (uroliths),
plugs, inflammation and/or muscle spasm in the urethra. If your cat is struggling to
pass urine, seek veterinary care immediately.
What causes urinary tract disease in cats?
There are several causes of FLUTD such as bladder stones, infections, tumours,
and most commonly, idiopathic cystitis. We don’t fully understand what causes
idiopathic cystitis – an inflamed bladder – though it’s thought that some abnormalities
in the cat’s nervous system and how they deal with stress may be to blame.
Idiopathic cystitis is commonly triggered by stressful situations and as with some
other types of FLUTD, may be more likely in cats that consume less water, are
overweight or eat inappropriate diets.
Most cases of cystitis in cats are not due to infection , which means antibiotics are
usually not needed. However, older cats or those with underlying kidney disease are
more likely to develop bacterial infections. Idiopathic cystitis is diagnosed by ruling
out other, less common causes of FLUTD, so your veterinary team may want to run
tests and perform scans/x-rays, particularly if the problem is persistent or recurrent.
What can we do to help and prevent flareups of idiopathic cystitis?
You can support your cat at home with a few simple lifestyle and environmental
changes.
Boost their water intake:
Many cats drink more if they have a water fountain, as running water is often
more appealing.
Try offering both tap and bottled water to see which your cat prefers.
You can also offer flavoured water, such as the cooled water from poached
chicken.
Feeding wet food helps increase moisture intake naturally.
Consider targeted nutrition:
Provide a good-quality diet that supports urinary health.
A urinary diet may be recommended by your vet if appropriate for your cat.
Keep your cat at a healthy body weight, as overweight cats are more prone to
urinary problems.
Reduce stress in the home:
Pheromone diffusers can help create a calmer environment.
Offer extra litter trays with different substrates so your cat has options.
Place litter trays in a peaceful area of the house away from foot traffic.
More tips are available on the International Cat Care website :
A simple extra step that can help support your cat’s urinary health: Hydra Care
In addition to food and water, you can choose to offer Hydra Care as a third bowl. Hydra Care is a nutrient enriched complementary feed designed to help support daily fluid intake in healthy adult cats. In a study, cats fed dry food consumed up to 50% more liquid when Hydra Care was part of their routine*.
Visit this link to learn more about Hydra Care : Help, I Need My Cat to Drink
*A minimum of 25ml/kg of bodyweight must be consumed daily for benefit.
Supported by:
®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A
© Nestlé Purina Petcare 2026
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