Types of Cat UTI

Urinary tract infection (UTI), is a shortcut for describing a variety of conditions that affect a cat's bladder. All have the same symptoms: urinating outside the litter box, blood in the urine, frequent unproductive trips to the litter box, licking the genital area, crying out while urinating, and strong-smelling urine.

  1. Types

    • In addition to true urinary tract infections, cats can suffer from bladder stones, crystals, and cystitis.

    Typical Patient

    • Cats over the age of 10 are more likely than younger cats to develop a true urinary tract infection. Most cats with bladder stones, crystals or cystitis show symptoms for the first time when they're about four-years-old.

    Causes

    • Bacteria is the most common cause of true urinary tract infections in cats. Veterinarians believe an all-dry-food diet and stress are the main causes of stones, crystals and cystitis.

    Diagnosis

    • Urinalysis is just one diagnostic tool and provides information about the pH balance in the cat's urine and whether blood, bacteria or uroliths are present. A urine culture and sensitivity test detects the type of bacteria present in the cat's urine. X-rays reveal the presence of bladder stones or crystals.

    Treatment

    • Veterinarians use antibiotics to treat true urinary tract infections. Some cats' stones or crystals need to be removed surgically. But for many cats, the treatment for stones, crystals and cystitis is feeding an all-wet-food diet, increasing the cat's moisture intake and reducing stress.