Why Do Cats Get Bladder Infections in the Spring?

Symptoms and Diagnosis

• There are some telltale signs that a cat has a urinary tract problem, including crying when urinating, an otherwise litter-trained cat urinating outside the litter box, blood in the urine, being more thirsty than usual and visibly straining during urination.

  Diagnosis of feline urinary tract infections is carried out by a veterinarian. Do not delay in having your cat checked by a vet if you suspect a bladder infection, as untreated infections can lead to complications and compromise the cat's kidney function.

Treatment

• Treatment is typically with a course of antibiotics, administered to the cat over a period of days. Other treatments may be prescribed by a veterinarian.

  To help prevent future infections, keep your cat well hydrated and fed on a good quality diet, and ensure that the litter box is kept scrupulously clean.

Dehydration

• Dehydration is one of the causes of feline bladder infections, and may explain why cats can be more prone to such infections in the springtime. As temperatures rise in the spring, and cats spend more time being active outside, the cat's water consumption may not increase sufficiently to avoid dehydration.

Stress

• Stress is another cause for cats developing urinary tract infections. Spring is a common time of year for renters and homeowners to make residential moves, and moving is a stressful time for most cats. This could be another reason why cats' bladder infections seem more prevalent in springtime, as stress levels increase with new homes and unfamiliar litter-box locations.

Mud Season

• Particularly for cats who have had urinary infections--and are therefore more prone to future infections of this type--cleanliness is very important in preventing infections from developing. Springtime is a muddy time of year in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere and, therefore, the cat's environment may be increasingly muddy or dirty, heightening the risk of a bladder infection.