Feline Urinary Syndrome Symptoms

Feline Urinary Syndrome (FUS), also known as "Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease" (FLUTD), is a set of symptoms that occur when a cat experiences inflammation or blockage of the urethra or bladder. While about half of all cases of FUS have no known cause, according to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, about 20 percent are caused by bladder stones (usually in females), and another 20 percent are caused by urethral blockage (usually in males). No matter the cause, most cases of FUS present similar symptoms.

  1. Frequent Urination

    • The severe inflammation of FUS causes a stinging sensation that makes the cat feel like he has to urinate. He may enter the litterbox more frequently throughout the day, only to release a very small amount of urine because his bladder is not actually full. If bladder stones are present, the bladder may feel full even when it is not.

    Inappropriate Urination

    • Cats with FUS frequently urinate outside of the litter box for a couple of reasons. An inflamed urinary tract may give the cat very sudden urges to urinate, and she may not make it to the litterbox in time. Also, if urination is very painful, the cat may associate that pain with the litterbox itself and avoid using it at all.

    Straining to Urinate

    • If the urethra is very inflamed, the cat may feel the urge to urinate without having a full bladder. Bladder stones can exacerbate the feeling until he spends a good deal of time just standing in the litterbox.

    Licking the Urinary Opening

    • Feline Urinary Syndrome can make it very painful for the cat to pass urine. Many cats will spend an inordinate amount of time licking the urinary opening and grooming the surrounding area in an attempt to remove the source of the pain.

    Blood in Urine

    • When crystals are present in the urine, they form a sediment that can actually abrade an already inflamed urethra. Every time the cat urinates, the crystals have the potential to scrape along the walls of the passage, leaving tiny wounds that can produce small amounts of blood. Crystals also tend to harbor bacteria, and the urine can become blood-tinged as blood cells rush to the site of infection.

    Inability to Urinate

    • Occasionally, urinary crystals will grow large enough to completely block the urethra. This is more common in male cats, as the opening is much more narrow than in females, and it is a dire emergency. A cat who is unable to pass urine will experience a bladder rupture if not treated, and will certainly die from toxins released into the bloodstream. These blockages do not clear by themselves, and must be removed by a veterinarian.