Feline Partial Urinary Blockage

Feline urinary blockages are extremely serious, even if the blockage is only partial. In either case, the symptoms and severity are nearly identical. If a blockage continues for more than two to six days, the toxins in the body build to a fatal level resulting in the cat's death. Symptoms of a blockage are similar to other conditions. The only way to tell if your cat is blocked is by feeling her abdomen. A healthy bladder will feel like a small water balloon. A blocked bladder feels like a hard peach.

  1. Urinary Blockage

    • A urinary blockage means the urethral outflow is blocked; little or no urine can escape from the bladder. This condition typically affects older cats, although cats of any age are at risk. Males are more susceptible because they have longer urethras. Longer passageways hold more opportunity for blockages to occur. Urinary blockages, even partial ones, are life threatening and become acutely painful quite rapidly.

    Reason

    • Urethral plugs are often to blame. Although it is possible for small bladder stones or mucus plugs to partially or totally block the urethra, it is typically a plug formed of mineral content. The plugs are often pliable rather than rigid or dense. Once an area becomes obstructed, more debris will attach to the plug, creating an even larger blockage. What was a partial blockage yesterday will soon be a total blockage today.

    Symptoms

    • As the toxins in the body build, an array of symptoms become obvious, like vomiting and loss of appetite. The cat will strain to urinate as he feels more and more uncomfortable; little or no urine will be eliminated during these attempts. Within the first 24 hours, the cat will begin to take on a drunken appearance as he loses coordination and becomes dehydrated. The cat will grow ill rapidly. Cats with urinary blockages do not recover unless they get treatment.

    Treatment

    • The blockage must be removed. A vet will insert a urinary catheter through the urethral opening. He'll either insert the catheter into the blockage itself in an attempt to remove it or apply a flushing process to erode the blockage and eventually dissolve the plug or stone. Since the surgery is painful, the vet will sedate the animal and monitor it for any complications. He'll stitch the catheter into place to continue to flush out the cat's system. Fortunately, most cats tolerate the surgery well and make a full recovery.

    Hospitalization

    • Cats must stay in the hospital for several days following the procedure. After two days, the vet removes the catheter and the cat can begin urinating on his own. Urinating will be painful for a couple of days after the catheter's removal, so accidents are likely to occur. The vet will not release the cat to go home until he can urinate strongly with no pain. Owners are advised to watch their pet closely as he continues to recover from surgery to make sure another blockage does not occur.