Cats are prone to urinary tract infections, which occur when bacteria gets into the urethra--the tube that carries urine from the body. In most instances, a urinary tract infection is not a serious illness in cats. If you catch it early, you can generally treat your cat's infection at home by providing plenty of fresh, clean water and keeping the litter boxes extra clean. However, you want to ensure that your cat responds to home treatment. If the infection travels into the cat's bladder or kidneys it can result in a more serious illness.
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Water
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The most important step to treating a cat's urinary tract infection is to get your pet to drink extra water. The more water your cat drinks, the more often he'll urinate. The more often he urinates, the more quickly the infection-causing bacteria will be flushed from his body. Ensure that your cat always has access to fresh, clean water. Some cats prefer to drink water that is running. You might let your cat drink from a running faucet or provide a small electric water fountain. Some cats also prefer to drink out of long, narrow containers rather than the typical water bowl. Try several different ways of providing water to your cat to get him to drink even more.
Foods
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Dry cat foods do not contain a lot of moisture. While your cat is suffering from a urinary tract infection you might consider giving her more canned foods or moistening her dry food in chicken broth. Letting your cat lap up chicken broth can also be a nice treat while she is recovering from a urinary tract infection. If your cat will drink it--some cats will and some cats hate it--give her some cranberry juice in a bowl. Just as with people, cranberry juice is a great remedy for cats' urinary tract infections. It soothes the inflammation and makes the urine more acidic. The more acidic the urine, the less hospitable it is to bacteria.
Litter Boxes
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While your cat is suffering from a urinary tract infection, it is especially important that you keep the litter box extra clean. Again, this is so your cat will urinate more often. Many cats will hold their urine rather than use a dirty litter box. Holding urine can cause the infection to spread. In addition to scooping the litter box two or three times a day, ensure your cat has easy access to the litter box. Also be sure that noisy children, a rambunctious dog or other cats aren't keeping the sick cat from getting to the litter box when he needs access. You may also want to consider adding more litter boxes if yours is a multi-cat family. The general rule is that you need a box for each cat, plus an extra box. For example, if you have three cats, you should have four litter boxes.
Veterinarian
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If your cat doesn't respond to home treatment within a few days, you should take your pet to a veterinarian. Your cat may need antibiotics or other professional care to overcome the infection. A condition can also occur in which male cats, and occasionally female cats, become obstructed in their urinary tracts because of the formation of crystals. This is a life-threatening condition and often mimics the symptoms of a urinary tract infection in its early stages. If you suspect that your cat has a urinary tract obstruction, you should not attempt home treatment but should take the cat to a veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic immediately.
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