In this article I will talk about the types of urinary incontinence in cats and cats, and what to do first. I will list the causes and symptoms of a cat’s inability to hold urination. I will consider measures to prevent incontinence and talk about methods for eliminating symptoms at home.
Types of urinary incontinence in cats
The inability to hold urine is not an independent disease.
Incontinence is a symptom of a more serious illness affecting the pet. Features of the symptoms will help the veterinarian find the root cause.
Types of incontinence:
- Small amount of leakage. Small volumes of urine are released on the pet's path to the litter box. This symptom can only be noticed with careful observation. Signs include small, strong-smelling puddles on the floor, furniture, or carpet.
- Regular leakage. The sphincter of the urethra loses its tightness, resulting in urine constantly flowing out in a thin stream, especially when the pet moves around the house.
- Urgentnoe. The need to urinate occurs unexpectedly even for the pet itself. He relieves himself immediately, which can be scary. This sign can be observed in the behavior of the cat - she is constantly scared, goes to the toilet in different places, meowing and pressing her ears to her head.
- Stressful. Overexcitement of a pet due to stress, fear or positive emotions may cause involuntary urination.
Regular monitoring of the quantity and quality of visits to the tray for minor needs will make it possible to determine deviations from the norm at an early stage and diagnose diseases.
Limiting your pet's fluid intake is prohibited, as this will lead to dehydration, weakened immunity and possible death.
Urinary incontinence is a problem common in older cats.Causes of incontinence
Factors that provoke the inability to retain urine in cats are divided into 3 large groups:
- Neurogenic – dysfunction of the nervous system. The impetus for the disorder can be injuries, neoplasms and hernias on the organs of the central nervous system. A pinched or ruptured nerve can also lead to uncontrolled urination.
- Abnormal structure of the organs of the genitourinary system. Congenital pathologies – hypoplasia and ectopia. Acquired anomalies - stone formations, urethral and vaginal fistulas.
- Functional disorders. They occur against the background of infectious diseases of the genitourinary system, urolithiasis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, as well as with an unbalanced diet. The presence of excess fat and spices in the food leads to an increase in alkaline urine, resulting in irritation of the urethra.
Symptoms of incontinence
Signs of urinary incontinence are varied, but with proper attention to the animal, they are not difficult to notice. Symptoms manifest themselves in:
- Regular moisture of the cat's coat in the area of the hind legs, belly and tail;
- The presence of wet spots in the animal’s resting areas;
- The consistency of urine changes - an unpleasant odor, mucus, blood, sand appears;
- Unintentional urination. The animal begins to walk outside the tray, and there is obvious anxiety and fear;
- Inflammatory processes on the skin in the area of the urethra;
- Damp fur around the area where urine is released.
Only a veterinarian can diagnose incontinence.
Self-medication for these symptoms can harm the animal, significantly compromising its health.
Treatment of a cat with urinary incontinence
Treatment measures aimed at the inability to hold urination are prescribed only by a veterinarian after a detailed examination and history. Diagnosis is carried out by several combined methods: visual examination, palpation, urine collection, additional ultrasound examinations or x-rays.
Treatment depends on the nature of the incontinence:
- In case of injury, medications and surgery are prescribed.
- In case of anomalies in the structure of the urinary system, surgical intervention is prescribed, as well as a homeopathic course of treatment.
- For functional disorders, treatment occurs through massage, medication and injections.
Strictly following the treatment instructions issued by the veterinarian will significantly increase the speed and chance of your pet’s recovery.
If new symptoms appear, you should immediately visit a veterinary clinic.
Prevention at home
Preventive actions to prevent urinary incontinence in cats are not clearly defined due to the wide range of causes of the symptom. However, veterinarians advise observing the following measures:
- Balanced and measured nutrition for the cat.
- Regular prevention of helminth infection.
- Compliance with the vaccination schedule.
- Reduce the likelihood of your cat contracting colds by minimizing exposure to the street during the cold season and drafts.
- Eliminate situations that cause injury to your pet.
- Control over your pets' walks on the street, as well as their interactions with other animals
- Minimizing low and medium quality feed.
Security healthy eating and an active lifestyle for your pet, coupled with regular veterinary examinations, will reduce the risk of urinary incontinence in your pet.
Frequent urination, sometimes outside the litter box, is not always the pet’s fault or his attempt to misbehave. In most cases, this is a consequence of diseases that have affected the animal. The owner's attention to the process and frequency of urination of the pet will allow diagnosing the disease at an early stage and improve the health of representatives of the feline world.
Urinary incontinence occurs in cats just like in humans. And it is not always possible to immediately determine that this is a disease - many people think that their mustache suddenly began to take revenge for something. There are different situations. In some cases, the cat marks everything around on purpose, while in others, the pet accidentally empties its bladder. And there is little pleasure in the fact that a cat has urinary incontinence. But it is imperative to understand the reasons in order to eliminate them. So what to do in such a situation?
After all, not all owners immediately understand that the cat has urinary incontinence. At first, they think that the pet simply does not reach the litter box or that it is taking a shit out of spite. But having noticed that this happens “unconsciously”, you must definitely figure out the reasons for the cat’s incontinence. And then decide with the veterinarian how to treat it.
Yes, there are several types of cat urinary incontinence. Let's look at each of them.
- Undermining. Already from the name it is clear that urine is released literally drop by drop. This type of incontinence is not easy to spot. Only an attentive owner notices small wet spots on the carpet, furniture, bedding or floor. Droplets are released when the pet runs to the tray and jumps up sharply.
- Constant leaking. With this type of incontinence, the cat produces urine constantly, but more often when the animal moves (stands up, runs, sits down). As soon as the bladder is filled, urine is immediately released, and the mustache does not have time to reach the tray, because it is not able to control its sphincter in the urinary tract.
- Urgentnaya. This form is easier to recognize than others. The fact is that with this type of illness, the mustache has a noticeable fear right on its face due to the fact that it did not have time to reach the tray. The urge to urinate is so strong that the animal does not have time to understand or do anything. The puddle appears unexpectedly for both the owner and the pet itself.
- Stressful. A cat urinates as soon as it gets into a stressful situation. And not necessarily out of fear.
Causes
In fact, there can be many reasons for urinary incontinence in cats! Let's look at each of the possible ones.
Impairment of activity, as well as disease of the central nervous system
When signals are not transmitted “normally” through the nerves, malfunctions in the body’s functioning are possible. And not only cats can become incontinent. This can be caused by infectious diseases, inflammatory processes in the brain or spinal cord, and injuries (blows, concussions, bruises, etc.). Most often, urinary function is impaired after spinal injury (especially the lumbosacral and caudal regions). The operation may have been carried out in error; nerves were damaged. It is also possible that there is pressure on the nerves or the brain itself (neoplasms, swelling, hematomas, etc.).
Other reasons
Other possible causes of urinary incontinence in cats.
| Congenital pathology of the genitourinary system | For this reason, the cat does not hold urine since childhood. Owners may take this for bad manners and say that the kitten does not want to go to the litter box. Only a veterinarian can detect the problem after a thorough examination (it is best to do an ultrasound). |
| Infection | Both “general”, that is, affecting the entire body (several organ systems, including the urinary), and only in the genitourinary system. For example, nephritis, nephrosis, cystitis and others. |
| Urolithiasis disease | This disease is being recorded more and more often in domestic purrs. But the reason lies in the fact that the owners feed them incorrectly. Many people don’t even understand that they can’t mix dry food and natural food, or they save on industrial food by buying cheap and unbalanced food. |
| Metabolic disease | It leads not only to the development of urolithiasis in a cat, but also to the accumulation of excess weight or even the appearance of diabetes. It is very important to monitor your pet’s health, visit the veterinarian on time, and balance the diet. |
| Age-related changes | With aging, sphincters become less and less controlled. Hence the "leaks". |
| Childbirth | Urinary incontinence is sometimes reported in cats that have given birth. |
Paralysis, paresis, or spasm of the bladder | Any of these diseases leads to the fact that the cat does not “control” the process of urination. But this sore will not appear out of thin air, so it is necessary to find the reason why your pet’s bladder “fails.” |
Symptoms of urinary incontinence
It is difficult to ignore the symptoms of urinary incontinence in a cat. But for the most part, they depend precisely on the reason why the pet began to urinate. Usually this is anxiety, fear, wet fur on the inner thighs or tummy, a puddle or drops in the place where the pet was sitting/lying. If the disease is inflammatory in nature, then during urination the animal may meow pitifully (due to pain). If there is paralysis/paresis of the bladder itself or the nerves, then the animal may not even understand that it has wet itself. Therefore, talking about any “obvious” symptoms, other than a sudden puddle of urine, can take a long time to talk about. Still, there are many reasons, and each has its own clinic.
Treatment of a cat with urinary incontinence
Treatment for a cat with urinary incontinence primarily depends on the cause of the problem. If a cat has inflammation, then you cannot do without antibiotics. If the reason lies in excess weight, then you need to take care of a balanced diet and physical activity for the mustache. In the case of a disturbance in the functioning of the nervous system, you need to understand what caused it. This is not always possible to fix. And then you have to put a diaper on the cat. And place several trays in various corners of the apartment.
You cannot prescribe medications yourself. This will only make the situation worse. Many medications are completely contraindicated for animals. Therefore, you cannot do without a veterinarian. An ultrasound is often required to “see” what is going on inside the pet.
Preventing urinary incontinence in cats
Prevention of urinary incontinence in a cat is to not allow probable causes to “impact” the whisker. Feed in a balanced manner, avoid drafts in the room, secure the space (so that the pet does not hit or fall from anywhere). Take her to the veterinarian on time, so you will be aware of the health status of your beauty. Unfortunately, it’s more difficult with older animals. No matter how much you take care of your purr, the risk of urinary incontinence in an old cat will not disappear.
Still have questions? You can ask them to our site's in-house veterinarian in the comment box below, who will respond to them as soon as possible.
More information about urinary incontinence in cats and dogs in the video:
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A 2-month-old outdoor kitten, when they washed it, they thought the smell of urine would go away! but no, he pees in the tray, sometimes he doesn’t make it, the problem is that the hair on his paws is all torn apart and swollen with a piss. Today we went to the doctor and they said it was a problem, but they prescribed 2 antibiotic injections today, the second one in 48 hours, what should I do? I've had it for three days
Dear veterinarians, if possible, please tell me. My cat is 5 months old. About 3 months ago, we noticed that he was leaking urine during sleep. Not much, a couple of times, of course, there was such leakage that two layers of the cotton blanket were soaked. When he is alert, he goes to the litter box and behaves like a normal, even very nimble and inquisitive kitten. Affectionate. There were no injuries. He eats well, his stool is normal. On the advice of veterinarians, she completely switched to Royal horse meat. She was treated for worms and fleas. No vaccinations were given. They did an ultrasound, no abnormalities were found, urine indicators: protein (absent), leukocytes, epithelium, geolin cylinders are normal, no crystals in the urine. I want to believe that he will outgrow it and everything will be normal. Is this option possible or is it still a pathology?
Hello, the cat is 16 years old and has started squealing, if you can call it that. For no reason at all, she starts running to the toilet frequently, then she apparently gets tired and just sits on the floor wherever she has to, lifts her paw and you can see how her urine does not often leak in large drops. She sits and licks it. There is no certainty about this. She can do this once a week, once a month, 2 times a week, every other day. Start early in the morning or late in the evening...there is no pattern. But at the same time, this does not happen often. We took him to the veterinarian, gave urine and blood tests for a whole bunch of indicators, and did an ultrasound. They said that for our age the tests were simply ideal. We insisted on a 7-day course of antibiotics; for the life of me, I can’t remember the name. They said that they were very expensive and after the injection the cat could not step on her paw, and during the injection she screamed a lot. It makes no sense, in the clinic (and we see him there on a regular basis) they shrug their shoulders. They suggest taking a course of incontinence pills, but we doubt it. We are already afraid to heal, because we are afraid of age and sad consequences. If necessary, I will call the clinic and find out what they injected and in what doses. Please tell me what this could be, if you have options or maybe advice based on your experience. I will be grateful for any answer
Hello!
Today a kitten (a girl) was dropped off at the entrance. Apparently someone threw it out... I had to pick it up... She's leaking urine, all her hind legs are turning yellow...
You can't tell by her behavior that she's sick...
What to do?
Nastya 22:50 | 23 Sep. 2018
Hello! Our cat is 8 months old. We didn’t notice and she went on leave. Three days ago she had a premature birth, the kittens were very premature and, unfortunately, died. The cat developed urinary incontinence. Will this go away or does it need to be treated?
Sorry I didn't write everything. The cat was given an injection of the antibiotic tyrosine, nog-au cerucal, dexomethazole and octreotide. Today, according to the analysis, a diagnosis of Acute pancreatitis was made. A new antibiotic was prescribed: Ceftriaxone IV, sodium chloride drip, acidosis IV, cerucal and no-spa IM, ostreotide to the withers. Also enterosgel, fortiflora and diet. The cat doesn’t eat anything (he’s vomiting), so we force diluted food in from a syringe. He almost always sleeps. Crying in a voice that is not his own. And now there’s also incontinence... He’s trying to move around a little, but it’s very difficult for him, because... one paw doesn’t obey at all... Please help! Tell me what to do? The cat is a member of our family! We love him very much and want to help him. Tell me how? Thank you in advance! I really hope for your answer!
Hello! My cat is 16 years old. In the morning I noticed lethargy, and by lunchtime I completely refused to eat. They didn’t bother with the old cat and called a veterinarian to the house. The doctor took a blood test. I gave him a couple of injections in the muscle of his hind leg and in the withers. After the doctor left, the cat couldn’t walk at all, it felt like he couldn’t feel one paw completely. The doctor told us that there was nothing to worry about, just that after the injections he was afraid to walk because of the pain. And today we noticed in the morning that his urine was constantly leaking. Our veterinarian squeezed urine out of him today. He says that because of his character, he shows with his whole appearance that his paw hurts, and that’s why he doesn’t want to go and pee. Today he was given an IV. The cat is full of urine, this can be seen from the cat, but he still won’t go to the litter box, although he has started to get up and move around little by little. Urine leaks constantly. Help me please!!! We love our cat very much. Maybe when giving injections they hit a nerve? Or did something go wrong against the backdrop of stress (he is a terrible panicker in our country)? Please tell me, I really hope you can help!
Hello, my cat recently gave birth to 3 kittens. One without a tail. The rest are normal. Without a tail, the kitten pees involuntarily and in droplets. Is this a disease or will it go away with time? Or take him to the vet? I'm sorry for the mistake.
Hello! My cat is 1 year 3 months old. About 2 months ago he suddenly stopped eating, lost weight and began to shed heavily. At first he practically didn’t walk, he constantly lay and drank water. I began to notice that his eyes were always wet hind legs and urine is dripping. After the antibiotics that were prescribed to me at the hospital, he recovered. He began to eat a lot and quickly began to recover, but the urine never stopped flowing.
Hello! In order to say exactly what is wrong with an animal, it must be examined. To do this, you should perform an ultrasound, donate blood for general and biochemical analysis, and urine. It is necessary to exclude cystitis and other inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, urolithiasis. If it’s age-related, then, alas, no medications will help. It will leak. If the inflammatory process is to blame, then treat your pet and everything will go away
Alina 22:36 | 01 Mar. 2019
Hello! My cat is 13 years old, and for about a week in the morning I find a puddle in the place where he slept - he only pees at night, apparently when he is fast asleep. The spot is almost colorless, only a yellow halo, large - in a ball all over the cat. During the day he goes outside and recovers there. Previously, he asked me 2-3 times at night, but now he sleeps soundly. 40 days ago I vaccinated him with Nobivak triquet trio, 2 weeks ago I dripped Advantage onto the withers. I usually inject Gamavit Forte with the vaccine, but this time I couldn’t buy it. Could this be a reaction to the drugs? No discharge, good appetite, drinks and is active. Neutered a long time ago. What if I inject Gamavit now? Can you recommend the best complex? We don’t have a veterinary clinic, it’s far from the city, at the SBBZ in the regional center they said that it was senile, they didn’t even take blood (I don’t know how to collect urine, he’s running somewhere in the bushes).
Daria - veterinarian 19:50 | 04 Mar. 2019
Hello! No, there cannot be such a reaction to a vaccine. About Gamavit. Don't worry. Empty drug. Look at the composition. One drop of active substance per barrel of water for injection. Just pink water and an extra hole in the animal. There are much more effective preparations in which the concentration of vitamins and minerals is much higher: multivit, multivit+minerals, oligovit (that’s all injectable drugs and should be on SBBZH, since they are also used on productive farm animals). I should do an ultrasound and look at the urinary tract. There may be atony, and it will be enough to inject a course of proserin
Julia 11:25 | 14 Mar. 2018
Hello. We have a kitten, 2.5 months old. I recently had a cold, but now everything is fine. But there is one problem: the cat involuntarily urinates, not much, it comes out drop by drop. He goes to the litter box as usual, does not meow in pain. I just sometimes notice droplets on the floor where he sits
Guest 18:27 | 07 Mar. 2018
Hello, please help! I have a cat, age 1 year and 1 month. On February 28th there was castration, everything went well, by the evening he was running and jumping. On the evening of March 7, I noticed that he had been sitting in the tray for a long time in a crooked position. In this case, a pile of well-formed soft feces means the problem is not in the intestines. And indeed, when I put him on the bed, started stroking him, I found droplets on the bedspread, it turned out to be urine. A drop of urine comes out of his penis and shows, and very frequent spasms occur and he begins to worry and lick. When pressing on the stomach, he lies calmly and even falls asleep. Scrotum after castration without signs of inflammation. But I see that the cat has begun to suffer; he can sit in the tray for 10 minutes. Veterinary clinics are not answering the phone; they are probably already celebrating March 8th. What should I do?
Nina 10:27 | 17 Feb. 2018
Hello! Our cat is 2 years old. He was neutered. He had urolithiasis. He was fed Cat Chow dry food. Only now we learned from our veterinarian that we should not mix natural food with dry food. But it was too late. During the castration at the regional clinic, we were not warned about this. We killed the cat. A beautiful blue-eyed fluffy Siamese cat. I will describe the medical history. Before the New Year, I began to run to the toilet often. Couldn’t urinate. Our veterinarian prescribed the antibiotic cefazolin-akos with novocaine. Once a day, 1 mg. Kotervin and kidney tea. Treated. It went away. Two weeks later it all started again. We completed a course of Kotervin. It happened again. A month later and to this day, everything happened again in a more severe form. The urine went drop by drop with the ichor. She didn't leave. The doctor placed a catheter under anesthesia for the cat. It didn’t help. On the second day, the doctor squeezed the liquid out of the cat drop by drop. It didn’t help. On the third day, the catheter was put under anesthesia again. We managed to clean it, the urine sprayed out like a fountain, presumably the pebble went inside. All this is accompanied by treatment with cefazolin-akos with novocaine 1 mg, cotervin, noshpa, cyston 1/4 tablet 2 times a day and kidney tea 2-3 tablespoons. Now a new disease has appeared . The cat has urinary incontinence after the last catheter. He won’t eat. We feed him chicken broth from a syringe. The doctor stopped the noshpa. They drank Kotervin. There are two more antibiotic injections left and that’s it. The course of treatment has been completed. The only treatment left is cystone. But the cat is sick. He’s all wet, urine constantly leaking. During the day, we dry him several times with the warm air of a hairdryer in an intimate place so that he doesn’t get cold and put on a diaper. He’s fluffy. The doctor said that there was no sand in the urine. The stone went inside during the operation with a catheter. What should I do? How to save a family pet? We don’t have a good clinic. There’s also nowhere to get tests done. It has to be taken to the regional center, but the prices there are such that treatment is unaffordable. There’s practically no finance either. We are pensioners with miserable pensions. My message to you is a cry from the soul for help. There is no one else to help. In our small town, the veterinarian does not have any equipment for examination. He sincerely wants to help and treats based on his capabilities. And also for a fee. He said we’ll wait to see what happens next. But the cat feels bad. He lies with us all day in a warm blanket in diapers and on an oilcloth and is all wet from the waist down. Please tell me how to treat it? What should I do? Thank you in advance for your advice and help.
Olga 19:05 | 05 Feb. 2018
A month ago, a very sick stray cat came to the house. The condition was extremely neglected, plus calcivirosis and dry gangrene of the tail. 2/3 of the tail was amputated. The veterinarians at our station for combating animal diseases do not treat cats very well, but nevertheless recommended Globfel 4.10 days, injections of ceftriaxone, immunofan, gamavit, levomecithin drops in the eyes, Metrogyl Denta in the mouth, stronghold three times with an interval of 14 days. For microsporia, irunin 2 times a day, 20 mg. for 7 days and then 2 weeks every other day, 20 mg. The cat, 15 days after the start of treatment, became bald on his head, ears and back and began to involuntarily pee heavily in a stressful situation and burrow when walking and jumping. Either from fear, or from the cut off tail, something was wrong. Now veterinarians advise him to be euthanized. I understand that it is almost impossible to advise in absentia, but maybe you can still give some professional advice. At least try to help the cat. Because the next visit to our veterinarians is euthanasia.
Good afternoon. Help me please. My cat (about 4-5 years old, neutered) after changing food began to have urine discharge (regular droplets), often pink. We thought that it was because of the new normal that the urinary system was hurting and the kidneys were not functioning well - we injected an antibiotic (ceftriaxone), gave Furagin and brewed it and fed it with corn hairs (an alternative to Rosehip). The cat seems to be getting a little better (1.5 days have passed), but the discharge has not gone away. He has lost his appetite and eats almost nothing. Only the vein from the Felix wet food, the dry food (which was returned to Purina One) does not eat at all.
I wanted to ask you whether we are doing the treatment correctly? and are there any other tips?
Thank you very much in advance!
Hello, my cat is not neutered, he went to the toilet normally until today. Lately he has started yelling, literally meowing often and quite loudly. And today I noticed that he hardly goes to the toilet. He really wants to go to the litter box very often, but he can’t go. Or very little urine comes out. I couldn’t restrain myself in the other room, but also just a little. He drinks normally. Mostly store-bought milk and cream. He also drinks tap water. He eats pate and Whiskas dry food. We cannot understand what is happening to the cat. He is suffering, it is clear that he wants to, but cannot. Could this be because he confuses the desire to go to the toilet with the desire of the cat, since he is still small???
Hello! Your pet's symptoms are more similar to clinical signs of cystitis or even urolithiasis. What you are feeding your cat is not suitable for him. Firstly, store-bought milk is not the best nutrition (it is poorly absorbed and causes diarrhea in animals). Cream is too fatty (hits the liver). If you really want to give milk, then cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk (with a small percentage of fat content). Secondly, whiskey is a budget food that is not nutritious (full of dyes, flavors and preservatives), and has no energy value either. Satiety passes quickly and the cat asks for food again and again.
So grab your mustachioed friend and drag him to the veterinary clinic. There they will examine him and tell him what he has for sure. They will prescribe treatment (I won’t name the medications to avoid self-medication, because the cat has not been given a final diagnosis). If necessary, the doctor will perform catheterization (drain urine from the bladder). But to make him feel better, you can now give him a quarter of no-shpa (so he can pee). But the veterinarian will most likely prescribe more antibiotics and medications for urinary tract infections.
great advice... First, self-medicate at home, and if it doesn’t help, then go to the doctor. And then they swear at the veterinarians that they cannot make a diagnosis or cure the animal, that the prescribed antibiotics do not help. Firstly, if you start treatment before visiting a doctor, then many symptoms are “erased”, which makes it difficult to make a diagnosis. Secondly, if you give antimicrobial drugs at random, then this not only may not help, but also worsen the pet’s condition. Thirdly, if you often give the same antibiotics (and most often at home you stuff your pets with amoxicillin), then bacteria develop resistance to them. And then it is extremely difficult to choose an effective drug; you have to prescribe very strong antibiotics. Fourthly, if the animal has already been treated, then most tests (blood, urine, culture, determination of the sensitivity of isolated microorganisms to antibiotics) are not informative. So if you want to treat the animal yourself, then don’t scold the doctors.
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Content:
When a cat begins to leave urine outside the tray or toilet, it is necessary to determine the cause of the phenomenon. What is this? Pet whims or pathological involuntary urination? Urinary incontinence (incontinence) is not only a medical problem, but also a psychological one. The pet becomes fearful, unsociable or aggressive. At the next embarrassment, the cat meows loudly and presses its ears.
Cats are individualistic animals and do not defecate in the places where they sleep. The wild ancestors of domestic cats understood that a stronger predator would detect and kill or drive away a competitor by the smell of urine. Therefore, the cat has a hard time experiencing what is happening, becomes depressed, and the disease progresses. Incontinence affects mainly older animals of large breeds.
Types of incontinence
There are the following types of urinary incontinence:
- Leakage. The sphincter is unable to hold urine. It is constantly released in a thin stream, which intensifies as the cat moves. Sometimes the fluid does not ooze, but comes out in droplets that are difficult to notice. Their presence is indicated by an ammonia smell emanating from wet spots on furniture or the floor.
- Urgent look. The urge occurs suddenly, and the cat cannot resist involuntary urination. She is confused and depressed by what happened.
- Stress form. Fear or joy lead to involuntary release of the bladder.
Causes
Incontinence occurs under the influence of the following factors:
- Obesity.
- Disturbance of innervation of the bladder.
- Organic damage to the brain or spinal cord.
- Cystitis.
- Kidney diseases.
- Diabetes.
- Congenital anomalies.
Symptoms
The following characteristic signs of urinary incontinence are distinguished:
- Anxiety, fear.
- Getting the fur of the inner thighs wet.
- The presence of urine in a place the cat has just left.
- Piteous meowing with involuntary paruria.
Diagnostics
The cause of the disease is determined based on medical history, clinical signs, instrumental and laboratory tests. Ultrasound, x-ray of the pelvic area, and biochemical blood tests are informative.
Treatment
Measures to eliminate incontinence are taken depending on the cause of the pathology. If the underlying disease occurs under conditions of infection, antimicrobial agents are used. Obesity can be eliminated by correcting the diet, organizing games with rationing physical activity. Congenital pathologies and acquired defects of the urinary tract are eliminated by surgical intervention. Most patients benefit from medication or surgery.
Urinary incontinence cannot always be overcome. In this case, the owner will have to adapt and live in changed conditions. You cannot scold a cat for damaging upholstered furniture. You will have to cover sofas and armchairs with oilcloths, put diapers on your pet, and place several trays in different places in the apartment.
Prevention
Preventing incontinence involves following the rules for keeping and feeding your cat. There should be no drafts in the room. To prevent the occurrence of cystitis, urolithiasis or kidney damage, it is necessary to organize a balanced diet with ready-made food. Regular preventive examination will allow you to diagnose the disease at an early stage, when it is treatable.
If the pet has reached a respectable age, it is necessary to select the appropriate food. Use bottled water to give your cat water. Every creature reaches an age or condition when it is afflicted with sickness and disease. It needs care and extra attention. The owner of a cat may someday find himself in the same condition; he will be taken care of in the same way as he took care of his pet.
Urinary incontinence in cats is a deviation from the norm in the function of the excretory or genitourinary system. The cat doesn’t do this on purpose or out of spite, it’s just that she is not able to control it.
If your cat marks furniture, curtains or shits in inappropriate places, then this is not
manifestation of urinary incontinence.
When examining the question of why a cat constantly leaks urine, it is necessary to clarify what types of urinary incontinence there are in cats:
- 1. - dripping (regular discharge in small droplets);
- 2. - permanent form (urine excretion occurs as urine accumulates);
- 3. - urgent form (discharge can occur suddenly for the pet, which can quite frighten it);
- 4. - stress form (uncontrolled urine output occurs at a time when the cat experiences strong emotions - fear, fright, surprise, joy, etc.)
The causes of urinary incontinence in cats are quite varied:
- - congenital malformations and defects of the genitourinary system;
- - infectious diseases;
- - postoperative consequences (after castration or sterilization);
- - diseases of the central nervous system;
- - injuries;
- - chronic diseases;
- - changes associated with aging cats;
- - diseases of the urinary organs, etc.
Perhaps the most common disease in which urine is released uncontrollably is cystitis, that is, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bladder. There are differences in the severity of inflammatory phenomena and duration. Most often it occurs as a complication of previous diseases. With cystitis, a cat's urination is quite painful, the cat feels uncomfortable and drinks often.
Many cat owners try to solve the problem of uncontrolled urine output by reducing the amount of fluid consumed. This is a wrong tactic that will not bring any results. The first thing an owner of a cat whose urine is constantly leaking should do is contact a veterinarian. Only an examination by a specialist and test results will help make the correct diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Urinary incontinence in cats is a negative symptom of diseases of varying severity, the presence of which requires surgical intervention by specialists. First of all, the owner should study changes in the pet’s usual behavior - this will help distinguish the presence of a problem from ordinary bad manners or refusal of the litter box.
Types of urinary incontinence in cats
The symptom in question is not dangerous in itself, but it indicates the development of more serious diseases. The root cause of the problem lies not only in the physiology of the pet, it is often a consequence of psychological problems, so it is necessary to select a comprehensive treatment method. There are several types of the described symptom, each of which has its own distinctive features:
- Minor leakage. Urine is released in inconspicuous volumes. This happens at the moment when the pet sharply heads towards the tray. A very careful inspection will reveal small wet spots on the floor, upholstered furniture or carpeting that give off a strong odor.
- Regular leakage. There is a constant release of urine because the sphincter no longer holds it. It flows in a small stream when the pet moves.
- Urgent variety. The urge to urinate occurs suddenly, causing the pet to relieve itself without reaching the litter box. The cat's behavior changes - he looks scared, he may start meowing loudly and pressing his ears to his head out of fear.
- Stressful. Bowel movements occur at the moment of occurrence. This can be caused by sudden fear, surprise, or strong positive emotions.
If incontinence is detected, the owner must closely monitor changes in the animal's behavior . In addition, you need to determine the frequency and volume of unwanted discharge from your pet. You should familiarize your veterinarian with the data obtained - this will simplify the diagnostic procedure and help with choosing the necessary treatment.
Symptoms of the problem
Cats often don't notice urine leakage.
Most often, symptoms indicate the root cause of involuntary urine loss. Experts identify a number of signs indicating the presence of incontinence in an animal:
- plaintive meowing – characterizes the presence of an inflammatory disease;
- sudden changes in behavior - severe anxiety, fear, depression;
- uncontrolled urinary incontinence in cats occurs during sleep;
- constant wetting of the fur on the inside of the thigh;
- the presence of a wet spot in a different place where the pet recently lay;
- inflammation around the animal’s genitals indicates chronic incontinence.
It is not recommended to show too strong a reaction to such behavior - this will not solve the problem, but will lead to severe fright of the pet, as a result of which it will constantly hide. First of all, it is necessary to conduct a diagnosis and find out the most accurate cause of this symptom.
Reasons for appearance
Metabolic disorders are a common cause of urinary incontinence.
The course and development of uncontrolled urination directly depends on the disease or disorder in the functioning of the body that caused the appearance of this negative symptom.
One of the main factors contributing to the appearance of incontinence in a pet is obesity. In addition, involuntary urination may occur in your pet, but this is quite rare.
In addition to the above, there are a number of the most common factors that can cause incontinence:
- congenital defects in the structure of internal organs - lead to the appearance of incontinence from childhood;
- frequent stressful situations;
- inflammatory processes in the spinal cord or brain;
- disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system;
- the presence of various infectious diseases, for example;
- malignant and benign tumors;
- injuries to the tail, pelvis or spine;
- metabolic disorders,
- presence caused by feeding the pet low-quality food;
- complication after surgery.
In addition, incontinence is sometimes detected in individuals who have given birth, but most often this is a temporary phenomenon. Also, in old cats, due to age-related changes in the body and loss of elasticity of the urinary canals, involuntary urination may occur.
Diagnostic methods
Ultrasound diagnostics is mandatory when examining a cat.
The cause of incontinence is determined by a qualified professional based on medical history, clinical signs and laboratory tests. If necessary, an ultrasound of the bladder, a biochemical blood test and an x-ray of the pelvic area are additionally performed. If your pet has spinal injuries, it is strongly recommended to undergo an examination by a neurologist.
Attention! It is important to carry out timely diagnosis by a doctor, since a mild form of pathology, in the absence of timely treatment, develops into more serious diseases, such as cystitis, the development of inflammatory processes and acute renal failure. In the latter case, there is a high risk of death.
Methods for treating a cat
Treatment is selected after determining the cause of incontinence:
- if inflammation is present, the veterinarian prescribes a course of antibiotics, taking into account the individual characteristics of the pet’s body;
- if the reason lies in excess weight, you should choose a balanced diet for your pet and monitor its activity;
- in case of detection of disorders in the functioning of the nervous system, the veterinarian initially determines what is causing the occurrence of such a condition.
Involuntary urination due to stress, childbirth or sterilization most often goes away with time, without the use of medications. However, in this case, it is important to provide proper care to your pet.
It is forbidden to treat an animal with drugs intended to relieve incontinence in humans - this will significantly worsen the general condition of the pet.
There are types of abnormalities that cannot be corrected with treatment - most often they are characteristic of older representatives of the cat family. In this case, the cat is put on a diaper and trays are placed in all rooms. Without the advice of a specialist, you should not select medications for your animal on your own - this can lead to complications.
Prevention of this disease
Colds can cause urinary incontinence.
The importance of preventive measures is to protect the animal as much as possible from exposure to factors that contribute to the occurrence of incontinence.
- monitor, exclude cheap, low-quality food from the diet, avoid overfeeding;
- promptly ventilate the room in which the cat lives, control the absence of drafts;
- exclude the possibility for the pet to sit on the open balcony and lie on the cold tiles;
- minimize the risk of injuries, bruises and falls from height;
We should not forget that regular visits to the veterinarian for routine examinations, at least twice a year, is one of the most effective ways to prevent the occurrence of the described negative symptoms. An advanced form of pathology not only requires a lot of time spent caring for a pet, but the treatment itself is quite expensive.
The video explains the causes of urinary incontinence in animals: