Basic Facts About Cat Incontinence - What You Need to Know

Cat incontinence can be an annoying problem, to be sure. But it can also be worrisome for some pet owners. Broadly speaking, there are two main reasons for incontinence in cats. The first is linked to behavioral problems, which can often be solved with better training. The second broad reason for cat incontinence is linked to health problems. It is this second category that we will examine a bit more closely in this article.

The underlying cause of incontinence in cats can be nearly impossible to determine through eyesight alone. This means that many pet owners will need to visit with the vet in order to get a reliable diagnosis. This is important to keep in mind because while behavioral patterns can be improved at home or through professional training centers, most of the medical problems can only be healed through medication or surgery. The point is you should not assume that cat incontinence is caused only by poor training.

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Most vets will tell you that incontinence in cats can be caused by a variety of factors. This is true. Infections along the urinary tract are common in felines, and often lead to issues involving cat incontinence. These same urinary tract infections, if left untreated, can cause more severe problems such as bladder irritation and inflammation all along the tract itself. In most cases, these infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics. It is important to ensure that the animal receives the full course of antibiotics, even if he or she begins to look and act better part-way through the course of medication.

Another fairly common cause for cat incontinence is bladder stones. In simple terms, crystals begin to form in the bladder and as time goes by the crystals begin to clump together and grow bigger. At some point, they become large enough to be called cat bladder stones. Smaller stones will normally pass through the urinary tract as the animal voids. Some cat bladder stones will dissolve with the proper medication and diet. Others, however, may require surgery in order to remove them.

Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. Depending on the type of bladder stone, it can either be dissolved through a change in diet or it may need to be surgically removed. Infection may require the use of antibiotics.

Even natural approaches to incontinence in cats may be called for to sooth the urinary system. Herbs such as Berberis vulgaris is a natural antii-nflammatory. Other herbs such as Arctostaphylos uva ursi can help to restore the PH balance of the urine. When urine doesn't have the proper PH it can't do natures job of keeping the urinary tract as clean as it needs to be to withstand the colonization of bacterial infection.

Cat incontinence is often one of the first signs that the owner will see if a problem is developing. As mentioned above, the only reliable way to know what is causing the problem is to take the animal to the vet where the proper tests can be performed and a treatment regime set up and administered. Incontinence in cats should not be discounted as simply bad manners on the part of the animal. It may be a sign of a serious health problem.

Basic Facts About Cat Incontinence - What You Need to Know

Jeff Grill is a passionate lover of cats and is an editor of the Cat Health Guide and has written on many feline health problems. This is another helpful site that contains more information on natural approaches to cat incontinence.

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