Urinary tract infection is a phrase used to describe a collection of symptoms that occur due to irritation, inflammation or obstruction of the urinary tract. In felines, it is most often related to the lower urinary tract which is comprised of the urinary bladder, urethra and penile urethra. Symptoms to look for include:
* Foul smelling urine.
* The cat straining to urinate, or crying out while urinating.
* Urine containing traces of blood.
* The cat urinating in unusual places and often in small amounts.
Any of the organs along the urinary tract can be affected by urinary infections in cats. Infections of the bladder and inflammation of the urinary bladder, known as cystitis, are two of more common disorders of the lower feline urinary tract. Although infection is mostly due to bacteria, inflammation can certainly occur in the absence of infection. Treatment of a cat’s urinary infection generally depends on the underlying cause and level of severity.
The common conventional treatment of antibiotics to eliminate the infection. While feline urinary tract infections respond well to them, it is common knowledge that antibiotics should be used only when necessary as there is a tendency for them to become ineffective over time and if overused. They do a good job of killing the bacteria that caused the UTI, but have an unfortunate tendency to kill the good bacteria at the same time. This decline in friendly flora in the cat’s body can lead to the rise of other diseases that may be a great deal less responsive to treatment than the original urinary tract infection.
Unlike conventional medical solutions, alternative homeopathic and holistic medicines to treat urinary infections in cats look beyond the immediate cause and instead concentrate on treatment in conjunction with boosting immunity. There are herbal remedies derived from natural substances that have antibiotic properties. This approach not only spares the cat from the harmful side effects of antibiotics, it provides a safeguard against the probability of a recurrence.
A combination of herbal tinctures of equal parts of buchu, Echinacea, uva ursi and pipsissewa is the most recommended natural remedy for optimum feline urinary tract health. It can be mixed into the cat’s food, but bear in mind that, while useful for the urinary tract infection, alcohol tinctures are generally recommended for short term use only in felines. Herbal teas prepared from a combination of horsetail, marshmallow root, goldenrod, elderberry and parsley are a better choice for extensive treatment. You may give your cat a tablespoon of cooled tea three times daily while the symptoms last.
You may be familiar with the efficacy of cranberry juice for the mitigation of UTIs in humans. It performs the same service for cats urinary infections as well. It works by preventing bacteria from clinging to the cells lining the walls of the urinary tract. It also acidifies the urine, and as bacteria cannot survive in such an environment, urinary infections are thus held off. As cats tend to dislike the taste, a better choice would be cranberry extract, as a concentrate can be more easily forced in.
Another homeopathic remedy effective in the treatment of cat urinary infections is cantharis, and is especially recommended if you have discovered blood in your cat’s urine. Cantharis eases the discomfort that arises while the cat is straining to urinate. Swift relief is had when two to three pellets of 30C potency is provided at hourly intervals. You may place the pellets in the cat’s mouth, and they are automatically absorbed by the mucous membrane.
If it is necessary for your cat to submit to a course of antibiotics to fight off the infection, you can counter the deleterious effects of the drugs on friendly bacteria with supplements of lactobacillus. One eighth of a tablespoon twice daily is sufficient for cats weighing 20 pounds or less. Be sure to administer the supplement at least 2 hours after the antibiotic has been given. Fresh yogurt is an excellent alternative for restoring the balance of the flora in the cat’s body, and is very enthusiastically received by the patient.
In tandem with a natural diet, homeopathic remedies for cats provide a great arsenal in the fight against feline urinary tract infections. Make sure your cat is drinking a sufficient amount of water — filtered or spring water, if your cat objects to the chemicals coming from your taps. To help prevent recurrences, periodically add vitamin C supplements to your cat’s diet, and either provide them with home cooked food or one of the many excellent commercial cat foods formulated specifically to deal with feline bladder and urinary health.
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD % formerly known as Feline Urinary Syndrome, FUS) is one such disorder. Alan Herbal