URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION

     Freddy, (his name has been changed to protect the innocent...) is a four-year old domestic shorthair cat who was presented to our hospital for lethargy. The owners remarked that they had not seen him urinate in the past two days.

     Examination showed an overweight cat,(16 lbs) with a full, firm, painful urinary bladder. He had an obstruction (blockage) of the bladder. There are many causes of urethral obstruction in cats, but the two most common are uroliths (stones that form in the bladder)and urethral plugs. Urethral plugs consist of a soft, compressible material that contains variable quantities of minerals, cells and cellular debris, and mucus-like protein. To treat this problem, Freddy was admitted to the hospital, anesthetized, and a catheter was placed into his bladder to allow urine to drain out. A large amount of gritty material was flushed out of his bladder and urethra. Two days later, a much happier cat went home with a new diet.

     Diseases of the lower urinary tract occur frequently in cats, affecting the bladder and/or the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body). Most cats with lower urinary tract disease show remarkably similar signs, but to varying degrees. Cats will strain and make frequent and prolonged attempts to urinate, but usually the amount of urine passed during each attempt is quite small. Affected cats tend to lick their genital area excessively, and sometimes they will urinate outside the litter box, often preferring cool, smooth surfaces like a tile floor or a bathtub. Occasionally, there will be blood present in the urine.Urethral obstruction is a true medical emergency; any cat suspected of suffering from this condition must be seen immediately by a veterinarian. When the urethra is completely blocked, the kidneys are no longer able to remove toxins from the blood and maintain a proper balance of fluids and electrolytes in the body- this will lead to kidney failure and death. Obesity is a risk factor. It is necessary to reduce the weight of cats and choose a diet that has restricted protein and minerals such as Iams or Science Diet.