You will understand how painful it is if you have ever had a urinary tract infection. Unfortunately, cats, unlike some other animals, are good at hiding their symptoms. That is why it can be hard to diagnose UTI in cats, especially if you are not sure about what you are looking for. Since your cat cannot tell you precisely the kind of pain it’s experiencing, we will explain some common symptoms of UTI in cats so that you can catch and treat the infection as soon as possible with natural remedies for cat UTI.
Table of Contents
UTIs can be an ongoing issue among many dogs and cats, so ensuring that you learn why the infection occurs and what steps can be taken to prevent further infection from occurring is essential.
In this post, you will learn the following:
What are UTIs?
Urinary tract infections, also called UTIs, are a basic form of bacterial infections. The condition is called UTI simply because of its location within the body. Urinary tract infections infect the urinary tract of animals and humans alike.
The urinary tract includes four different organs – the urethra, the ureters, the kidneys, and the bladder. Urinary tract infections typically begin at the bladder. There is nothing comfortable about a UTI, but the worst part of the condition is when the infection reaches the kidneys. At this point, the pain will get to an almost unbearable point.
UTIs can take on two different forms: cystitis urinary tract infections and urethritis urinary tract infections. The first one stays contained within the bladder, while the second is the one that spreads to the urethra. The type of urinary tract infection depends on where the condition first begins.
Both cystitis and urethritis can spread to the kidneys. Therefore, no matter the kind of UTI your cat is suffering from, you must seek professional help and guidance, especially on using natural remedies for cat UTI.
Symptoms of Cat UTI
Some of the symptoms of UTI in cats include the following:
- urinating randomly, especially in places outside the litter box
- having blood in the urine
- cats crying out when passing out urine – this indicates that the cat is in pain
- urine that smells stronger than normal
- trying to urinate, but only a little is coming out
- urination that has become too frequent
- licking of the genitals almost all the time
- the noticeable thickness along the bladder wall during a physical exam at the veterinarian doctor’s
- inability to do proper toileting
Less indicative symptoms of UTI in cats may include vomiting, increased water consumption, lethargy, and a distended stomach.
Causes of Cat UTI
Bacteria cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). The most common of these bacteria include E. coli, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, Proteus, Streptococcus, Chlamydia, Klebsiella, or Enterococcus. These bacteria enter the urinary tract by passing through the urethra and arriving at the bladder.
Additionally, many other issues may lead to the development of a urinary tract infection. These issues include spinal cord problems, stress, and incontinence. UTIs’ major causes in cats are other overlying or underlying diabetes, feline immunodeficiency virus, or feline leukemia virus. Even without all the pre-existing conditions already mentioned, cats can develop chronic UTIs. It is unclear the real cause of these seemingly random infections, but specific allergies contribute to bladder irritation, causing a recurrence of UTIs.
Male cats experience urinary tract infections more than female ones because the males have narrower urethras; however, female cats are also prone to developing the infection.
Prevention of Cat UTI
As with many other conditions, the key to avoiding the frustration and difficulty of a feline urinary tract infection is prevention. This infection is often recurrent, but there are easy ways cat owners can keep their pets from going through chronic UTI pain.
- While cats with pre-existing conditions that can result in UTIs may not be able to escape the condition, all cats should get clean and easy-to-access, neat litter boxes, and clean water.
- Observe your cat’s weight because heavy cats easily suffer health issues.
- Give your cat canned foods that contain more protein and moisture.
- Maintain a regular feeding routine.
- Avoid situations that may create anxiety and stress for your cat.
Natural Remedies for Cat UTI
As soon as you are sure that the symptoms your cat is exhibiting relate to a UTI, then it is time for you to begin treatment with these natural remedies for cat UTI. You can choose to explore any of the following natural remedies for Cat UTI:
Moreover, you can even combine some of the Cat UTI natural solutions to speed up the healing process.
1. Juniper Berry
Juniper berry is an herb that helps the kidney effectively filter out impurities at a higher rate. As a result, this juniper berry can help increase urine production and flush your cat’s system, in the process expelling the harmful bacteria that are infecting the urinary tract.
Juniper berry also works well at reducing inflammation and reducing the pain your cat is suffering from UTI. The herb is also strong enough to kill fungi and bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV is a cure for a lot of ailments that cats suffer, such as UTIs. However, make sure that you are careful when using apple cider vinegar because its heavy dose is harmful. Because of the increased level of acidity in apple cider vinegar, bacteria will not be able to grow in your cat’s urinary tract. Therefore, apple cider vinegar is excellent for reducing and eliminating any urinary tract infection from which your cat may be suffering. Do not forget to administer the ACV in small doses. Ensure that you dilute the apple cider in water before giving it to your cat. If your cat is still under four pounds, add a few drops to their water every day. More giant cats can have about half a teaspoon daily. Medium cats should be given a quarter of a teaspoon each day.
3. Echinacea
Echinacea is a popular plant used to treat various kinds of infections both in humans and animals, including UTIs and yeast infections. Like in human beings, Echinacea can be used to treat multiple infections in cats, especially upper respiratory infections. A small dose of Echinacea can help alleviate UTI symptoms and kill all the bacteria that cause the condition.
4. Uva Ursi
Uva ursi is a diuretic, antiseptic, and antibacterial for the urinary tract. People use his herb to treat themselves and give it to their cats suffering from urinary tract infections.
5. Cranberry
Simply drinking cranberry juice can cure UTI in a person. This is because the juice prevents bacteria from getting to the urinary tract. If the bacteria are unable to reach the urinary tract, then they cannot cause an infection. The downside of cranberry juice is that it contains too much sugar to feed your cat. But there is a solution to this issue. You can use a few drops of cranberry concentrate that will not contain as much sugar as cranberry juice. You can also make use of a pet-specific cranberry supplement like Cranberry Relief by Naturvet. The supplement is an effective and safe way to boost your cat’s diet with cranberries without inviting too much sugar into its system.
6. Drink More Water
Dehydration can worsen urinary tract infections, especially in cats. If your cat isn’t getting enough water into its system, the bacteria will begin to multiply. Growing bacteria can go beyond resulting in UTIs alone; they can cause even something worse. Even though drinking more water will not eliminate the UTIs in your cat, it will help in reducing the symptoms of the condition, and it helps other treatment processes to eliminate the infection faster. Water will also help prevent further urinary tract infections from occurring in the future. Always make sure that your cat has enough water and that the water is easily accessible to the cat.
7. Bone Broth
Even though we have already mentioned how important it is to keep your cat well-hydrated, the adage says that you can lead your cat to water, but you can’t make it drink the water – or something of that nature. Therefore, there can be the challenge of making the cat more hydrated when unwilling to drink the water you have provided.
Bone broth is an excellent alternative to the tasteless water that may not interest your cat. It will surely attract your cat’s attention, and it will help get lots of needed fluid into your cat’s system to keep them hydrated enough. Bone broth will also provide the nutrients that will help fight any existing infection. Bone broth is one of the cat’s favorites; you can hardly find a cat that is unwilling to take bone broth.
8. Nettle
Nettle is among the most effective natural remedies for cat UTI. It is also used in treating UTIs in people because it’s a natural diuretic that increases urination and flushes the system. Nettle also helps in reducing pain and inflammation both in cats and human beings. In addition, this herb will help wash off harmful bacteria from your cat’s system while at the same time reducing their discomfort.
9. Parsley Leaf
Since getting hydrated is one of the significant factors for battling and preventing UTIs, it is necessary to put enough safe liquid in your cat. One of the functions of parsley is that it naturally triggers thirst, so making use of some parsley leaves can make your cat drink more water.
Besides the fact that it increases the water intake of cats, parsley is also a natural diuretic that contains antibacterial properties. It will help your cat pass out more urine, which will flush the infection out of its system. Parsley can also help in killing the bacteria in your cat’s urinary tract.
10. Marshmallow Root
Marshmallow root contains a substance known as mucilage. The mucilage is mucus that helps in coating membranes, reducing inflammation, and soothing irritation while at the same time destroying harmful bacteria. In other words, marshmallow root boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, and kills bacteria.
When your cat is suffering from UTI, the mucilage can reduce the pain and discomfort since mucus membranes connect the digestive and urinary tracts. At the same time, it is killing off any bacteria that are causing the UTI while reducing the inflammation simultaneously. It also mends your cat’s digestive tract, helping to reduce diarrhea and constipation as well.
11. Corn Silk
We cannot overemphasize the importance of hydration in cats to help fight UTIs. This is why cornsilk can help flush out the system by increasing water elimination due to its diuretic properties. In this case, your cat will need to drink plenty of water so that the corn silk can help flush out the water alongside the infection in the urinary tract.
The combination of increased liquid intake and increased urination due to corn silk will help wash and flush your cat’s urinary tract. In the process, it will also help in getting rid of unhealthy stones, bacteria, crystals, and more. So, corn silk is one of the effective natural remedies for cat UTI.
Final Thoughts
UTIs are common in cats, so you do not have to panic if your cat is diagnosed with one. The infections are due to the low thirst drive in the cats. If your cat is suffering from infections, follow any natural remedies for cat UTI already mentioned above. Ensure that your cat has enough water in its system by feeding it moist food and making sure it is drinking enough fluid. However, if your cat does not have a UTI, you can still use some of the natural remedies for cat UTI, such as apple cider vinegar and parsley leaf.
Do not forget that if your cat is urinating blood or is unable to urinate, then it’s in pain. The first step is to take it to the vet immediately for a proper examination. Home remedies will work a lot better if the condition is caught early enough. If the infection gets past the beginning stage, you might need to give your cat antibiotics or seek further professional help.
Post Disclaimer
The information contained in this post "11 Natural Remedies for Cat UTI [The Easy Ways to Cure Your Cat at Home]" is for educational purposes only. Always consult your primary care doctor before using the remedies that are provided. The information is provided by The Hidden Cures and while we do timely, in-depth research on the information that we provide to you, everything stated may not be up to date or accurate from the time it was written.