PeeWee is a young hypothetical cat. Let’s say he lives with his owner, who keeps him indoors to make sure he stays safe (with the added benefit of protecting wild birds from predation). Maybe he is the only cat, or maybe he cohabits with one or two feline friends. One day his owner is preparing dinner when PeeWee jumps into the kitchen sink and urinates there, right in front of her. Oh dear! Good thing she has already rinsed the vegetables and moved them to the counter.
Let’s talk about feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). First, a brief caveat. FIC is a specific syndrome in cats that is an acute, self-limiting disease. It can be recurrent or chronic. In the majority of FIC cases, the kitty in question exhibits straining to urinate, due to discomfort caused by inflammation … but (here’s the important point) … kitty is passing adequate quantities of urine. If PeeWee is a male cat, especially a neutered male, and he is straining and straining, but not passing any urine, or only a few drops, that’s a urethral obstruction, or what we commonly call a “blocked cat. ” It is a life-threatening emergency. Only a very small percentage of FIC cats have urethral blockages. As long as PeeWee is passing reasonable amounts of urine, FIC is not an emergency, and can wait until your veterinarian’s office is open. But if there is any question about whether PeeWee is blocked, please seek emergency care.
Back to our kitchen scenario. Why is PeeWee peeing in the sink? Cats are intelligent critters, and I believe they are trying to show their humans that something is wrong. Or it could just be that PeeWee had a sudden, uncontrollable need to urinate because his bladder is inflamed and irritated — and the sink is closer than the litterbox. Most owners immediately assume PeeWee has a bladder infection. Not so. Except in geriatric cats, bacterial infections are only rarely implicated in cases of feline straining and frequent urination. So if not infection, then what?
“Idiopathic” simply means we don’t know the cause of a problem. In the case of feline idiopathic cystitis, however, some veterinarians think it’s time to change that name. We now know many of the reasons cats get this syndrome. For today, we will continue to call it FIC, but we now understand that FIC is the result of complex interactions between the bladder, adrenal glands, nervous system, husbandry practices, and the environment in which the cat lives. When certain cats get stressed, this interplay results in an abnormal physiological reaction, leading to cystitis.
We can divide known risk factors into those we can change and those we cannot. Factors owners and veterinarians usually cannot change include genetics, sex, neuter status, early life events, age, and living as an indoor cat. Risk factors we CAN alter include environment, husbandry, stress related to living in multicat households, obesity, diet, and water consumption. Feline specialists propose “Five Pillars” of feline psychology that can help prevent FIC.
Pillar One. Provide a safe place. “What do you mean?” you say. “Of course my house is safe!” Well, maybe not from PeeWee’s perspective. Remember that plumber who came to your house yesterday? For some cats, this is a highly stressful event. What about that stray cat prowling the neighborhood? PeeWee can smell him, hear him, sometimes see him. PeeWee worries that stray might get inside. Or maybe PeeWee is anxious about your other cats. I know you think they love one another. That doesn’t mean there’s no stress. Ask anyone with siblings. Help PeeWee feel safe by providing one or more clearly defined territories just for him. Hideaways. Perches. Places he can retreat to, away from plumbers and other cats.
Pillar Two. Key environmental resources. Anxious cats need extra emotional support. Anxious cats like to have their water at a different location from their food. Anxious cats who live with other pets like to have their own feeding and watering stations, their own beds, resting places, scratching posts, and so on. Anxious cats need lots of personal space, and adequate access to all these things without having to worry about other pets or people interfering.
Pillar Three: Play and predatory behavior opportunities. Cats are predators by nature. Indoor cats need outlets for these urges. Toys that he can play with independently are great for this. Reserve interactive toys for human-cat bonding (see Pillar Four). Cats need to actually “catch” their prey. Games where the cat never succeeds, such as laser pointers, iPad games, and so on can be extremely frustrating, and actually worsen stress-related behaviors. Buy catchable toys.
Pillar Four: Positive, consistent, predictable social interaction with their humans. Cats generally prefer to be the ones to initiate interaction with us. Respect PeeWee’s desire for space when he moves away from you. Never force physical contact. On the other hand, if you give him five minutes twice a day, every day, of consistent, predictable interactive play, you may find he is a more relaxed and affectionate companion. Did I mention you should buy toys?
Pillar Five: Sensory environments that respect feline needs. In the wild, cats are both predators and prey. They rely heavily on all their senses to hunt and to avoid being hunted. Environments with strong odors, bright lights, and/or loud noises interfere with their senses, and increase stress. Avoid scented candles, odiferous cleaning products, smoking, incense, fluorescent lights, and blasting the rock ’n’ roll!
Other things that predispose to FIC include obesity, nutritional composition of the food being fed, and water consumption. Have a long talk with your veterinarian about dietary choices. There are several prescription foods designed specifically for FIC cats. These can make a huge difference, especially if combined with keeping PeeWee at his ideal weight and encouraging fluid consumption. As far as behavioral medications, it’s best to start by treating the underlying disease. Feed the right diet, and focus on reducing PeeWee’s stress. Now go clean that hypothetical sink and enjoy your dinner.
