Feline Bladder Problems (treatment)

See Bladder Problems

Acute Cases

If the urethra has become thoroughly plugged up, the cat cannot pass urine, and the bladder will become enlarged and hard from urine accumulation. It feels like a large stone in the back part of the abdomen.

This is a problem for male cats, because they tend to have narrow urethras. (A female cat may have bladder problems, but she isn’t likely to get a plugged urethra). The condition is quite serious, since urine and poisonous waste products are backing up into the bloodstream. Make an emergency run to your veterinarian to have a catheter put in, a plastic tube that relieves the obstruction and allows urine to come out. If you are too far from a veterinarian or can’t reach one right away, however, try one of these treatments while you are waiting for help (assuming you have the remedies on hand).

Homeopathic - Nux vomica 30C: Give 1 pellet every 15 minutes for a total of 3 treatments. This remedy is best for the cat that is irritable, doesn’t want to be touched and withdraws from company, preferring to be by himself.

Homeopathic - Coccus cacti 30C; Give 1 pellet every 15 minutes for a total of 3 treatments. This is most useful where there is a lot of straining and likely obstruction of the bladder from stones (known as calculi) or mucous.

Homeopathic - Cantharis 30C: Give 1 pellet every 15 minutes for a total of 3 treatments. The cat that needs this medicine will be very upset, angry and growling with almost constant and intense attempts to urinate. Often there is also frequent licking of the penis after (or between) urination attempts.

Homeopathic - Sarsaparilla 30C: Give 1 pellet every 15 minutes for a total of 3 treatments. Use this if your cat has to stand up to pass urine. Some cats will start out squatting but then rise up and only pass a little urine on standing up.

With any of these treatments, improvement will mean a sudden passing of a large quantity of urine with considerable relief for your cat. If this happens, you may be through the crisis and catheterization will be unnecessary. Watch closely for the next several days to make sure that urination continues unimpeded. Follow the crisis with nutritional changes discussed here.

If your cat needs to be catheterized, an additional treatment that will assist recovery from this procedure is:

Homeopathic - Staphysagria 6C (stavesacre) Use Homeopathic Schedule 2

Subacute Cases

Here the problem is not obstruction but inflammation. The cat feels a frequent urge to urinate, but the flow is scanty or blood-tinged. This misery can go on for days, perhaps with temporary improvement (especially with antibiotics). However, the problem continues or recurs every few weeks. The remedies that follow are often useful for this stage of the problem. From the three remedies below choose the ONE that best suits the condition. Don’t mix them.

Homeopathic - Pulsatilla 30C: Useful for the cat that does not like heat in any form. Here is how you can tell. Put out a hot water bottle or heating pad wrapped with a towel. If your cat is not interested in huddling next to it and prefers to lie on something cool like cement, tile, the bathtub or sink, you know it prefers coolness to heat. Usually the urine is passed in small amounts and contains blood. Use Homeopathic Schedule 2

Homeopathic - Rhus toxicodendron 30C (poison ivy). For the cat who likes to sit around on cold cement, stones or steps when it is well. But then it may get chilled and have an attack of cystitis (bladder inflammation). So the problem often crops up after cold, wet, rainy weather. When sick, this cat will prefer to be warm, will like a hot water bottle and wants to be touched or rubbed. However, a cat with this problem does not rest quietly, but constantly changes position or stretches its limbs. Its urine will be dark and scanty and may contain blood. Urination is difficult and painful. Use Homeopathic Schedule 2

Homeopathic - Sepia 30C. Indicated for the cat that has recurrent attacks associated with an attitude of “touch me not”. These cats are often unfriendly, with a tendency to be aggressive to other cats and to be difficult to handle or medicate. Getting pills down them is almost impossible. There are also appetite problems -- rejecting many foods and being very “finicky”. Many of the cats needing this remedy will continue to produce a lot of “crystals” that are found in the urine. Use Homeopathic Schedule 2

Homeopathic - Mercurious vivus (or solubilis) 30C. This cat will act very annoyed with his rear end, doing a lot of licking after urinating, thrashing the tail around and straining to produce small quantities of urine. Sometimes the straining is associated with passing stool. If the cat also has become unusually thirsty before the attack, this is probably the best remedy. Use Homeopathic Schedule 2

Note:

If you do not see any improvement after 24 hours of using one of these preparations, discontinue the treatment and reassess the situation. If antibiotics and other drugs were used at any time, they may have altered the symptom picture. Think back to the symptoms that were present before treatment was started. Use these as your guidelines in choosing a remedy.

Chronic Cases

Try the following herbal treatment for a cat whenever has a severe bladder problem, just a weakness in that area, such as a tendency toward urinary frequency or urinating outside the litter box. Or use any ONE of the above medications recommended for subacute cases if the symptoms displayed a match.

Herbal Use shave grass, also known as horsetail grass or scouring rush (Equisetum arevense) Use Herbal Schedule 2 for 2 to 3 weeks.