Interstitial cystitis.

Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis

straining to urinate
frequent trips to the litter box
blood in urine
urinating in unusual places

If you have a male cat with these symptoms you should also consider the possibility of a much more serious problem called FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease).

Diagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis

If your cat has any of the above symptoms your vet will want to do a urinalysis. The most common sign of interstitial cystitis is blood in the urine with no bacteria or crystals present. Unfortunately the only way to be certain of the diagnosis is to do a biopsy or endoscopic exam of the bladder wall. But, in most cases seeing blood microscopically can be enough to diagnose a cat with interstitial cystitis.

Treatment of Interstitial Cystitis

Unfortunately there is no treatment that works consistently in cats, but there are several different types of products that we will often prescribe.

In many cases if we can reduce the inflammation for a few days the cat will recover. Anti-inflammatory drugs that are often used are Metacam or Tolfedine. Your vet will only use these medications if there is no evidence of a kidney problem.

For many cats, interstitial cystitis can be a recurring problem. For these cats we can use anti-inflammatory medications more often. Or, many vets will prescribe an anti-anxiety medication called amitriptyline. Amitriptyline is generally safe and tolerated well. However, it does need to be given every day. It comes in a pill form and most cats do not like the taste of the pill. It does also come in a transdermal formulation that you apply to the inside of the ear. But, the absorption of the transdermal medication is variable and it is not recommended to use this approach.

Another product I often suggest to use is Feliway. Feliway is a feline pheromone which is a chemical that is released into the air that is proven to reduce stress levels. It comes in a plug in diffuser or a spray. This article has a great discussion on research that indicates that Feliway really works.

Another thing that helps these cats is to increase the amount of water that they are taking in. This can be done by adding a water fountain. The fountain keeps the water circulating which makes it more more attractive to cats.

Your vet may also recommend a food such as Royal Canin s/o canned food or Hill's c/d multi canned food. These foods work well to increase the amount of moisture going through the bladder. They also help to keep the pH of your cat's urine at a level that is recommended to reduce inflammation.

Interstitial cystitis can be a recurring problem, but with good observation and close communication with your vet, most animals can be controlled well.