Interstitial cystitis?

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm sorry to hear that Charlotte is not well. While there are several possible reasons for a cat to be squatting, trying to urinate and urinating some blood, the most common reason for a female cat to do this is something called interstitial cystitis. We don't really know the cause for this illness, but it has something to do with the lining of the bladder wall being irritated. It feels the same way a bladder infection feels, but there is no infection there.

Sometimes interstitial cystitis can happen as a result of stress, but often no real cause is found. Some cats will get bouts of interstitial cystitis throughout their lives.

Sometimes a cat can get over interstitial cystitis on their own, but because it is a very uncomfortable condition I do recommend taking her to see a vet. There are a few possible ways to treat this. There is no over the counter remedy that you can do at home.

There are other possible reasons. A urinary tract obstruction can cause squatting and straining and blood. This is not very common in a female cat though. If Charlotte was a male cat then I would be recommending a vet visit immediately as male cats are much more prone to urethral obstructions and this is a life threatening condition.

A bladder infection is a possibility as well although this is not very common in cats. If there is an infection then antibiotics are in order. Home remedies like cranberry juice do not work and could even make things worse.

I would recommend a vet visit for Charlotte. They will obtain a urine sample and run some tests to determine what the problem is. The good news is that interstitial cystitis (if this is what it is) is rarely something really serious.

I hope things improve soon!

Dr. Marie


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