Whenever we think of stress, I'm sure the last thing that comes to our minds is a cat's lifestyle.
They sleep for average 20 hours a day; laze on the couch and then get food whenever they demand it.
They don't have to worry about rent or paying the bills or anything like that and, all in all, live a pretty cruisy life.
However, most of us cat owners have observed that they can very easily get stressed.
Sometimes, something as simple as getting a new piece furniture, or even just re-arranging existing ones, is enough to make your feline friend think the world is ending.
Usually they do tend to figure things out over time, but sometimes if stress is ongoing then it can lead to health issues such as inflammation of the bladder.
Increased urination frequency, blood in urine and yowling while urinating are all possible signs that indicate something going on that needs to be checked out.
Your vet will collect a urine sample and possibly send it off for testing to first rule out things like bacterial urinary infections, as well as try and diagnose if there is any crystals in the urine - both of which would also require treatment.
If signs persist but the testing all comes back negative, it is possibly inflammation of the bladder purely due to stress, which yes in cats is a real possibility.
Treatment for stress related urinary tract disease is mainly in the form of anti-inflammatories, but there are also two other possible options to add onto medications.
First is dietary and, ideally, a commercial preparation which has the stress-reducing properties as well balance to assist in nurturing ideal urinary tract health.
A synthetic facial pheromone available over the counter at your local veterinary clinic is another great option at helping levels of territorial stress at home.
So, whenever you make changes at home or see your cat is different in their behavior, keep a close eye on their toilet habits.
