Ask the Vet | 10 Causes of Feline Urinary or Faecal Incontinence

Feline incontinence often links to an underlying disease or condition. With incontinence, pets dribble small amount of cat urine all over the house. Incontinence also includes cat diarrhoea. Below are the ten most common causes why cats in Macau deal with incontinence issues. 

Bladder Stones

Bladder stones occur when minerals combine forming large crystals. Bladder stones reach the size of peas and irritate the lining of the bladder. If bladder stones reach the urethra, it becomes hard for a cat to urinate. You’ll see him straining in the litter box with little to no urine coming out or cat urine will have a pinkish tint from blood. 

Bladder Cancer

While rare, cats exposed to flea dips and insecticides in the house have a higher risk of bladder cancer. Tumors build up on the inner lining of the bladder eventually blocking the urethra. Symptoms include straining while urinating or defecating, feline incontinence and lethargy. 

Feline Diabetes

Feline diabetes rates are skyrocketing. A diabetic cat drinks excessive amounts of water and urinates often. Often, the cat fails to make it to the litter box on time. Controlling the diabetes eliminates this form of feline incontinence. 

Feline Diarrhea

People associate incontinence with urine, but poor bowel control is another form of feline incontinence. In cases of severe cat diarrhea, common problems include spinal cord injuries, particularly including damage to the tail. Other issues include poor diet, digestive problems and bacteria or viruses in the intestines. 

Feline Leukemia

The feline leukemia virus is preventable. Many spayed and neutered cats affected by feline leukemia have problems with bladder control. They frequently dribble urine when they are sleeping or resting. The problem does affect more male cats than females, however. Some veterinarians find that a low dose of chemotherapy helps eliminate if the feline incontinence is excessive. 

Kidney Stones

Like bladder stones, kidney stones occur when crystals bind in the kidneys causing blockages and irritation. A cat with kidney stones will have a tender abdomen and often has problems urinating. Blood is often visible in the cat urine. 

Scarred Bladder

If a urinary tract infection spreads to the bladder, scarring will occur. The scarring essential takes up room causing the bladder to hold less urine. He will need to urinate more frequently. More accidents occur as a result. 

Senility

With old age, some cats simply lose sense of when they need to go to the bathroom. They may wait too long and dribble on the way to the litter box, or they may forget where their litter box is located. You may find it easier to keep one litter box on each level of your house to avoid these feline incontinence accidents. 

Urinary Tract Infections

Feline urinary tract infections remain a leading cause of feline incontinence. When the urinary tract becomes infected, the cat finds it impossible to go to the bathroom. He will strain, but little to no urine comes out. Antibiotics are necessary for UTIs. They can quickly spread to the bladder and kidneys if left untreated. 

Weakened Urinary Muscle Tone

Cats that are carrying litters of kittens or elderly cats lose control of their urinary system muscles. Leaking and dribbling of cat urine are common problems. In addition, when the bladder is full, it pushes against the bowels causing accidents with defecation.

Hope this info helps our dribbling cats

Till next week

Dr Ruan Bester

Ask the Vet:

Royal Veterinary Centre

Tel: +853 28501099, +853 28523678

Emergency: +853 62662268

Email: royalveterinary@gmail.com