Researchers in Canada have found that anxiety could be a key warning sign that a cat is at risk of developing a disease known as feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC).
Being idiopathic, the cause of FIC is currently a mystery. Yet the discovery of heightened skittishness in kitties with recurrent forms of the condition might be the evidence scientists need to understand the pathology and its triggers.
Symptoms of FIC tend to mimic those of a typical lower urinary tract infection. Affected cats may strain to urinate, pee in small amounts more frequently, or vocalize their discomfort while using the litter box. In more severe cases, their urine may even contain blood.
Unlike bacterial infections, however, urine samples from cats with FIC are sterile. Vets will usually rule out infection and other causes before landing on FIC as a likely culprit.
Roughly half of all cats unfortunate enough to receive a diagnosis will experience the disease again at some point in their life. And given one in five cats with recurring FIC are eventually put to rest by their owners, a means of distinguishing the illness from other conditions might go a long way to saving our beloved cats from ongoing pain.
“Some cats end up being euthanized because of it,” says zoological medical scientist Marion Desmarchelier from the University of Montreal.
“The disease itself is not fatal, but the cost of repeated emergency treatments can be too much for some families.”
Past studies suggest the condition’s roots may be found in the nexus between the body’s hormonal and nervous systems. Specifically, in an imbalance between stimulations and responses related to the neurotransmitter adrenaline.
The going theory suggests an exaggerated dumping of adrenaline damages junctions in the bladder’s wall, exposing sensory nerves that cause pain and trigger inflammation. If the poor moggy lacks an ability to tune down their adrenal response because of the damage, they just might expect episodes of discomfort to repeat.
While the full picture is still unclear, the role of adrenaline points to a psychological component – perhaps not just as a red flag for FIC, but a cause of it.
The research team contacted owners of cats diagnosed with FIC during the pandemic and asked them to fill out a questionnaire on their cat’s behavior, potential recurrences of the disease, and whether they complied with certain environmental recommendations.
Among the 33 surveys that were returned, the scientists noticed a clear difference between cats who had experienced just one instance of FIC and those with recurrences – just over half of the one-offs were reported to be skittish around strangers, compared with nearly all of those with repeat episodes.
A range of other behaviors could be ruled out as related, including aggression on behalf of the cats or whether they themselves were victims of aggression.
“We initially thought that anxious, aggressive cats would be more prone to recurrent cystitis, but it’s actually the fearful, withdrawn ones that seem to be at greater risk,” says Desmarchelier.
The researchers suggest FIC be seen more as a consequence of a cat’s mental well-being rather than a bladder condition. Helping anxious cats feel calm and safe just might reduce their risk of inflammation in their urinary tract, they claim.
Calming tactics include ensuring your cat has access to multiple safe hiding places they can use to escape other household members when they desire. Pheromone therapy can also help lower their stress levels.
Further research could provide crucial evidence that helps pinpoint how a cat’s anxiety and comfort in their home affect functions as seemingly unrelated as their ability to urinate comfortably.
Meanwhile, pet owners are encouraged to pay close attention to their cat companions when company is around and help them feel at ease. Their anxiety could be having a bigger effect on them than we ever realized.
This research was published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior.
