FLUTD Questions to help you prepare for the FLUTD Homework Quiz

As you look through the FLUTD Power Point and the document provided for you on SLATE, consider the following questions.
Answering these questions prior to sitting down to complete your FLUTD Assignment Quiz will SIGNIFICANTLY affect your grade –
the Assignment questions are challenging.

2. What is FLUTD?

FELINE LOWER URINARY TRACT DISEASE

3. What urinary structures are considered LOWER? Hint: kidneys and ureters are upper urinary tract structures – NOT
involved in FLUTD

LOWER URINARY TRACT STRUCTURES = BLADDER AND URETHRA

3. What forms of FLUTD are there/what are the causes? Hint: FIC is one form/cause. Which form(s) of FLUTD is most
likely to become life-threatening, and why?

1. URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI) – RARE IN CATS

2. UROLITHIASIS (STONES)

3. URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION (MAY BE DUE TO

CRYSTALS, STONES, INFLAMMATION OR

COMBINATION)

5. FELINE IDIOPATHIC CYSTITIS (FIC) – MOST COMMON FORM; MAY LEAD TO OBSTRUCTION

6. NEOPLASIA

4. Which form/cause of FLUTD is the MOST common?

FELINE IDIOPATHIC CYSTITIS

5. Which form/cause of FLUTD is the LEAST common?

URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI) – RARE IN CATS

6. What factors may increase a cat’s risk for developing FLUTD? Are male and female cats both at equal risk of FLUTD?
What is the average age of affected cats?

EQUAL RISK FOR MALES AND FEMALES (MORE LIKELY TO BECOME LIFE-THREATENING IN MALES –
ANATOMICALLY EASIER FOR THEM TO BLOCK)

• AVERAGE AGE 3-6 YEARS • BCS 4/5 TO 5/5 • INACTIVE/SEDENTARY • INDOORS ONLY • LOW WATER
CONSUMPTION • INFREQUENT AND/OR LOW VOLUME URINE OUTPUT • ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS (FIC)

7. With regards to diet, consider the impacts of dry vs. canned, free choice feeding vs. meal feeding, and quality of the food
(ie. prescription diets vs. vet-recommended brands vs. grocery store foods) on the urinary tract health of cats

• DRY FOOD ONLY = INCREASED RISK

• CANNED FOOD = HIGHER WATER CONTENT = LOWER RISK

 • SEVERAL SMALL MEALS PER DAY WILL DECREASE RISK (HELPS MAINTAIN SLIGHTLY MORE ACIDIC URINE
PH) – PREFERRED OVER FREE-CHOICE FEEDING OR 1-2 LARGE MEALS/DAY

• DIETS WITH LOWER PLANT/GRAIN INGREDIENTS MAY PROMOTE HEALTHIER URINE PH

• POORER QUALITY DIETS CONTAIN MORE MINERALS MAY

8. What impact do frequency and volume of urine output have on urinary tract health?

DIETS WITH LOWER PLANT/GRAIN INGREDIENTS MAY PROMOTE HEALTHIER URINE PH

9. What are the clinical signs in affected cats - what signs are the owners likely to see? Consider your answer in both
layperson language, as well as in correct medical terms:
1. Periuria
2. Stranguria
3. Dysuria
4. Pollakiuria
5. Oliguria
6. Hematuria
10. What is the ideal method of urine sample collection for urinalysis (U/A)?

FREE-FLOW; BLADDER EXPRESSION; NON-ABSORBENT LITTER PELLETS IN A CLEAN BOX (THEN ASPIRATE
URINE INTO A SYRINGE); CYSTOCENTESIS – PREFERRED

11. What are some abnormal urinalysis findings? Describe these using correct medical terms and what they mean:
1. Hematuria (yes – can be a clinical sign AND a U/A finding)
2. Crystalluria (is this always considered abnormal?)
3. Bacteriuria
4. Pyuria
5. Proteinuria

12. What types of organisms are responsible for most UTIs? Are UTIs common in cats? How are they treated?

UNCOMMON IN CATS (ESPECIALLY YOUNG CATS); <3-5% OF FLUTD CAT TREATMENT ANTIBIOTICS (BASED ON
CULTURE AND SENSITIVITY RESULTS)

13. Why might crystals develop in the urinary bladder? What are the two most common forms of crystals seen in cats? What
is the relationship between urine pH and the two common types of crystals?

THE URINE PH (ALKALINE OR ACIDIC) DETERMINES THE TYPE OF CRYSTALS (+/- UROLITHS)

• MOST COMMON: STRUVITE (ON LEFT; ALKALINE URINE) & CALCIUM OXALATE

14. How might urinary crystals lead to urinary tract obstruction? What other “substances” may contribute to urinary tract
obstruction?

MAY APPEAR AS GRIT/SAND IN URINE SAMPLE AND CONTRIBUTE TO URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION MAY IRRITATE
THE BLADDER LINING AND CAUSE HEMATURIA +/- STRANGURIA, DYSURIA

15. What medical condition might a “blocked” cat appear to have/be confused with? Is this other condition likely to be
life-threatening?

CATS WITH INDWELLING URINARY CATHETERS (BLOCKED CATS)

16. How are crystals treated? Hint: think diet and water intake!

• ENCOURAGING INCREASED WATER CONSUMPTION • ADDING/INCREASING CANNED FOOD

• MEAL FEEDING (3-4 SMALL MEALS/DAY)

17. Regardless of cause for urinary tract obstruction, what is the emergency treatment utilized to un-block these cats? What
may happen if a blocked cat is not seen for emergency treatment? Hint: what can happen to the bladder? What happens
to the kidneys? What would a blocked cat’s bladder feel like when palpated by the veterinarian? CAUTION: this is not
something to be attempted by anyone other than a veterinarian or veterinary technician, as bladder rupture is possible

18. What two types of uroliths are most common? Why do they develop? How might stones lead to urinary tract obstruction?
How are they diagnosed? How are stones treated – what is the major difference between the two common types of
stones?

MOST COMMON: STRUVITE ALKALINE URINE) CALCIUM OXALATE)IDENTIFIED ON U/A CRYSTALLURIA

INDICATES OVER-SATURATION OF MINERALS AND SUGGESTS AN INCREASED RISK FOR STONE FORMATION

19. What is perineal urethrostomy? Which cats would be best candidates? How does this help cats? Does this cure FLUTD?

surgical procedure that is performed on males to create a permanent opening into the urethra through an incision in the
skin of the perineum.creates a new urinary opening that decreases the length of the urethra and allows urine to bypass
this narrowed region

20. Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is the most common, most complex, and most frustrating form of FLUTD. Consider how
lifestyle, environment, body condition, water intake, and frequency & volume of urination may contribute to FIC

IT IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF HEMATURIA, DYSURIA, PERIURIA AND URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION
(MALES) IN CATS

21. FIC is likely to become recurrent in what percentage of cats?

What are some effective treatment strategies for cats affected by FIC? Hint:

• NO SINGLE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE TREATMENT HAS BEEN FOUND BUT SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT
INCLUDES:

• ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT*,

- INCREASED WATER INTAKE* AND

- MEDICATIONS TO RELIEVE STRESS AND/OR
- PAIN AND/OR INFLAMMATION

*MOST IMPORTANTmany of these are non-medical!

23. Bladder neoplasia, while relatively uncommon, is a possible cause of FLUTD. In which cats are we most likely to see this?
What is the likely prognosis?

24. What are some ideal litter box recommendations? Consider: type of litter, scented vs. unscented, depth of litter, frequency
of scooping/cleaning, # of litter boxes (based on # of cats), covered vs. uncovered boxes, location in the house. Hint: you
have to think like a cat!
- ONE LITTER BOX PER CAT PLUS ONE A LITTER BOX ON EACH FLOOR/LEVEL IN THE HOME QUIET, LOW
TRAFFIC AREA
- NOT IN A SPOT WHERE A CAT COULD BE CORNERED (BY OTHER PETS)
- SCOOPED AT LEAST ONCE/DAY
 - CLEANED ONLY WITH HOT WATER ( AND LOW ODOR
- CLEANSERS IF YOU INSIST)

- MOST COMMERCIAL LITTER BOXES ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH (ESPECIALLY LENGTH) TO PERMIT
NORMAL URINATING/DEFECATING

- STUDIES SHOW CATS HAVE SPECIFIC LITTER BOX PREFERENCES:

- MOST PREFER UNCOVERED (LESS AMMONIA ODOUR BUILDING UNSCENTED LITTER!!!!
- (SCENTS AND DEODORIZERS ARE CATS DO NOT LIKE THE POWERFUL SCENTS THESE MAY ACT AS
A DETERRENT TO USING THE BOX!!
- CLUMPING LITTER • ~2” LITTER DEPTH
- • SCOOPED AFTER EVERY USE

25. Consider some strategies for promoting increased water consumption.

YOU HAVE TO THINK LIKE A CAT AND UNDERSTAND THEIR NATURAL EATING AND DRINKING PREFERENCES TO TRULY
PROMOTE INCREASED WATER CONSUMPTION