FIC - A Very Serious and Common Disease in Cats

FIC (Feline Idiopathic Cystitis) or FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease)

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It's an inflammation of bladder. Normally the lining of the bladder protects the underlying bladder tissues from the urine. In idiopathic cystitis in cats, it is thought that the inside of the bladder changes and becomes more porous and a protective lining of the bladder is lost or decreased. The bladder becomes thicker, cells associated with inflammation accumulate and pinpoint hemorrhages can occur. The bladder becomes painful.


Symptoms:

• Cats will strain to urinate and often only produce a few drops, sometimes with blood present

                            

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• Might spend a great deal of time licking his genitals

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• Suddenly stops using the litter box because he associates it with the painful urination or he won't make it to the litter box

Causes:

• Bladder Stones - This take the form of crystals of struvite or calcium oxalate.
• Infection - Bacterial, fungal or viral infection may be present along with uroliths, or may present as a singular cause.
• Urethral Obstruction - More common in male cats because their urethra is longer and narrower than that of females.

Root Cause:

Still unknown that is why it is called "Idiopathic". Many studies have concluded magnesium in the diet as primary caused of this.