Risk factors of enterococcal bacteriuria in cats: A retrospective study

To determine if factors associated with urothelial damage and inflammation, including urinary catheterization, urinary obstruction, and urolithiasis are associated with the presence of enterococcal bacteriuria in cats.

Thirty-one cats with Enterococcus spp. bacteriuria and 31 cats with Escherichia coli bacteriuria.

A retrospective case-control study with cases and controls identified by records search for Enterococcus spp. (case) and E. coli (control) bacteriuria from August 1, 2014 to July 31, 2019. Cases and controls were balanced with respect to average age. Binary logistic regression was used to estimate and test whether the odds of having Enterococcus spp. bacteriuria (instead of E. coli) were associated with the presence of any characteristic.

Urinary catheterization, urinary obstruction, and urolithiasis were not observed more often in Enterococcus cases versus E. coli controls (19% versus 25%, P = 0.543; 19% versus 32%, P = 0.244; and 16% versus 16%, P = 1, respectively). Signs of lower urinary tract disease were significantly less common in Enterococcus cases than in E. coli controls (OR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.83, P = 0.02). Hematuria was significantly less common in cases than controls (P = 0.048).

No association was identified between urinary catheterization, urolithiasis, or any other comorbidities (hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease) and enterococcal bacteriuria in cats.

Unlike in humans and dogs, urothelial damage and inflammation caused by factors such as urinary catheterization and urolithiasis may not be the mechanism for enterococcal bacteriuria in cats.