Lower urinary tract disease in cats--new problems, new paradigms

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Urology
• Animal Nutrition

Background:

• Companion animal diets are implicated in lower urinary tract diseases (LUTD).
• Urolithiasis, a type of LUTD, can be diet-induced or nutrient-sensitive.
• Recent shifts in feline urolithiasis composition (struvite to calcium oxalate) are noted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changing composition of feline uroliths.
• To explore the potential role of diet in current feline LUTD presentations.
• To examine similarities between feline LUTD and human interstitial cystitis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of historical feline urolith composition data (1984 vs. 1992).
• Clinical observation of feline patients presenting with lower urinary tract signs.
• Comparative study of feline LUTD and human interstitial cystitis.

Main Results:

• Feline uroliths shifted from predominantly struvite (88% in 1984) to a significant increase in calcium oxalate (24% in 1992).
• Urolithiasis is recognized as a less common cause of feline lower urinary tract signs (frequency, urgency, hematuria).
• Similarities found between feline LUTD and human interstitial cystitis suggest a potential neuroepithelial origin.

Conclusions:

• Dietary factors may be evolving in their role in feline lower urinary tract diseases.
• A significant portion of feline lower urinary tract disease may not be urolithiasis, potentially resembling interstitial cystitis.
• Further research into neuroepithelial involvement in feline lower urinary tract disease is warranted.