Cats with more anxiety can have a painful condition, reveals new study.
If your cat or cat is always nervous or anxious, there may be an explanation that goes beyond the mood of felines.
Canadian researchers have discovered a possible connection between anxiety in cats and a mysterious urinary condition known as feline idiopathic cystite (fic).
FIC is a painful and recurring disease in cats that mimics urinary tract infections – causing frequent and difficult urination and sometimes blood in the urine – but without any bacterial presence.
The cause remains a mystery, so diagnosis and treatment are still an obstacle. However, new discoveries suggest that increased nerve in cats can serve as a warning sign for the disease.
The study led by Marion Desmarchelier, a zoological medical scientist at the University of Montreal, focused on the behavioral profiles of cat diagnosed cats during the Covid-19 pandemic. The owners of the affected cats responded to questionnaires about the behavior of their pets, the recurrence of the disease and environmental factors.
Among the 33 answers, a impressive standard: Almost all cats with repeated fic episodes were reported as especially fearful with strangers, compared to just over half of those with just one episode. On the other hand, aggressiveness – demonstrated by cats or addressed to them – did not show a significant correlation with recurrence.
“Initially, we thought that anxious and aggressive cats would be more likely to recurring cystitis,” said Desmarchelier, quoted by. “But, in fact, They are the fearful and withdrawn that seem to be at greater risk. ”
Symptoms of the disease also include urinate outside the sandbox often, difficulties when urinating (the cat can emit sounds of discomfort) or excessive licking in the perineal regionl.
Researchers believe the key may be in the way these cats respond to stress. Previous studies pointed to a hyperactive adrenal system – Especially excessive adrenaline release – as a possible trigger. This intensified response may damage the bladder protective coating, exposing sensitive nerves and causing chronic inflammation.
Although FIC itself is not fatal, the cost of recurring emergency treatment may be an obstacle to pet owners. In fact, about 20% of Cats with recurring FIC end up being euthanized, according to investigators.
Experts now suggest restructuring FIC as a condition linked to the cat’s mental well-being, rather than simply a bladder disorder. Providing safe spaces, reducing stress factors, and using soothing assistants such as pheromone therapy can help reduce the risk of recurrence, according to the study at the Journal of Veterinary Behavior.
