Cat stress may be related to rare disease

A study conducted by the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Montreal (Canada) Identified strong connection between Feline idiopathic stress and cystitis (CIF) – painful and recurrent inflammation of the bladder, no apparent organic causecommon in cats.

The research, published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavioranalyzed the behavior of 33 of these felines diagnosed with CIF and showed that 94% of those who had recurring episodes had fear intense strangesuggesting high levels of anxiety.

Discoveries of stress study in cats

• According to the authors, cats that internalize stress (getting withdrawn and nervous) they are more susceptible to disease than those who externalize it aggressively;
• Therefore, the researchers propose renamed the condition for “cystitis secondary to anxiety”;
• COVID-19 pandemic, when drastically altering the domestic routine, coincided with significant increase in the case of the disease, reinforcing the hypothesis that changes in the environment contribute to the problem.

Read more:

How to combat your cat’s stress

The study defends treatment approach that Go beyond medicinespromoting the emotional well-being of the animal.

Simple measures, such as offering more water sources, extra sandboxes, varied toys and safe outdoors, can help reduce stress and, consequently, cystitis crises.

The main message is that urinary symptoms in cats can be Sign of emotional suffering – not “tantrum”. Recognizing and treating feline anxiety can prevent suffering, high veterinary costs and even euthanasia of affected animals.