What Are the Causes of Incontinence in Cats?

Diagnosis

Urinary incontinence is the loss of control of urination. If you have reason to believe that your cat is suffering from urinary incontinence, it is important to have it screened by a veterinarian. This will determine whether the issue is medical or behavioral. A veterinarian will run several tests, including a complete physical examination, urinalysis and blood count to make a diagnosis and, if necessary, determine why the cat is suffering from urinary incontinence.

Causes

Causes for urinary incontinence in cats can be either neurological or physical. Cats suffering from problems affecting their nervous system, cerebral, cerebellar, brain stem or spinal cord can lead to complications with their urinary track. Many times, the reason for incontinence is non-neurological. These causes include congenital defects, muscle disorders, overflow incontinence and urethral obstruction. If you are dealing with a kitten or a cat who has been through a lot of stress (a new baby in the house, a new pet or a move, for example), don't be so quick to assume that there is anything medically wrong with your cat. Give it time to adjust to the new surroundings or, in a kitten's case, a time to litter train, before putting the animal through the unnecessary trauma of the veterinarian's office.

Treatments

After a veterinarian has gone through the process of identifying the specific cause for urinary incontinence, there are many different effective ways to treat the problem. Depending on the cause, medications such as phenylpropanolamine (for middle-aged and older female cats) or hormone therapies will be used in order to cure the animal. In some cats, a catheter will be placed to keep the bladder empty to allow the cat time to heal. Some cats require a permanent drainage system, called a cystostomy tube, which is placed through surgery. It is not uncommon for veterinarians to find it impossible to come up with any clear cause or treatment for a pet with an illness. Like traditional medicine, the treatment of animals is always changing and developing. If you feel like your animal is suffering or having any sort of complications, bring it in to see a veterinarian as soon as possible. As with all medical cases, the sooner the better.