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How Long Do Cats With Feline Idiopathic Cystitis Live?

Tags: Cat HealthUpdated on Jul 05, 2022

How long do cats with feline idiopathic cystitis live?

Cats with Feline Idiopathic Cystitis can live a long time. With treatment, the condition is not fatal and many cats live out their lives without any recurring symptoms of the disease, even if they have to go through periodic flare-ups. Roughly half of all cats with FIC are able to lead an asymptomatic life.

If your cat has been diagnosed, it's important that you know what things you need to be aware of for their care and treatment. FIC is a chronic condition, so your cat will have to deal with recurring episodes of the disease in later life. FIC may flare up again and again, but it's usually manageable. Once the disease has been diagnosed, you can take steps to prevent flare-ups from happening in the first place.

What does feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) mean for your cat?

FIC is a chronic condition that's caused by an inflammation of urine and bladder walls. The inflammation causes your cat to have recurrent episodes of pain and discomfort in the bladder, which are usually accompanied by blood in the urine. Cats with FIC often try to urinate even though there's nothing left in their bladder.

Cats are usually diagnosed with FIC between the ages of 3 and 10 years old. It takes a lot more than just a simple urine test to diagnose this condition, so it's important that your veterinarian has ruled out other possible causes first.

Symptoms of Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC):

1. Blood in the urine

2. Straining to urinate

3. Frequent attempts to urinate without producing any urine

4. Crying/howling in pain

5. Decreased appetite and drinking water

6. Lethargy and weakness

7. Weight loss

8. Urinating outside the litterbox

9. Scooting (using the hind legs to drag their bottoms across the floor) against furniture or walls in order to relieve urinary discomfort.

What causes FIC?

Cats that have FIC are prone to get urinary tract infections (UTIs). If a UTI gets stuck in the urinary tract, it can lead to a more serious condition called pyelonephritis. There are many possible causes of urological diseases in cats including:

1. Exposure to bacteria or yeast, for example by clicking the anus or vulva (the external genital organs) without washing your cat's nose afterward

2. Abnormal anatomy in the urinary tract (for example, a blockage).

3. Infection in the skin or spinal cord (syphilis).

4. Infection of the bladder or prostate gland.

5. Anorectal problems

6. Urethral obstruction

7. Infectious or non-infectious inflammation of the foreskin, usually caused by a yeast infection.

8. Infection near the prostate.

9. Coughing up blood (usually due to lung infection)

10. Medication/treating bacterial infections in other parts of the body

11. Kidney failure or kidney disease

12. Other diseases, including parasites and cancer

Treating FIC:

There are a couple of ways to even up your cat's urinary pH and keep bacteria from growing in the urethra.

1. Feed a low-protein diet, which has a more acidic urine pH than a high-protein diet

2. Give a urinary acid (uricosuric) medication to slow the activity of your cat's kidneys

How long do cats with FIC live?

The average lifespan of a healthy cat is 11 years. However, it's only fair to mention that there is no way to tell how long your cat will live without knowing its medical history. It's also important to note that cats are living longer than ever before. On average, a cat is living to 20 years old.

Recovery and Management of Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC):

Treating FIC is a lifelong task, even if your cat has managed to live for 10 years without needing treatment. Once the diagnosis of FIC is made, it's important to do the following:

1. Visit the veterinarian regularly

2. Give the cat a low-protein diet

3. Know how to recognize when your cat is sick and needs medical help

4. Know when it's appropriate to keep your cat in (the last resort would be euthanasia)

5. Be aware of how painful the flare-ups are, and try to make it as painless as possible.

Conclusion

Not many people know that cats with FIC can live a long time. Many cats even live out their lives without any recurring symptoms of the disease. However, it's important to understand that FIC is not fatal and many cats live out their lives without any recurring symptoms of the disease, even if they have to go through periodic flare-ups.

References

[1] ^ Veterinary Information Network: Idiopathic (Interstitial) Cystitis: New Concepts in Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment (Parts I & II)
[2] ^ International Cat Care: Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC)