Cats and urinary infections go together far more often than the people paying the vet bill would like to think. Vets will often look at a symptom such as urinating outside the litter box, and conclude that the cat is experiencing a behavioral problem, possibly due to stress, and overlook the fact that there may be a medical problem at work.

Unfortunately, it is much more likely that physical rather than behavioral causes are creating the cat's urinary tract infection. It's one of a number of problematic urinary conditions, such as an obstructed urinary passage or bladder inflammation, better known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or FLUTD.

Your cat's urinary infection is as unpleasant and distressing to them as it would be to you. Like with humans, it is marked by a need to urinate, but no amount of straining to do so helps. If you learn the causes of the condition, and to follow simple rules of care, you can help ease your kitty's discomfort.

Have you noticed how often your cat goes to the water bowl for a drink? Not very often, right? There's a reason for that. Cats originated in areas that were hot, arid, and desert-like. Through evolution, they became capable of extracting the necessary liquids from their prey. The animals they hunted gave them most of the fluids they needed to stay healthy, making finding an alternate water source of less importance. As this instinct is still predominant in them today, the result is a rise in occurrence of typical cat's urinary infections.

A specific treatment of your cat's urinary infection will be made by your vet, based upon the results of a urinalysis, among other things. But you can help keep your cat from getting a UTI to begin with, saving the cost of a vet visit, by using an ounce of prevention.

1. Water is of primary importance.

Be sure to wash your kitty's water bowl daily, using only clean, hot water. If using soap, be aware that it might contain harmful chemicals, so make certain to rinse the bowl completely to eliminate any residue.

If your cat eats a lot of dry food, try moistening it by adding a little bit of water. To really pique their interest, try adding chicken broth.

If you are providing your cat with dry cat food, mix in a little water to moisten it. To make it even more attractive, try adding something tasty, such as chicken broth.

If you cat primarily eats dry food, moisten it by mixing in some water. Using chicken broth will make it even more attractive.

2. Steer clear of feeding your cat foods with a high magnesium content, like beef, pork, heart and oily fish.

3. Select foods that are natural, rather than prescription diets. Buy organic when possible. consult your vet to be certain the food you give your cat will create the proper pH level in their urine.

4. Once a day, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water. Doing this will help keep kitty's urine pH a bit acidic, and aid in the prevention of bladder stones. Bladder stones are often the reason for your cat's urinary infections.

When you follow these basic rules of health maintenance, you have done a great deal to ensure your cat lives a long, happy, and healthy life, untroubled by feline urinary tract infections.