Feline lower urinary tract disease is a painful and potentially life-threatening condition in cats that is closely linked to stress, diet, and obesity, making preventive management essential for long-term feline welfare.
Feline lower urinary tract disease represents a welfare challenge that requires attention to both the physical and psychological dimensions of cat health. The recognition that feline idiopathic cystitis, the most common form of FLUTD, is driven largely by stress rather than infection or structural disease has transformed the approach to prevention and management. Cats experiencing environmental stress from inadequate enrichment, multicat conflict, litter box problems, or routine disruption are at substantially elevated risk of painful bladder inflammation and potentially life-threatening urethral obstruction. Welfare-positive FLUTD prevention centers on environmental enrichment, appropriate feeding of wet food, management of multicat household dynamics, and the elimination of known stressors. Recognizing and addressing the root causes of feline stress is more effective and more welfare-positive than repeated symptomatic treatment alone.