What is lower urinary tract disease?
An overarching premise is that feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is not just a bladder disorder but involves complex interactions of the two main arms of the body’s stress response system: 1. The sympathetic nervous system 2. The endocrine system The sympathetic nervous system acts through release of stress hormones such as norepinephrine and epinephrine, whereas the adrenal glands (organs in the endocrine system) release cortisol and a plethora of other steroids. FIC appears to be characterized by an exaggerated sympathetic nervous system and a blunted endocrine response to stressors that do not seem to affect healthy cats. Any treatment strategy to decrease sympathetic nervous system outflow may be important in reducing clinical signs. Reducing the noxiousness of the urine to the damaged bladder wall and normalizing bladder permeability may also prove useful. What are the symptoms of lower urinary tract disease? Symptoms of lower urinary tract disease in cats include variable combinat
