Kidney Infections in Cats

Kidney infections in cats should be taken seriously because they could eventually lead to kidney failure. Some months ago, I lost my oldest cat Maya to kidney failure and other complications.

A kidney infection, or pyelonephritis, is often brought on by a concurrent bladder infection (cystitis). Maya had bouts of cystitis before she was diagnosed with kidney failure. Pyelonephritis is caused by bacterial pathogens that attack both the kidney and its urine collecting system. 

There are two kinds of pyelonephritis: acute and chronic. The acute variety produces symptoms of fever, vomiting and pain in the vicinity of the kidney, and, often, bloody urine. If your cat suddenly walks stiffly and has a hunched posture, she may have acute pyelonephritis.

Chronic pyelonephritis is more subtle and insidious, and there may not be any acute attacks to warn you of a kidney problem. Cats that lose weight and have signs of kidney failure that include increased thirst, frequent and copious pale urine, and periods of low energy, lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting should be taken to the vet immediately. If caught early, it is sometimes possible to reverse the damage and prevent kidney failure.

Treatment of both acute and chronic kidney infections involves culturing the urine to determine what kinds of bacteria are present and choosing the appropriate antibiotic. Chronic pyelonephritis needs a lengthy treatment period of up to six weeks.

Nephritis is the general term used for a kidney inflammation, of which chronic interstitial nephritis (CIN) is the most common kind. A number of things may cause CIN, including viruses, poisons, drugs, and toxins.

Glomerulonephritis affects the kidney filtering mechanism and it is thought to be related to a malfunctioning immune system. It is often found along with feline leukemia, feline infectious peritonitis, feline progressive polyarthritis and certain cancers.