Carolina C. L. Paulino, André Meneses, Pedro Almeida, Paulo Dinis, Joana Tavares de Oliveira
Background
Feline lower urinary tract signs (LUTS), particularly feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), are common and complex conditions influenced by both physiological and environmental factors. The COVID-19 pandemic altered household dynamics through increased caregiver presence and confinement. These environmental shifts could either exacerbate or alleviate stress-related urinary disorders in cats. This study evaluated whether pandemic-related confinement influenced the frequency and outcomes of feline LUTS cases.
Methods
A retrospective cohort study analyzed medical records of 298 cats with LUTS presented to a veterinary hospital in Portugal between February 2019 and January 2021. Cases were categorized into a pre-pandemic (BP) group and a during-pandemic (DP) group. Inclusion criteria required full diagnostic workups including urinalysis, imaging, and urine culture. Variables such as recurrence, urethral obstruction (UO), and mortality were compared between the groups using chi-square tests.
Results
Out of 862 screened cats, 298 met inclusion criteria—142 in the BP group and 156 in the DP group. Despite a statistically significant increase in UO in the DP group (p = 0.036), recurrence and mortality rates were significantly lower compared to the BP group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). Anuria was more prevalent in the DP group, while pollakiuria and mucus in urinalysis were more common in BP cases. Dietary management also shifted, with greater use of prescription diets in the DP group (p = 0.023), potentially influencing outcomes.
Limitations
The retrospective design limits causal inference and control over confounding variables such as veterinary service access and caregiver behavior. Clinical data lacked detail on household stressors and enrichment, and only the most severe episode per cat was analyzed. Observations of caregiver influence were inferred rather than directly measured.
Conclusions
The COVID-19 pandemic, despite increasing UO rates, was associated with reduced LUTS recurrence and mortality in cats, likely due to enhanced caregiver vigilance and dietary management. These findings emphasize the importance of caregiver engagement and environmental stability in managing stress-related feline urinary disorders. Future studies should investigate the specific behavioral and environmental factors that most significantly influence feline LUTS outcomes under confinement conditions.
Comparison of clinical and diagnostic findings in cats with LUTS before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asterisks represent outcomes where the difference between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05).
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