NAVLE Urinary

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD): NAVLE Study Guide

FLUTD is one of the most common feline presentations on the NAVLE. The ability to distinguish obstructed from non-obstructed cats, recognize post-obstructive diuresis, and know when perineal urethrostomy is indicated are all high-yield.

What Is FLUTD?

Feline lower urinary tract disease is not a single diagnosis — it is a clinical syndrome defined by signs originating from the bladder and urethra: stranguria, pollakiuria, hematuria, and periuria (urinating outside the litter box). The underlying cause determines treatment and prognosis, and the NAVLE expects you to know how to work through the differential list quickly based on signalment and history.

The classic NAVLE patient is a young to middle-aged, neutered male indoor cat with acute-onset straining. Your job is to decide: is this cat obstructed or not, and what is the underlying cause?

FLUTD Causes by Category

Cause distribution shifts heavily with age. In cats under 10 years, feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) dominates. Over 10 years, urolithiasis and bacterial UTI become more relevant.

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