Risk factors for upper urinary tract uroliths and ureteral obstruction in cats under referral veterinary care in the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND: Cats presenting with upper urinary tract uroliths (UUTUs) and ureteral obstruction (“obstructive UUTU”) are typically younger than cats with idiopathic CKD that often have incidental nephroliths. HYPOTHESIS: Cats with upper urinary tract urolith have 2 clinical phenotypes; a more aggressive phenotype at risk of obstructive UUTU at a young age and a more benign phenotype in older cats, with reduced risk of obstructive UUTU. OBJECTIVES: Identify risk factors for UUTU and for obstructive UUTU. ANIMALS: Eleven thousand four hundred thirty‐one cats were referred for care over 10 years; 521 (4.6%) with UUTU. METHODS: Retrospective VetCompass observational cross‐sectional study. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to identify risk factors for a diagnosis of UUTU vs no UUTU and additionally, obstructive UUTU vs nonobstructive UUTU. RESULTS: Risk factors for UUTU included female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.6, confidence interval [CI] 1.3‐1.9; P < .001), British shorthair, Burmese, Persian, Ragdoll or Tonkinese (vs non‐purebred ORs 1.92‐3.31; P < .001) breed and being ≥4 years (ORs 2.1‐3.9; P < .001). Risk factors for obstructive UUTU were female sex (OR 1.8, CI 1.2‐2.6; P = .002), having bilateral uroliths (OR 2.0, CI 1.4‐2.9; P = .002) and age, with the odds of obstructive UUTU increasing as age at diagnosis of UUTU decreased (≥12 years, reference category; 8‐11.9 years, OR 2.7, CI 1.6‐4.5; 4‐7.9 years, OR 4.1, CI 2.5‐7.0; 0‐3.9 years, OR 4.3, CI 2.2‐8.6; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Cats diagnosed with UUTU at a younger age have a more aggressive phenotype with higher risk of obstructive UUTU compared to cats over 12 years of age diagnosed with UUTU.