Clinical differences in enterococcal bacteriuria compared with other bacteriuria in cats

Objectives The clinical differences between Enterococcus species bacteriuria compared with other bacteria has been reported in a small number of cats. The objective of this study was to compare a large number of cats with Enterococcus species bacteriuria to cats with other bacteriuria and determine the clinical differences. It was hypothesized that enterococcal bacteriuria would be associated with subclinical bacteriuria and polymicrobial infections more than other bacteriuria, and that when local or systemic comorbidities were present, enterococcal bacteriuria would be more common. Methods This retrospective case-control study compared case cats with enterococcal bacteriuria to control cats with other bacteriuria. Cats with enterococcal bacteriuria were age, year and weight matched with 1–2 control cats with any other bacteriuria. Results Lower urinary tract clinical signs were statistically significantly more common in controls (n = 38/77 [49%]) compared with Enterococcus cases (n = 12/47 [25%]; P = 0.01). Specifically, control cats (n = 20/77 [26%]) were statistically significantly more likely to have gross hematuria compared with Enterococcus case cats (n = 3/47 [6%]; P = 0.01). Enterococcus cases were statistically significantly more likely to have a polymicrobial infection compared with controls (odds ratio 5.84, 95% confidence interval 1.33–34.70; P = 0.01). Conclusions and relevance Enterococcus species are associated with subclinical bacteriuria and polymicrobial urinary tract infections in cats vs other bacteriuria.