Pandora syndrome isn’t a new disease. The term just reflects a more comprehensive understanding of a long familiar feline condition.

Affected cats may periodically strain to urinate, pass small but frequent amounts of bloody urine, or urinate outside the litter box. Over the years, this condition has been variably called feline lower urinary tract disease or feline urological syndrome and was blamed on improperly formulated diets.

But that was wrong. Current research shows that these lower urinary tract signs are just a part of a chronic stress response that affects multiple organs in a cat’s body — that is, it creates a veritable “Pandora’s box” of complex problems.

If your feline friend shows these signs, work with your veterinarian to find a solution.