Could Cat Urine Problems
Mean Kitty Is Sick?

Cat urine changes often indicate that Kitty is in need of medical attention. This section of the website goes through the common signs you should watch out for.

picture of lovely grey cat

This section of the website doesn't cover the reasons why your cat may be spraying or not using his litter box. To go to the section that deals with litter box problems, click here.

Potential Problems To Be Aware Of

Hopefully you already have a reasonable idea of your cat's normal toilet habits. You probably know how much he drinks, what his pee smells and looks like (to an extent!), how often he has a pee and the rough volume he pees each time.

Changes to any of the above may indicate a problem. I've listed the most common cat urine problems below. For more information on any of them, please click on the text links. For advice on health insurance for your cat, click here.

1) Increased or decreased thirst and urine production

picture of tabby cat drinking from tap

A marked change in Kitty's thirst and urination isn't normal. You may find he starts peeing during the night, develops feline incontinence, tries to pee frequently, drinks out of the sink or spends much more time hanging round his water bowl and / or litter box.

There are several potential causes for this behavior. In all cases, the sooner he's seen by a vet, the better:

Cat Urinary Tract Infection
Common signs include trying to pee frequently but only small amounts being produced, and suddenly starting to pee away from the litter box.

Chronic Cat Kidney Failure
Usually occurs in older cats, due to kidney function deteriorating with age.

Acute Cat Renal Failure
Usually occurs as a result of infection, poisoning or physical injury.

Cat Diabetes
Feline diabetes symptoms include increased thirst and urine production, weight loss and increased appetite.

2) Blood and / or pus in Kitty's urine

picture of grumpy kitten

Blood and pus are not normal components of a cat's urine, and if they are present, Kitty has a problem.

The mixture of the blood staining and pus may actually look like cat constipation, so owners may not even realize that Kitty's urine is the problem. It could be caused by a cat urinary tract infection, physical injury or acute cat renal failure. All need prompt veterinary treatment.

3) Offensive smelling urine

The smell of cat urine isn't exactly pleasant, but if it suddenly becomes more pungent, Kitty likely has a problem. The most probable cause is cat urinary tract infection, but once again, a speedy trip to the vet is required.

4) Kitty appears unable to pee

photo of cat drinking from pool

If Kitty is spending most of his time straining over the litter box but not producing anything, then getting out of the box and licking the area under his tail, you could have a very serious problem on your hands.

This behavior is suggestive of him being unable to pee - i.e. there's an obstruction that's preventing him from passing urine. This could be caused by a physical injury, a tumor or bladder stones blocking the exit to his bladder. Whatever the cause, immediate veterinary attention is needed. If he can't pee, he will die without treatment.

Kitty's diet plays important part in the treatment of many cat urine problems. Your vet can advise you further on this.

There's a lot of information here, and it's not exhaustive. But the take away message is straightforward - if you notice any alterations in Kitty's toilet habits or any actual cat urine changes, take him to the vet as soon as you can.

Click on these links for advice on how to clean cat urine and cat urine cleaning products.

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