While urinary tract disorders are common in cats, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are fairly uncommon. Cats with UTIs try to urinate frequently, may pass only small amounts of urine, may strain to urinate, and may cry or whine when urinating. Sometimes, blood may be visible in their urine.
What Are the Symptoms of Urinary Tract Problems in Cats?
The lower urinary tract includes the bladder and urethra. Your cat’s bladder is where urine is created and held until it exits the body through the urethra.
Urinating (peeing) normally becomes impossible for your cat when those body parts become infected or obstructed. When your cat has a urinary tract infection (UTI) or another urinary tract issue, you may notice some of the following symptoms:
- Frequent urination, but only passing a small amount of urineÂ
- Peeing outside the litter boxÂ
- Blood in urine
- Straining to urinateÂ
- Crying out in pain while urinatingÂ
- Increased licking of the urinary opening
Give your veterinarian a call as soon as you notice any of these symptoms. This may indicate that your cat requires immediate medical attention.
Urinary Tract Infection – Cat
While urinary tract problems are common in cats, urinary tract disease is more common in these furry friends than infections.
The majority of cats who experience urinary tract infections are 10 years of age or older, and they frequently also have endocrine conditions like hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus.
Your veterinarian will recommend an antibiotic to help treat your cat’s urinary tract infection (UTI) if it is determined that your cat has an infection like cystitis and is exhibiting symptoms of the condition (see below).
Urinating with difficulty, passing blood-tinged urine, reducing the amount of urine produced, not urinating at all, pain or discomfort during urination, and urinating outside of the litter box are the most typical signs of urinary tract infections in cats.
Your cat may have a urinary tract infection (UTI) if they exhibit any of the symptoms mentioned above, but they could also be signs of a feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD.
What Causes Lower Urinary Tract Problems in Cats?
The veterinarian may ask you about your cat’s symptoms when you bring them in an effort to determine the exact cause of the issue. Urinary tract issues in cats can have a number of common causes, such as the following:
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
When there is a bacterial infection in the bladder or urethra, cats get UTIs. A urine sample is required by your veterinarian to diagnose this illness.
Uroliths (Urinary Stones)
Minerals found in urine can naturally aggregate and form small crystals or even large stones in your cat’s bladder. They may cause bloody urine, pain when urinating, and irritation of the bladder or urethra lining. Â.
Urinary stone diagnosis requires urine testing, X-rays, or ultrasounds performed by your veterinarian.
Urethral Obstruction
Your cat’s urethra may occasionally become totally obstructed by stones or a buildup of tissue and minerals known as a “urethral plug.” “Â.
This kind of obstruction prevents a cat from passing pee at all. Urinary tract obstructions are medical emergencies, so you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis
On rare occasions, a cat’s lower urinary tract may become irritated without an infection or stones. Occasionally, it might be an indication of stress or a response to a dietary modification.
Other Causes
Other health conditions can affect cats urinary tract health. Diabetes and thyroid issues are sometimes to blame. In rare cases, cats get tumors in their urinary tract. To identify these conditions, your veterinarian will need to perform blood and urine tests.
FAQ
What are the signs of a UTI in a cat?
How does an indoor cat get a UTI?
Can a cat’s UTI go away by itself?