Signs & Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection in Cats
In many cats, a urinary tract infection (UTI) isn't an infection at all. Rather, it's a painful collection of tiny stones or crystals that irritate the walls of the bladder, causing discomfort and pain. In male cats, the stones or crystals can block the urethra, causing a medical emergency and even death. If you have a male cat, knowing the signs and symptoms of a UTI can save his life.
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Passing Little or No Urine
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Passing little or no urine is a medical emergency. When a cat is unable to urinate, toxins build up in the body and can cause acute kidney failure, a ruptured bladder or life-threatening heart rhythm disturbances. If your cat is unable to urinate, don't delay. The cat needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away.
Change in Litter Box Habits
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Cats with UTIs often associate the litter box with pain and urinate someplace else, where they feel more comfortable. The most common places are sinks, bathtubs and soft surfaces, like a bed, carpeting or a pile of clothes.
Frequent trips to the litter box and crying out in the box can be symptoms of a UTI, too
Be aware that inappropriate urination can also be a sign of hyperthyroidism, diabetes and kidney failure. Cats who suddenly start urinating outside their litter boxes should be tested for these three chronic diseases, as well as for a UTI.
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Changes in the Urine
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Cats with UTIs often have blood in their urine. Another sign is urine with a very strong ammonia odor.
Smaller than usual urine clumps in the litter box can also be a symptom of a UTI.
Changes in Behavior
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Cats with UTIs sometimes lick their genital areas obsessively and may cry out while licking. Other changes that signal illness, including a UTI, are lethargy, lack of appetite and vomiting.
Older Cats
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Cats over the age of 10 are more prone to bacterial infections in the urinary tract than younger cats are, and cats with diabetes, hyperthyroidism and kidney disease are especially at risk. If your diabetic cat suddenly loses regulation, the culprit could be a UTI.
Prevention
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Stress and diet are among the main causes of UTIs. An all-wet food diet will keep your cat well hydrated and will dilute urine and create an environment that's inhospitable to bacteria and the formation of stones and crystals.
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