How to Tell if Your Cat Has a UTI

This is Yoda

Your cat has just urinated on your bed for the second time today and you think you've done something to make him or her mad at you. Cats do not work that way- if your pet is mad at you, it will ignore you. Your cat will not typically pee on your bed out of spite. This is a sign of something more serious- a UTI. In cats a UTI can eventually end up causing life-threatening complications, so here are a few warning signs to tell you if your furbaby is sick.

Things You'll Need

• Observation
• Clean litter box
• Enzyme cleaner
• Patience

Instructions

1. Going to the bathroom outside the litter box: This is a glaring sign to tell you that something is wrong with your cat. First change the litter box and make sure that it is clean- sometimes your pet will rebel if the litter is not clean.

2. Enzyme Cleaner: Clean the out-of-litterbox bathroom spots with an enzyme cleaner- Even if you clean the spots and can no longer smell the urine, he or she still can, and may return to finish the job in that location.

3. Observation: When your cat tries to urinate is he or she straining, going in small amounts, or is the urine bloody? If output decreases this is a sign that the UTI is escalating and if there is blood get your cat to a vet ASAP! An emergency vet will be necessary if this happens after working hours or on a weekend- DO NOT wait until Monday!

4. Continued Observation: Does your cat lick him or herself repeatedly after trying to go to the bathroom? This could be a sign that he or she is hurting and is trying to stop the pain. A UTI causes significant pain for a cat; cats feel the similar pain and burning that people do when they have a UTI. It is an illness and must be addressed immediately!

5. Other Signs and Symptoms: If he or she prefers cold surfaces like tile or linoleum, and wriggles around on the cool surface, this could be another indicator along with the peeing outside the litterbox. A Urinary Tract Infection causes discomfort and the cool surface is comforting (which is abnormal because most cats love warm temperatures). Also, you'll notice he or she may be a little more vocal than usual- you can hear it in their cry whether they're just being a cat or if they are uncomfortable; it is a different sound than you typically hear coming from your pet.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't be mad at your cat for peeing outside the litter box- thank him or her for letting you know about their illness- since they can't talk it is a way for them to communicate with people.

• UTIs are extremely dangerous for cats and can be a life-threatening condition. Make sure to take your loved one into the vet when you see signs of illness, because delay can be detrimental to the health of your furbaby.

• This is particularly dangerous in male cats that have been neutered. A regular diet sometimes cannot be processed and mineralized crystals form within the urinary tract, which can cause blockage of the urethra and a potentially deadly condition.