UTI in Cats: Bladder Infection Symptoms and What They Really Mean

What a bladder infection in cats usually means

A urinary tract infection happens when bacteria travel up the urethra into the bladder, and sometimes on to the kidneys. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that healthy adult cats rarely develop one, and VCA Animal Hospitals describes primary bacterial infections as rare in cats. Cats at higher risk include older cats, those over about ten, cats with diabetes, thyroid disease, FeLV or FIV, cats on long-term steroids, and cats whose urine is very dilute or contains sugar.

Most cats with urinary signs actually have something else. Cornell Feline Health Center reports that feline idiopathic cystitis, bladder inflammation with no infection or other identifiable cause and thought to be closely linked to stress, is the most common diagnosis in cats with these signs. Urinary crystals and stones, most often struvite or calcium oxalate, and soft plugs of mineral and mucus in the urethra are the other common causes, and VCA notes many older cats have both stones and an infection at the same time.

Symptoms of a UTI or bladder problem

The signs look much the same whatever the cause: frequent trips to the litter box, straining or taking a long time to pass small amounts, crying out while peeing, blood in the urine, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, peeing outside the box, and frequent licking of the genital area. Merck notes that blood often shows at the end of the stream, and some cats with infections show no signs at all.

Cornell lists the cats most at risk of urinary signs in general as middle-aged, overweight or inactive cats, indoor cats that drink little, males, and cats in multi-cat homes or going through big changes such as a move. Because a stressed bladder, a stone and an infection can look identical from the outside, a urine test is needed to tell them apart.

When to call your vet today

Call your vet the same day if your cat is going to the litter box more often, straining, passing blood, or peeing outside the box. Bring your cat in promptly even if it is still producing urine, because the treatment for an infection, a stone and stress cystitis is completely different, and antibiotics will not help a cat that does not have an infection.

Call too if your cat has had urinary problems before and the signs are back, or if it is drinking much more than usual. Merck notes that long-term or repeated infections may be a sign of an underlying problem, such as diabetes, kidney disease or bladder stones, that needs to be found and treated.

When it's an emergency

Go to your vet or the nearest emergency vet immediately if your cat is straining in the litter box and producing little or no urine, especially if your cat is male. Cornell calls a blocked urethra an absolute emergency: it causes dangerous changes in the blood, and death can occur within about one to two days without treatment. Males are far more prone to blockage because their urethra is longer and narrower.

Other emergency signs are crying in pain, repeatedly squatting with nothing coming out, vomiting, hiding, weakness or collapse, or a belly that seems painful to the touch. If you cannot tell whether your cat is straining to pee or to poop, treat it as a possible blockage and get your cat seen right away.

What you can safely do at home

Do not give leftover antibiotics, human urinary remedies, cranberry products or pain relievers. Many human medicines are dangerous to cats, and Cornell warns against adding urinary acidifiers without veterinary advice, because too much acid can cause harm. Do not wait to see whether a straining male cat improves.

What helps is gathering information. Note how often your cat goes, how much comes out, and whether you see blood. Your vet may ask you to bring a fresh urine sample; ask how to collect one, often by using a clean, empty litter box or non-absorbent litter. Keep fresh water available, keep the litter box clean, and keep the household as calm as you can.

What the vet will likely check

Your vet will examine your cat, including gently feeling the belly and bladder, and run a urinalysis. Merck explains that a urine culture is needed to confirm a bacterial infection and choose the right antibiotic, and VCA notes that persistent or recurring cases may also need blood work, X-rays or ultrasound to look for stones or other causes.

Treatment follows the cause. A confirmed infection is treated with antibiotics, and your vet may recheck the urine afterward to make sure it has cleared. Cornell notes that idiopathic cystitis often settles within a couple of weeks, with stress reduction and diet to help prevent repeats, that struvite stones may be dissolved with a prescription diet, and that calcium oxalate stones must be removed. A blocked cat is sedated or anesthetized so a catheter can relieve the blockage, with fluids and hospital care.

Prevention

Cornell's prevention advice centers on water and stress: fresh, clean water available at all times, small, frequent meals, a consistent diet and a healthy weight. Provide one more litter box than you have cats, in quiet, safe spots, and keep them clean. Climbing posts, toys and a predictable routine help reduce the stress linked to idiopathic cystitis.

Cats that have had crystals or stones may need a long-term therapeutic diet, and cats prone to infections need any underlying illness managed. VCA notes that lower urinary tract disease cannot be fully prevented, so learn the emergency signs, especially if you have a male cat.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.