Urinary tract disease is one of the health conditions that cats owners should know about, because it affects quality of life, and it is easier to manage when it is caught early. This guide explains what urinary tract disease is, the signs to watch for, what causes it, how it is diagnosed, how it is treated, whether it can be prevented, and how to live with a cat that has it. Every suggestion here is general guidance, not a prescription for an individual cat.
This guide covers urinary tract disease in cats in full: what it is, the signs to watch for, what causes it, how it is diagnosed, how it is treated, whether it can be prevented, and how to live with a cat that has it. Every suggestion here is general guidance, not a prescription for an individual cat, and a cat with urinary tract disease should be checked by a vet, because the right treatment depends on the individual cat, its age, and how advanced the condition is.
What is urinary tract disease in cats?
Urinary tract disease is a condition where the bladder or the tubes that carry urine become inflamed, infected, or blocked. In cats, the most common form is feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, which is an inflammation of the bladder that often has no clear cause. In dogs, the most common form is a urinary infection, caused by bacteria. Urinary tract disease is painful, and it can become an emergency: a cat that cannot pass urine at all — most often a male cat with a blockage — needs a vet at once, because a blockage can kill within a day or two.
The rest of this guide covers the signs, the causes, how urinary tract disease is diagnosed, how it is treated, whether it can be prevented, and how to live with a cat that has it. A cat with urinary tract disease should be checked by a vet, because the right treatment depends on the individual cat, its age, and how advanced the condition is — and because some of the signs of urinary tract disease can also be signs of other conditions, which need a vet to tell apart. The cat ideal weight calculator works out a target weight range, and the when is a cat considered a senior guide gives the senior thresholds by size.
Signs of urinary tract disease in cats
The signs of urinary tract disease in cats are listed below. Not every cat with urinary tract disease will show every sign, and some cats will show only one or two — but any one of these signs, especially if it lasts more than a few days or gets worse, is worth mentioning to a vet. A cat that is bright, eating, drinking, and otherwise well between episodes is less likely to be seriously ill than a cat that is lethargic, off its food, or losing weight — but the only way to know is to check.
- Straining to urinate, or trying often and passing only a little.
- Blood in the urine, or urine that looks pink or red.
- Crying or yelping while urinating, or in the litter tray.
- Urinating outside the litter tray, or in unusual places.
- Licking the genital area more than usual.
- A cat that is lethargic, off its food, or vomiting.
- A swollen, hard, or painful belly, and a cat that cannot urinate at all — an emergency.
If two or more of those signs apply, or if one sign is severe — a cat that cannot urinate, cannot breathe, cannot stand, or has had a seizure lasting more than five minutes — see a vet the same day. Those are signs that need a vet, not waiting. Bring a note of when the signs started, how often they happen, and what the cat eats and drinks — that information helps the vet far more than a guess about the cause. The how to tell if your cat is overweight guide gives the hands-on check for weight, which matters for many of these conditions.
Causes and risk factors for urinary tract disease
Urinary tract disease has many causes, and they differ between dogs and cats. In dogs, the most common cause is a bacterial infection, which is more common in females and in older dogs. In cats, the most common cause is an inflammation of the bladder with no clear cause — often linked to stress, a change in routine, or a diet that is low in water. Crystals and stones in the urine can cause it in both, and they can block the tube that carries urine out, which is most dangerous in male cats, whose tube is narrow. Some cats are more prone than others, because of their genes or their diet.
Some cats are more prone to urinary tract disease than others, because of their genes, their breed, their size, or their age — but breed and age are not destiny, and a cat of any breed can develop urinary tract disease. What an owner can control is weight, food, exercise, and vet checks: a cat at a healthy weight, with measured food and daily exercise, is less likely to develop urinary tract disease and will cope better with it if it does. A cat that is overweight, that eats a poor diet, or that never sees a vet is more likely to develop urinary tract disease and to have it found late, when it is harder to treat.
How urinary tract disease is diagnosed
A vet diagnoses urinary tract disease with a urine test, which shows whether there is blood, crystals, or bacteria in the urine, and a physical examination, which shows whether the bladder is full, hard, or painful. The vet may also take an X-ray or use an ultrasound to look for stones. A cat that is straining to urinate, passing blood, or crying in the litter tray should be seen by a vet promptly — and a cat that cannot urinate at all should be taken to the vet at once, day or night, because a blockage is an emergency.
If you are worried about your cat, see a vet and mention urinary tract disease by name, with the signs you have seen and when they started. Bring a note of what the cat eats, how much, and any medicines it takes, and whether it has had urinary tract disease or a related condition before. A video of the signs, if it is safe to take one, helps the vet far more than a description — especially for seizures, limping, or breathing problems. Do not try to diagnose urinary tract disease yourself, and do not buy medicines or special diets for it without veterinary advice, because the wrong treatment can make it worse.
Treatment and management of urinary tract disease
Treatment depends on the cause: an infection needs antibiotics, crystals and stones need a change in diet and sometimes surgery, and an inflammation with no clear cause needs pain relief, more water, and less stress. A blocked cat needs emergency treatment to unblock it, and fluids into a vein. The vet may recommend a special diet, more water — including wet food, which is mostly water — and a clean, quiet litter tray in a calm place. Do not try to treat urinary tract disease at home, and do not wait to see if it gets better: a cat that cannot urinate will become seriously ill within a day.
Treatment is a decision made with the vet, weighing the cat's age, health, and quality of life against the treatment and its side effects. Some owners choose not to treat, and to keep the cat comfortable instead — and that is a valid choice, made with the vet, not on the basis of a web page. Whatever is decided, the treatment must be followed every day, at the same times, and the cat must be checked regularly, because urinary tract disease changes over time, and the treatment needs to change with it. Do not stop a medicine suddenly, and do not change the dose without veterinary advice.
Living with a cat with urinary tract disease
A cat with urinary tract disease can live a full and happy life with the right care, but it needs a routine: fresh water in several places, wet food, a clean and quiet litter tray, and a calm home. The owner must watch for the signs coming back — straining, blood, crying in the tray — and see a vet promptly if they do, because a flare-up caught early is easier to treat than one left for days. A cat that has had a blockage once is more likely to have one again, so the diet and the water matter for life, not just for a few weeks. Know where the nearest emergency vet is, day and night.
Keep a routine: the same times for food, medicines, walks, and play, the same places for furniture, food, and water, and a calm, predictable home. Keep a note of appetite, drinking, weight, and behaviour, and mention any change to the vet promptly — a change that lasts more than a few days, or that gets worse, is worth a vet visit. Keep the cat at a healthy weight, with measured food and daily exercise at a level that suits its body, and keep vet checks regular: once a year as an adult, and twice a year as a senior. The senior cat diet guide covers feeding older cats, and the cat calorie calculator works out daily calories for any weight.
Can urinary tract disease be prevented?
Urinary tract disease cannot always be prevented, but the risk can be reduced. Keep fresh water available in several places, and feed wet food as well as or instead of dry food, because wet food is mostly water and helps to dilute the urine. Keep the litter tray clean, quiet, and in a calm place, with one tray per cat plus one spare, because a dirty or stressful tray makes a cat hold its urine, which makes the problem worse. Keep the cat at a healthy weight, and reduce stress — a move, a new pet, or building work can all trigger a flare-up in a cat that is prone to it.
Early checks matter most: have the cat checked regularly, so urinary tract disease is found early, when treatment works best. Keep the cat at a healthy weight, with measured food and daily exercise, and mention any change in drinking, eating, weight, or behaviour to your vet early, because a change caught early is easier to treat than one left for weeks.
For related reading, see the cat ideal weight calculator, the cat body condition score chart, the how to tell if your cat is overweight guide, the senior cat diet guide, the cat calorie calculator, the when is a cat considered a senior guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is urinary tract disease in cats?
Urinary tract disease is a condition where the bladder or the tubes that carry urine become inflamed, infected, or blocked. In cats, the most common form is feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, which is an inflammation of the bladder that often has no clear cause. In dogs, the most common form is a urinary infection, caused by bacteria. Urinary tract disease is painful, and it can become an emergency: a cat that cannot pass urine at all — most often a male cat with a blockage — needs a vet at once, because a blockage can kill within a day or two.
What are the signs of urinary tract disease in cats?
The most common signs are: Straining to urinate, or trying often and passing only a little. Blood in the urine, or urine that looks pink or red. Crying or yelping while urinating, or in the litter tray. See the full list above for every sign to watch for, and see a vet promptly if two or more apply, or if one sign is severe.
What causes urinary tract disease in cats?
Urinary tract disease has many causes, and they differ between dogs and cats. In dogs, the most common cause is a bacterial infection, which is more common in females and in older dogs. In cats, the most common cause is an inflammation of the bladder with no clear cause — often linked to stress, a change in routine, or a diet that is low in water. Crystals and stones in the urine can cause it in both, and they can block the tube that carries urine out, which is most dangerous in male cats, whose tube is narrow. Some cats are more prone than others, because of their genes or their diet.
How is urinary tract disease diagnosed?
A vet diagnoses urinary tract disease with a urine test, which shows whether there is blood, crystals, or bacteria in the urine, and a physical examination, which shows whether the bladder is full, hard, or painful. The vet may also take an X-ray or use an ultrasound to look for stones. A cat that is straining to urinate, passing blood, or crying in the litter tray should be seen by a vet promptly — and a cat that cannot urinate at all should be taken to the vet at once, day or night, because a blockage is an emergency.
How is urinary tract disease treated?
Treatment depends on the cause: an infection needs antibiotics, crystals and stones need a change in diet and sometimes surgery, and an inflammation with no clear cause needs pain relief, more water, and less stress. A blocked cat needs emergency treatment to unblock it, and fluids into a vein. The vet may recommend a special diet, more water — including wet food, which is mostly water — and a clean, quiet litter tray in a calm place. Do not try to treat urinary tract disease at home, and do not wait to see if it gets better: a cat that cannot urinate will become seriously ill within a day.
When should a cat with urinary tract disease see a vet?
See a vet promptly if the cat shows any of the signs above, especially if they last more than a few days or get worse — and the same day if the cat cannot urinate, cannot breathe, cannot stand, has had a seizure lasting more than five minutes, or is lethargic or off its food. Bring a note of when the signs started and what the cat eats and drinks. A cat with urinary tract disease should be checked by a vet, because the right treatment depends on the individual cat, its age, and how advanced the condition is.
Results on this page are estimates for general information only and are not veterinary advice. If your pet is ill, underweight, overweight, pregnant, or has a health condition, consult your veterinarian before changing diet or care.