Male Cat Blood In Urine

November 30, 2022

0

Kidney And Bladder Stones

How to Monitor for Cat Urethral Blocks at Home

If the blood contains too little liquid and too much waste, the waste products can bind with chemicals in the urine, forming hard stones in the kidneys or bladder.

Often, the stones are small enough to pass through urination. Larger stones may remain in the kidney or bladder or get stuck elsewhere in the urinary tract.

Larger stones generally cause more noticeable symptoms, such as:

blood in the urine
cloudy or strong-smelling urine

How Is Flutd Diagnosed

Because FLUTD has many causes, it can be difficult to diagnose. Based on your cat’s symptoms, your veterinarian will do a physical examination and most likely will run a urinalysis assessing urine pH and concentration and presence of crystals, bleeding, inflammation and infection. If the cause is still not identified, tests such as urine culture, x-rays, blood work and additional urine tests may be recommended.

Obstructions Of The Urethra

If you find your cat peeing blood, there is a good chance that they might have a urethral obstruction. Urethral obstructions can be caused by urinary stones or urethral plugsa softer mass of cells, proteins, and sometimes crystals that join together and block the flow of urine so that it cannot pass out of the cats body. Male cats have a higher risk for urethral obstructions because they have an extended, slim urethra compared to female cats.

Why Is My Cat Peeing Blood Reasons

Undeniably, seeing your cat bleeds a river while urinating is unbearable, and understandably you would do anything to help your cat get rid of this painful condition. If your cat is peeing blood in urine, it could be due to multiple reasons. However, it would help if you kept in mind that it is not uncommon, and your attention can save your cat from unfortunate consequences.

Lets have a detailed look at the possible causes of why your cat is peeing blood in the urine

Blood In The Litter Box

First, its hard to differentiate if what youve noticed is bloody urine or feces or vomit. When in doubt, take a few pictures with your smartphone, and then suck some up or worst case, wipe it up on a clean white paper towel and fold it into a plastic Ziploc bagand bring it to your veterinarian. Gross as it sounds, we veterinarians want to see it and can often determine the source.

Take, for example, when one of my friends reached out concerned about their cat. They have a WiFi-enabled, self-cleaning Litter-Robot 3 Connect, and noticed this on the smartphone app:

This app shows the number of trips that their cat was making to the automatic litter box. You can see that this cat typically averages 2-3 visits to the Litter Robot per day. Then all of a sudden in a 2-day period, this poor kitty was visiting the litter box 14-16X/day. Woah! Cats normally visit the litter box 1-4X/day. If you see that many trips to the litter box, something is medically wrong, and a visit to the veteven the ER vet in the middle of the nightis a MUST.

My Pet Is Peeing Blood

There are many reasons why your pets urine may contain blood, a symptom known as hematuria. Some common causes include urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney stones, cancer and systemic bleeding disorders. In cats, feline lower urinary tract disease or feline interstitial cystitisinflammation of the bladder that causes symptoms of lower urinary tract disease also can result in hematuria.

Blood In Cat Urine What You Need To Know And Do

Finding cat blood in urine can be quite scary. The medical term for this condition is haematuria. Female cats are more prone to develop this disorder, and it can indicate potentially serious diseases. Your cat peeing blood but acting normally usually means a mild ailment. But a visit to the vets will put your mind at rest, and get to the bottom of any serious underlying problems.

Learn more about blood in cat urine what you need to know and do here

Don’t Miss: Can A Spayed Cat Get Pregnant

Symptoms Of Blood In The Urine In Cats

The signs associated with blood in the urine depend on the cause of the condition. Here are some of the most common signs that can accompany blood in your cats urine:

Red colored urine
Passing urine more frequently than normal
Palpable mass in cats who have tumors
Pain when urinating
Strong odor of ammonia in urine
Prolonged squatting or straining while in the litter box
Avoiding the litter box
Urinating in unusual places inside
Distended abdominal area

Types

There are several different types of conditions that could cause your cat to have blood in his urine. Some of the most common are:

Physical abnormalities of the urinary tract

Why Is My Cat Peeing Blood

Is This Neutered Cat Producing Testosterone? | My Cat From Hell

Information About Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs And Cats

What is haematuria?

Haematuria is the medical term used to describe blood in the urine that occurs due to bleeding in the urinary system. When this happens the urine typically looks red and, occasionally, blood clots are seen. Sometimes bleeding can be on a microscopic level and the urine may appear normal. In these cases, blood may only be detected by laboratory analysis.

Are there other clinical signs that can be associated with haematuria?

Other clinical signs that may be present would include straining to urinate and squatting frequently to pass small amounts of urine. Straining to defecate can sometimes occur in male dogs with an enlarged prostate.

What can cause blood in the urine?

Causes Lower urinary tract bleeding

In cases where the lower urinary tract is involved other clinical signs typical of cystitis are normally seen.

Bladder inflammation of the bladder wall and subsequent bleeding can occur due to uroliths , polyps , infections and occasionally tumours. In the cat, there is a relatively common form of cystitis that without infection called feline lower urinary tract disease . FLUTD has been linked to stress and anxiety.

Prostate the most common causes of bleeding from the prostate in an unneutered dog are prostatitis and benign hyperplasia. Benign hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate as a consequence of testosterone stimulation. In a neutered dog cancer of the prostate must be considered.

Causes Upper urinary tract bleeding

Prevention Of Fic Should Include A Weight Control Diet And Consideration Of Environmental Factors:

There should be adequate access to litter boxes, preferably the number of cats in the house +1. These should be situated in accessible areas, if the house is very large, more litter boxes may be necessary.
If there is a multi-cat household, any inter-cat aggression/bullying should be identified and minimized. Aggression can be subtle and consulting a behaviorist could be appropriate. Cats are often solitary creatures and prefer somewhere to sleep away from the others. Giving them a safe high perch and a quiet room can help.
Using anti-stress pheromones such as Feliway around the house may help. If there is a strong suspicion of stressors that cant be easily resolved, tricyclic antidepressants may be prescribed. These are not usually a first-line treatment but play a part in reducing the recurrence of long-term FIC.
Ensuring an enriched environment and making time to play with your cat can also help.
Water Intake is very important. Cats can be encouraged to drink by flavoring the water or providing a water fountain. Adding additional water to the diet is also appropriate.

Read Also: Cat Litter Box Automatic Amazon

How Do I Treat My Cat That Is Peeing Blood

The treatment of your cats peeing blood in urine condition varies from cat to cat. Besides, it also depends on the root cause of the condition. For example, lets say your vet runs a few tests and diagnoses your cat with a bacterial urinary tract infection. They would treat the condition with pain killers and antibiotics certainly.

However, if your cat is peeing blood in urine secondary to psychological stress, you would have to spend time with your cat, make it feel happy, take it outside for playtime and much more. Furthermore, as a responsible cat owner, you must ensure that your cat drinks water on time and never gets dehydrated. Besides, it would help if you also were careful about your cats dietary lifestyle.

As mentioned earlier, crystalluria and stones may also be the culprit. Usually, the stones pass through urine. However, if they do not go away, your vet would recommend surgical removal of the stones.

Blood In Cat Urine: 7 Common Causes

Urogenital System Of The Male Cat Stock Vector

Urinary tract conditions are common in cats and can range from urinary tract infections to bladder and kidney stones. Cats who have had a urinary problem in the past are more likely to experience a recurrence in the future.

The presence of blood in a cats urine can be quite concerning for pet parents. There are a few different causes of blood-tinged urine in cats. Well look more closely at those causes and explain what steps you should take towards receiving a diagnosis and treatment plan.

You May Like: Signs My Cat Has A Uti

Treatment For Urinary Tract Disease

Treating blood in your cats urine should address the underlying cause of the haematuria. For cats with a urethral blockage, treatment is urgent and involves catheterization.

The exact treatment your cat undergoes will depend on their symptoms and final diagnosis. For the most common cause- cystitis- theres no specific treatment. Instead, symptoms are controlled using anti-inflammatories.

Herbal supplements are available that may help the bladder lining, but most of these have little clinical evidence to back their use. Since FIC is associated with stress, calming supplements may also be of use.

Of course, if your cat is suffering from another type of urinary tract disease, treatment might differ. Cats with infections, for instance, will need antibiotics, as well as treatment for the underlying cause. Cats with urinary stones may need a special diet to help reduce the crystals in the urine, and these stones may need to be removed surgically.

Cats with a blocked urethra will need unblocking urgently- by passing a urinary catheter under general anaesthetic. And cats with bladder tumours may have chemotherapy or surgery as an option- although whether this is appropriate for your cat is a decision for you and the veterinary surgeon to make together.

There is some new evidence that suggests that water supplements may increase hydration in cats too- so thats something to look out for in the future.

Putting Your Cat To Sleep

If all treatment fails cat euthanasia at home may be a consideration as your final option. Youll get all the help and advice you need from trained and fully qualified home visit vets. Your cat wont suffer any pain as a gently administered sedative followed by an anaesthetic agent will help the passing. And youll get all the care and support you need following the procedure.

Don’t Miss: Best Wet Cat Food For Healthy Skin And Coat

Treatment For Blood In Cat Urine

Urinary conditions in cats can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Once a diagnosis is made, the treatment will depend on the cause of the hematuria.

Urinary tract infections are typically treated with antibiotics, and stones in the bladder or kidneys may require a special diet or even surgery. Your vet may also recommend a diet change for both of these conditions.

Treatment of traumatic injuries may include medications, hospital monitoring, and even surgery depending on the nature of the injuries.

If your vet suspects a tumor or cancer, further diagnostics may be needed . Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy depending on the type of tumor or cancer.

There are a number of bleeding disorders that can affect cats, each with different treatment recommendations. Your vet may refer you to a specialist for treatment.

If your vet rules out other causes of bloody urine, they may diagnose your cat with Pandora syndrome or FLUTD . The key to treating this condition is managing stressors in the environment. You may need to make several changes in your home to reduce stress and anxiety and provide feline enrichment, which may include:

Moving food, water, and litter to areas where the cat is more confident and less fearful
Improving the quality of the litter box area

Is A Cat Peeing Blood An Emergency

Blood in Urine | Dr. Ashwin Mallya

A cat peeing blood is urgent, but not an emergency- as long as they remain well in themselves. It can be dangerous if left untreated and its probably painful, so they should see the vet within 24 hours. However, if your cat stops urinating and starts straining at any point, this should be seen as an emergency.

Recommended Reading: When A Cat Stops Eating How Long Before They Die

Treating Your Cats Condition

So, how are some of these problems treated?

Feline Idiopathic Cystitis is treated on an outpatient basis, with fluids under the skin to help hydrate and flush out the bladder, pain medication, and canned food.
Feline Urethral Obstruction is treated with sedation, unblocking , aggressive IV fluids, pain control, and appropriate monitoring and supportive care .
Urinary tract infections are often treated with a short course of antibiotics and pain medication.

When in doubt, if you notice your cat peeing blood or blood from the rear, get to a vet right away to keep your cat safe and pain-free. If youre worried youll miss some of the subtler signs of Feline Idiopathic Cystitis , you may want to try a WiFi-enabled litter box to track your cats litter box habits from your phone.

Check out the video below: These pet parents didnt know their cat was peeing blood until their app alerted them that the Litter-Robot was cycling every 10 minutes.

Cover photo by Cong H on Unsplash

Blood In Cat Urine Appropriate Treatments

After a diagnosis has been made treatment will start as soon as possible. This will prevent any serious complications. Untreated kidney stones can obstruct the bladder and cause it to rupture. And blood clotting diseases can cause a massive blood loss in a very short space of time.

Depending on the condition for blood in your cats urine, you might give them anti-biotics to treat any infection. If your cat is dehydrated intravenous fluids will be administered. Cats that are on steroid medication will be gradually weaned off them. Results that confirm kidney stones or tumours may require your cat to undergo surgery.

Special diets or urinary dissolver can dissolve stones, and treatment for bleeding disorders caused by toxins may include the administration of Vitamin K. Conditions that disrupt the normal formation of blood clots may also require surgery.

Your cat may require rest, pain relief, and sometimes surgery if they have suffered traumatic injuries. Chemotherapy, radiation, or palliative therapy are treatments for cancer of the urinary tract.

Recommended Reading: How Do You Bathe A Cat

Cat Urinary Tract Infection

Although urinary tract issues are diagnosed in cats, your cat is more likely to suffer from a urinary tract disease rather than an infection.

That said, when cats do develop urinary tract infections it is often the result of an endocrine disease such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes mellitus. It is also the case that cats who suffer from UTIs are typically 10 years of age or older.

If your kitty is displaying symptoms of a urinary tract infection and is diagnosed with an infection such as cystitis your veterinarian will prescribe an antibacterial to help fight your cat’s UTI.

The most common symptoms of urinary tract infections in cats include straining to urinate, reduced amounts of urine, not urinating at all, pain or discomfort when urinating, passing urine tinged with blood and urinating around the house, outside of the litter box.

If your cat is showing any of the symptoms listed above they may be suffering from a UTI but these symptoms could also be an indication of a feline lower urinary tract disease or FLUTD.

What To Expect At The Vets Office

1.3 cm long artifact or parasite that was expelled from my old cat

The veterinarian will need to determine what disorder is to blame for your cats hematuria. He or she will start with a physical examination and complete health history, often followed by some combination of diagnostic tests. Possibilities include:

A blood chemistry panel
Urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing
Abdominal x-rays and/or ultrasound

Appropriate treatment will depend on the results of these tests and the eventual diagnosis. Some of the more common disorders that cause hematuria in cats are:

Feline Idiopathic Cystitis Medications used in the treatment of FIC include pain relievers , anti-anxiety medication , and nutritional supplements . Canned food is recommended to promote the formation of dilute urine. Many cats with FIC experience intermittent flare-ups regardless of treatment. Stress relief, including clean litter boxes, ample opportunities for play and mental stimulation, preventing conflicts between feline housemates, and maintaining a consistent home environment are vital to reducing the frequency and severity of FIC attacks.

Urinary Tract Infection Feline urinary tract infections are treated with antibiotics. Sometimes a urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing is necessary to determine what antibiotic will resolve the infection. If the infection occurs in conjunction with struvite bladder stones, a special diet or urinary acidifier will also be necessary to dissolve the stones.

Recommended Reading: How To Clean Cat Urine From Fabric Sofa

Previous articleOver The Counter Pain Relief For Cats

Next articleHow Long Does Cat Live In Human Years