Cat urine problems are common and can be a medical or behavioral issue. If it’s a medical problem, understanding a cat’s urinary system will help determine the urgency of the situation. If the urine problem is behavioral, proper training can begin to help solve the dilemma.
Cat Urine Problems Explained
The cat urinary system is made up of many organs, including the kidneys, bladder, urethra, ureters and the sphincter muscles. Medical problems will occur when one of the organs in the urinary system becomes obstructed. A blockage can lead to kidney failure. If this occurs, the color of your cat’s urine and its smell will change, which can be a very helpful diagnostic indicator of which organ is causing the urine problem.
Diagnosing Medical Cat Urine Problems
Diagnosing a cat urine problem consists of a thorough medical history that includes information about a cat’s urinary habits and output, grooming habits and locations of such, indications of blood in a cat’s urine, and urine found on the outside of a litter box.
Normal cat urine consists of ammonia, urea, water, sodium, chloride, uric acid, phosphate, sulphate and creatinine. A cat’s urine should be a shade of yellow, depending on his water intake. If the color or smell of a cat’s urine is not normal, something is wrong.
Urine that’s brown or has any red coloring in it means there’s blood in the urine. Urine that is yellow with a greenish tint will point to liver problems. If a cat’s urine smells strongly of ammonia, this would indicate a bacterial infection. Ammonia, however, is a natural element in a cat’s urine, so a mild smell is normal. If cat urine has a sweet smell, this is a sign the feline may have diabetes.
When diagnosing a cat to find the cause of his urine problem, a veterinarian conduct a urinalysis to check his glucose levels, proteins, electrolyte levels, tumors, signs of a urinary tract disease, bacteria, fungus, parasites, diabetes, cancerous cells and pyuria.
Diagnosing Behavioral Cat Urine Problems
Cats are very sensitive creatures. They can also be territorial and behavior problems can arise due to their instincts. Some causes of behavior problems that may lead to urine problems include a location change of the litter box, a new pet being in the cat’s territory, a change in food, litter box privacy issues, a change in cat litter, or a new home.
Cats can feel timid when needing to use a litter box and adding a cover to one can add more privacy. If a cat is in a new, unfamiliar location, it can take him a while to feel at home. Experts have found that indoor-only cats tend to have more urine-related behavioral problems than cats that are allowed to be outdoors.
A resolution to cat urine problems depends on early intervention, whether it be medical or behavioral issue. Regular check-ups should be kept with a cat’s vet so issues like a urine problem can be examined.