6 Causes of Frequent Cat Urination

Frequent cat urination can indicateseveral different conditions. Some of these conditions are medical and are closely related while others may be behavioral; differentiating between cat urinary problems will take keen observation on the part of the owner. To determine which feline urinary problem your cat could be suffering from, read on for a list of possible causes and related symptoms.

1. Urinary Tract Infection

Feline urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common ailment in cats, but that doesn't make it any less serious. In many cases, frequent cat urination caused by a UTI is actually a symptom of a symptom as the UTI may also be indicative of a greater problem like urolithiasis which is similar to kidney stones in people. In addition to frequent urination, a UTI may also cause obvious pain while urinating, blood in the cat urine, or urination outside the litter box.

2. Bladder Infection

Bladder infections and urinary tract infections are often grouped together because the causes and symptoms can be interchangeable. The primary difference is that a bladder infection occurs in the actual bladder, generally as a result of a bacterial infection, dietary imbalance, or stress. A cat bladder infection will have many of the same symptoms of a UTI: frequent urination, blood in the cat urine, and pain while urinating. Additionally, cats suffering from a bladder infection will clean their genitals more frequently and in severe cases may also vomit.

3. Incontinence (weak bladder)

Incontinence is age or trauma-related weakening of the bladder resulting in frequent urination. Basically your feline no longer has the strength to "hold it," and will urinate as soon as pressure builds in the bladder. This condition is especially common in older female cats that have been spayed. Symptoms of incontinence include a frequently wet bottom and urination whenever the cat moves from a sitting or lying to a standing position.

4. Diabetes

Feline diabetes is another condition that causes frequent urination in cats. Development of diabetes may be hereditary and/or age or weight-related. Frequent urination is an early symptom of diabetes that may be accompanied by any combination of these other symptoms: increased water intake, weight loss, decreased activity, vomiting and lackluster coat and skin.

5. Kidney Disease/Renal Failure

Renal failure is one of the most life-threatening cat urinary problems. Renal failure is triggered by a loss of efficiency in the kidneys and may result from long-term degeneration or sudden trauma (acute renal failure). When the kidneys stop functioning at an acceptable level (below 30%) then toxins build up in a cat's kidneys and eventually make their way into its bloodstream. Symptoms of kidney disease range from subtle hints like frequent urination, mild depression or bad breath to more serious reactions like vomiting, seizures, or decreased mobility.

6. Urine Marking

While most of this list deals with medical causes of frequent cat urination, some cases may be behavioral. Cat urine marking, for example, can be credited with a large number of wayward cat urination cases. If your cat still has control of his bodily functions and is selecting the places where he urinates (specifically places favored by you or by other animals in the house) then he is likely using his urine to mark his territory.

 

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