Cat Urine with Blood: Possible Diseases Explained

Part 1: What Diseases Cause a Cat to Urinate with Blood?

Common medical conditions that lead to a cat urinating with blood include urinary tract or bladder stones, as well as urinary tract infections. These can manifest as cystitis, urethritis, bladder stones, urethral stones, and urethral infections. Symptoms typically include frequent urination, urgency, decreased urine output, painful urination, and blood in the urine. Owners may notice their cat visiting the litter box more often, spending longer periods there, yet only producing small amounts of urine each time. To alleviate pain, cats may frequently lick at their urethral openings. Additionally, cats may exhibit signs of lethargy and irritability.

1. Insufficient Water Intake

Due to their desertdwelling ancestors, many cats have a genetic predisposition to dislike drinking water. Inadequate daily water intake can lead to the kidneys reabsorbing urine, increasing kidney workload and causing urine to become concentrated, leading to crystals and even larger stones.

2. Unneutered Cats

Unneutered male cats may experience abnormal urine conditions during mating due to hormonal reasons. They may rub their genitals to relieve stress, which can also lead to reproductive system infections. In rare cases, female cats may exhibit the appearance of blood in the urine during estrus, along with behaviors like nocturnal howling and clinginess.

3. Cat Stress Response

Severe stress responses can trigger spontaneous cystitis in cats, with symptoms such as frequent urination, pain, and blood in the urine. Approximately 80% of cats with blood in their urine experience these symptoms due to stress from environmental factors, such as fright or changes in the environment.

Part 2: What to Do When a Cat Urinates with Blood?

When a cat exhibits blood in its urine, it's advisable for owners to promptly take their pet to a nearby veterinary clinic for ultrasound, blood chemistry, Xray, urine strip, and urine sediment tests. The primary focus is to check for thickening of the bladder wall or the presence of stones within the bladder. Encouraging the cat to drink more water should be a priority in daily care.

Based on the results of these tests, the vet may recommend treatments such as止血, antiinflammatory medications, and bladder mucosal protectants for bladder damage. If kidney damage is present, kidneyprotective drugs may be necessary. At home, owners can administer cefadroxil tablets and hydrochlorothiazide tablets to control and observe the condition.

It is recommended that if there is no intention to breed the cat, owners should schedule a neutering surgery promptly. Neutering can effectively prevent reproductive system diseases in cats, such as pyometra and breast tumors in females, prostatic hyperplasia and testicular tumors in males. It can also help extend the lifespan of female cats to some extent.