Why does a cat go to the toilet so often?
From time to time, some cat owners may notice their pet urinating frequently. To determine the cause, it's important to observe the animal, as this could be a normal physiological behavior that doesn't require intervention, or it could be a sign of a serious illness. It's important to understand the underlying causes of frequent urination so that you can provide prompt assistance if needed.
Norms
Urinary volumes depend on the pet's age and gender, diet, and lifestyle. Kittens under 3 months of age may urinate no more than once a day. For an adult cat, 1-3 times a day is considered normal, while for a male cat, 3-4 times a day is considered normal, due to the different structures of their urinary systems.
Neutered animals may experience up to five times the number of toilet visits. Feeding dry food may reduce the number of toilet visits. It's important to ensure your pet gets enough water to prevent dehydration-related illnesses.
Adult cats typically defecate once every 1-2 days. Moreover, cats fed commercial food tend to defecate more frequently than those fed natural foods. This is because commercial foods typically contain higher amounts of fiber, which increases the frequency of bowel movements.
Physiological reasons
Sometimes, an increase in the number of times a pet goes to the toilet isn't related to an underlying medical condition and therefore poses no health risk. These cases include:
- Marking. Cats may urinate repeatedly and sparingly, outside the litter box and in various places around the house, as a way to mark their territory, especially if other animals are present.
- Stressful situations. Any disruptive changes to the cat's normal routine that cause a negative reaction can trigger frequent toilet visits. This could include a change in diet, a new owner or home, the birth of a child, the arrival of guests, etc.
- Old age. A weakened bladder is one of the signs of old age.
- Hypothermia. Frequent urination is considered normal in a very cold animal, but if the symptom persists for some time, it indicates a possible bacterial infection.
- Treatment with individual medications (diuretics, cortisone, anticonvulsants).
- Neutering. A neutered cat experiences stress at first and urinates frequently, but in small amounts. This is a temporary condition, so it's important to create a calm environment, provide your pet with his favorite food, and give him lots of attention to speed up his adaptation, including improving his urination.
Pathological causes
Increased urination frequency may be caused by inflammatory processes or diseases. These include:
- Urogenital tract infections. These are most common in males, and the most common of these is cystitisIt is accompanied by the appearance of an ammonia-like odor in the urine and discomfort during urination, which is reflected in the pet's behavior: it meows pitifully and hunches over when moving.
- UrolithiasisThe movement of stones and sand formed in the kidneys causes pain during urination. In this case, the urine becomes dark or contains sediment and is excreted frequently but in small quantities.
Important! One of the main causes of cystitis and urolithiasis is poor nutrition. Animals that are fed primarily low-quality dry food and do not get enough water are at a very high risk of developing these diseases.
- Renal failureThe disease occurs in cats after eight years of age and is accompanied by foul breath, pale mucous membranes, vomiting, weakness, and a drop in body temperature.
- Diabetes mellitusIn addition to increased toileting frequency, it is accompanied by increased thirst, the appearance of an acetone odor from the mouth, decreased activity, a heavier gait, and deterioration of the coat (dullness and the appearance of tangles).
- Urinary incontinence (enuresis)It most often appears in sterilized and elderly animals and can also be caused by injuries or latent chronic infections.
To determine the cause of a cat's frequent urination, a veterinary examination, testing, and diagnostic tests are necessary for each individual case. Treatment will focus not on eliminating frequent urination, but on the underlying medical condition.
You can also ask our website's staff veterinarian a question, who will answer them as quickly as possible in the comments box below.
Read also:
- Why did my cat start peeing everywhere?
- How many times a day should a cat pee?
- Fitoelita Healthy Kidneys for Cats
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27 comments
Xenia
Hello. My cat is 2 years old. He was neutered at 1 year old.
He pees frequently, sometimes with blood in his urine. We had a urine sample tested. He had an ultrasound of his bladder, but it was almost empty. They said there might be some sand in there. He doesn't cry when he urinates.
Here's what the veterinarian wrote:
What I don't like is the white blood cells, which means there's inflammation. The struvite sediment is soluble, but the oxalates aren't. I need to get a bladder ultrasound with the bladder full to rule out stones.
In the meantime, we accept:
— Omnic Ocas 0.4 mg, 1/2 tablet orally once a day for 14 days (human pharmacy)
— Milodzhik Uro Cranberry + D-Mannose 0.5g, 1 tablet orally once a day for a month (veterinary pharmacy)
— Sinuksol 50 mg, 1 tablet orally 2 times a day for 5 days (veterinary pharmacy)
We give all tablets after meals.
But there haven't been any changes yet. Unfortunately, I can't attach photos of the results. I'm worried. What should I do and what should I do next? Thank you.
Daria is a veterinarian
Good afternoon
We're very sorry we weren't able to address your question in time. However, since urinary tract issues are always among the most frequently asked questions, we'll address your situation.
Always treat urinary problems only after a comprehensive examination! If you're prescribed treatment based solely on urine test results, it's a sign you need a second opinion from a doctor.
A bladder ultrasound is always performed on a full bladder, if possible. If not, even an empty bladder can reveal changes if there are obvious problems. A dynamic bladder ultrasound should also be performed during treatment.
Regarding treatment.
You have been prescribed an antispasmodic to treat frequent urination.
Milodzhik Uro works well to relieve inflammation inside the bladder, but not when used alone.
An antibiotic without confirmed bacteriuria (a urine culture is taken to check for the presence of bacteria in the urine) is not prescribed in routine practice (this leads to antibiotic resistance).
A little about urine analysis: white blood cells and even red blood cells can sometimes be within normal limits in urine, but it's important to know the quantitative value for evaluation. As for sand (any oxalate or struvite crystals), small amounts can also be normal and don't require treatment.
The bottom line is that treatment is symptomatic, but with unnecessary medication, without the primary anti-inflammatory drug, and without identifying the underlying cause, it can be protracted. An ultrasound is always performed several times to properly assess the condition.
In such cases, we recommend contacting veterinary urologists.
Good health to your little tail!
Ayana
Hello, my kitten is 7 months old, neutered 10 days ago. Everything went well after the neutering. He wore a collar for exactly 7 days. He wanted to eat the evening after we returned home from the clinic. He didn't want to drink, but we gave him small, frequent sips through a pipette. He went to the bathroom as usual, twice a day. He eats Royal Canin dry and wet kitten food. Now he's started drinking as much as before the neutering. He sleeps, plays, and behaves as before the neutering. But in the last three days, he's started going to the bathroom 7-10 times, urinating a little at a time, and having frequent, small bowel movements. What could this mean?
Daria is a veterinarian
Hello! Remove dry food for now and only feed wet food (this will increase the body's hydration). Ideally, take your pet to the veterinarian for an ultrasound to check his bladder. Cystitis may have developed due to stress. Add a probiotic supplement to his diet to improve intestinal function. It's possible antibiotics given after surgery have caused digestive upset. And monitor your pet's drinking habits. Is he having frequent bowel movements due to hard stools?
Ayana
My stool is normal, but today I noticed my urine has a foul, strong smell. This didn't happen before.
Daria is a veterinarian
Hello! Your kidneys and bladder need an ultrasound immediately. A urine sample should be analyzed. Bad-smelling urine is a dangerous symptom of inflammation in the urinary system. You should also check the color of your urine for blood, mucus, cloudiness, or even the color of meat slop (in which case it's time to sound the alarm and rush to the clinic!).
Ayana
Thank you
Julia
Hello! My cat is 3 years old, purebred, neutered at 7 months. He eats Hills food and drinks well. We recently took him to get a haircut because his fur is very long and fluffy, and he was feeling hot in the heat. A couple of days later, he started peeing very frequently, without meowing or hunching over. Is this related to the haircut and any subsequent stress?
Daria is a veterinarian
Hello! Yes, stress can easily trigger the development of cystitis. Scientifically, this is called "idiopathic cystitis." Once the stress subsides, the animal calms down, and the condition resolves. Give sedatives (Stop-Stress, Fospasim, etc.)
Elena
Hello, my cat is 3 and a half years old. Today I noticed he's been using the litter box frequently, only to pee for a few drops. A little later, he settled down on the bed, lifted his tail, and squeezed out a drop, looking at me with unhappy eyes. He's never done that before. Maybe he wants us to notice that something's hurting him? He was neutered a long time ago and eats dry food, meat, and raw beef kidneys. I don't see any blood in his urine, but maybe this is just the beginning?
Daria is a veterinarian
Hello! The first mistake is mixing commercial dry food with natural food. This "mixing" often leads to the development of urolithiasis. The fact that your pet is restless, has difficulty urinating, and is trying to get your attention in every way possible clearly indicates health problems. Urgently get a bladder ultrasound. Rule out cystitis and urolithiasis. Antispasmodics, antibiotics, and a special diet will be prescribed. Sometimes, bladder irrigation with antiseptic solutions and catheterization (to empty the bladder) are required.
Lenura
Hello! My cat is 1.5 years old! A couple of days ago, we noticed he was using the litter box frequently, sometimes every 3-5 minutes. He urinates a little, but doesn't meow and there's no blood. We feed him GO! dry food. He drinks water well. He was neutered at 7-8 months.
Can you tell me how to treat it until we see a doctor?
Daria is a veterinarian
Hello! Try an intramuscular antispasmodic first (papaverine, drotaverine, or No-Spa)—insert it slowly. Or give a very small portion of a pill. Ideally, you should get an ultrasound to check your bladder. Antibiotics would be a good idea, but until you have a diagnosis, it's risky because it will blur the clinical picture, making it difficult to diagnose later.
Natalia
Hello! My cat has started peeing frequently, just a little bit at a time, especially in the morning, and throughout the day as usual. She doesn't go outside; she's an indoor cat. She eats dry food. She's 5 years old and has never had a male cat. She doesn't meow when urinating.
Daria is a veterinarian
Hello! How is he drinking water? What kind of food is he eating? He needs to be examined to rule out urolithiasis or urinary tract infections. If the condition is in its early stages, that might be why he's not meowing yet. But don't delay getting an examination (ultrasound, urinalysis). Perhaps he's not drinking enough?
Irina
Good afternoon, my cat is 5 years old, neutered, eats dry food, drinks as usual, started going to the toilet often, I have seen drops of blood, she has not fallen outside, does not walk, sits on the balcony, maybe she has a cold?
Daria is a veterinarian
Hello! She may have caught a cold, but in any case, the cat will need to be treated for cystitis. However, urolithiasis should be ruled out, as the symptoms are similar. What kind of dry food is this? Give StopCistit/KotErvin/Kanefron as homeopathic remedies (StopCistit also contains nitroxoline, known as 5-NOC, as well as drotaverine, which is found in No-Spa). You can give 1/4 of a No-Spa tablet 2-3 times a day for up to 7 days. Also, give antibiotics (preferably fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, marbofloxacin, or similar medications). Again, a course of treatment is necessary. However, it's best to see a vet for an in-person assessment and to confirm or rule out the diagnosis of cystitis.
Irina
Hello! My cat is 11 years old, she also started going to the toilet frequently, she behaves as usual, there is no fever, maybe this is her age making itself felt? Please tell me.
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! It's best to take her for an ultrasound to rule out any genitourinary issues. What are you feeding her? Is she spayed or not? How is she drinking? How often? I'd like to remind you that older cats can develop diabetes. Frequent urination and increased water consumption are among the symptoms. So, it wouldn't be a bad idea to also have her blood tested for sugar to rule out diabetes. Well, that's just some advice.
Irina
Hello. Our cat is 14 years old. He was neutered 10 years ago. He's started urinating frequently. He sits on his hind legs when he walks. It's a shame. The vet said it's the result of old injuries. We've given him vitamins, but there's been no improvement. Could he have some kind of illness?
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! What kind of injuries? Did he fall, get hit, or get hit by a car? How long have these symptoms been present? Were there any prior injuries? It's extremely difficult to answer your question without having virtually any information about his life and illness. How does he pee? Small amounts or a lot? Is it painful or not? Does he use his own litter box or somewhere else? Is there blood in his litter box? What is his body temperature? What are you feeding him? Can he get an ultrasound at the clinic? Please tell us more about your pet.
Evgeniya
Hello, my cat is neutered and we've been living happily ever after for 7 years. Three months ago, we had a baby. When the baby was a month old, he started peeing frequently. We immediately took him to the vet, where he was examined from head to toe and found everything was fine for his age. We gave him IVs and injections. Everything was fine for two months, and now the same thing is happening again. Now he's going everywhere, first on his bed, then on the rug in the hallway, then on the sofa, and now on the bed. For three days, I've been pampering him and giving him drops, but nothing's helped. I had to lock him in the bathroom. ((((What should I do? Please tell me what to do.)
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! What are you feeding him? Is he peeing a lot or just a little? How is he drinking? What about his behavior? Are you ruling out jealousy as a possible cause? Perhaps the cat is jealous and is using this behavior to attract attention? Need an ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder, blood tests for biochemistry, and a complete blood count and urine analysis? A diagnosis cannot be made without the results.
Anna
Good afternoon. My cat is constantly going to the toilet to pee. She only pees a little. Her behavior hasn't changed. She's not yet 2 years old. She eats good dry food. We're looking for recommendations. Thank you.
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! What do you consider good food? For a couple of days, one owner was foaming at the mouth at my cat's doctor's office, telling me his cat was the most pampered and perfectly cared for, that he was eating the best... but it turned out he was "pampering" her with Whiskas. In his opinion, that's the ideal diet. Check how much your cat drinks. If the amount is less than before, there's no need to worry. If it's the same, you should take her to the veterinarian for an examination: blood work, urine tests, and an ultrasound.
Xenia
Good evening. My cat is urinating too frequently, sometimes returning to the litter box several times in the space of five minutes.
We recently moved into a new apartment, he always sleeps on the floor, and the floor is very sluggish.
Please tell me how and what I can do to help him?
There is no blood in the urine
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! It's important to take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible. They will perform an ultrasound, examine your pet in person, and collect urine and blood samples. Based on the results, a definitive diagnosis will be made. Only after the diagnosis is confirmed can treatment be prescribed. Most often, the prescribed medications will include No-Spa/Papaverine, Erwin/Kanefron, and antibiotics (ideally after testing the sensitivity of the bacteria isolated from the urine to antimicrobials). This is the minimum; further treatment depends on the progression of the disease, the cause, and the severity of the inflammatory process.
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