Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in cats

Have you noticed your cat using their litter box more often than usual lately? Or urinating in seemingly random spots outside their litter box? Urinary tract infections (commonly known as UTIs) are relatively rare in cats, but they can occur if bacteria manages to reach their bladder via the urethra.

Most UTIs in cats can be treated with a simple course of antibiotics. However, some cats can suffer more adverse reactions to urinary tract issues that require invasive treatment in the form of surgery. We’ll go over common causes and symptoms of cat UTIs below, as well as different treatment options in the event your cat should develop one.

What is a cat UTI?

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) is the formal medical term for a cat UTI. It describes any condition or bacterial infection that affects the bladder or the urethra of cats.

UTIs occur when bacteria gets into the bladder via the urethra and cause an infection. If you leave UTIs to their own devices, they can be extremely harmful for cats and potentially cause other problems such as bladder or kidney stones.

Some cats are more prone to UTIs than others

While all cats can contract UTIs, especially when they undergo stress or changes to their daily routine, some are more at risk than others. The following cats may be more likely to suffer from UTIs:

• Overweight cats. These felines are not able to groom themselves appropriately, thus leading to a buildup of bacteria in their genital region.
• Middle-aged and older female cats. Due to female cats’ shorter urinary tracts, E. coli from their stool can easily infect the urinary tract.
• Cats fed a dry diet. Feeding your cat only dry food can lead to urinary issues. Dry food dehydrates and makes urine more concentrated, making it harder for a cat to pass crystals and other disturbances to the urinary tract.
• Diabetic cats. They are likely to suffer from UTIs because of the glucose in their urine. This glucose or sugar is a food source for bacteria.
• Cats with bladder stones. Stones are a collection of crystals and minerals that can cause infection and inflammation in the urinary tract.

Underlying causes of a cat’s UTI

There are a few possible causes of UTIs in cats:

Urinary stones. These are a collection of harmful minerals in a cat’s urinary tract that can lead to infection.

Kidney disease. Cats with chronic kidney disease are likely to develop UTIs because abnormalities of the kidneys often cause secondary infection.

Infection. Bacteria, fungi, and parasites can all lead to signs of a cat UTI.

Common cat UTI symptoms

The good news is that there are a few telltale signs to look out for when identifying whether or not your cat has a UTI. The following are the most common symptoms:

• Increased urgency to urinate. Most cats with UTIs will make noticeably more trips to their litter box than usual. Your cat may also display signs of stress and restlessness when moving about the house.
• Painful, uncomfortable urination. While cats with UTIs feel the urge to urinate frequently, it doesn’t mean they’re actually producing more urine. You may find that your cat strains to pee when they go to their box, meowing in discomfort only to produce a small amount of urine (if any).
• Urinating outside the litter box. While some cats make more trips to their litter box when they have a UTI, others will quickly start to avoid it as they form negative associations between the box and the pain and discomfort they’re experiencing. Many cats gravitate towards cold surfaces for potty spots, including tile floors, the sink, and the bathtub.
• Excessive licking around genitalia. Frequent licking is one of the most common symptoms of a cat UTI and may look something like this. Cats with UTIs lick their genital areas in an effort to soothe the pain and discomfort they feel from the infection.
• Increased thirst. Cats with UTIs often drink more water than usual to help their bodies flush out the infection. Increased thirst is especially common in cats with kidney disease, a separate condition that increases a cat’s risk of developing a UTI.
• Lethargy, loss of appetite, and vomiting. UTIs that have progressed to the kidneys can result in flu-like symptoms that result in weight loss.
• Blood in the urine. In more severe cases, UTIs can cause inflammation of the urethra, bladder, kidneys, or ureters, any of which can result in the presence of blood in their pee.

🚨 Most cats with acute urinary tract infections will display the same set of symptoms, but some cats who suffer from chronic UTIs may not display any outward signs of the disease.

How cat urinary tract infections are diagnosed

If you notice any of the latter mentioned symptoms, you should get your cat to the vet right away for an official diagnosis. The vet may carry out one or a few of the following tests to decide if your cat is suffering from a UTI:

• Urinalysis. These urine sample tests assess the pH and concentration of urine while looking for blood, crystals, excess protein, and infection.
• Urine culture. Your vet will take a culture or sample of your cat’s urine and send it to a laboratory for testing. Cultures are specialized urine tests that are recommended for any cat that presents urine in a regular urine sample, but they can be quite costly for pet owners (especially those without pet insurance).
• Physical examination. The vet will feel your cat’s body looking for inflammation around the affected regions. They will examine genitalia and feel for a distended urinary bladder.
• Abdominal ultrasound or x-rays. If your vet wants to conduct a more thorough analysis, they may do an ultrasound or X-ray. This helps them see what your cat’s bladder looks like and find internal cysts or tumors that can’t be seen or felt. Ultrasound can be particularly helpful in detecting bladder stones, which are sometimes invisible on x-ray.

🚨 Do not self-diagnose your cat with a UTI. The vet will carry out special tests to ensure your cat gets the correct treatment.

How to treat cat UTIs

UTIs in cats are most treatable when they’re caught early on. That’s why it’s so important to pay close attention to your cat’s daily bathroom habits every day, even when nothing seems off.

Take a look at what you’re scooping during your daily cleaning of the litter box, and do your best to track how often your cat is urinating. If a change occurs, you’ll be able to tell right away and get your kitty the treatment they need to get back to optimal health.

With that in mind, there are a variety of treatment methods (both at-home and medicinal) available to help treat your cat’s UTI. Only follow a treatment method according to your vet’s recommendation. The best treatment method for your cat depends on the underlying cause of the infection.

Prescriptions from the vet

The vet is your first line of contact when you need to treat your cat’s UTI. If your vet sees it as necessary, they may prescribe antibiotics for the infection. They will likely prescribe an oral medication or an injectable medication. These antibiotics get rid of the infection or reduce inflammation.

There are supplements for urinary tract health, some of which carry glucosamine as an active ingredient. Prescription diets can also help. As for surgery, that will depend on whether the cause is bladder stones or frequent urinary obstruction.

Dr. Erica Irish

At-home treatment methods

Some natural or at-home treatment methods are thought to help prevent or treat UTIs in cats. These treatments may be recommended by your vet to aid in your pet’s recovery. The following natural remedies have proven efficacy but should not replace antibiotics unless recommended by your vet:

• Marshmallow root. Human studies have shown that marshmallow root (Trusted Source) creates a protective layer over mucous membranes in the urinary tract that wards off infections, and it may have a similar effect in cats.
• Bone broth. You can feed your cat bone broth to give them an extra boost of hydration. It contains nutrients that help to boost the immune system.
• Cranberry. Some studies (Trusted Source) discuss cranberry extract as another natural way to ease a cat’s UTI symptoms due to the acidity’s ability to lower urine pH. These cranberry supplements by Coco and Luna help prevent UTIs in dogs and cats.
• D-mannose. In recent years, this food supplement has been linked to increased efficacy of UTI treatment (Trusted Source) in both humans and household pets like dogs and cats. More specifically, d-mannose inhibits bacteria’s ability to attach itself to cells in the bladder and surrounding tissues, which in turn makes it easier for the body to clear out the infection.

👉 Always check with your vet before introducing one of these natural substances into your cat’s diet.

Cat UTI prevention, in steps

While urinary tract infections aren’t always easy to avoid, there are five preventative measures you can take to improve your cat’s overall well-being.

1. A healthy diet goes a long way

Believe it or not, your cat’s diet can increase or decrease their risk for UTIs. Cats do best when their diet is completely made up of vet-formulated commercial cat food. Some owners may be tempted to treat their cat to a few table scraps every now and then, but human foods are often high in salt — a key contributor to urinary tract issues including the formation of kidney stones.

Your vet may suggest that you feed your cat a diet with less minerals (these minerals are often found in commercial dry cat food). Consider feeding your cat a canned diet instead of a dry diet. If they prefer dry food, make sure your vet approves the quality and try to mix in a little bit of wet food each day.

2. Provide clean water for hydration 💦

Lots of water goes a long way for your cat. The more your cat drinks, the more they urinate and are likely to flush out bad toxins from their system. Concentrated urine is more likely to contain stones, crystals, and other irritants, so make sure to keep your cat’s water bowl filled with clean water at all times!

If you find your cat needs a little extra encouragement, you may find running water features like this cat water fountain help your cat drink more water.

3. Reduce stress on your cat

Regardless of whether or not your cat is prone to infections, you should continually work to keep their stress levels low. There are plenty of things you can do to keep your cat happy, such as:

• Environmental enrichment. Happy cats have regular access to fresh food and water, a clean litter box, and mental stimulation in the form of cat trees, toys, and other accessories that allow them to rest, scratch, and play. Some cats may experience stress and anxiety if they’re forced to stay in or outdoors all the time. Remember, they’re instinctual explorers who love nothing more than to hunt, chase, and mark their territory.
• Give them space, when they ask for it. Cats are notoriously independent pets. Some cats may love nothing more than to cuddle up with their owner all day long, but most cats feel safest when they know they have somewhere to go where they can be alone. Forced interaction is a surefire way to cause your kitty unnecessary stress — especially if they’re playing with small children who don’t know how to properly handle pets.
• Quality time. This may seem confusing after the previous bullet point, but the truth is that cats can be downright fickle creatures. Just as much as too much interaction can stress them out, so too can long periods of separation from their owners. Strike a balance by offering up pets, praise, and play whenever your cat goes out of their way to ask for attention. If you can’t give as much attention as you’d like throughout the day, use toys and puzzles to encourage stimulating solo play.
• Minimizing sudden movements and changes. Lifestyle factors like loud noises; frequent, sudden movements; and overpowering scents from detergents, perfumes, and air fresheners are all potential triggers that can easily over-stimulate a cat’s heightened senses. Keep your interactions gentle, and try your best not to turn up the volume on the stereo or TV any more than is absolutely necessary.
• Limit the number of pets in your home. Some cats don’t mind sharing their space with a couple furry brothers and sisters — but again, cats are territorial by nature. Employ proper training strategies to introduce a new cat to existing pets. If you don’t currently have any other pets but have been contemplating getting more, consider holding off until your cat seems totally comfortable in and around your home.
• Calming supplements and anxiety meds. Today, several commercial products are available aimed at alleviating your cat’s stress. Ingredients including L-tryptophan (Trusted Source) , alpha-casozepine, and synthetic pheromone sprays (Trusted Source) can lower cortisol levels and reduce your cat’s anxiety levels when dealing with an uncomfortable UTI.

4. Practice good bathroom hygiene

If you’re not already doing so, we can’t stress how important it is to make sure your cat’s litter box is always clean. Dirty litter boxes pose an increased risk of disease for cats and owners alike,  and many cats will actively avoid using their litter box to urinate if it’s holding too much waste. If a cat holds in their urine for too long, it can cause bacteria build-up and infection.

If daily cleanings seem like a daunting task, there are plenty of alternatives available for your convenience. Self-cleaning litter boxes are modern-day miracles that take all the unpleasantness out of the job (just make sure your cat isn’t scared of these before buying one!). If the technological route is out of your budget, you can also try placing multiple litter boxes around the house to help keep your cat’s potty spots clean for longer periods of time.

5. Make regular trips to the vet

Regular vet visits are always smart. If you take your cat to the vet often, you are more likely to catch infections early before they become too serious. This will prevent your cat from experiencing excessive pain or developing other health issues.

Be sure to heap on the love after the pain and discomfort of your cat’s UTI has subsided. These infections may require some professional assistance before they properly clear up, but your cat will be grateful for your support and affection as you nurse them back to health. See a vet the moment you spot the signs, and take the aforementioned steps to factor your cat’s well-being into the design of their home environment.

Frequently asked questions

How can I treat my cat’s UTI at home?

While home remedies can help cats with UTIs recover from the initial infection, they’re not a substitute for vet-prescribed antibiotics. Apple cider vinegar, marshmallow root, bone broth, cranberry, and d-mannose have all been linked to boosting the immune system and urinary tract health, but none of them can directly treat an existing UTI. That’s why we recommend seeing a vet as soon as you notice something’s off.

Are UTIs deadly?

While UTIs in cats are highly treatable, they can be deadly if neglected. When UTIs are a result of stones or crystals, it’s possible that your cat might need surgery or a diet change. Some prescription diets can dissolve stones.

How long can a cat have a UTI before it becomes serious?

No more than a couple days, usually. If you notice your cat exhibiting strained urination, more frequent urination, or any other unusual bathroom habits for more than 48 hours, your best bet is to take them in to see a vet.

What are the symptoms of a UTI or bladder stones in cats?

Cats experiencing an acute UTI tend to experience similar symptoms including increased urination frequency, strained urination, urinating in spots outside their litter box, and in some cases, blood in the urine. Other common symptoms of UTIs in cats include increased licking (especially near the genital area), increased thirst, loss of appetite, lethargy, and vomiting.

What’s the best way to prevent UTIs in cats?

The happiest cats are often the healthiest ones. To that end, you can help ward off UTIs by consistently practicing environmental enrichment. That means cleaning their litter box every day (or placing multiple litter boxes around the house for them to use); ensuring they have constant access to fresh food, water, and at least a few hiding spots where they can go to decompress; and eliminating potential stressors like loud noises, overbearing scents, and (as much as you can help it) the presence of unfamiliar people and pets.