What Can Be the Reason for Blood Coming Out of The Urine of Your Cat?
If you notice blood in your cat’s urine, seek immediate medical attention. If your cat urines regularly, you can avoid taking it to the emergency room. If your cat is not peeing, is straining to urinate, is urinating insufficient amounts, or is yowling in the litter box, you should take them to the vet immediately. There are some potential factors to investigate if your cat has begun urinating blood. We discuss this in detail here below.
What Causes a Cat to Urinate Blood?
Cats usually get haematuria due to a problem with their lower urinary system (FLUTD). Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) or feline urologic syndrome are common names for this disorder (FUS). While we know much about FLUTD in cats, we still need to learn a lot.
Recent hypotheses have pointed to the roles of stress and obesity in the onset of the disease. Insufficient adhesiveness in the bladder wall, viruses, and other biological variables have all been proposed as potential reasons. Formerly, the belief was that the acidity of one’s urine or ash in one’s diet caused this disease.
- Bladder stones are another common reason for blood in cat pee. Additionally, you may hear yowling and experience straining while you go to the bathroom.
- In kittens and adult cats, UTIs are common. In older cats, especially females, urinary tract infections are more common because of their anatomy.
- Bladder cancer is also a rare occurrence. Cats with this disease may show various symptoms, including blood in the urine.
- It’s common for kittens to have blood in their pee due to anatomical abnormalities of the urinary tract.
How Come Some Cats’ Urine Has Blood in It?
Most cases of bloody urine can be traced to either an infection in the urinary tract or the bladder, crystal in the urine, or interstitial cystitis. A urine sample analysis might be required to determine the problem’s origin. Here are some below-mentioned reasons –
1. Urinary Tract Infections
Cats can have UTIs, or urinary tract infections, when there is an infection anywhere in the urinary tract, including the bladder, the kidneys, the urethra, and the ureters. Depending on their severity, bladder infections can affect only the urinary tract or spread to one or both kidneys. Urinary tract infections are commonly associated with blood in the urine, especially in senior cats. The following are some of the symptoms of a urinary tract infection in a cat:
- Bleeding during urination
- Body fat decrease
- Decrease in hunger
- Increase in the frequency of urination and thirst
Urinary tract infections are treatable with First Generation Antibiotics, and medications like Vetina’s Kephelexin – 300/600 gm can help. In addition to being more palatable, it is also more effective against gram-positive bacteria. The safest medicine with an easy dose, it treats infections of the skin and soft tissues.
2. Microcrystals in the Urine
Most cases of red urine in younger cats can be attributed to crystalluria or the formation of crystals in the urinary tract. If these crystals aren’t identified and treated quickly, they can harm one’s health.
Crystals can cause a blockage in the urethra of male cats. Clogged urethras are a medical emergency because they can lead to renal failure and death within 48 to 72 hours.
3. Stones
Stones, which are formed from deposits of mineral crystals in the urine (often calcium oxalate or struvite), are more common in female cats and some male cats, although they do not cause urethral obstruction. These stones could be located anywhere from the kidneys, ureters, and bladder.
4. Cystitis
In addition, cystitis, an inflammation of the urinary system and bladder, is a common cause of blood in the urine. It is also known as feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), feline urologic syndrome (FUS), and feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). For example, if your cat has interstitial cystitis, you may see these signs:
- Blood in the pee
- An increase in the frequency of urination
- Having difficulty passing urine
- Loud purring while passing urine
5. Clotting Of Blood
Clotting factors ultimately prevent further bleeding in the event of an injury. Any internal organ, including the urinary system, is at risk of bleeding without it. Some illnesses and ailments, such as von Willebrand disease, compromise a cat’s ability to control bleeding.
It is well known that kittens have this trait because it is genetic. Additionally, decreased platelet counts may cause haematuria. If your body has trouble producing enough platelets, it could cause your condition.
Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), characterised by dysuria (difficulty or pain during urination), can be treated with Furinaid Plus. Additional symptoms include blood in the urine (haematuria) and increased urination frequency (pollakiuria).
Lack of control over the need to urinate and urinate outside the litter box, complete blockage of the urination process, behaviour change, decreased proficiency in using a litter box and aggression are some additional symptoms.
6. Trauma
A complete rupture of the blood vessels that supply the urinary system, as might happen in a vehicle accident, may happen with a particularly nasty catfight, an assault on the animal, etc. Stones in the kidney, bladder, or urethra can irritate and even damage the luminal surface of the organs housing them.
Kidney and bladder stones can break off and move through the urinary tract with urine, wreaking havoc on the tubular structures like the ureters and urethra and even causing bleeding.
7. Inflammation
An infection of the urinary tract can bring on the oedema of any of the structures connected to the urinary system. Urinary tract infections are common in cats; thus, they could fall under this category, also.
The kidneys and the bladder may be the first organs to show signs of inflammation-related damage to blood vessel walls. Urine flushing out blood and leaking structures are both possible outcomes.
Conclusion
If haematuria is determined, have your cat checked by your trusted veterinarian. As mentioned, there could be various reasons why haematuria is observed; thus, it is essential to diagnose your cat’s illness as soon as possible. The prognosis of the condition can only be seen once the actual cause is identified. Most identified causes are treatable, and prompt treatment is always the best.
