What to Do When Your Cat Can’t Pee: Causes and Urgent Solutions

If your cat is not peeing, they might have a medical problem. Cats may have difficulty peeing when there’s something wrong with the kidneys or lower urinary tract. The most serious of these is urinary obstruction, which is an emergency. Find out why your cat isn’t peeing and what to do about it, including when to contact a veterinarian.

Why Is My Cat Not Peeing?

Cats may struggle to urinate if there’s a physical issue within the urinary tract, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

Urinary Obstruction

Urinary obstruction happens when the urethra is blocked and urine can’t pass. This can be due to sediment, crystals, or inflammation in the urinary tract. Such obstructions are more common in male cats because their urethras are long and narrow. Even small amounts of sediment, mucus, or tissue inflammation can block the urethra and make urination difficult or impossible.

If a cat can’t urinate, the kidneys can’t filter toxins from the blood to excrete in the urine. Toxin levels then rise, making the cat very sick. Without prompt treatment, a blocked cat will eventually die.

Cats with a urinary obstruction might also have a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI can either cause the obstruction or result from it.

Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections in cats are caused by bacteria irritating the urinary system’s sensitive tissues. A UTI can lead to a urinary obstruction or kidney issues, affecting a cat’s ability to produce urine.

UTIs generally cause cats to urinate more frequently. However, a cat may hold urine if peeing is painful. Many cats with UTIs avoid the litter box and seek alternative spots to urinate.

Cystitis

Cystitis is bladder inflammation that can make cats urinate inappropriately, potentially leading to a UTI or obstruction. It can be ‘idiopathic,’ meaning the cause is unknown. While cats with cystitis often urinate more, some may find it painful and avoid the litter box.

Kidney Disease

Healthy kidneys use body water to create urine, filter toxins from the blood, and flush them out. Kidney disease progressively damages kidneys, eventually impeding their ability to produce enough urine.

Cancer

Cancer can impact any part of the urinary tract. Tumors can grow large enough to cause obstructions. Some cancers impair kidney function, halting urine production, even if they started elsewhere.

Signs Your Cat Is Having Trouble Peeing

Cats often hide illness as a survival instinct, so a lack of urine might be the only clear sign of trouble. Observe for additional signs to determine why your cat isn’t peeing.

• Multiple trips to the litter box with no pee
• Straining to pee with no urine
• Lethargy
• Increased drinking
• Poor appetite
• Vocalizing or pacing
• Hiding and avoiding contact

These signs indicate a urinary tract issue. If your cat visits the box often but the litter is dry or has no clumps, they’re likely not urinating. Check for accidents outside the litter box. If your cat strains with little or no urine, they’re likely blocked.

Cats with urinary problems may show these signs before becoming blocked. If your cat has been urinating outside the litter box for the last few days or you notice blood in the urine, bring your cat to the vet to help prevent an obstruction.

What to Do If Your Cat Can’t Pee

If your cat isn’t peeing but seems normal, check for hidden urination spots and watch for illness signs. If there’s no urination evidence for a day, take your cat to a vet immediately, even if they seem well.

Inform the vet immediately that your cat can’t urinate. A urinary-obstructed cat typically has a large, firm bladder, easily detectable by a vet. This occurs because the bladder is overfilled with urine. Without treatment, the bladder might rupture, or toxin buildup and kidney dysfunction could prove lethal.

Treatment for Cats Who Are Not Peeing

Treatment for a cat unable to pee depends on the cause, but hospitalization for a few days for intravenous fluids, medications, and diagnostic tests is common. Your vet might refer you to a 24-hour facility for constant care, or to a specialist, like for cancer treatment.

Urinary Obstruction

If your cat is blocked, a vet will use a urinary catheter to remove the obstruction under sedation or anesthesia for safety and comfort. Insertion can be challenging if material blocks the urethra, requiring several attempts.

Once the catheter is in, the vet will collect a urine sample and flush the bladder with sterile saline. A urinalysis checks for blood, crystals, infection signs, and abnormalities. The cat will need intravenous fluids to clear toxins and debris from the bladder. The catheter remains for a few days to prevent re-obstruction.

Cats with urinary obstructions usually stay in the hospital for a few days for treatment and observation. Vets may prescribe pain medications, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, or other drugs to aid recovery. The specific treatment depends on the cat’s symptoms and lab test results.

Before discharge, the vet will remove the catheter and ensure the cat can urinate independently. Your cat might go home with medications or a special diet, depending on the blockage’s cause.

Male cats that continue to get blocked may need special surgery to enlarge the urethra, called a perineal urethrostomy. The vet removes the penis and creates an opening for urination. As gruesome as it may sound, this surgery can majorly improve a cat’s health and quality of life if he struggles with obstructive urinary issues.

How to Prevent Urinary Problems in Cats

Some cats are genetically prone to urinary problems, but you can take steps to help prevent them.

• Bring your cat to the vet for annual or biannual exams as recommended by your vet. Subtle problems may be discovered on a routine exam and handled before your cat gets sick.
• Contact your vet at the first sign of a urinary problem (or any health issue).
• Feed your cat a balanced moist (canned) food because it maintains hydration and minimizes mineral content.
• Make sure your cat has fresh, clean water available at all times.
• Keep the litter box clean and fresh so your cat won’t hold his urine longer than necessary.
• Prevent your cat from becoming overweight.