Can cats still pee if they have a blockage?
A cat with a partial blockage may pass a few drops; a cat with a complete blockage passes none. Either way the cat strains, keeps going back to the litter box, and becomes more and more distressed, often crying out in pain (Cornell Feline Health Center).
Male cats are at greatest risk
Male and neutered male cats are more likely to block than females because their urethra is longer and narrower (Cornell).
Any cat can have urinary trouble, but a male cat straining in the litter box should always be treated as an emergency until a veterinarian says otherwise.
Straining to pee or constipated?
The two look alike: a cat crouched in the box, pushing, with little to show for it.
- Check the litter. No wet clumps, or only tiny ones, alongside repeated trips points to a urinary problem.
- Watch the trips. A blocked cat goes back to the box again and again, may cry, and often licks its genital area.
- If you can't tell, assume it's urinary and call. Guessing wrong in the other direction is the dangerous mistake.
Can a cat blockage clear itself?
Don't wait to find out. Without treatment, the time from a complete blockage to death may be less than 24 to 48 hours (Cornell). A cat that strains and produces nothing needs a veterinarian tonight.
How to get rid of a urinary blockage in a cat?
Only a veterinarian can safely clear it. Treatment usually means a urinary catheter placed under sedation or anesthesia to open the urethra, plus IV fluids to correct dehydration and electrolyte problems (Cornell).
What happens at CARE
- Exam and a check of the bladder.
- Blood work for kidney values and potassium, which can rise to dangerous levels in a blocked cat.
- Urinary catheter under sedation or anesthesia to relieve the blockage.
- IV fluids to correct dehydration and electrolytes.
- Monitoring in hospital. Cornell notes hospital stays may range from a few days to several weeks.
For cats that keep blocking, a surgery called perineal urethrostomy widens the opening. Cornell describes it as usually a last resort.
Going home and preventing a repeat
- Diet. Your veterinarian may recommend a urinary diet.
- Water. More water means more dilute urine: wet food, water fountains and extra bowls all help.
- Stress. Keep litter boxes clean, quiet and plentiful, especially in multi-cat homes.
- Follow-up with your family veterinarian, and call right away if the straining comes back.