My cat pees a lot after new food. Is it a urinary tract problem?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. These symptoms could be due to stress, bladder infection or bladder crystals / stones. The best way to distinguish between these problems is urine analysis. You should try and catch urine sample (you can remove the litter from the tray or put just shredded newspaper instead of the litter) and collect urine sample once Batta urinates. Alternatively, your local vet should be able to collect the sample at the clinic. Stress-induced cystitis can be triggered by changing the diet, so it is possible that frequent urination in Batta is due to stress. Changing the diet back to the previous one should solve the problem, if that is the case.

The only way to definitively determine if the food is responsible is to switch him, gradually, back to his old diet and see if his litterbox habits return to normal. If so, you have the option of keeping him on his old food, just feed less of it and increase his activity to facilitate weight loss. Survey the area around the home for any negative stimuli that may be causing stress. This may include recent changes in the home (furniture rearranged, new flooring, etc.), high traffic, loud noises or even feral cats outdoors that he can see through a window. A pheromone product, such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffusers, may help decrease any stress or anxiety. Additional litterboxes may also be of benefit. Use an enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature's Miracle, to thoroughly clean soiled areas. If the behavior persists or worsens (bloody urine, straining to urinate, change in thirst/urination), then Azazel should be physically examining by your veterinarian to diagnose any underlying medical causes.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lio. I become worried about urination when the patient has an increased thirst. Other worrisome signs are weight loss, vomiting and changes in activity level. Urinary tract infections are rare in male cats, but will typically result in smaller than normal urine spots in the box. Straining or crying in the box are other reasons to see a veterinarian. If he cannot produce any urine at all, that would be a true emergency. It sounds like he does not have any of these symptoms. I suspect that he is getting the majority of his fluid from his diet. I hope this information helps!

If he is also drinking a lot then it is definitely not normal. i would recommend starting with a urine analysis, then if some abnormalities are found you might need to carry on to a blood test or ultrasound.

No this would not be completely normal and may be an indication of urinary tract inflammation. Increasing water/fluid intake by feeding a wet food is very helpful and ensure any dry food is formulated to reduce crystals and urinary issues such as a specialist neutered cat or urinary formula. Monitor closely for any pain, discomfort, increased frequency or blood which would need veterinary treatment. Severe cases can end up with complete obstruction so prevention is best

It may be something frightened him in the new location and he is looking for a safer option. I recommend having a second litter tray in the room he prefers as a back up. Trays should be in a quiet, undisturbed location, not near noisy or unpredictable things such as washing machines. A calming supplement can help also and it is important to encourage frequent, stress free urination by facilitating his preferred options to reduce the risk of urinary tract inflammation and irritation

Hello, sorry to hear about Felix. This could be a one time accident, however it could be an early sign of FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) which may also be referred to as FIC (Feline idiopathic cystitis). Other causes of abnormal urinations include bladder stones, urinary tract infections, and crystals in the urine. If you note any more of these behavior, it will be beneficial to have Felix examined sooner rather than later. Some cats may develop severe inflammation of their bladder which can lead to an obstruction. In the interim, you should add wet food to his diet and ensure he has readily access to copious amounts of water. Hope this helps and best of luck.