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Cat peeing blood with crystal history on urinary food. What to do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Norwegian Forest Cat | Male | neutered | 3 years and 11 months old | 12 lbs

My cat has had crystals in his pee before and he gets them every now and then. Today he peed in the bath tub and there was a little bit of blood in it. He is on science diet dry and wet food for urinary. What can I do before going to the vet? Like what can help?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 15th, 2018

Buddy is so handsome! Unfortunately, blood in the urine can be an indication of bladder stones, and inflammation of the bladder which can be extremely uncomfortable. Buddy may not be able to urinate, which can cause back up of urine in the kidneys and make him very sick. I recommend making sure that he has plenty of water to drink, but having him seen by a vet as soon as possible.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on February 15th, 2018
Poor Buddy! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. There are a few different things that can cause blood and crystals in the urine, so it's important to get a diagnosis first in order to know how to treat him. He may have FIC (feline idiopathic cystitis), bladder stones, or a bacterial urinary tract infection. Treatment for all of these problems is different.

Because of this, I would recommend taking Buddy to the vet for an exam as the first step. This is especially important with a male cat, since males are very prone to developing urinary blockages when they have bladder issues - if this happens, it's a life-threatening emergency. So I always recommend having male kitties looked at right away if there is any bloody urine or straining in the litter box.

Your veterinarian can do a urinalysis to help diagnose the problem, and may recommend other testing such as x-rays or a urine culture if needed. Once a diagnosis is made, he/she can get him started on appropriate treatment and give you detailed instructions on what you can do at home to help prevent further issues in the future.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on October 7th, 2019
Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Jack. Urinating blood indicates a problem with his bladder, and he could have feline idiopathic cystitis or bladder stones. He will need to see a vet for this problem. If he appears otherwise healthy and happy, eats and drinks plenty, you can wait until tomorrow morning. If he appears lethargic, ill or distressed, or if the urine appears very bloody, then he should be seen by a vet ASAP. Feed him wet/canned food, add water to it, and make sure he drinks a lot of water to help flush the bladder. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Thank you for submitting your question regarding Felix. Blood in the urine can be the result of bladder stones or crystals in the urine, an infection, bladder cancer, a bleeding disorder or a condition known as idiopathic cystitis. This last condition is an inflammation in the bladder with no known cause. It is thought that stress can make it worse. Typically bloodwork, a urinalysis and x-rays will be done to determine which of these conditions may be the cause. Depending on why he has the blood in his urine, he may need to eat the diet longterm. He should eat it exclusively for it to be effective. I hope this information helps!

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