My cat squats frequently and scratches litter box. Could it be a UTI?

It certainly sounds like Lolo could have a urinary tract issue as urinating in small amounts without producing much is definitely abnormal. I would take her to your vet. They may want to check her urine for infection and take an x-ray to check for bladder stones. Often cats don't have UTIs but still can have bladder inflammation. Making sure they drink plenty of water, and feeding wet food can help with bladder health. Good luck!

A true urinary infection with bacteria is much less common in cats then dogs, and less common in males then females. Unless there is a disease process predisposing to infection like diabetes or kidney disease. I would not expect a link between allergies and urinary issues unless as you say it is stress related. There is a syndrome in cats (many names) called feline lower urinary tract disorder (FLUTD). Basically it causes symptoms of a uti but there is no infection. In can be more problematic in males. It could be triggered by stress (changes in the house, change in litter, new food, not enough litterboxes, etc.). The Ohio State University has a good web site for indoor cat owners called the indoor pet initiative. There are other causes of urinary tract issues as well but it would be quite odd for both your kids to be affected. It is very important to make sure cats are able to urinate though because obstruction of the urinary tract can occur, more common in males, and this is an emergency if this happens. I hope this helps and thank you for using PetCaoch!

This is a very stressful situation for her, and stress can provoke a bladder inflammation in cats. try to keep her calm as much as you can and if these symptoms get worse take her to the vet after the storm have calmed down to get the bladder inflammation treated.

I would recommend having Paws examined by a vet. Sometimes cats will start to feel sluggish and uncomfortable in the litter box if they have a UTI, bladder stones, some inflammatory conditions, or constipation. Since you aren't seeing much in the box, it is hard to determine which is the case, but a vet should be able to figure it out on physical exam.

The only way to confirm if it is a UTI would be to bring in Curie to your vet and have a urinary sample taken to check for bacteria, crystals, etc that could be causing bladder irritation and thus the inappropriate urination. Your vet can also help you determine if other causes, such as stress or the beginning of arthritis are also affecting her ability to use the litter box properly, leading to accidents. It would be best to bring Curie in ASAP so she can get checked and treated for a UTI as needed.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Blackie. Urinary tract infections are not all that common in cats. I recommend that she has a urine culture performed to ensure there is an infection present and the correct antibiotic is prescribed. If there is not an infection or if it has resolved, then she should have x-rays to look for bladder stones. If this is not the case, idiopathic cystitis is very common in cats. This may be her problem. I hope this information helps!

From what I can see in the photo, it appears to be a scratch under the eye and by the mouth. If he was recently put outside, he may have injured himself. They appear to be only minor scratches, but you should make sure they don't appear to be getting worse or developing any swelling or drainage, as these are signs of infection. As for taking longer to urinate, this is more concerning to me. One potential cause is a condition called FLUTD (or feline lower urinary tract disease). For reasons that we do not fully understand, cats can get inflammation in the urinary tract that can lead to swelling and even complete blockage. This is an emergency, because the bladder can rupture. Often these cats are placed on special diets to help control the symptoms. I recommend having him checked by a veterinarian to see if a special diet may help Alex. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.