Is bloody or orange urine normal for my cat with a urinary catheter?

I am sorry to hear about Dexter. You don't mention if this is a urinary catheter or an intravenous catheter. We will sometimes see blood in the urine come out of a urinary catheter in cats with a UTI or cystitis, so it is not unusual but definitely something to let your vet know about. If this is an intravenous (IV) catheter in a vein then we would be concerned it is coming out or the cap is detaching and leaking and it may need to be removed and he should be seen by the vet as soon as possible.

Poor Oreo! After a blockage, cats might only urinate small amounts frequently, but as long as he's peeing, that's positive. I would expect to see some blood, as he has sustained trauma to his urethra with the blockage and subsequent unblocking. I would continue to monitor him very closely, as reblocking can occur 7-14 days from the time of discharge. This is because the urologic syndrome that led to blocking in the first place is still continuing and as long as the episode continues, blocking is a possibility. Any loss of appetite or vomiting should be reported to your veterinarian at once. If there is any concern about reblocking, your vet can determine fairly easily if the cat has re-blocked.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm so sorry this happened to Smeagol! The blood and mucous or mineral material you describe are common for blocked cats. Usually the catheter remains in place until the urine is a normal yellow color. Usually 3-4 days is sufficient. Ideally, Smeagol will also get antibiotics to prevent an infection from the catheter and medications for pain and urethral spasm. I recommend calling or visiting your vet if you have further questions. Best wishes to you and Smeagol!

Ongoing bleeding could be caused by a clotting disorder or low platelets or ongoing inflammation in the urinary bladder. Incontinence could be related to the trauma of the catheterization, administration of IV fluids, bladder inflammation, kidney failure, etc. You may want to discuss additional blood tests and bladder ultrasound with your vet.

Poor guy. I’m not sure if the catheter is doing much good if he is having pain and blood still present. It sounds like the catheter should be removed as your vet suggests to see if maybe it is the reason for his discomfort. Also catheters are traumatic in a lot of cases, so this can also be the source of the blood. This is not a simple thing to decide so all factors have to be considered, which I am sure your vet has thought through so it’s best to follow their recommendation on this one. Worst case scenario is that he reblocks when the catheter is removed, but if he is still being hospitalized they can then reinsert the catheter before anything detrimental happens. However, almost cats arts can have their catheters removed after day 2, although each situation can be uniquely different, 3 days seems more than enough time. If you would like to discuss the specifics of your pets case then please don’t hesitate to request a consultation from either myself or another expert here. I wish Chippy all the best and hope that he recovers soon! Take care.

If you are not comfortable with the care your veterinarian is providing then moving him to another veterinarian wouldn't be a bad idea. Although, leaving a catheter in for a few days is very important and there may be blood for a little since there was so much inflammation in the bladder. You just have to be comfortable and trust your veterinarian. If you are not and do not then I would recommend transferring the case to someone else. Without knowing everything the veterinarian is doing it is difficult to say if I would provide other care. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, this can be normal. Urinary blockage effects a cat's entire system and can make them feel very poorly. When the catheter is removed there is usually a fair bit of inflammation due to the catheter having been in place. The fact that he is producing urine is a good sign. You want to see him continue and start to produce more and more. If he appears to get duller or stop urinating take him back to the vet.