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My cat has a UTI. Is dilute urine a problem? How to give pills?
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 10 years and 5 months old | 19 lbs
My cat had a UA today after having cystitis for 16 days, and it turns out he now has a UTI which explains why this is lasting so long. They said his Urine was concentrating at 1.015. Is that bad? Ive been adding water to his food (wet food) and hes been on Royal Canin SO wet for a few weeks. Im worried now, which is awful because that is all I have been doing for 17 days is worrying. Also, how can I get my cat to take pills when he wont let me, is now aware I hide them in his food, no pockets?
3 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Answered By Shaneez Wallani, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 30th, 2017
The concentration of the urine depends on a number of factors, including hydration, and has to be looked at in conjunction with the overall clinical picture. I wouldn't put too much stock in that one value right now. It sounds like you are doing everything right to help Duck feel better. Here is a link on how to pill a cat http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/eng_ht_pill_cat.pdf. If it is too difficult to pill Duck, ask your vet for a liquid option if possible. Cystitis can sometimes start due to stress. There are many things that you can do to help alleviate stress and help Duck feel better. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpfulRelated Answers from Veterinarians
Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Cystitis can have various causes, it may just have started as stress related but now has turned into an infection. Don't worry the antibiotics should kick in soon and tackle the infection. 1015 for specific gravity is quite dilute so Duck must be getting rid if plenty if water which will be helping to flush the bladder. If you had his kidneys checked and they were reading high you would expect the gravity to be 1045 or over; you could have the kidneys checked if he doesn't start to improve.
If you are really struggling with tablets you could ask the vet to give a long lasting injection instead.1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Lauren M. Jones, VMD
Veterinarian
Poor Duck! His urine specific gravity (concentration) is on the low end, but this is quite common in the presence of a UTI if he has been consuming more water. After his course of antibiotics, consider discussing a recheck urinalysis with Duck's vet to determine his normal specific gravity. I'm glad to hear that you've been adding extra water to his SO diet - this is a great way to increase water intake and help resolve a UTI!
As far as medicating Duck, try to avoid hiding pills in his food because he will pick them out and it may deter him from eating his food normally. Instead, try a tough love approach and actually push the pill down his throat. Believe it or not, this is generally fairly easy once you get the hang of it. Hold the top of his head with your non-dominant hand and use a tool like a pill popper ( with your dominant hand to push the pill way back at the very back of his tongue. After you put the pill in his mouth, hold his mouth closed, point his nose upwards, gently blow in his nose and rub his throat, as this will help to stimulate swallowing. For some cats, pill pockets ( can be helpful, but this depends upon how palatable the antibiotic is. I hope this helps and that all goes well!1Pet Parents found this answer helpful