My cat has UTI symptoms. How do vets diagnose and treat it?

No, your vet must check your cat before he can prescribe any treatment for suspected UTI. UTI is not common in cats, most cats with symptoms of UTI actually suffer from a bladder inflammation that is stress related and the treatment for this condition is completely different than the treatment for UTI.

Typically a cat with a UTI will pee frequently in small amounts, may stop using the litter box and pee in the house, and may drink an excessive amount of water. The only way to know for sure if Ashton has a UTI is to take him into the vet for a physical exam, blood tests, and a urinalysis. This is confirm the presence of a UTI, and the vet can prescribe antibiotics to treat it. If you think Ashton has a UTI, I would take him into the vet first thing in the morning.

I would recommend to complete your question describing the signs to receive a specific answer from us Stress related (idiopathic type of inflammation), infection and presence of crystals are the most common causes of UTI (urinary tract infection). In absence of more detailed information of the signs, a clinical examination at your local veterinarian would be essential to confirm this suspicion and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

For a simple case of [UTI](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/utis-in-cats), you can expect the cost to include the office visit, a [urinalysis](https://www.petcoach.co/article/urinalysis-testing-a-urine-sample) with urine culture, medication to treat the infection, and a follow-up urinalysis/culture to make sure the infection has cleared up. If your cat has [stones or crystals](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/urine-crystals-and-bladder-stones/) in the bladder, your vet may recommend a [prescription diet](https://www.petco.com/category/cat/cat-food/prescription-cat-food-and-treats) depending on the type of stones or crystals seen in the urine. Large stones in the bladder sometimes require surgical removal if they can't be dissolved. Since costs vary based on geography and clinic, you should contact local veterinarians directly. Request an estimate for services. Most clinics will provide one as a matter of hospital policy. At the very least, you are likely looking at a bill of a couple hundred dollars. More seriously, a cat that becomes [blocked](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/urinary-obstruction/) may require a urinary catheter, hospitalization, fluids, pain medications, and other life-saving procedures, which can run into the thousands of dollars depending on whether you need to seek emergency care at a specialized clinic or obtain the services from your regular veterinarian. Treating your cat early is the much cheaper option.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Harry! Less than 5% of male urinary tract issues are from bacterial UTI's. The most common cause for urinary tract problems in cats are feline interstitial cystitis, crystals in the urine and bladder stones. We can not diagnose diseases over the internet or provide drug doses with out actually examining the patient as it is against the law. Since it is a very small chance he needs antibiotics my advice is to take a urine sample and Harry for an exam at the Vet. You can repost with his symptoms and we can try to provide advice. I wish Harry the best!

Hi there. In general, no - a physical exam does not test for a urinary tract infection. A urine sample would be needed for testing in order to do this - the test is called a urinalysis. An exam is required in order to prescribe medication, so Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach experts are not able to do this - you would need to see a local veterinarian in your area for an exam in order get prescription meds.

What seems to be UTI in cats are in 99% of the time a condition which is actually a bladder inflammation, it's not an infection and for this reason it is not treated with antibiotics. it is treated with special prescription diet for urinary problems, anti inflammatories and other supplements such as Cystophan. the cause of this condition is usually due to stress, so you might want to check this out as well.