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My diabetic cat has blood in her urine. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 14 years and 1 month old | 22 lbs

Diabetic cat, started out at 2.5 of insulin, gradually increased, now at 7 units. Been at 7 units for 5 days and notice slight blood in urine. What do I do??

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on July 31st, 2017

Blood in the urine would not be caused by his insulin, so don't worry :) It's likely that he has a UTI, as these are extremely common in diabetic cats. If he's acting normal otherwise, I wouldn't consider this an emergency - but I would definitely recommend calling Meatball's regular vet in the morning or taking him in for an exam. You should continue on his regular insulin dosing schedule as directed by your veterinarian unless he/she instructs you differently.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Diabetic cats are more susceptible to urinary tract infections. Good observation! I definitely recommend that you take Meatball to his regular vet to test his urine to find the source of the blood and treat appropriately.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on September 1st, 2017
It's definitely not normal, even if nothing showed up on the blood test. it could be a urinary infection for example, i believe a course of antibiotics could be a good idea to start with, but this needs to be prescribed by your vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 3rd, 2017
I'm sorry Tigger isn't feeling well at the moment! This depends. If he appears otherwise healthy and happy, eats and drinks plenty, you can wait until Monday morning. If he appears lethargic, ill or distressed, or if the urine appears very bloody, then he should be seen by a vet ASAP. Keep in mind as well male cats can become blocked in their urethra, and that is a medical emergency. If you see him straining to urinate, unable to produce urine at all, produces only a little bit of urine, or is vocalizing when urinating, this can be signs he is potentially blocked and you should take him to the ER vet. Feed him wet/canned food, add water to it, and make sure he drinks a lot of water to help flush the bladder. Good luck, I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

Diabetic dog with bloody urine on weekend, should I see an ER vet?

UTI's can cause your dog pain, that's for sure. If you've ever had one yourself you might know that the burning sensation and pain in the lower abdomen are quite uncomfortable. The pain isn't terrible, for sure, but there's no doubt that Bella isn't feeling well. In addition, in a diabetic dog, UTI's can indicate that she is poorly regulated (i.e. there is routinely glucose in her urine) and having one signals that it's a good idea to check blood glucose as well, to determine if an adjustment might be considered in insulin dosage. Checking a quick urine dipstick can also ease your mind that she is not tipping over into diabetic ketoacidosis as well, which is a very serious condition. It's also worth noting that even though the same antibiotic is prescribed each time, when UTI's occur frequently the bacteria that cause them can become stronger, and more resistant to the normally-used antibiotics - this is why urine culture is so valuable in these cases, in order to make sure that the appropriate antibiotic is used. I would recommend that you get her in today, since it's another 36 hours since your regular vet opens, and that's a long time for her to be uncomfortable.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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Why is my diabetic cat having trouble peeing and being so cranky?

I would be concerned by the lack of normal urination in a diabetic pet - they are very prone to urinary tract infections due to higher than normal sugar content in their urine which can encourage bacterial infection. I strongly recommend a urine test to determine exactly what is going on. Your vet may have special cat litter to collect a urine sample or may be able to draw a sample directly from the bladder with a needle in order to investigate fully what is going on

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My cat has blood in urine. What's the cause, and is it an emergency?

In most cases this is caused by a bladder inflammation, usually stress related. in male cats it is considered an emergency as they can easily develop a urinary blockage following this condition, i recommend taking him to the vet today.

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My diabetic dog is peeing blood and won't eat. What's wrong?

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My cat has diabetes. How often to test blood, regulate, or use urine?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is not a set number of times per day or anything like that. That is something that is determined based on the current control of the diabetes and is adjusted accordingly. That should be recommended by the veterinarian who is prescribing the insulin and keeping tract of the case closely. There is no way to accurately measure glucose in the urine for these cases. How long it takes to achieve steady levels also varies widely per case but possibly within a week or so. Best of luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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Diabetic cat's urine is sticky. Is her insulin dose too high or low?

Never ever change your cat's insulin dose unless specifically instructed by her vet. You could accidentally do great harm or even kill her. Have Flowe seen by her vet, and her vet can determine if it needs to be adjusted. Best of luck.

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My cat has blood in her urine but is acting normal. Is it serious?

Yes, it certainly is possible that Tippy has a urinary problem causing this bleeding and blood in the urine, such as a UTI or bladder stones. Given that she is eating normally and is behaving normally, you can wait until tomorrow to take her into the vet. The vet can a physical exam, blood tests, and urinalysis to diagnose what is causing these symptoms so she can be treated.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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