Why is my kitten's urine dark and smelly? Could it be a UTI?

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes it may be normal for a kittens urine to have a stronger odor especially if the urine is very concentrated. You may want to try feeding an all canned diet with water mixed in to help reduce the urine concentration. However, sometimes a UTI can cause a change in urine odor. As long as Beasty is using the litter box normally and not having urinary accidents or going urinating small amounts frequently, I would be less concerned about a UTI. However, if changes in her urination habits occur (like straining to urinate, frequent urination, crying while urinating) or if she stops eating or drinking or becomes lethargic it would be a good idea to schedule a vet visit. Also, if the urine odor persists you may want to bring a sample to your veterinarian to have it evaluated. I hope this is helpful!

Cats urine is normally very concentrated, so a dark orange color could be OK. With a UTI, they tend to urinate more frequently, urinate outside the box and sometimes strain to urinate. If you see him doing this, then he needs to see the vet. If anything else is concerning, then it's best to bring him to the vet and they can easily test the urine and examine Mookie for any other problems.

It's possible the diet change and medication could cause the urine to change some. I would give it a few days as long as they aren't showing any other signs of illness, and make sure they are eating and drinking enough. If the problem persists, worsens, or other symptoms appear, a vet visit to rule out any other issues is best.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dark urine is often an indication of dehydration or not drinking enough water. I recommend that you check and make sure that she is drinking enough water. Sometimes using several water bowls throughout the house is helpful. Another way to stimulate her to eat canned food which is high in water content. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pheobe. I agree that it does look dark. Has she had free access to water today? If she is a bit dehydrated, then the urine will be darker than normal. It does not appear to contain blood which is good. Offer her plenty of water and if it is still dark tomorrow, then she should see her veterinarian for a urinalysis. I hope this information helps!

Tiger may have a urinary tract infection or other issue causing dehydration and darker colored urine. I'd recommend having her examined by a veterinarian and also having a urine sample checked out. If necessary she can be given fluids as an injection to rehydrate her and be prescribed antibiotics to treat any infection that may be present. You can try offering her an all canned food diet to try to maintain her hydration. However, I do think she should be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Tiger is on the mend soon!

Yes, I would bring Pigeon into the vet. This can be a sign of a UTI or bladder stones, and the only way to know for sure is to have her checked out by a vet, do bloodwork, and a urinalysis. Because she was using the box previously and now isn't, that can also be another sign something is wrong. Give her vet a call now to make her an appointment. Until she sees the vet, feed her wet/canned food, add water to it, and make sure she drinks a lot of water to help flush the bladder. I hope this helps!