My senior cat is crying when peeing. Is this a medical emergency?

I would be concerned if your cat is straining that he may be obstructed. Urine will not be able to exit the body thusly and will result in your cat becoming very ill very quickly. This is a medical emergency and Dizzy should be seen immediately to be sure this isn't the case. If it is, they will need to intervene and relieve the obstruction. Best of luck.

Poor Tony! He could definitely be experiencing a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, or even a blocked urethra and unable to urinate. Since he is crying and hissing, I am really concerned that he is hurting and possibly unable to urinate. I would have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to check his bladder and his urine and get him started on the proper treatment plan to help him feel better. If a blocked cat is left untreated, it can cause serious damage to his kidneys. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!

If she is unable to pass any urine she needs to be seen immediately to prevent bladder rupture and may need a catheter to relieve the pressure and prevent nerve and muscle weakness. This is an emergency and should not be managed at home and causes severe pain and discomfort with potential life threatening complications

I would call around the clinics to find a vet on call. There is typically a vet on call on weekends to see emergencies, and the information to reach one is found on their answering machine. This is a medical emergency, and Chewy needs to see a vet now. When a cat starts howling, using the bathroom less, not going in the litter box, and has cloudy urine, those are signs of a UTI or bladder stones. Bladder stones can block his urethra, and that is fatal without treatment. Please find a vet on call to see him now, or take him into an ER vet.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Given that Minx is a young male cat and having abnormal urinations and likely blood in his urine, I suspect that he may be suffering from Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC), or inflammation in the lower urinary tract. This is causing him difficulty urinating, and painful urination. I recommend having him seen by a veterinarian right away, before he becomes fully "blocked", meaning unable to pass any urine at all. This is a life-threatening emergency, and requires rapid veterinary attention. Your veterinarian will perform a physical exam and likely recommend bloodwork to evaluate the severity of his urinary tract disease. FIC is a treatable condition, but again, if he becomes unable to pass any urine at all, he can experience acute kidney failure and develop fatal heart rhythms. I hope this is helpful!

Having a male cat that is unable to urinate is a medical emergency. This obstruction can lead to secondary kidney damage and death if untreated due to an electrolyte imbalance. The vocalization is associated with pain. Since he is the uncomfortable and struggling, you need to take him a clinic immediately to have him checked and hospitalized if needed. They will check the urine for crystals and an infection and possibly consider a diet change to prevent future episodes.

This is an emergency and you need to take Duke to a veterinarian or PetER right now or he will get so ill that he might die. This is not a urinary tract infection primarily but very likely an obstructed urethra caused by crystals or bladder stones. Please take him to a Pet ER now, do not wait. Penicillin will not clear this up.