What Causes Excessive Urinating in Cats?

Cats with urinary issues can cause frustration among pet owners. In some instances, your cat's problem might be more than a behavioral issue. When your cat urinates excessively and has other symptoms associated with the behavior, then a medical condition might be the cause of your cat's trouble.

  1. Diabetes

    • Two forms of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2, can afflict cats. Type 1 diabetes, which causes your cat to produce inadequate amounts of insulin, affects up to 70 percent of cats diagnosed with diabetes, according to PetPlace. In Type 2 diabetes, something in the cat's body inhibits it from using insulin. Diabetic cats will develop symptoms of excessive weight loss and excessive thirst, followed by bouts of excessive urination. Cats who develop feline diabetes may have a family history of diabetes or have a weight issue.

    Stones or Cyrstals

    • Cats can develop bladder stones and struvite crystals. Stones and crystals can irritate your cat's bladder, resulting in excessive urination, accompanied by blood in the urine or your cat straining to urinate. Bladder stones begin as microscopic crystals. However, the crystals can accumulate into larger stones, growing in excess of one inch in diameter, states Pet Education. Struvite crystals consist of magnesium, phosphate, and ammonium. Urethral plugs (blockages) that develop from struvite crystals can require surgery to alleviate your cat's symptoms.

    Urinary Tract Infection

    • Your cat may visit the litter box frequently.

      A urinary tract infection can develop as a result of bladder stones, crystals, urethral plugs, and other medical issues. Because a UTI can often mask the underlying issue for your cat's excessive urination, recognizing other symptoms associated with a UTI can help diagnose your cat. If your cat has a UTI, it will meow when it urinates, have accidents outside of its litter box, and have bloody urine or foul smelling urine.

    Other Causes

    • Other causes for excessive urination include incontinence, kidney disease, and marking of territory. As with humans, cats can experience a weakening of the bladder, resulting in increased urine output. A cat with a weak bladder will often urinate as it moves from one position to the next, such as from sitting to lying down. Kidney disease often occurs among older cats. Kidney disease can develop suddenly or develop with other symptom, such as increased water drinking and lethargy. Urine spraying is a result of territorial marking. Though a nuisance, cat spraying is a common behavioral trait.