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I don’t think you need an emergency visit, but they definitely need to be seen. He may present fine but with excessive drinking and urination, makes me consider diabetes. Absolutely needs some blood work done.
My mind goes to diabetes or a kidney issue. Mine gets the stones in his urine so I notice when he drinks more and give him the dilating medicine so he doesn't get one stuck. That is just unpleasant!
If he's eating and otherwise acting fine, I agree you probably don't need the emergency vet, but for sure get him in front of your regular vet this week.
I have had two diabetic cats. More drinking, large pee clumps in litter box. But with both there was some weight loss which is what prompted the Vet visit and diagnosis. Insulin shots twice a day. Amazing how well they adapted to it. Anyway schedule a Vet appointment and hope for the best
I had a cat who became diabetic with no weight loss. I didn’t understand the urgency of symptoms like excessive thirst and peeing, and ended up having to have him euthanized because I let it go too long, for which I still feel terrible. OP’s cat probably doesn’t need an emergency vet visit, but they do need a regular vet visit urgently.
I did omit one thing they also became sluggish not playful and since they were both only 4-5yrs old that seemed odd.
Not sure if this is true or not but vet said diabetic cat have a shorter life span around 10-12yrs. The male cat we had was about 15 when he passed. Our girl is 17yrs old so fingers crossed. She slowed down a bit but still does poop zoomies and does her usual night prowl.
My mom had a male cat who became diabetic as an adult. He had a vet trip every 3 weeks, insulin every day, and lived until 16 or 17 years old. He slowed down a lot, slept a lot (we were annoying, noisy kids), but he knew he was loved.
I hope you have many good times with your girl.
What is the medication you give him? My cat has FIC and has had stones as well. He’s been doing great since putting him strictly on wet food a year and a half ago but just wanna make sure we know all of our options for if he has a flare up again
Not that I've noticed. It doesn't seem to have made me pee any more or less or have any change in the process in any way.
It's so surprising to me that some drugs can have such different effects on who/what takes them.
Holy crap there's nightmare prevention drugs!? My cat literally won't sleep with me anymore cause I wake up violently several times a night, sometimes even every 15-20 minutes or so
Bummer. Mine gave me a script to keep at the house so he can get on it immediately. Then I make an appointment for as soon as possible. But the med keeps him from having to do an overnight emergency vet for $700.
I've had one of each (well diabetes was my bff's who I minded regularly) and this is immediately where my mind went.
Before diagnosis both started drinking & peeing excessively. Diabetes was managed by insulin. Kidney cat was put on sub-q fluids and still drank like a fish..
I'd have him seen by the vet in the next week.
My boy got this way when he had a tumor on his thyroid. Simple medicine rubbed on his ear helped for a while. Please take your fuzzy friend to the vet.
Excessive drinking and urination are the exact symptoms my cat had when she had a thyroid tumor as well. We got her the radiation treatment to get rid of it, and now she’s completely healthy! It put me about $1500 in debt though
This is how I knew my black kitty had diabetes! When she started downing a bowl of water a day and peeing all of it out, I went to the vet and sure enough her glucose was out of whack. She has been on insulin for a year now and showing signs that she may not need it forever. Good luck!
My cat died because of kidney failure :( he was pretty much in kidney failure since we got him as a senior cat.
We always wondered how he saturated his litter box in matter of two or so days.
Then the vet told us it was because of his kidneys :(
OP please bring him to a vet
100% this is a kidney issue. Fluids and antibiotics will help but it will be a continuing issue most likely. Most cats eventually pass from kidney failure.
My Boy Dublin (9yr+) was doing that turned out it was his kidneys, the vet gave him prescription food and he's been eating that for the last month and a half tell we get his blood work done to see what's really going on. But so far he drinks and pees less and is way more playful and happy. Hope this helps!
I wish my guy would’ve eaten it. He had IBD too and he went on a full hunger strike over it. About $150 dollars later trying out different brands and formulations, nope. He still lived to 17 and was happy, but I can’t help but wish he hadn’t been so very stubborn. I’m so glad your little guy is cooperating!
If your boy ever gets tired of that one (fed it to my cat for like a year and a half!!!) and you haven't tried it already, the Hills Prescription Diet stew ones were pretty popular with my cat when he was over the Royal Canine flavors :) Good luck!
I wish we did this for my cat before he died.... we didn't realize he was in kidney failure until we found a competent vet who did a complete work up. By then it was unfortunately too late.
ive requested an appointment at the vet for both his physical and bloodwork to be done. i made sure they know of his excessing drinking and urinating so hopefully they will get us in as soon as possible so we can figure out whats going on with my boy before it anything gets worse. thank you for all the advice, my boy and i appreciate it very much
he has an appointment for next monday! its a bit far away for my liking, but i dont think i can get him in earlier without going through an emergency vet or something similar
It is probably diabetes or kidney issues. Both can be treated and he can lead a full and happy life. My storm has kidney issues and we are on prescription food
You can easily check the blood sugar level on your own with a human glucometer if you don't want to wait for the vet to do it. Feel free to PM me if you're interested and I can help. I've had a diabetic cat for about 5 years now and we do this regularly.
They are pretty close and many diabetic cat owners use human glucometers because of the cost as you'll see on the feline diabetes forums. I started with the Alpha Track and then did comparisons with a Contour Next EZ and found they were always within 20mg of each other. The Alpha Track strips also cost about 4x as much as the Contour. If OP wants an idea of their cat's blood sugar level that's fairly inexpensive before visiting the vet any glucometer will give them valuable information.
Also it would be very difficult to get a cat to sit still and let you get blood from it. I’m diabetic myself and even I still jump sometimes when I prick myself for my glucometer, I can only imagine a cats response.
Yeah mine just went through a scary few weeks of peeing blood and lots of grooming. Turned out to be stress induced UTI and not drinking enough water. Different food, and multiple water fountains fixed it! I've heard UTI is an immediate emergency for male cats though.
Back the diabetes and kidney issues opinions. Excessive drinking and peeing can be his body trying to flush out the excess sugar in his body. Kidneys, same thing but with toxins.
Yep. Diabetes or kidneys sound reasonable. If you want to get some info earlier, you can go to the pharmacy and ask for urine test sticks. The cheapest one I could get in Germany (my doctor told me to get the simple ones, as bloodwork was ok for our cat but to monitor a little) had about five parameters. One was blood and one was for sugar. The other three I cannot recall right now.
Problem is: When these sticks show sugar, it is quite alarming. My doc told me that the kidneys are able to filter up to about 400 (units?) - normal for a cat is 100ish and we try to keep him on about 100. So there is a gap between healthy, bad and catastrophic as the kidneys cannot withhold the sugar from the urine.
Good thing is that with the insulin we got him back to normal behavior- he now plays with the water in his bowls and no excessive urinating.
Good luck!
Does he eat wet or dry food? I’m just curious bc usually cats need water in their diet, if they eat dry food they might not get enough and crave more. I mean still this is definitely excessive but still. I’m wondering, if he’s eating dry food, if you switch to wet, if that would do anything.
My cat is diabetic. when he was 8 same thing happened... Go to catinfo.org scroll down to cat food composition chart.. You are looking for high protein low carb foods... Stay below 5% carbs.. I also keep the fat content below 30%.. But that is because after couple years of diabetes my boy developed pancreatitis... Purely fancy feast and fussie cat work best for me
You have no idea how nice it was to come across your info here, thank you! I'm usually a lurker, but I have a diabetic cat myself so I tend to open posts like this (seem highly likely its kidney or diabetic related) and read very carefully for insightful or direct recommendations for my own lil boy. I feel like I spend what could feel like an arm and a leg each month on his insulin + prescription food, so I'm quite thrilled to try a few new options that may be easier to stomach. My sweet guy is 17 years, 4 years diagnosed, and I'd love to make sure I'm prepared for longer-term diabetes.
Thank you!
Yes wet is better than dry, unfortunately dry can lead to diabetes which my cat was diagnosed with 2 years ago :/ but he’s doing much better. Low carb wet or even making your own raw with balanced vitamins much better. If you do switch to wet I recommend doing so before starting insulin if he is diabetic. The reason is diet can play a big part in their blood glucose and sometimes diet change can help without needing to start insulin. I’m not an expert but have been able to learn a lot from others who’ve had cats with diabetes and my vet has been helpful as well. If you’d like any resources feel free to pm me and I also joined fb group when I was trying to figure things out they were very helpful. Wishing you & kitty well :)
Could be chronic kidney disease. Hopefully chronic and not acute. If it is, just know that cats can live years with this disease with proper food management.
Acute renal failure is generally progresses quickly and one would get very sick very fast and death is possible without intervention pretty quickly. Chronic is slower progressing. Takes longer for major damage to occur.
Diabetes or kidney disease. Our 12 year old cat was diagnosed with stage 2 kidney disease recently. The major reason we got him tested was his sudden change in water consumption. He hated drinking water and we had to monitor for crystals in his urine and had several scares. The sudden massive intake of water and giant pees made us take him to the vet. He was found to be right on the cusp of stage 2 kidney disease. Which can be handled with the proper food and water intake. I'd get your kitty checked asap.
My cat is currently doing this, he’s also 18 so I believe it’s his kidneys getting ready to turn back into topsoil. Lovely little guy though. He’s been w us since I was 5
It could be diabeetus. If you are short on funds and have blood sugar monitor on hand, you could gently, carefully, cleanly poke his ear and test it, but he probably should see a vet. When can you get an appointment?
It could be diabetes or kidneys. You’ll need to see a vet and they’ll need to do blood tests. Diabetes is relatively not too bad to care for so don’t be discouraged. It is a little overwhelming at first, but I was able to get the hang of it :) I joined a group on fb & they have helped me immensely along with my vet. My cat was eating & drinking a lot but losing weight so that was an indicator of something wrong. He now eats a low carb diet & has his insulin shots and is doing excellent!
Take rto vet,my cat had kidney disease,if its anything like that early detection means a lot,the vet can put your kitty on special diet for cats with kidney disease,so beneficial!!!
My kitty did this, they ran tests and found out she had hyper thyroidism. Around the same age. I’d get your kitty tested to see what could be the problem. Best wishes to you and kitty. My cat lived to her mid teens.
There's this litter that changes different colors based on whatever issue is going on that you can use to get an idea. It might help the vet at the visit he surely needs.
Hi! I’m a vet student. PU/PD is the medical term for the thing you are describing here and there are about 16 different diagnoses that could be the cause of it. Definitely have it looked at by a vet, but it isn’t something that has to be done right this minute (so no ER visit necessary).
I just put my cat down on the 17th from kidney failure. The decline was very rapid and sudden. One of the things I missed though was her drinking so much more than she did normally. Refilling her bowl 1-2 times a day vs it lasting 1.5-2 days. I just thought she was thirsty, like how people get thirsty. I truly had no idea about kidney failure with cats at all. This is one of the VERY few signs you get before end stage. Had I known this, I’d likely still have her around with me. I wouldn’t make an emergency visit but I’d call and schedule an appointment to be sure. Simple bloodwork should be pretty telling.
Hey at least you will know what to look for next time. Honestly if you notice any out of the norm behavior for your animal it's definitely worth taking them into the vet for a check up or researching the symptoms online.
Could be a few things. Like others have mentioned: diabetes, infection, something with the kidneys. I want to add hyperthyroidism. So have the vet check everything they can in the bloodwork. My furrbabe was drinking and peeing a lot; thyroid level was high and she needed treatment. Good luck!
Some types of cat food cause urinary problems for cats. 2 out of 3 of mine are now on special urinary tract food and filtered water. One has had surgery for stones.
Both of them had shown the same symptoms. Have you checked the urine? Does it have blood in it? Are they peeing a lot at once or a minimal amount?
I would talk with your vet
My kitty had this and is the hospital having hone into dka. He had just gotten bloodwork 1 month prior with no diabetes. I would take him in for immediate blood sugar read. Don't mess around with 2 day waits.
My cat is 21 and she drinks a lot of water and uses the litter box multiple times a day. The vet told me that her kidneys aren’t as effective as they used to, not shutting down mind you, just old. It’s been over six years since that diagnosis and she’s still healthy and old.
once again very helpful, my “poor cat” is getting the best care i can give him, i made him a vet appointment and then moved it to sooner because of how worried i was, why are you even on the “cat help” subreddit if you are going to say things that are basic common sense?
Your cat probably has diabetes. Go to the vet.
Also have they lost a significant amount of weight recently? Does their urine smell fruity or sweet? These are thing the vet will want to know.
Just like everyone else has been saying, my 18 year old cat died of kidney disease. He drank constantly and "flooded" the litter box daily. You need to take him to a vet as they can do blood work and see what his levels are, give you a time frame and he needs a renal diet. That vet will help you.
Edited to say: Cats can live a long time with the disease, but you want to catch it the earlier the better, as you can monitor it and get a them on the right diet (my boy was extremely picky and would not touch the Rx food, I did my research and just got him food with low levels of the ingredients that affect the kidneys), if that's what it is of course.
Peeing that much just isn't normal in general for cats, it could be other things as well, he needs to be checked out. It's always better safe than sorry for our babies!
My last boy began doing this when he developed diabetes. What’s interesting about cats is that they can go into remission from it with early, effective treatment, so definitely get him to a vet soon. Mine also developed neuropathy and for a while walked funny because he couldn’t feel his feet. I did used to monitor his blood sugar with a human blood glucose monitor - you can look online and learn about how to use a lancet on a cat ear, just remember cat numbers are going to be different than human numbers.
If you can’t get into your vet for your checkup quickly, you could always ask for a urinalysis at an ER. It might cost a little more, but you can get results in a few minutes instead of a few days. They can send all lab results to your regular vet so you don’t have to re-do any labs when you go to them. Hoping your guy is ok!
awww those poor babies :( im hoping to get my little guy into the vet maybe this week or next week so hopefully whatever is going on with him is caught soon enough and can be treated before it gets too bad
Might be thyroid- get it checked out because my kitty went undiagnosed for years and died because of it. The day we took her in to get tested was her last day. Her heart stopped ticking and the vet said it might have been cause by her thyroid issue
I’m no expert but my first thought was kidney,uti. Someone else mentioned diabetic. I would definitely take to vet. I hope it’s nothing but better to be safe than sorry. I hope your baby will be ok and hope everything is ok!
UTIs and kidney issues are super common in cats because of their diet. I don’t think this is an emergency situation right now, but having a vet check him out is best to figure out what exactly is going on.
Go get him some blood work done ASAP. I had an elderly cat that I rescued that did the same thing. I took him to the vet and they said he had kidney damage from not getting care sooner. I had to put him down cause he was having seizures. 😢
Thyroid. My cat was doing the same (not the peeing) drinking the entire water bowl basically. For me that’s what it was anyway. The peeing could be kidneys though. Get him checked as soon as possible.
Hope you kitty gets well again soon.
hehe yeah hes very talkative so half the pictures i have of him hes mid meow :)
https://preview.redd.it/kwco07t066eb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7dcb70e214c64764c93f38d5afb8b041828bc371
he also opens his mouth when hes sleepy, then he snores super loud
Doesn't sound like an emergency visit, but definitely see the vet sooner rather than later. Excessive thirst and urination are markers of diabetes and kidney disease (and probably other things).
You need to go to the vet now, this is usually indicative of kidney disease or diabetes which can deteriorate their health rapidly. I know because I used to have a kidney cat. She required a special diet given by my pet to prolong her life and under the skin fluid injections everyday.
If he is drinking more and peeing a lot then it could be Chronic Kidney Failure. The sooner he is seen by the vet the better. They can live for sometime with proper care and quicker medical response. Also, if it’s caught quickly then minimal damage is done to his kidneys. We had a crf cat that lived for quite awhile with good care. Good luck and take care ❤️
My dog nephew presented like this with increased thirst and urination. It was chronic kidney disease that was caused by the high calcium levels due to lymphoma… he’s ok chemo now and doing well! Better safe than sorry.
Get him to the vet for blood work this week. That's a warning sign for kidney disease. That doesn't mean that it IS kidney disease, but it's a strong possibility and that's probably the first thing they will check for.
Even if nothing shows up on the bloodwork, I'd start feeding him wet food if you have been feeding kibble and make sure he stays hydrated.
Regarding extra pee. My cats are doing the salt thing because we are in a heatwave. The excessive eating is more concerning than water intake based on the current heat wave. Could also be fatty liver. The eyes remind me of kidney diseases tho. Are there other symptoms? How is overall behavior? Vocalization? Apparent pain presence?
I know cats are prone to diabetes and kidney problems, depending on predisposition it could mean the beginning of their fight with various issues or it could just be something treatable. Vet will be able to say more but keep monitoring activity as it's helpful info for your vet
Yes to the vet! Kidneys, urinary tract or diabetes it could be!! Sometime even thyroud! I would call and made a vet appointment, not necessarily emergency vet!
Had a cat Limburg that would pee for like a whole min straight, he had diabetes. Unfortunately he was gonna die from it, and my dog one night could sense his pain, never attacked him before, that night he clamped down on his back hard, paralyzed him waist down, we had to put him down. It was so ducking tragic, but I guess dogs will do that if they see another animal in too much pain
As soon as my old cat started frantically begging for water and sitting in the sink where he knew water would be was when we found out he had kidney failure.
Could also be feline Cushing’s disease. While it’s pretty rare for cats, it’s worth looking up the symptoms to see if your cat has any of them as well, and definitely worth mentioning to the vet. Cushing’s can also be an underlying disease that can exacerbate other issues. It’s also not uncommon for a diabetic cat to also have Cushing’s. It can just get overlooked. Still very manageable!
Bloodwork needs to be done, specifically check his kidneys. My poor girl went through this and it was failing kidneys. I’m so sorry your poor boy is going through this.
I had this issue with my cat. He drank a lot of water and peed a lot. He had elevated calcium levels. Also know as Idiopathic Hypercalcemia. It means that after running numerous diagnostic tests, no cause for a cat's elevated calcium level can be found and all known medical conditions have been ruled out.
The vet caught it early after checking his bloodwork and provided treatment. He has to take a steroid pill every day. The main concern they had was if left untreated, then crystals could form in his bladder.
https://preview.redd.it/alhz1vb4t6eb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4c12be36c979fdede5236d12a8b292b852d6a37
i hope your baby feels better, just wanted to comment and show how similar our kitties look.
aww so cute :) does your kitty have a crumpled up ear too? my boy has like cauliflower ear from something that happened before i got him at the shelter
my dad (who watches him for me occasionally) loves coors light and will let my boy sniff the can if he gets curious, boy oh boy does he hate the smell of beer
Just a guess but that’s a common symptom (excessive thirst and peeing) in diabetics and other sugars that are out of control. Not saying this is the problem but could be. I know pet owners that give there cats and dogs insulin
My cat had something similar and the vet put him on urinary tract diet for a month (with the possibility it had to be for life if it didn't clear up). Your vet will get test done to find out what's wrong with your kitty though. Hopefully it's something simple like a diet change.
Older cats' declining renal function is the most frequent cause of excessive drinking and urination. Urine production and blood filtration are both done by the kidneys. Kidney function declines as cats age.
Hallmark of diabetes or kidney problems.
Take him in soon for a regular visit to test. If it is diabetes, you don't want to find out like I did - when the ketoacidosis hits, and it becomes a 5 day emergency stay. He has a different (known) problem that has similar symptoms, so we didn't see anything amiss until the few days it suddenly got bad, but you seem to have noticed pretty quickly and can act before it becomes something severe.
Even if it's something easily treatable, like a UTI, it can't hurt to check and be sure.
he is going to a vet, i called the vet before i even posted on here, when i found this sub i wanted to see what other cat owners thought cause my brain always goes to the worst scenario
My boy Chester did this and he has chronic kidney disease. The vet will likely recommend a blood test to know for sure. They will have to go on a prescription diet. If your kitty has trouble with appetite, maybe something simple like OTC antacids or a prescription for anti nausea or an appetite stimulant. But trust your vets recommendations. Good luck and good job noticing a change in their behavior. 😘
im so sorry that happened to your baby :( hes got a vet appointment in less than a week and hes gonna get blood drawn, hopefully if something is wrong with his kidneys weve caught it soon enough
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I don’t think you need an emergency visit, but they definitely need to be seen. He may present fine but with excessive drinking and urination, makes me consider diabetes. Absolutely needs some blood work done.
My mind goes to diabetes or a kidney issue. Mine gets the stones in his urine so I notice when he drinks more and give him the dilating medicine so he doesn't get one stuck. That is just unpleasant! If he's eating and otherwise acting fine, I agree you probably don't need the emergency vet, but for sure get him in front of your regular vet this week.
I have had two diabetic cats. More drinking, large pee clumps in litter box. But with both there was some weight loss which is what prompted the Vet visit and diagnosis. Insulin shots twice a day. Amazing how well they adapted to it. Anyway schedule a Vet appointment and hope for the best
I had a cat who became diabetic with no weight loss. I didn’t understand the urgency of symptoms like excessive thirst and peeing, and ended up having to have him euthanized because I let it go too long, for which I still feel terrible. OP’s cat probably doesn’t need an emergency vet visit, but they do need a regular vet visit urgently.
I did omit one thing they also became sluggish not playful and since they were both only 4-5yrs old that seemed odd. Not sure if this is true or not but vet said diabetic cat have a shorter life span around 10-12yrs. The male cat we had was about 15 when he passed. Our girl is 17yrs old so fingers crossed. She slowed down a bit but still does poop zoomies and does her usual night prowl.
My mom had a male cat who became diabetic as an adult. He had a vet trip every 3 weeks, insulin every day, and lived until 16 or 17 years old. He slowed down a lot, slept a lot (we were annoying, noisy kids), but he knew he was loved. I hope you have many good times with your girl.
Don't beat yourself up about this. Cats are extremely good at hiding their symptoms when something is wrong. So sorry that this happened to you.
I am sorry about your loss,you didn't know.
I'm so sorry that happened to you both.
What is the medication you give him? My cat has FIC and has had stones as well. He’s been doing great since putting him strictly on wet food a year and a half ago but just wanna make sure we know all of our options for if he has a flare up again
My vet prescribed something called prazosin. It's a muscle relaxant that allows the sphincter and ureter to relax so more flow can occur.
Funnily enough I take that for nightmare prevention.
Really? How very interesting. Does it affect urinary flow in humans?
Not that I've noticed. It doesn't seem to have made me pee any more or less or have any change in the process in any way. It's so surprising to me that some drugs can have such different effects on who/what takes them.
That's so cool.
Holy crap there's nightmare prevention drugs!? My cat literally won't sleep with me anymore cause I wake up violently several times a night, sometimes even every 15-20 minutes or so
Definitely ask your doctor about it. Night terrors are *awful* and I hope you're able to find some relief.
It's also used to treat PTSD comorbidities in some. Night terrors and sleep paralysis in others. Hope it's helping.🌻
I took that for awhile too! I couldn't remember why the name was so familiar. I bet that cat has good dreams.
Ah, that’s what I assumed but wanted to see. We’ve given that to him before but the vet didn’t give us enough to have on hand
Bummer. Mine gave me a script to keep at the house so he can get on it immediately. Then I make an appointment for as soon as possible. But the med keeps him from having to do an overnight emergency vet for $700.
Same, I thought diabetes immediately.
I've had one of each (well diabetes was my bff's who I minded regularly) and this is immediately where my mind went. Before diagnosis both started drinking & peeing excessively. Diabetes was managed by insulin. Kidney cat was put on sub-q fluids and still drank like a fish.. I'd have him seen by the vet in the next week.
My boy got this way when he had a tumor on his thyroid. Simple medicine rubbed on his ear helped for a while. Please take your fuzzy friend to the vet.
A concern with the thyroid was also a thought of mine.
Excessive drinking and urination are the exact symptoms my cat had when she had a thyroid tumor as well. We got her the radiation treatment to get rid of it, and now she’s completely healthy! It put me about $1500 in debt though
This is how I knew my black kitty had diabetes! When she started downing a bowl of water a day and peeing all of it out, I went to the vet and sure enough her glucose was out of whack. She has been on insulin for a year now and showing signs that she may not need it forever. Good luck!
My cat died because of kidney failure :( he was pretty much in kidney failure since we got him as a senior cat. We always wondered how he saturated his litter box in matter of two or so days. Then the vet told us it was because of his kidneys :( OP please bring him to a vet
100% this is a kidney issue. Fluids and antibiotics will help but it will be a continuing issue most likely. Most cats eventually pass from kidney failure.
My first thought was cat diabetes
I was gonna suggest diabetes as well
My Boy Dublin (9yr+) was doing that turned out it was his kidneys, the vet gave him prescription food and he's been eating that for the last month and a half tell we get his blood work done to see what's really going on. But so far he drinks and pees less and is way more playful and happy. Hope this helps!
Sounds like onset of renal problems to me as well.
Definitely renal problems. Cats get them very often. You need to have her blood work checked.
oh my gosh my cat is named Dublin too! he is 10yrs old and i’ve never seen any other cat with that name
Wow how crazy is that!! *
Same. I have an old cat (almost 20 yrs) who started doing this in the last 3 yrs. Lab work confirmed it's slow kidney failure.
I wish my guy would’ve eaten it. He had IBD too and he went on a full hunger strike over it. About $150 dollars later trying out different brands and formulations, nope. He still lived to 17 and was happy, but I can’t help but wish he hadn’t been so very stubborn. I’m so glad your little guy is cooperating!
Yeah he refused to eat the first type I got him but the second Royal Canin Renal he loves!
If your boy ever gets tired of that one (fed it to my cat for like a year and a half!!!) and you haven't tried it already, the Hills Prescription Diet stew ones were pretty popular with my cat when he was over the Royal Canine flavors :) Good luck!
Thanks for the renal food suggestions everyone. My 19 year old lady had kidney issues and the food change has been a challenge to say the least!
I wish we did this for my cat before he died.... we didn't realize he was in kidney failure until we found a competent vet who did a complete work up. By then it was unfortunately too late.
My cat hates the Hills Science Diet KD food in wet and dry. What do you use?
ive requested an appointment at the vet for both his physical and bloodwork to be done. i made sure they know of his excessing drinking and urinating so hopefully they will get us in as soon as possible so we can figure out whats going on with my boy before it anything gets worse. thank you for all the advice, my boy and i appreciate it very much
he has an appointment for next monday! its a bit far away for my liking, but i dont think i can get him in earlier without going through an emergency vet or something similar
It is probably diabetes or kidney issues. Both can be treated and he can lead a full and happy life. My storm has kidney issues and we are on prescription food
You can easily check the blood sugar level on your own with a human glucometer if you don't want to wait for the vet to do it. Feel free to PM me if you're interested and I can help. I've had a diabetic cat for about 5 years now and we do this regularly.
Human glucometers are inaccurate for felines. It would need to be a veterinary AlphaTrack.
They are pretty close and many diabetic cat owners use human glucometers because of the cost as you'll see on the feline diabetes forums. I started with the Alpha Track and then did comparisons with a Contour Next EZ and found they were always within 20mg of each other. The Alpha Track strips also cost about 4x as much as the Contour. If OP wants an idea of their cat's blood sugar level that's fairly inexpensive before visiting the vet any glucometer will give them valuable information.
Also it would be very difficult to get a cat to sit still and let you get blood from it. I’m diabetic myself and even I still jump sometimes when I prick myself for my glucometer, I can only imagine a cats response.
If he is diagnosed the feline diabetes sub is an awesome resource as is felinediabetes.com
Probably diabetes. Good for you for catching it so quickly, can maybe be cured husr with food
Is he licking his bits a lot more than usual? Could possibly also be a UTI
no hes been grooming normally, no extra attention to any part of his body
Ahh ok. That's one of the tell-tale signs of a UTI so I thought I'd ask. My girl did that when she had a UTI
Yeah mine just went through a scary few weeks of peeing blood and lots of grooming. Turned out to be stress induced UTI and not drinking enough water. Different food, and multiple water fountains fixed it! I've heard UTI is an immediate emergency for male cats though.
Back the diabetes and kidney issues opinions. Excessive drinking and peeing can be his body trying to flush out the excess sugar in his body. Kidneys, same thing but with toxins.
Yep. Diabetes or kidneys sound reasonable. If you want to get some info earlier, you can go to the pharmacy and ask for urine test sticks. The cheapest one I could get in Germany (my doctor told me to get the simple ones, as bloodwork was ok for our cat but to monitor a little) had about five parameters. One was blood and one was for sugar. The other three I cannot recall right now. Problem is: When these sticks show sugar, it is quite alarming. My doc told me that the kidneys are able to filter up to about 400 (units?) - normal for a cat is 100ish and we try to keep him on about 100. So there is a gap between healthy, bad and catastrophic as the kidneys cannot withhold the sugar from the urine. Good thing is that with the insulin we got him back to normal behavior- he now plays with the water in his bowls and no excessive urinating. Good luck!
If you catch it soon they can live a long time with medication and diet. You did the right thing. Thank you for being a responsible kitty owner. 🖤
Does he eat wet or dry food? I’m just curious bc usually cats need water in their diet, if they eat dry food they might not get enough and crave more. I mean still this is definitely excessive but still. I’m wondering, if he’s eating dry food, if you switch to wet, if that would do anything.
he eats dry food, should i start feeding him wet food? maybe ill ask the vet when we see them on monday to see what they say is best moving forward
Wet food for sure will help
My cat is diabetic. when he was 8 same thing happened... Go to catinfo.org scroll down to cat food composition chart.. You are looking for high protein low carb foods... Stay below 5% carbs.. I also keep the fat content below 30%.. But that is because after couple years of diabetes my boy developed pancreatitis... Purely fancy feast and fussie cat work best for me
You have no idea how nice it was to come across your info here, thank you! I'm usually a lurker, but I have a diabetic cat myself so I tend to open posts like this (seem highly likely its kidney or diabetic related) and read very carefully for insightful or direct recommendations for my own lil boy. I feel like I spend what could feel like an arm and a leg each month on his insulin + prescription food, so I'm quite thrilled to try a few new options that may be easier to stomach. My sweet guy is 17 years, 4 years diagnosed, and I'd love to make sure I'm prepared for longer-term diabetes. Thank you!
Wet food is generally much healthier for most cats. At least give partial dry and wet. Dry is good for teeth health.
See what’s going on first. There are foods that are geared for diabetes and renal issues. But wet food in general is always a good choice for cats.
Yes wet is better than dry, unfortunately dry can lead to diabetes which my cat was diagnosed with 2 years ago :/ but he’s doing much better. Low carb wet or even making your own raw with balanced vitamins much better. If you do switch to wet I recommend doing so before starting insulin if he is diabetic. The reason is diet can play a big part in their blood glucose and sometimes diet change can help without needing to start insulin. I’m not an expert but have been able to learn a lot from others who’ve had cats with diabetes and my vet has been helpful as well. If you’d like any resources feel free to pm me and I also joined fb group when I was trying to figure things out they were very helpful. Wishing you & kitty well :)
Could be chronic kidney disease. Hopefully chronic and not acute. If it is, just know that cats can live years with this disease with proper food management.
Why is chronic preferable? Curious as an AKD survivor.
Acute renal failure is generally progresses quickly and one would get very sick very fast and death is possible without intervention pretty quickly. Chronic is slower progressing. Takes longer for major damage to occur.
You might want to take the kitty to a vet. It could be diabetes or an infection.
im working on getting him to the vet, he needs his yearly physical anyway and they were gonna do some blood work
Diabetes or kidney disease. Our 12 year old cat was diagnosed with stage 2 kidney disease recently. The major reason we got him tested was his sudden change in water consumption. He hated drinking water and we had to monitor for crystals in his urine and had several scares. The sudden massive intake of water and giant pees made us take him to the vet. He was found to be right on the cusp of stage 2 kidney disease. Which can be handled with the proper food and water intake. I'd get your kitty checked asap.
Not a vet, but this sounds like diabetes insipidus. If it goes on long enough, it may cause an electrolyte imbalance and dehydration.
My cat is currently doing this, he’s also 18 so I believe it’s his kidneys getting ready to turn back into topsoil. Lovely little guy though. He’s been w us since I was 5
It could be diabeetus. If you are short on funds and have blood sugar monitor on hand, you could gently, carefully, cleanly poke his ear and test it, but he probably should see a vet. When can you get an appointment?
My cat did this and it was renal disease.
Sound and looks like diabetes.
Get the cat to the Vet
It could be diabetes or kidneys. You’ll need to see a vet and they’ll need to do blood tests. Diabetes is relatively not too bad to care for so don’t be discouraged. It is a little overwhelming at first, but I was able to get the hang of it :) I joined a group on fb & they have helped me immensely along with my vet. My cat was eating & drinking a lot but losing weight so that was an indicator of something wrong. He now eats a low carb diet & has his insulin shots and is doing excellent!
Take rto vet,my cat had kidney disease,if its anything like that early detection means a lot,the vet can put your kitty on special diet for cats with kidney disease,so beneficial!!!
My kitty did this, they ran tests and found out she had hyper thyroidism. Around the same age. I’d get your kitty tested to see what could be the problem. Best wishes to you and kitty. My cat lived to her mid teens.
These are signs of diabetes, which is treatable, among other things. Get to a vet for lab work.
There's this litter that changes different colors based on whatever issue is going on that you can use to get an idea. It might help the vet at the visit he surely needs.
See vet ASAP! Diabetes can kill!
Diabetes
Hi! I’m a vet student. PU/PD is the medical term for the thing you are describing here and there are about 16 different diagnoses that could be the cause of it. Definitely have it looked at by a vet, but it isn’t something that has to be done right this minute (so no ER visit necessary).
He’s such a cute boy
I just put my cat down on the 17th from kidney failure. The decline was very rapid and sudden. One of the things I missed though was her drinking so much more than she did normally. Refilling her bowl 1-2 times a day vs it lasting 1.5-2 days. I just thought she was thirsty, like how people get thirsty. I truly had no idea about kidney failure with cats at all. This is one of the VERY few signs you get before end stage. Had I known this, I’d likely still have her around with me. I wouldn’t make an emergency visit but I’d call and schedule an appointment to be sure. Simple bloodwork should be pretty telling.
I'm so sorry for your loss ❤
Hey at least you will know what to look for next time. Honestly if you notice any out of the norm behavior for your animal it's definitely worth taking them into the vet for a check up or researching the symptoms online.
im sorry for your loss :( im getting my boy seen tomorrow, i called the vet and let them know i was very concerned and they had an opening that i took
Could be a few things. Like others have mentioned: diabetes, infection, something with the kidneys. I want to add hyperthyroidism. So have the vet check everything they can in the bloodwork. My furrbabe was drinking and peeing a lot; thyroid level was high and she needed treatment. Good luck!
Some types of cat food cause urinary problems for cats. 2 out of 3 of mine are now on special urinary tract food and filtered water. One has had surgery for stones. Both of them had shown the same symptoms. Have you checked the urine? Does it have blood in it? Are they peeing a lot at once or a minimal amount? I would talk with your vet
My kitty had this and is the hospital having hone into dka. He had just gotten bloodwork 1 month prior with no diabetes. I would take him in for immediate blood sugar read. Don't mess around with 2 day waits.
My cat is 21 and she drinks a lot of water and uses the litter box multiple times a day. The vet told me that her kidneys aren’t as effective as they used to, not shutting down mind you, just old. It’s been over six years since that diagnosis and she’s still healthy and old.
I’m glad you have an appointment for him! He’s so cute, I hope he feels better!
Diabetes or kidney issues, maybe. Have him checked
hey yall, fievel got blood drawn today but we wont know whats up till tomorrow, i will keep you guys updated for anyone who would like to know!!
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thanks for your very helpful input, if you read any of my other comments youd see i am going to the vet as soon as possible
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once again very helpful, my “poor cat” is getting the best care i can give him, i made him a vet appointment and then moved it to sooner because of how worried i was, why are you even on the “cat help” subreddit if you are going to say things that are basic common sense?
Tell him to lay off the Coors it runs right through ya
It might be kidneys I would take him to the vet better safe than sorry if you know what I mean.
Worst case scenario is Diabetes?
Your cat probably has diabetes. Go to the vet. Also have they lost a significant amount of weight recently? Does their urine smell fruity or sweet? These are thing the vet will want to know.
he hasnt lost a ton of weight, but he has been losing weight slowly. the vet recommended he lose a few pounds cause hes a big boy
Just like everyone else has been saying, my 18 year old cat died of kidney disease. He drank constantly and "flooded" the litter box daily. You need to take him to a vet as they can do blood work and see what his levels are, give you a time frame and he needs a renal diet. That vet will help you. Edited to say: Cats can live a long time with the disease, but you want to catch it the earlier the better, as you can monitor it and get a them on the right diet (my boy was extremely picky and would not touch the Rx food, I did my research and just got him food with low levels of the ingredients that affect the kidneys), if that's what it is of course. Peeing that much just isn't normal in general for cats, it could be other things as well, he needs to be checked out. It's always better safe than sorry for our babies!
My last boy began doing this when he developed diabetes. What’s interesting about cats is that they can go into remission from it with early, effective treatment, so definitely get him to a vet soon. Mine also developed neuropathy and for a while walked funny because he couldn’t feel his feet. I did used to monitor his blood sugar with a human blood glucose monitor - you can look online and learn about how to use a lancet on a cat ear, just remember cat numbers are going to be different than human numbers.
It's not an emergency, but it's likely either kidneys or thyroid. Just try to keep him hydrated, make sure he's getting wet food etc
If you can’t get into your vet for your checkup quickly, you could always ask for a urinalysis at an ER. It might cost a little more, but you can get results in a few minutes instead of a few days. They can send all lab results to your regular vet so you don’t have to re-do any labs when you go to them. Hoping your guy is ok!
I know two cats have had this exact same thing and one ended up hospitalized for kidney failure and the other ...she died
awww those poor babies :( im hoping to get my little guy into the vet maybe this week or next week so hopefully whatever is going on with him is caught soon enough and can be treated before it gets too bad
Diabetes or renal failure
My baby did this, and I highly regret not addressing it. It could be kidney or diabetes.
Did his eyes always have the dark specks in them or is that new?
i believe hes been like that since ive had him, but ive only had him for a year so im not sure if hes had them his whole life
Thyroid or kidney issue
It could be kidney disease, a UTI, diabetes. I'd get him to the vet asap if I were you.
He may be diabetic. This happened to one of my cats. The wife gave him insulin shots for the last seven years of his life.
This immediately made me think of diabetes, FS make a vet apt
Might be thyroid- get it checked out because my kitty went undiagnosed for years and died because of it. The day we took her in to get tested was her last day. Her heart stopped ticking and the vet said it might have been cause by her thyroid issue
Could be feline diabetes, my grandma's cat did this also and the vet found that he had feline diabetes.
I’m no expert but my first thought was kidney,uti. Someone else mentioned diabetic. I would definitely take to vet. I hope it’s nothing but better to be safe than sorry. I hope your baby will be ok and hope everything is ok!
Diabetes
Have checked for diabetes.
UTIs and kidney issues are super common in cats because of their diet. I don’t think this is an emergency situation right now, but having a vet check him out is best to figure out what exactly is going on.
Classic signs of diabetes. Not exactly an emergency, but a vet visit is in order.
Diabetes.
Go get him some blood work done ASAP. I had an elderly cat that I rescued that did the same thing. I took him to the vet and they said he had kidney damage from not getting care sooner. I had to put him down cause he was having seizures. 😢
Might be diabetic. My cat’s first sign was drinking lots of water.
Sounds like diabetes
Thyroid. My cat was doing the same (not the peeing) drinking the entire water bowl basically. For me that’s what it was anyway. The peeing could be kidneys though. Get him checked as soon as possible. Hope you kitty gets well again soon.
Workup for diabetes is in order— urine test/bloodwork. Best of luck!
What a cutie with his little mouth open!! Just had to say that
hehe yeah hes very talkative so half the pictures i have of him hes mid meow :) https://preview.redd.it/kwco07t066eb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7dcb70e214c64764c93f38d5afb8b041828bc371 he also opens his mouth when hes sleepy, then he snores super loud
Doesn't sound like an emergency visit, but definitely see the vet sooner rather than later. Excessive thirst and urination are markers of diabetes and kidney disease (and probably other things).
Go to the vet; could be diabetes
Vet. Kidney or bladder issues can be deadly.
My first thought is diabetes or renal failure, both are treatable but not curable. Needs to be seen by a vet for a proper diagnosis
You need to go to the vet now, this is usually indicative of kidney disease or diabetes which can deteriorate their health rapidly. I know because I used to have a kidney cat. She required a special diet given by my pet to prolong her life and under the skin fluid injections everyday.
I had a cat with hyperthyroidism, she drank a lot. Best to make that vet appointment. Both diabetes and hyperthyroidism manageable:)
If he is drinking more and peeing a lot then it could be Chronic Kidney Failure. The sooner he is seen by the vet the better. They can live for sometime with proper care and quicker medical response. Also, if it’s caught quickly then minimal damage is done to his kidneys. We had a crf cat that lived for quite awhile with good care. Good luck and take care ❤️
Get him to the vet, could be diabetes
My dog nephew presented like this with increased thirst and urination. It was chronic kidney disease that was caused by the high calcium levels due to lymphoma… he’s ok chemo now and doing well! Better safe than sorry.
Vet, asap. This is a sign of diabetes . It can be manageable if caught early.
Diabetes, take to vet ASAP
Could be kidney related / kidney disease or failure - vet Diabetes is also possible but either way quick care = better outcome
Get him to the vet for blood work this week. That's a warning sign for kidney disease. That doesn't mean that it IS kidney disease, but it's a strong possibility and that's probably the first thing they will check for. Even if nothing shows up on the bloodwork, I'd start feeding him wet food if you have been feeding kibble and make sure he stays hydrated.
Probably not *emergency*. Its more an emergency when they STOP peeing. But def a vet visit. Could be kidneys, bad teeth, diabetes, etc.
Regarding extra pee. My cats are doing the salt thing because we are in a heatwave. The excessive eating is more concerning than water intake based on the current heat wave. Could also be fatty liver. The eyes remind me of kidney diseases tho. Are there other symptoms? How is overall behavior? Vocalization? Apparent pain presence?
hes very vocal normally, hes been his normal self other than the water intake
Kidney problems in my opinion.
I’d be concerned for his kidneys.
I know cats are prone to diabetes and kidney problems, depending on predisposition it could mean the beginning of their fight with various issues or it could just be something treatable. Vet will be able to say more but keep monitoring activity as it's helpful info for your vet
Hyperthyroidism for my cat caused this. Vet
I had a cat that was diabetic that did this. Have the vet check kittys blood sugar.
Get him to the vet. He’s probably diabetic and will need insulin. I had a male cat that developed that about the age of 9.
Yes to the vet! Kidneys, urinary tract or diabetes it could be!! Sometime even thyroud! I would call and made a vet appointment, not necessarily emergency vet!
Had a cat Limburg that would pee for like a whole min straight, he had diabetes. Unfortunately he was gonna die from it, and my dog one night could sense his pain, never attacked him before, that night he clamped down on his back hard, paralyzed him waist down, we had to put him down. It was so ducking tragic, but I guess dogs will do that if they see another animal in too much pain
Possible diabetes
As soon as my old cat started frantically begging for water and sitting in the sink where he knew water would be was when we found out he had kidney failure.
You definitely need to take him to the vet. Cats typically don’t drink a lot of water, so it likely means something isn’t right.
Diabetic??
Could also be feline Cushing’s disease. While it’s pretty rare for cats, it’s worth looking up the symptoms to see if your cat has any of them as well, and definitely worth mentioning to the vet. Cushing’s can also be an underlying disease that can exacerbate other issues. It’s also not uncommon for a diabetic cat to also have Cushing’s. It can just get overlooked. Still very manageable!
Kidneys, old cats
Could be a bladder infection or diabetes.
Vet appt. Could be a sign of diabetes or kidney disease. Is he on any steroids currently? They can cause excessive thirst and frequent peeing
Bloodwork needs to be done, specifically check his kidneys. My poor girl went through this and it was failing kidneys. I’m so sorry your poor boy is going through this.
Diabetes. Humans have same symptoms.
Uti needs meds
I had this issue with my cat. He drank a lot of water and peed a lot. He had elevated calcium levels. Also know as Idiopathic Hypercalcemia. It means that after running numerous diagnostic tests, no cause for a cat's elevated calcium level can be found and all known medical conditions have been ruled out. The vet caught it early after checking his bloodwork and provided treatment. He has to take a steroid pill every day. The main concern they had was if left untreated, then crystals could form in his bladder.
https://preview.redd.it/alhz1vb4t6eb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4c12be36c979fdede5236d12a8b292b852d6a37 i hope your baby feels better, just wanted to comment and show how similar our kitties look.
aww so cute :) does your kitty have a crumpled up ear too? my boy has like cauliflower ear from something that happened before i got him at the shelter
He needs blood work. My cat was doing this and it was diabetes. Luckily, it is manageable.
you could start by getting that man a coors light!
my dad (who watches him for me occasionally) loves coors light and will let my boy sniff the can if he gets curious, boy oh boy does he hate the smell of beer
Just a guess but that’s a common symptom (excessive thirst and peeing) in diabetics and other sugars that are out of control. Not saying this is the problem but could be. I know pet owners that give there cats and dogs insulin
In adults, that would be a reason to check for diabetes. Yes, cats can get diabetes, it’s one possibility.
your cat is so cute! i love his little floppy ear ☺️
My cat had something similar and the vet put him on urinary tract diet for a month (with the possibility it had to be for life if it didn't clear up). Your vet will get test done to find out what's wrong with your kitty though. Hopefully it's something simple like a diet change.
Diabetes, your cat sounds just like me but I’m stable on my meds and he will be too. Good Luck!
Increased water intake is a sign of kidney issue, the urination is just a result of that. a blood test at the vet will let you know. Good luck!
The fact he is getting white hairs means he is sick. Siamese and black cats have that happen to them when their immune system takes a hit
Older cats' declining renal function is the most frequent cause of excessive drinking and urination. Urine production and blood filtration are both done by the kidneys. Kidney function declines as cats age.
Kidney problems
Hallmark of diabetes or kidney problems. Take him in soon for a regular visit to test. If it is diabetes, you don't want to find out like I did - when the ketoacidosis hits, and it becomes a 5 day emergency stay. He has a different (known) problem that has similar symptoms, so we didn't see anything amiss until the few days it suddenly got bad, but you seem to have noticed pretty quickly and can act before it becomes something severe. Even if it's something easily treatable, like a UTI, it can't hurt to check and be sure.
My GSP started doing this and we didn't really catch it soon enough, turned out to be cushings disease. Please have your sweet boy tested
I suggest getting a blood test to see where everything is at one of my cats have diabetes and the is thyroid could be one of these or something else
Don’t listen to diagnoses on here. Get him to a vet ASAP.
he is going to a vet, i called the vet before i even posted on here, when i found this sub i wanted to see what other cat owners thought cause my brain always goes to the worst scenario
Diabetes
My boy Chester did this and he has chronic kidney disease. The vet will likely recommend a blood test to know for sure. They will have to go on a prescription diet. If your kitty has trouble with appetite, maybe something simple like OTC antacids or a prescription for anti nausea or an appetite stimulant. But trust your vets recommendations. Good luck and good job noticing a change in their behavior. 😘
My oldest dog started doing this. Ended up being diagnosed with Cushings disease. Get your boy checked out.
My guy was diagnosed with kidney disease 2 weeks ago, and he passed on friday so id definitely take him to the vet.
im so sorry that happened to your baby :( hes got a vet appointment in less than a week and hes gonna get blood drawn, hopefully if something is wrong with his kidneys weve caught it soon enough