Cats are pretty sturdy animals. They are said to have nine lives because they seem to be able to survive anything you throw at them. One thing that is sure to send your cat to an early grave though, is not being able to urinate. Which is why, if you notice that you cat hasn’t peed in 24 hours, you best get ready to squeeze their little bladder to help them relieve themselves.
Table of Contents
Why are they not peeing?
Let’s start with the most dangerous reason: blockages. Blockages can happen anytime during your cat’s life, especially if your cat is dehydrated, it is most common in male cats between two and ten years old. Indoor cats who are overweight, cats who live in a multi-cat household, and cats who are stressed are more prone to developing a blockage.
Blockages are a result of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or FLUTD, for short. If your cat is showing signs for discomfort when peeing, are urinating (or at least trying to) multiple times, excessive licking of their genital area, or worse blood in their urine, best call a vet.
Paralyzed cats will also have trouble peeing by themselves. If you’re caring for a disabled cat, first of all, thank you for being an amazing human. Secondly, it may require a bit of a trial and error, but there are multiple ways on how you can help your cat pee that will be both comfortable for you and for them.
A less daunting reason as to why your cat isn’t peeing, is simply because they don’t have to pee yet. Did you know cats can hold for up to 48 hours? Still, best not test that fact out for yourself. In order to remain healthy, cats SHOULD pee at least once a day.
Why it’s dangerous to not pee
The reason why cats who are unable to urinate are in so much danger is that they will have a buildup of bacteria, and very quickly have cardiac arrest because their electrolyte is imbalanced. If not treated soon enough, kidney failure or even bladder rupture, which would require surgery to reverse, is possible.
If your cat isn’t peeing, best act quickly.
Squeeze that pea
Hold your cat by the armpits and hang their bottom legs over the toilet or litter box. Feel the area on the lower part of your cat’s ribcage until you find a firm little ball. The firmness will depend on how full their bladder is. Gently squeeze them down towards their privates and they should be able to pee. Make sure to hold your cat firmly as they may protest, as they often do.
If you can’t find the bladder, don’t be distressed, the bladder can “roll” around so they may not always be at the same place. For female cats, sometimes they prefer a different method. Try rubbing their legs up to their privates. This way of stimulating your cat is a good way to buy time until you learn how to locate the bladder. Unfortunately, it should be used with caution as it can make your cat be more prone to infections.
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Common Questions about cat pee
What is the best litter box for my messy cat?
If your cat tends to pee up the walls and over their litter boxes, it may not be your cat who is the problem. It could be the litter box. For most cats, the standard covered litter box will work okay. Your cat, however, is not most cats. Here are things to consider:
- Maybe your cat will prefer a tall, lidless litter box. You’ll want the one that is high-walled all around, not just the back.
- Mind the gap. Don’t go for a litter box with visible gaps, or are easily removable. Cats are too smart and too capable. They may knock that whole lid off. Opt for the one that could be securely locked together.
- Take your cat’s personality into consideration. The way to holistic litter success is to make sure you get the right litter, size, and level of privacy to suit your cat’s preference.
Why does cat pee smell so bad?
The biggest price to pay for living with such a cute fluffy roommate is definitely the smell of the litter box. The guilty culprit to why it smells so bad? Ammonia. Humans are very sensitive to the smell of ammonia. An average human pee contains 535mM of ammonia. Cats, on the other hand, can have up to 1640mM if they’re intact males.
How do I remove cat urine from the carpet?
Do you want the truth? The answer is you can’t. If your cat peed on the carpet, best to just replace the whole carpet. In this case, the best cure is prevention. Figure out why your cat is not peeing in their litter box and fix that problem. When cats don’t use their litterbox, they’re not trying to be petty – there’s more likely an underlying reason, medical or otherwise.
Conclusion
Helping your cat pee when they can’t do it themselves is exceedingly necessary – but with enough practice it’s not so hard to do. Find their tiny little bladder and squeeze down to their privates. If they haven’t peed in more than 24 hours, please contact your vet.
