Causes and Diseases to Consider When Your Cat Urinates Frequently

Cats are very prone to issues related to urination.

Therefore, observing your cat's bathroom habits is extremely important. By checking the volume and frequency of their urine, you may be able to detect illnesses early on.

In this article, we will focus on the "volume of urine" in cats and explain the causes of increased volume and the hidden illnesses involved.

Average frequency and normal urine volume for cats

Cats are descended from ancestors that lived in arid deserts. To minimize the loss of moisture in their bodies, their kidneys filter blood to produce concentrated urine containing only waste products.The healthier a cat is, the better it is at concentrating its urine.

The average frequency for a healthy cat to use the litter box is about 2 to 3 times per day. Some cats only go once a day, or even once every two days, but this is largely due to the individual cat's personality.

Additionally, a normal daily urine volume is considered to be 20 to 30 ml per kg of body weight.

What matters is whether the frequency of urination has increased compared to usual, and whether the volume of urine has increased.

In other words, you can understand your cat's health status by checking their urine volume and frequency.

What are the causes of increased urine volume in cats?

When the volume or frequency of urination increases, it is called "polyuria".

As mentioned above, urine is filtered by the kidneys and separated into water and waste. If the kidneys' function weakens for any reason, they become unable to filter urine or reabsorb water properly.

As a result, the urine becomes watery and dilute, leading to polyuria.

You should be cautious if your cat starts urinating more than 4 times a day, or if the daily urine volume clearly increases, such as being 50 ml or more. Since the amount of water consumed may increase at the same time as polyuria, be sure to carefully observe your cat's behavior.

How to measure a cat's urine volume

Accurately measuring a cat's urine volume is difficult... so let's try a little ingenuity!

If you use pet sheets in your cat's litter box, try weighing them exactly 24 hours after changing them to observe any increases or decreases.

If you use clumping cat litter, observe the changes in the weight or size of the clumps.

For accurately measuring a cat's urine volume and frequency, a smart litter box capable of automatic measurement is convenient. They are a bit expensive, but the ability to gather accurate data is attractive.

Possible illnesses when a cat has increased urine volume

Due to their nature, cats are prone to placing strain on their kidneys and bladder, making them susceptible to urinary issues and illnesses.

If you feel that your cat's urine volume has increased, first consult a veterinarian. Receiving a urinalysis or blood test can lead to the early detection of disease.

Since there are many illnesses that can cause an increase in a cat's urine volume, we recommend consulting a veterinarian even if there are no other symptoms.

Age-related causes

Kidney function can weaken due to aging, which may cause polyuria or frequent urination. Make sure your cat has regular health checkups and, if necessary, get a prescription for therapeutic diets or oral medication.

Kidney disease

If polydipsia (excessive thirst) and polyuria continue, kidney diseases such as acute or chronic renal failure are suspected. Since it is difficult to notice symptoms in chronic cases, receiving regular blood tests is also important.

Blood and hormonal diseases

In addition to kidney disease, blood diseases like diabetes, or hormonal diseases such as hyperthyroidism and hyperadrenocorticism, can also increase urine volume.

Cystitis and urethral obstruction

If your cat has cystitis, which is inflammation of the bladder caused by bacteria, or a urethral obstruction caused by urinary crystals or stones, you may observe frequent urination where they go to the litter box many times even though the amount per urination is small.

Summary

If your cat's urine volume or frequency of urination has increased, it is likely caused by a kidney or bladder illness.

As you know, cats are creatures that hide when they are not feeling well. Only the owner can notice an illness based on a cat's subtle changes.

Checking your cat's "urine" is very important for early detection and treatment of diseases.

To help notice any abnormalities, start by checking how many times your cat urinates in a day. When managing your cat's health, data from when they are healthy is indispensable.

With Poponeko's original "Cat Health Notebook," you can easily take notes, making it simple to keep up with your cat's urine checks without giving up after three days. It is also useful when consulting with a veterinarian, so why not start it like a short diary?

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