Multiple Cats and Blood in Urine

[unabashed]

I would really appreciate some input concerning our cats. We have five cats--an older male, two young adults, and two older kittens. All of them appear happy and healthy, with no recent changes in their behavior or eating habits.

 

Yesterday, I was cleaning the cat boxes and noticed blood in one of them. I couldn't tell if it was in the urine or bloody stool, although I think it was urine. None of the cats seem to be in any pain, and none are missing the litter box. They are acting normally, running around, allowing us to pet and hold them, playing with each other, etc.

 

The older cat almost had kidney failure when he was younger, due to eating a poison, so he may be having trouble. And, one of the young adults is unusually heavy, with otherwise small features--she looks like she's been blown up by an air pump. The seem the most likely candidates for a problem, but they're acting fine, too.

 

I was thinking about isolating them one at a time to try to figure out who has the problem. I can't afford to take five cats to the vet all at once. But, does anyone know anything about this? Is there any other way to figure out who has the problem, and if it's something that needs treatment?

[lavenderdove]

Some cats have trouble with their kidneys, and they need to eat special food that has low quantities of things that irritate their kidneys. They can act fine, but have trouble, so you might first try switching him to food that is labeled for cats with urinary trouble.

 

If it doesn't stop soon, then take him to the vet. Bloods tests can determine if he is having urinary trouble. But it could also be some kind of parasite in the intestinal tract, so you might want to take it is for a stool sample.

[unabashed]

Thanks for your response. I think, with five cats, I'll try to isolate them into different rooms to see who is having the issue. I guess with male cats, especially, there is danger of a stone causing an obstruction. From what I've learned, they can act OK up until the time they're in trouble, and then they could be in danger. Thanks again!

[Cognitive_Canine]

Do you have two liter boxes?

 

I would put three of the cats in the basement (or in a garage or an upstairs) with their own litter box.

 

And put two kitties downstairs with their own liter box. Wait until blood appears. When it does, move one cat from the area with the blood the other area. And wait again, if blood appears in the same litter box, if you're down to one cat, you have your sick kitty. If it's down to two cats, move one cat to the other litter box and isolate the other cat. If blood appears in the same area, it's the lone kitty left in his/her area. If it's in the other litter box, it's the kitty you moved.

[unabashed]

Do you have two liter boxes?

 

I would put three of the cats in the basement (or in a garage or an upstairs) with their own litter box.

 

And put two kitties downstairs with their own liter box. Wait until blood appears. When it does, move one cat from the area with the blood the other area. And wait again, if blood appears in the same litter box, if you're down to one cat, you have your sick kitty. If it's down to two cats, move one cat to the other litter box and isolate the other cat. If blood appears in the same area, it's the lone kitty left in his/her area. If it's in the other litter box, it's the kitty you moved.

 

Good idea! I have three boxes, actually, and a small extra one from when the kittens were isolated. The basement is open, with a cat door for access to food and litter. So, I think I'm going to put one cat in one bedroom and one in another with the doors closed. Start with the males, since they're the ones at most risk if there is a problem. If they're OK, then take the next two. Within two days, I should know who's having the issue. My hope is that it will "just go away," but that never happens when you want it to!