Ok, it is a UTI

Well, I didn't think it was a UTI because my cat goes a LOT of piddle and goes like 3 + times per day but I just looked at his litter (the litter itself is beige) and there were red to brown specs in there. That makes sense as he did cry after going piddle. 

So here is my question... do I have to take him to the vet?  Is this something I can work out myself.

Also, is seeing small flecks of what looks like blood something to be worried about?

How urgent is it if he is still going to the bathroom?

Finally I don't understand how this happened. For 10 years he has eaten only dry food and never got a UTI, but now, he is eating all wet and getting extra water and he has a UTI? Great.  Frankly, I just have to say it.. my cat never had a cathadar until August when my vet insisted on doing so without ever checking with me... and I am sure that did damage.

He seems pretty healthy but just now he turned up his nose at his dinner.  Which is unusual.

If you're seeing red flecks in his pee and he is crying while going he needs to see a vet ASAP. Blood in urine is definitely not a good thing. If he is still able to go, you may decide to wait till tomorrow morning to save costs on an emergency vet, but it certainly could be something serious and if he is acting weird, not eating, or drinking, it might be better to go today. It really is your choice.

I think seeing a vet is very important. If it is a UTI he will need antibiotics, so it isn't something you can just work out at home on your own. 

Your vet inserted a catheter in your cats urethra without telling you?

As cats age, their systems change.  He needs to get to the vet ASAP, tonight if you have an ER vet or first thing in the morning.  Ask for a urine culture and antibiotics. Kitties can die from UTIs, especially if there are crystals involved as those can cause a blockage and then the kitty can't urinate and eliminate the toxins in its body.  I would ask your vet to culture your kitty's urine after the completion of the antibiotics to make sure the infection is completely cleared up.  It's possible that the infection is still lingering from the previous time.  Also, have there been any changes in your routine or household recently?  New people, change in living arrangements?  Anything like that?

If your kitty is crying when he piddles, he is in pain and is distressed. Please take him to the vet ASAP. 

Male cats get UTI's more harshly than females. Males can actually die from them - sorry for this but I'm just being honest and passing along information that my vet told me. I'd get him to a vet ASAP because it seems like he is in distress. plus you are seeing blood. Magnesium levels and pH tend to contribute to urinary health, so this new wet food diet may be higher in magnesium. Check the guaranteed analysis and ingredients. What brand is the wet food? 

amandad said:

 
Male cats get UTI's more harshly than females. Males can actually die from them - sorry for this but I'm just being honest and passing along information that my vet told me. I'd get him to a vet ASAP because it seems like he is in distress. plus you are seeing blood. Magnesium levels and pH tend to contribute to urinary health, so this new wet food diet may be higher in magnesium. Check the guaranteed analysis and ingredients. What brand is the wet food? 

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Earthborn but he also gets TIki and Wurva.

Embarrassing but, I think it was a false alarm. For anyone that uses Natures Best Litter... here is a tip for you... though beige in color it has small brown flicks in it. Those flicks get highlighted when it gets wet. Your saying how do you know it wasn't from Urine. Well I got out a new bag and then poured water in... brown flecks on the water area.  I went out and purchased D-Mannose just in case. This is a natural product that is well known to assist with UTIs. And if you cat doesn't have one... not harmful. 

He is eating, drinking, and piddling. The only problem I can't figure out is why he is crying but, it isn't necessarily connected to the litter box.  For instance he might go to the bathroom, come out, walk for a minute and then meow.

Mommytobuck said:

 
Earthborn but he also gets TIki and Wurva.

Embarrassing but, I think it was a false alarm. For anyone that uses Natures Best Litter... here is a tip for you... though beige in color it has small brown flicks in it. Those flicks get highlighted when it gets wet. Your saying how do you know it wasn't from Urine. Well I got out a new bag and then poured water in... brown flecks on the water area.  I went out and purchased D-Mannose just in case. This is a natural product that is well known to assist with UTIs. And if you cat doesn't have one... not harmful. 

He is eating, drinking, and piddling. The only problem I can't figure out is why he is crying but, it isn't necessarily connected to the litter box.  For instance he might go to the bathroom, come out, walk for a minute and then meow.

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I see. I was going to ask if you were sure the flecks weren't from the cat litter getting wet. My cats do something similar to what your cat does. My 14 year old will run across the house and make this weird growl meow sound right before she has to poop. My 7 month old will make these weird long distressed sounding meows when he is pooping and peeing. It was funny, the one time, around when we first got him, he did this and I ran into his room (he was on quarantine since he had a URI and one of the tips in his paperwork was to put him in a separate room for the first 10 days in our home so our other cat could get used to him) opened the door and he jumped out of the litter box, ran into our hallway all while still pooping. XD