Urine in clumped pieces, Time for a vet visit? / use of diazepam?

Enzo is a 9yo neutered male.

He usually urinates 1-2 fairly larged size pieces of pee per day. Lately, for the past week or so, his pee is in small pieces. It is still clumped but the pieces are small, maybe 1.5-2" big and there are always several of them.

There is also usually a pee ball but only 1/2 it's normal size. There have been no litter changes and the same thing is happening in both litter boxes (he has 2).

I am concerned that this means he is starting and stopping when he's peeing. He's completely normal otherwise, no inappropriate urination (he has peed on the couch before when he had a UTI) and he's not crying out or going in and out of the litter box frequently.

Does anyone have any ideas what could cause this? Should I take him to the vet for a urinalysis? I would hate to do it if it isn't necessary as he gets very stressed when it's vet time. Thank you!

Hi @Ty3535

One of my cats suffers from stress related UTI's and passing frequent small amounts of urine is usually the first sign that she is coming down with one.



I think it might be a good idea to get him checked out by the vet. The sooner these things are treated the easier they are to get rid of.

Please keep us updated on Enzo.

Yes, he should be taken to the vet *now* for evaluation because he's the right age and gender to develop urinary tract issues.  Not just infection, but inflammation or urinary tract obstruction due to crystals and sediment in his bladder.  Your vet will do an x-ray to identify if there is any sediment build-up in the urethra and bladder and if this is the case, can take immediate steps to clear out the crystals.  I have gone through this with one of my cats and it is much less complicated and expensive to catch a partial obstruction EARLY. 

Thank you both for responding! Here's the weird thing, we also have an outdoor litter box and he has gone easily in that producing normal sized pee balls that clump normally like a baseball. We have recently switched litter boxes and I am now wondering if it could either be the way he is standing in the new litter box and/or a bad batch of litter. The pieces I am finding are large, and if you placed them all together would form his regular sized urine output. I just had a urinalysis done (a senior panel, blood work etc.) and he had zero crystals. He is on wet food only and drinks a fairly good amount of water. My initial concern was both a blockage or UTI, but he's going a normal amount which leads me away from him being blocked. He's not going in and out of the box constantly and he's not crying or straining when he goes. He has had 2 UTI''s in the past, and both times he he produced smaller but more frequent amounts of urine and even peed on the couch both times and he isn't exhibiting those behaviors either.

Norachan said:

Hi @Ty3535


One of my cats suffers from stress related UTI's and passing frequent small amounts of urine is usually the first sign that she is coming down with one.



I think it might be a good idea to get him checked out by the vet. The sooner these things are treated the easier they are to get rid of.

Please keep us updated on Enzo.

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Well, I took him to the vet and they did a urinalysis and said he has elevated white blood cells and bacteria in his urine, so it's the start of a UTI. He got antibiotics and a muscle relaxant to help with the spasming of his urethra.

I am really worried though, because he is in and out of his litter box and peeing very little. He isn't crying, but I'm really worried they missed a blockage. They specifically told me he wasn't blocked, that his bladder was small and he had zero crystals in his urine.

Is it possible they missed something serious? I've never seen him do this with the litterbox and he has had a UTI in the past.

If he is passing even a little urine it sounds as if he isn't blocked to me. UTI's can make the cat feel like they need to pee even when they have just emptied their bladder, that's probably why he keeps going back to the litter box.

The antibiotics should start to work pretty soon.

I am a human doctor, not a vet but it sounds as if the urinary tract infection may be causing spasm of the urethra causing intermittent urination.     

I agree entirely with @Norachan  and the antibiotics and the muscle relaxant should have an effect soon.  I doubt that the vet has missed anything, he sounds most thorough.

With all best wishes,

Geoffrey

Geoffrey said:

I am a human doctor, not a vet but it sounds as if the urinary tract infection may be causing spasm of the urethra causing intermittent urination.     

I agree entirely with @Norachan  and the antibiotics and the muscle relaxant should have an effect soon.  I doubt that the vet has missed anything, he sounds most thorough.
With all best wishes,
Geoffrey

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Hi, sorry to bother again but I have a question. Enzo has been on the Prazosin for a week now and it appears he is still having spasming (I am still finding pieces of urine along with a normal sized clump). He is not in and out of the litter box anymore though. Would the prazosin be taking this long to work or what else could be causing it? Thank you so much!

I've never used that medication before so I don't know how quickly it works. However, a week does sound rather a long time for him to be having the same symptoms. Have you called your vet and asked what you should do? They'd be able to tell you if this was usual or not.

Norachan said:

I've never used that medication before so I don't know how quickly it works. However, a week does sound rather a long time for him to be having the same symptoms. Have you called your vet and asked what you should do? They'd be able to tell you if this was usual or not.

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Thanks for getting back to me! I just called the vet this morning. After some additional research it says the medicine should start helping after 3 days. It's been 7. And in addition to it not working, I think it is having side effects as he seems kind of mopey and just wants to be alone shortly after he takes it.

Today the vet suggested I try diazepam which I am hesitant to do given it's a benzodiazepine. Has anyone heard of this as a treatment for spasms?

Can anyone tell me if it is normal for the spasms to last after the UTI is gone? Or could this be another problem? I hate to medicate him if it's a separate issue, or if the spasms will subside on their own. I don't want him to be in discomfort either.

I used lorazepam, a related drug (various reasons, not usually a vet drug but same family, easier to administer, doesnt taste bad, mix in a little goat milk) and It did calm her, also made her very talkative and hungry, but no bad effects.  Dose was 0.25 mg. for a 7 lb. cat every 12 hours for about 3 days.

Red Top Rescue said:

I used lorazepam, a related drug (various reasons, not usually a vet drug but same family, easier to administer, doesnt taste bad, mix in a little goat milk) and It did calm her, also made her very talkative and hungry, but no bad effects.  Dose was 0.25 mg. for a 7 lb. cat every 12 hours for about 3 days.

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I'm so glad you didn't have adverse effects. I was concerned about that. I just don't understand why he would have continued spasms after the UTI has appeared to clear up. I don't want to medicate him for the wrong problem.