# If a cat pees a lot, is that reason for concern? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 12, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754 "2008-08-12T17:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/1 "2008-08-12T17:50:30Z")
Not _often_, but a _lot_, as in volume. Stokie, who for the uninitiated and uninterested is a rescued feral, is still on antibiotics because when he’s off them his poo is not right. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. Anyway, he seems to pee with the same frequency as the other cats, but he pees a _lot_ of pee. (He drinks a good bit, too.) He’s happy, healthy, and getting fatter and glossier all the time, so it’s obviously not bothering him any. Do some kitties just pee more volume, or is it something I should worry about? (I know at least in humans that peeing _frequently_ can be diabetes or a UTI or any number of things, but just peeing a lot?) ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/2 "2008-08-12T17:53:59Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Not _often_, but a _lot_, as in volume. Stokie, who for the uninitiated and uninterested is a rescued feral, is still on antibiotics because when he’s off them his poo is not right. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. Anyway, he seems to pee with the same frequency as the other cats, but he pees a _lot_ of pee. (He drinks a good bit, too.) He’s happy, healthy, and getting fatter and glossier all the time, so it’s obviously not bothering him any. Do some kitties just pee more volume, or is it something I should worry about? (I know at least in humans that peeing _frequently_ can be diabetes or a UTI or any number of things, but just peeing a lot?) [/QUOTE] In my cat’s case, it turned out to be a symptom of diabetes. If I were you, I’d have the vet check him out. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/3 "2008-08-12T18:09:24Z")
[all the usual disclaimers, etc.] [Wiki sez](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_in_cats_and_dogs), besides, yep, excessive urination, and excessive thirst (“he drinks a good bit, too” 😉 ) being symptoms of feline diabetes… > [@](#): > > A quick test at this point can be done using urine keto/glucose strips (the same as used on the Atkins diet) with the animal. If the keto/glucose strips show glucose in the urine, diabetes is indicated. If a strip shows ketones in the urine, the animal should be brought to an emergency clinic right away. A test can also be performed with a home glucose meter by obtaining a blood sample with a lancet via an ear prick, paw prick or, in dogs, a lip prick. Suggested as a quick check; if it comes up a resonant “No”, then that tells you something, perhaps saves you a $60 trip to the vet. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/4 "2008-08-12T18:14:09Z")
Think you can do the strip test on damp litter? I can’t imagine how to get a cat to pee in a cup. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/5 "2008-08-12T18:28:42Z")
> **[How to Urine Test your Diabetic Cat and using Keto-Diastix](http://www.sugarpet.net/urine.html)** > > Collecting cat urine sample, using diastix,urine strip glucose test feline, Keto-Diastix diabetes cat litter tray, how to collect urine from a diabetic cat urine collecting tips, urine glucose reading cat, reading ketodiastix, purpose of urine... Useful suggestions for collecting a urine sample from a cat. The most interesting: replace the cat litter with aquarium gravel. Then all you have to do is tip it up so the pee flows to a corner and stick the test strip in that. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/6 "2008-08-12T18:29:19Z")
The cat is only about a year and a half old, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/7 "2008-08-12T18:41:04Z")
Wiki sez it’s “unusual” in cats less than 7 years old, but then, Stokie’s an unusual cat, ain’t he? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/8 "2008-08-12T18:41:53Z")
Lord, yes. His farts smell like Cheerios, did I mention that? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/9 "2008-08-12T18:42:30Z")
Both of our Maine Coons did this when they got older. They drank a lot, and peed frequently (and it seemed to be mostly water). They didn’t have feline diabetes, but they did have other health probelms. And, sadly, they’re both gone now. ---
**Author:** ![JustThinkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JustThinkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustThinkin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/10 "2008-08-12T18:46:11Z")
I’d keep an eye on it just because it is a symptom of diabetes. It’s can also be related to prednisone (steroid) use, which when overused can cause diabetes. However, it’s a good thing for a cat to take in, process, and eliminate a goodly amount of water. Too often, pet cats don’t get enough water and can develop a variety of urinary and kidney related problems. We had to switch to all canned 'cause one of our cats wasn’t drinking (the dry food we had her on didn’t make her thirsty). She got a nasty urinary tract infection. They now produce copious quantities of urine. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/11 "2008-08-12T18:49:59Z")
They all like the cat fountain I got for them. When I first got Dewey he didn’t drink what I considered enough, but the fountain makes them drink more. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/12 "2008-08-12T19:35:56Z")
Diabetes is very unusual in young cats. My personal record would be a 5 year old cat. However, acute renal failure or early chronic renal failure, from things like prior ingestion of ethylene glycol, can happen at any age. I would suggest documenting water intake. Place a known volum of water in a dish (say 2 cups). Make sure it is the only water source. Feed no canned food (it is a water source). In 24 hours, measure remaining water. Sure, there is some evaporative loss, but it is a good estimate of 24 hour water intake. Tell your veterinarian your cat’s weight and 24 hour fluid intake and he can advise what (if any) further testing is needed. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/13 "2008-08-12T20:16:25Z")
How prior would the ingestion have to be? I’ve had him for a couple months now and I know he didn’t get any antifreeze in my house. I’ll lock him in the bathroom and see how much he drinks. I’ve noticed him drinking more water at one go from the fountain than the other cats. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-cat-pees-a-lot-is-that-reason-for-concern/459754/14 "2008-08-12T20:46:39Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] How prior would the ingestion have to be? I’ve had him for a couple months now and I know he didn’t get any antifreeze in my house. I’ll lock him in the bathroom and see how much he drinks. I’ve noticed him drinking more water at one go from the fountain than the other cats. [/QUOTE] Well, ethylene glycol was just an example. Kidney cells are lost every day, and new ones are not made. Anything that damages the kidney will accelerate the normal aging process. People tell me their cat drinks “too much” every day. Some of those cats just drink more than the owner considers normal, others are in kidney failure/diabetic/have liver disease/etc. Determining the fluid intake per 24 hour period is a good way to tell if you should be concerned.