You can learn a lot about your cat’s health from observing his urinary habits. For example, a healthy cat will usually pee two to four times a day.
This can depend on some other factors, such as his daily water intake. If a cat pees more frequently than usual, or he is not peeing at all, this can indicate some health problems in him.
Seeing a cat’s bloody urine can be especially worrying for any cat parent.
Why is my male cat peeing blood but acting normal?
This is definitely not pretty to see, but there are a couple of good explanations for why this might occur. Let’s learn more about them, as well as some ways to help your cat.
1. Injuries
If you suddenly noticed bloody urine in your male cat, this might happen due to a trauma.
Different kinds of injuries can lead to a cat bleeding within the urinary tract. This also probably means that your cat is in pain, but he seems to act perfectly normal. Why is this happening?
Cats are very good at hiding their pain. This is part of their natural instincts from a while back when they lived in the wild.
If they showed they were in pain, this meant they were vulnerable and presented easy prey for predators.
This is why cats will not easily show their vulnerability even today as domesticated animals. So, you’ll have to be very observant and react as soon as you notice some signs that something might be wrong with your cat.
How To Help?
You can try to examine your cat on your own, but, the best would be to consult a veterinarian and explain the symptoms you noticed to him
Your cat will probably need to rest. If the vet estimates it’s necessary – he will prescribe medications to relieve his pain.
Your kitten might have a bladder injury due to falling, being hit by a car, or due to animal attack in a fight.
You should make sure your cat is safe, especially if he hasn’t been neutered, since intact males are more likely to run away from home, and get into accidents like this.
2. Idiopathic Cystitis
Male cats are prone to a condition called idiopathic Cystitis, and bloody urine is one of the most common clinical signs of it.
Idiopathic Cystitis is, according to PetMD, a type of feline lower urinary tract disease that causes inflammation of the cat’s bladder.
Although your male cat might act normal, he could show some additional symptoms, such as urinating outside the litter box, licking the genital region excessively, or having a decreased appetite.
Your cat might not seem to be in severe pain, but idiopathic Cystitis isn’t harmless. If you don’t notice this inflammation on time, it might even lead to the obstruction of a cat’s urinary tract. This is considered a medical emergency.
How To Help?
Idiopathic Cystitis in felines is a condition that results from several separate underlying mechanisms, rather than a disease with a single cause, as John Kruger and his associates [1] explain.
Therefore, there isn’t a single treatment for this condition or a medicine that can directly cure it.
Your veterinarian will most likely prescribe pain relievers for your cat, as well as medications to help his urethra to relax.
Your cat will also probably be prescribed a diet that’s high in omega-3 fatty and antioxidants to suppress the inflammation.
3. Kidney And Bladder Stones
Bloody urine could be one of the first signs your kitten is struggling with kidney or bladder stones.
Your cat can seem perfectly fine on the outside, but these health problems can be unpleasant for him. Still, he might not show his pain, so, you need to observe him to notice signs of bladder or kidney stones.
Cornell Feline Health Center explains how some cats might experience the formation of small stones inside their kidneys. Furthermore, stones can also develop anywhere within the cat’s upper or love tracts of the urinary system.
Kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate, while bladder stones are composed of minerals. These issues are more likely to happen in not very active domestic cats, that also aren’t hydrated enough.
How To Help?
A cat can sometimes have very tiny bladder stones that will easily pass through his urinary tract. In some other cases, these stones can become very large and cause internal bleeding.
Both bladder and kidney stones can only be diagnosed by an ultrasound or an X-ray. Bladder stones are usually treated with a laser or surgically.
Veterinarians use a procedure called lithotripsy to break apart the kidney stones.
They also suggest increasing the amount of wet food cats eat, as well as always making sure they’re hydrated enough to prevent kidney and bladder stones from appearing again..
4. Urinary Tract Tumors
It might be shocking to read that your cat could even have a tumor and act normally!
Well, it’s important to understand that our furry friends know how much we love them, and care about us in the same way, but, they are still quite independent, meaning that they might hide their pain and discomfort even for a longer period of time.
Therefore, you’ll need to observe your cat’s behavior to check whether he shows any unusual signs or strange behaviors.
Checking your cat’s litter box, or observing him while he’s peeing can help you a lot in checking out his health.
Cat peeing blood is never a good sign, and urinary tract tumors are one of the worst scenarios in this case.
Urinary tract tumors can appear in the cat’s kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate gland, or urethra.
Bladder tumors are second most common in cats, according to the VCA Animal Hospitals.
The exact cause of these tumors in felines is unknown, but, urinary tract tumors more commonly appear in older cats.
Together with bloody urine, cats with urinary tract tumors might also show other signs such as straining to urinate, frequent urination, or difficulty urinating.
How To Help?
If you have any doubt your cat might be suffering from a urinary tract tumor, you need to take him to the vet clinic as soon as possible.
The veterinarian will take an ultrasound, an abdominal X-ray, and bloodwork to start with the analysis. Also, a biopsy will be performed, meaning that the vet will undertake a surgical excision of a piece of the tumor tissue to examine it.
Benign tumors might not have any consequences on your cat’s health, and he might be as good as new very soon.
However, if a cat is diagnosed with a malignant tumor, and if there are metastases in his body, this might even be fatal.
The treatment will depend on the type of tumor and metastasis. It might include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or even surgery.
See Also: How Long Can A Cat Go Without Peeing – Guide For Cat Owners
Final Words
Is a male cat peeing blood but acting normal a reason to be concerned?
You should definitely not ignore this symptom in your cat. Just because he’s acting normal, this doesn't mean your cat is actually feeling well. Cats are very skilled in hiding their pain, so, you might even miss some of their injuries or discomforts if you don’t observe them carefully.
Bloody urine can indicate various health issues in a male cat, so, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as you notice this.
Remember that, even if there is a medical condition to treat, chances are best when it’s noticed on time.
References:
[1] Kruger JM, Osborne CA, Lulich JP. Changing paradigms of feline idiopathic cystitis. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2009 Jan;39(1):15-40. DOI, Retrieved July 14, 2023.
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