Different color of urine in cats (brown, red, pink)

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If your cat has dark urine, this is a reason to visit the veterinarian. This phenomenon can occur for many reasons. Experienced owners can often make a primary diagnosis for their pet based on changes in urine color. However, this does not mean that you can refuse to visit the veterinarian. The sooner the causes of changes in the color of urine in a cat are identified, the sooner the animal will receive the correct therapy, which means the risk of complications will be minimized.

Introduction to the problem

The color of urine is an important indicator of a cat's health. Normally it is light, may have a yellow tint or is almost transparent. Darkening may indicate serious problems with your pet's health. Having noticed this, you cannot expect the problem to disappear on its own. You need to seek help immediately.

It is best if you arrive at your appointment already with a portion of urine. Then the doctor can evaluate its color, smell and take a part for laboratory analysis. Dark urine in a cat may indicate serious diseases associated with the liver, diseases of the genitourinary system, or dehydration.

In what cases is it necessary to consult a veterinarian?

A veterinarian's help is required if, in addition to changes in the color of urine, the pet exhibits the following symptoms:

• change in posture when urinating - arched back, head tilted down, tense muscles, plaintive meowing;
• decreased amount of urine excreted;
• the presence of foreign inclusions in urine: grains of sand, blood, pus;
• frequent “idle” urge to urinate;
• constant licking of the genitals;
• increase in body temperature to high levels;
• partial or complete loss of interest in food;
• changes in behavior: apathy, lethargy, lack of response to external stimuli, decreased motor activity, sleep disturbance;
• foam at mouth;
• abdominal consolidation;
• vomit;
• a sharp decrease in body temperature;
• black stool;
• nosebleeds;
• diarrhea;
• pallor of the mucous membranes;
• increased thirst;
• breathing problems;
• disorientation in space;
• muscle cramps;
• fever.

If you are not completely sure that your pet’s urine has turned orange, pink or brown due to physiological factors, but there are no obvious signs of deterioration in the animal’s well-being, it is still recommended to show it to a veterinarian. The absence of external symptoms of pathology does not mean that there is no cause for concern.

How to determine color?

This confuses many owners. Indeed, if a pet relieves itself in the garden, then the task is almost impossible. But if you see that your pet has become boring, then you need to try to keep an eye on him. It's not that difficult. If the animal is really sick, it will not go far. Surely the cat will empty its bladder near the nearest post and return home. It is much easier if the animal is trained to relieve itself in the tray. Then leave it empty once, without filler, and evaluate the collected material.

What will you need to pay attention to? The urine of a healthy cat is yellowish, but not rich in color. Urobilin gives urine its straw color. It is removed from the body in this way so as not to affect the animal’s nervous system. Dark urine in a cat, or bright yellow, rich urine, indicates health problems.

By the way, completely transparent urine is also bad. In this case, we can assume that the animal drank a lot of water, which is why the color turned out so diluted. Then you need to repeat the collection a little later. But the absence of a characteristic color of urine may indicate pathologies of the endocrine glands, diseases of the adrenal glands, or diabetes mellitus.

What should urine normally be like in a kitten and an adult animal: color, consistency

In healthy animals, urine is yellow or light yellow, which is due to the content of the bile pigment urobilin, which is formed during the oxidation of urobilinogen. Its transparency must be absolute, it must not contain foreign inclusions. Cloudy fluid indicates kidney problems. As for sediment formed by insoluble salts, crystals, epithelial cells, organic compounds and microorganisms, only a small amount is allowed. Normally, cat urine has a liquid consistency.

Don't panic

Even if you notice that the urine has changed its color significantly, there is still no reason to consider your pet terminally ill. This is just a reason to carefully observe him and consult with a specialist. Dark urine in a cat can also appear as a result of physiological reasons. But in any case, they need to be identified in order to prescribe effective treatment.

• The cat is in heat. If your beauty has changed her behavior, has become unusually affectionate or restless, if there are signs of looking for a cat, then nothing terrible is happening. It's just that the urine mixes with the blood and you see a change in its color.
• Dehydration of the body. It all depends on the reasons that caused it. If the cat has returned from a long walk in the heat, then this can be considered the norm. But if he does not leave the apartment in which the air conditioner is running and there is a cup of water, then this should alert you.
• Reproductive system problems.
• Sand and stones in the genitourinary system.
• Infections in the genitourinary system.
• There are also a number of serious diseases that require immediate intervention, sometimes surgical.

Changes in your cat's urine are serious.

The bottom line is that the definition of cat urine as normal or based on what is typical for your kitten. Because a cat's lower urinary tract is extremely susceptible to infection, inflammation, and is a marker of kidney problems, diabetes, and other diseases, monitor closely for any changes in the frequency, color, or odor of the urine. We often tell pet owners that even subtle changes can be significant, and this is uniquely true with cat urination. If your cat has abnormal urine, simple blood and urine tests can quickly inform your veterinarian about the appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. If the issue is addressed as quickly as possible, most causes of abnormal urine in cats can be corrected, and your cat will be feeling good in no time.

Options for change and possible reasons

Dark urine in a cat is a general definition. For each disease, the color may differ. Therefore, you can conduct an initial diagnosis at home and tell your doctor about your observations. But you should not prescribe treatment for your cat yourself. You can easily make a mistake. And an attempt to treat with the wrong thing leads to a worsening of the condition, even death.

So, possible options:

1. Bright yellow urine is a sign of mild dehydration. In hot weather, with a forced diet after surgery, this is normal. Provided that the animal receives proper care and sufficient fluids.
2. Pink-red hue. Most often this indicates urinary tract infections, bladder stones, and cystitis. In some cases, this may be due to injury.
3. Brown color is a very alarming symptom. Without delay, take your pet to the veterinarian. This indicates an increased level of bacteria in the urine. Low blood clotting may also be the cause. In any case, the animal will lose weight, appetite and interest in life. Another possible cause is the development of blood parasitic infections and leptospirosis.
4. Bloody urine. Speaks of severe kidney damage, glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis. Treatment should begin immediately.
5. Greenish tints indicate liver damage.

You see how much you can tell just by looking at a jar of urine. Of course, laboratory tests are required to make a diagnosis. And an examination of the animal by a doctor will allow you to narrow the field of assumptions to one or two probable diseases. Most often, if a cat's urine is dark in color, this indicates problems with the genitourinary system. This is a very serious symptom.

Diagnosis of emerging pathology

If, when cleaning the litter box, the owner sees that the cat has dark urine, this does not always indicate a pathology, so there is no need to panic right away. If the animal has undergone surgery the day before, or the cat is in heat, then there is no reason to worry. If the change in urine color is not associated with temporary dehydration and estrus, then you should not delay a visit to a veterinarian.

To receive a pet, you should prepare as follows:

• Follow an 8-hour fast with free access to clean water.

• Using a sterile syringe, collect fresh urine from a clean tray in a volume of 30 - 80 cm3. If the animal only uses litter, then to collect tests you should purchase a specialized kit from a pet store containing non-absorbent litter. No more than 3 hours should pass from urine collection to delivery to the clinic.

In addition to the clinical examination of the animal, the specialist will conduct a laboratory urine test and will also be able to perform an ultrasound diagnosis of the urinary system on the very first day of treatment. The veterinarian may also order a biochemical and general blood test to establish a diagnosis. Many procedures and tests are performed on an empty stomach, so it is important that the animal is fasted when collecting urine samples and visiting the clinic.

We recommend reading the article about what to do if your cat has bloody urine. From it you will learn about the normal appearance of urine, the reasons for the appearance of blood, the rules for collecting analysis, the diagnosis of pathology and treatment options.

Let's go to the clinic

The animal should not be fed 8 hours before visiting the veterinarian. This is important because all analyzes will be more informative and accurate. Prepare the tray by morning. To do this, remove all the filler from it and wash it thoroughly. Lay the mesh on top. If the cat is used to scooping up the litter with its paws, then place a piece of sterile gauze.

Using a sterile syringe, collect 40 to 80 ml of urine. Within two hours, the jar must be delivered to the clinic for laboratory testing. In addition to examination and urine analysis, the veterinarian performs an ultrasound. If necessary, a general and biochemical blood test is prescribed. If a cat's urine is dark brown, then it is often impossible to wait for the results of all tests. Therefore, based on the initial examination, a course of treatment begins, which will be adjusted as other laboratory findings are received.

What could brown urine indicate?

Darkening of color occurs for physiological or pathological reasons. If the cat’s well-being does not cause concern and the color is restored after a while, then there is nothing to worry about.

When darkening of the urine persists for a long time and is accompanied by deterioration in health, you should consult a veterinarian.

Physiological processes

Darkening of urine can occur when mixed with bloody discharge during estrus. When sexual arousal passes, urine acquires a natural color.

Postoperative darkening is associated with increased breakdown of red blood cells under the influence of medications, as well as the extraction of energy from tissues during fasting.

In addition, when the sutures heal, myoglobin breaks down and is formed again, the metabolic products of which also color the urine. The symptom disappears 5-6 days after surgery.

Pathological conditions

In the presence of other pathological symptoms, darkening presumably indicates the following diseases:

1. Urolithiasis: when passing through the urinary tract, the stones scratch the mucous membrane, and the blood released from the vessels stains the urine. The darkening is not permanent. At the moments when large fragments stop injuring the walls of the ureters, the color returns to normal.
2. Cystitis - microorganisms melt the walls of the urinary reservoir and the exudate gives the urine a dark color.
3. Poisoning: under the influence of hemolytic poisons, the rate of destruction of red blood cells increases.
4. Diseases of the liver and kidneys of infectious or non-infectious etiology.
5. Side effects of medications. The use of drugs containing metronidazole turns the urine dark.
6. Diseases of the blood system.

Be sure to read:

Black feces in a cat: normal or pathological, when is it a dangerous symptom, diagnosis, how to treat

Recommendations for the owner

While the doctors are investigating and finding out why the cat has dark urine, you need to calm down and organize appropriate conditions for the patient for treatment and recovery. First of all, you need to maintain a drinking regime and avoid dehydration. When a disease is detected, a specialist prescribes a strict diet. It completely excludes raw meat and fish.

At the same time, it is desirable to ensure maximum rest for the patient. It is better to limit movement within one room. But here nature comes to the rescue. If an animal feels unwell, it sleeps more often.

Treatment

If the cat’s urine is dark brown, and the diagnosis shows the presence of one of the diseases listed above, then the doctor will select an individual treatment regimen. Depending on the condition of the furry patient, the following may be prescribed:

• Antispasmodics and painkillers.
• Immunomodulators.
• Antibiotics that help fight infections.
• Restorative droppers.
• In some cases, surgical intervention is not possible. Then the doctor will prepare your pet for surgery.

Be sure to control the amount of water you drink. Sometimes special foods are prescribed that provoke thirst. If your pet continues to refuse, then try to stimulate him in every way. Install a decorative fountain and a small aquarium with artificial fish.

Prevention

Any disease is much easier to prevent than to treat. For animals, this issue is even more acute, because the owners usually miss the first symptoms of the disease and go to the doctor only when the deterioration of the condition is already clearly visible. The result is severe complications that cannot always be corrected even by an experienced specialist who knows what to do.

In a cat, dark urine is a serious symptom that cannot be ignored. It turns out that the owner’s observation, attentiveness and interest in ensuring that the pet lives happily ever after is the best prevention. If something bothers you, then it is better to bother the doctor once again, but to prevent complications.