Cat owners warning over condition that ‘can kill in under 48 hours’

A shy ginger and white kitten on a cat tree.

Cat owners should be alert to any symptoms (stock photo) (Image: Getty)

A vet has issued a warning to pet owners, revealing there’s an ‘important check’ most ‘overlook’. Dr Alex Crow is a veterinary surgeon, content creator, and chief veterinary officer at The Net Vet. He also has a large following on TikTok as @Alex_thevet, where he often shares advice for pet owners. In a recent post, the expert urged cat lovers to check to their pet’s litter tray.

In the post, Dr Crow explained: “If I had to pick the single most important check most cat owners overlook, it would be this. And as a vet, it’s one of the first things that I ask every owner in clinic. I call this the litter tray audit.”

He said: “Cats hide illness better than almost any other animal we treat. They don’t show pain, and they don’t tend to complain. But their litter tray can tell you a lot if you know what you’re looking for. So here are four things to audit every time you scoop.

“Number one, the amount of urine. A sudden increase in urine volume is one of the earliest signs of chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism in cats, whereas a sudden decrease could mean dehydration, or, in male cats, the start of a life-threatening obstruction.

“Number two is the frequency. Visiting the tray more often, especially with little to nothing coming out, could be an early sign of bladder stones, inflammation, or even a UTI, which are all incredibly painful. Number three, straining or blood.

“A cat straining to urinate, crouching for long periods, or producing blood-tinged urine is showing you that they’re in serious distress. And if it’s a male cat and they can’t pass urine, then that’s a medical emergency. Left untreated, they can die within 24 to 48 hours.

“And number four, the position. A cat taking an unusual posture or urinating or pooping outside the tray isn’t them being naughty. It’s often the first sign of pain, urinary disease, or even arthritis, because they find the tray difficult to access.”

Dr Crow told pet owners to speak to a vet about any concerns. “So if you spot any of these, don’t wait. Cat urinary disease can go from mild to critical in just hours. Volume, frequency, straining and position: the litter tray audit. Two minutes a week that could save your cat’s life.”

@alex_thevet Cats hide pain better than almost any other animal we treat. They don’t whine or limp the way dogs do, and by the time you spot something’s actually wrong, it’s usually been brewing for a while. But there’s one thing in your house that doesn’t lie. The litter tray. I run through the same four checks on it every single time I see a cat in clinic, and I’m always surprised how few owners know about them. Volume. Frequency. Straining or blood. Position. Two minutes a week and you’ll catch most early kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, lower urinary tract disease, and the kind of male-cat blockages that can kill them in under 48 hours. If your cat is straining to wee, going in and out of the tray with nothing coming out, weeing outside the tray, or producing blood-tinged urine, please don’t wait until tomorrow. Especially if they’re a boy. That window is really small. Save this so it’s there the next time you scoop. #vetexplains #cathealth #littertray #flutd #vetadvice ♬ original sound – Alex the vet

His caption said: “Cats hide pain better than almost any other animal we treat. They don’t whine or limp the way dogs do, and by the time you spot something’s actually wrong, it’s usually been brewing for a while. But there’s one thing in your house that doesn’t lie. The litter tray.”

He added: “Two minutes a week and you’ll catch most early kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, lower urinary tract disease, and the kind of male-cat blockages that can kill them in under 48 hours.”

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