Question:
This morning we noticed drops of bloody urine in the bathtub, on the bathroom floor, and in the litter box. After eliminating the suspects, we have discovered our 11 and a half year old cat has a bladder infection. She's never had one before. She eats California Natural and looks great for her age. Is this just a fluke or is this the beginning of something chronic? Is there something I can do to prevent another one in the future?


Answer:
Since there's blood, she'll need to go to the vet on Monday. She'll likely be put on some antibiotics, but a kidney blood workup would be a really good idea due to her age. It could be a UTI, bladder stones, kidney problems, etc. so it's always good to take an older cat in at the first sign of symptoms.
Prevention depends on the cause, and your vet can go over that with you.
Best of luck, I hope she feels better ASAP!


Answer:
I agree with Jade. Since she is an older cat, definitely have blood work done to check her kidney function. Kidney problems are not uncommon in older cats.
Do not put her on special food unless the vet does a urinalysis and determines that a specific type of crystal is present. It can make the problem much worse if she is put on the wrong food.
If it is a UTI, it is likely that she will get another. I think the recurrance rate is somewhere around 60-70%.
To prevent UTIs in the future, make sure she is getting lots of water. We have 4 water bowls for our cats and also a Drinkwell Pet fountain.This is a bit of overkill but adding another bowl or two, or a fountain (if you can afford it) helps. Secondly, feed her wet food at least once per day...that will increase the water intake as well.
Good luck at the vet.


Answer:
Any updates? Poor girl, I hope it's not too serious, please let us know what the vet says.