My 6-mo. old male cat wont stop meowing and sounds like hhes uncomfortable. How do I know if he may have a bladder infection?

Question
My male 6 mo. cat has been restless today.  He won't stop meowing.  Could he have a bladder infection?  He's pawing at thing such as the quilt on my bed, the corner carpet, he's pacing, not making frequent trips to the litter box, he's an indoor cat, He seems very uneasy/uncomfortable.  Any ideas on this type of behavior?

Answer
I'm sorry, Lori! I forgot to tell you the symptoms of a bladder infection.  These would be, excessive trips to the litter box, urination outside the litter box, and bloody urine.  The only way to detect a urinary tract infection/bladder infection would be a urinalysis, performed by your veterinarian.  This diagnostic test costs usually around $20.  I hope this helps!
Hilary

Previous Post:
Hi Lori!  My first thought would be that his male instinct is taking over and he is restless because he wants to find a mate.  Is he neutered?  If not, this could definitely be the result of his strange behavior.
Is he eating/drinking? Urinating?  6 months is young for a urinary tract blockage (which can be common in male cats), but if he isn't urinating, this would definitely be of concern.
If he is eating/drinking normally, I would definitely think that him being intact would have something to do with this behavior.  
If he is not eating/drinking normally, this would indicate an illness.  Here is a list of some things that would suggest an immediate vet visit:
-Vomiting
-Not urinating/bloody urine/straining while urinating
-Diarrhea
-No Bowel Movements
-Excessive Drooling
-Excessive drinking
-No eating/drinking
The above symptoms can be caused by many ailments, all ailments in which would cause discomfort.  If your cat is displaying any of these symptoms, a vet visit would definitely be most beneficial.
I hope this helps and please let me know how he does,
Hilary