Urinary track infection.

Question
My cat had a catheter removed about 5 days ago. The first couple of days he was doing great, and then he was straining again to urinate. He has been drinking water, not a lot though, but he refuses to eat.
Last night he starting urinating a lot. He kept doing it for about an hour on and off. Now he seems weird. I can't take him to the vet till tomorrow. You think he is at risk?

Answer
Hi Diana.  I think something is definitely wrong.  Most cats will continue to eat through plain old urinary tract infections, so the fact that he's not eating signals that something more serious may be going on.

If he urinated in large quantities last night, that's a good sign that wasn't blocked.  But if you meant that he was urinating frequently, but only in small amounts, it could be that he's still able to pass a little bit of urine, but not empty his bladder.  This can indicate a partial obstruction and can be just as dangerous as a complete obstruction if it isn't addressed.  If there is an emergency vet in your area, I would recommend getting the cat in to the vet tonight.  I had a cat with a partial obstruction this past fall, and he almost died from it.

Even if no obstruction is present, it sounds like he's still suffering some infection or irritation.  The catheter can leave irritation for several days, but he should be feeling better now.  It could be that his infection has recurred, and untreated, this can spread to his kidneys.  Ultimately, this can cause kidney failure if not treated promptly.  There are also conditions which cause unexplained pain and inflammation of the bladder, and the kitty would be best to have some pain relievers to help him through this.

I hope all goes well!

Jessica