My girl kitty has a problem evacuating her urine...

My girl kitty has a problem evacuating her urine...I'll keep an eye out. But, could this possibly pass without rushing her to emergency?

Cats can have a variety of reasons for abnormal urination.  Inflammation, bladder stones, mineral sediment or an infection in the bladder are the most common. Less common is foreign material like a foxtail in the bladder or a bladder tumor, which happens more in older cats.  Cats will strain to produce urine, have bloody urine, frequent the litter box and often produce much smaller puddles of urine.  Blood in the urine is another common sign.  Male cats are much more prone to a serious problem of obstruction in the urinary tract. Because the male cats urethra (tube from the bladder to the outside world) narrows significantly toward the end of the penis, inflammation and mineral deposits can completely obstruct the outflow causing a life-threatening situation. These cats are often very uncomfortable and will strain in the litter box and vocalize. If the obstruction is not relieved life threatening blood abnormalities can develop and it is an emergency.

Photograph of BootyFemale cats are less likely to obstruct because of the wider urethra, but they can develop large enough stones to form an obstruction. Bladder inflammation or infection can be quite uncomfortable and should be addressed but if the cat is passing urine you may be able to wait for a family veterinary visit the next day rather than an emergency room visit. If infection goes unchecked it can start to affect the kidneys and cause kidney infections that will compromise function and affect length and quality of life.

If your cat has signs of discomfort around urination, frequent trips to the litter box or blood in the urine a visit to your veterinarian is indicated. Cats who get in the litter box and do not produce urine while straining to do so need to be taken to the emergency clinic to prevent life threatening bladder obstruction.