Polydipsia and Polyuria (excessive drinking and urinating) in Cats

Overview of Excessive Drinking and Urinating in Cats

The term polydipsia refers to a cat’s excessive thirst manifested by excessive water intake, which in turn usually leads to polyuria, which is the formation and excretion of a large volume of urine. Polydipsia and Polyuria is commonly abbreviated and discussed using the letters “PU/PD”.

Below is an overview of causes, diagnosis and treatment of excessive drinking and urinating in cats followed by detailed information about this condition.

Polydipsia and polyuria are early signs of several diseases, including:

Cats normally take in about 20 to 40 milliliters per pound of body weight per day, or about 2 ½ cups per day for a 10 pound cat. This includes any water that is taken in when eating canned food. Anything more than that, under normal environmental conditions, is considered polydipsia.

You should watch your cat for increased thirst and urinations. You may observe an increase in the amount of wet litter in a cat’s litter box. Some cats may begin drinking from a dripping faucet in the sink or from an open toilet bowl. However, if you want to determine how much your cat is drinking, allow him only one source of water and subtract the amount left in the bowl after 24 hours from the amount you put in originally. If you determine that your pet is drinking excessively, make an appointment with your veterinarian.

Diagnosis of Polydipsia and Polyuria (PU/PD) in Cats

One of the first steps in the evaluation of a cat with polyuria and polydipsia is to determine the urine concentration by a test called “urine specific gravity.” The specific gravity of pure water is 1.000. Polyuria is suspected if the urine specific gravity is less than 1.035. This can be verified by measuring daily urine output. Polyuria is present if the cat’s daily urine output is greater than 20 milliliters per pound of body weight per day.
Several diagnostic tests may be needed to determine the cause of polyuria and polydipsia because many different diseases may cause these symptoms. Tests may include:

Treatment of Polydipsia and Polyuria (PU/PD) in Cats

There are several potential causes of polyuria and polydipsia, and the underlying cause of these symptoms must be determined before appropriate treatment can be initiated.

The occurrence of polyuria and polydipsia usually does not constitute an emergency, but several potentially serious diseases (such as diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, liver failure or high blood calcium caused by a malignancy) may be the underlying cause of the symptoms. Hypercalcemia can be a medical emergency and if identified should be treated appropriately with intravenous saline solution and diuretics.

Home Care

You should also monitor your cat for any clinical abnormalities and discuss them with your veterinarian. Monitor the amount of water consumed by your cat and try to identify any changes in urinary behavior and urine output. Also monitor your cat’s appetite and activity level. Discuss any changes you observe or concerns you may have with your veterinarian.

Polyuria and polydipsia cannot be prevented, and successful treatment depends on identification of the underlying disease causing these symptoms.

In-depth Information on Feline Polydipsia and Polyuria

Polyuria and polydipsia are not specific for any one disease but can be caused by several disorders in cats including:

Veterinary care should include diagnostic tests and subsequent treatment recommendations.

Diagnosis In-depth

Diagnostic tests used to determine the cause of polyuria and polydipsia should be considered based on results of a complete medical history and thorough physical examination. Baseline diagnostic tests that your veterinarian may request to evaluate a cat with polydipsia may include:

Depending on the clinical situation, your veterinarian might recommend additional diagnostic tests to further investigate the cause of polyuria and polydipsia and provide optimal medical care for your cat. Examples of other tests that may be requested include:

Treatment In-depth

Optimal treatment of any persistent medical condition depends on establishing the correct diagnosis. The symptom group polyuria and polydipsia has many different potential causes, and it is important to identify the underlying cause before beginning treatment.

Diagnose and Treat the Cause of PU/PD

The cat owner may report increased thirst and urination. If the physical examination and baseline laboratory test results are normal, the owner can measure water intake at home for a few days to document the presence of polydipsia before pursuing further diagnostic tests. Polyuria and polydipsia usually do not constitute an emergency (hypercalcemia is an exception) but occasionally these symptoms arise from serious diseases that require prompt attention (e.g. diabetes mellitus).

Diagnosis is based on serum biochemistry tests and urinalysis. Treatment is based on rehydrating the cat, trying to slow the progression of the kidney disease by dietary modification and treating complications such as hypertension and urinary tract infection.

This diagnosis is based on high blood glucose concentration and the presence of glucose, and often incompletely broken down fat products called ketones in the urine. Treatment depends on severity and may include hospitalization with intensive fluid and electrolyte therapy in conjunction with administration of short-acting insulin or outpatient management with long-acting insulin.

Treatment is based on correcting the underlying cause of potassium depletion. Causes may include: chronic loss of appetite; chronic muscle wasting; vomiting; diarrhea; administration of potassium-deficient fluids; potassium loss through the kidneys; alkalosis (high blood pH); administration of drugs that promote potassium loss; or some combination of these factors. Oral administration of potassium gluconate is the safest method of potassium supplementation.

This disorder is a result of the kidney’s inability to respond properly to anti-diuretic hormone, which normally facilitates water reabsorption in the kidney tubules. Usually this disorder is secondary to other problems (e.g. hypokalemia, hypercalcemia) but very rarely it can represent a congenital kidney defect (a problem present at birth). Treatment depends on the initiating cause, or symptomatic treatment may be necessary when no underlying disorder can be identified.

This disorder can be difficult to diagnose because identification of urinary tract infection by urine culture and sensitivity does not localize the infection to the kidneys. Diagnosis requires: integration of complete blood count results; urine culture and sensitivity results; contrast dye study of the kidney (so-called “intravenous pyelogram” or “excretory urogram”); ultrasound of the kidney; and possibly kidney biopsy. Treatment requires longterm administration of antibiotics.

This cause of polyuria and polydipsia is managed by discontinuing the offending medical treatment.

Diagnosed by serum biochemistry tests (including bile acids), abdominal ultrasound, and liver biopsy if necessary.

Definitive therapy of polyuria and polyuria depends on the underlying cause.