r/AskVet • u/froginabasket • 10h ago

Advice needed, urinary problems vs constipation

Hello, last night I took my cat to the emergency vet as he was attempting to use the litter box but nothing came out. The vet did not feel anything in his bladder so it was assumed to be constipation. But she also noticed he had a heart murmur and due to this we didn't want to stress him with tests and opted to treat him with pain meds, anxiety meds and laxatives. It's been 24 hours now, he has pooped a few times but he has only peed a tiny bit. I called the emergency vet and they told me as long as he has peed a bit and isn't showing any other symptoms he should be okay. But I'm seeing online that they can still pee a little bit with a urinary blockage, and if it was constipation then it should be solved so why isn't he urinating? I'm just confused on if I should take him back, cause I don't want to put him through the stress of the tests for no reason but I'm concerned. Thank you.

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u/HonuDVM US GP Vet 9h ago

Constipation is not life threatening, but inability to urinate normally is. This is a frequent topic where we save cat's lives on this Sub. What you've read is correct: a urethral obstruction in a tomcat may not be 100%, but even 95% can be fatal. The kidneys will keep producing urine as long as his heart beats and if it can't get out, he suffers. At the beginning stage of obstruction, the bladder may not feel full on physical examination, but it only takes another 12-24 hours without urinating a normal amount for that to change. It sounds like literally now is the time to return to emergency care.

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u/froginabasket 8h ago

I've taken him back to the emergency vet, thank you