Short answer: Healthy cats usually pee 2-3 times a day. Kittens can pee as many as six times a day. Female cats also tend to pee more often than males, bumping the average up to 3-4 times, even during the day.
How often to clean your cat’s litter box can be hit and miss. How often do cats pee and poo, and how much is enough to clean the litter box?
We figured out how often cats pee, so you can ensure your kitty’s happy and healthy- and keep their litter box from stinking up your house too much.
Although every cat is different, an average cat pees 2-3 times or half a cup daily.
For instance, I have three cats; the oldest female (Nova) pees 3-4 times a day, whereas the youngest (Toothless) goes twice- that I catch him. The middle cat (Sammi) is middle of the road in every respect and goes twice as well.
You’ll need to watch your cat to see how much they pee since “normal” for them might be more or less than this. Once you know what’s normal for your cat, you can watch for what’s abnormal. [1]
We’ve put together a little guide to the things that affect how often your cat will pee and what to look out for.
IN THIS ARTICLE
How Often Should a Cat Pee
As shown in the picture, Ruby, my one-and-a-half-year-old Ragdoll cat, pees roughly 2 times a day and poops once a day, with an average time of 89.9s
Your cat should head to the litter boxes a few times daily. Peeing removes toxins and promotes good bladder health, so it needs to happen when they have to go.
A healthy, run-of-the-mill cat will pee 2-3 times a day, although they might go more often than that if they’re more hydrated. [2]
Cats should pee at least once daily, but most will go 2-3 times. Talk to your vet if your cat is peeing less than twice daily.
There could be issues with your cat’s bladder, diet, or how much water they drink. If your cat isn’t peeing, straining, and pushing hard to pee, immediately take them to the vet. This could be a sign that something is stuck in their urinary tract. [3]
What Color Should Cat Pee Be
Although we all know not to eat yellow snow, pee comes in various shades. The different shades can tell you about how healthy your cat is.
Ideally, your cat’s pee will be clear and pale yellow to amber. The more precise their pee is, the more water they drink and the more hydrated they are.
If your cat’s pee is usually pale yellow to amber and suddenly darkens, or they pee a lot less, contact your vet for advice. Changes like these can signal that something more serious is going on. [4]
More hydrated cats, like my Toothless, who runs to the water bowl every ten minutes, will have much paler clear, and see-through pee.
How Much They’re Drinking- And How Much Wet Food They Get
The more water your cat takes in, whether through drinking or wet food, will change how much and how often they pee.
A hydrated cat is healthy, so ensuring they have enough water going in is critical. Cats who have water fountains might drink more water because the sound of running water can make your cat want to drink more often. [5]
Whether your cat eats more canned or dry food affects how often they pee. Canned or wet food will have a lot more hydration than dry food, which can lead to them peeing more often.
This can be a good thing, promoting a healthier urinary system. On “wet food” days, when we give our cats their weekly wet food treat, the litter box needs to be changed the next day because there’s much more pee from the extra hydration.
How Old They Are and Whether It’s a He or She
Healthy cats usually pee 2-3 times a day, but the younger they get, the more they’ll pee. Kittens can pee as many as six times a day, which can seem like a lot until you think of how small their bladders must be. And all on a liquid diet! [6]
Female cats also tend to pee more often than males, bumping the average up to 3-4 times, even during the day.
Diabetes
Middle-aged and overweight cats are more likely to have diabetes, especially if they’re mainly on a dry diet. These cats are often thirsty, drinking a lot of water, and tend to leave vast clumps of pee in their litter box. [7]
Kidney Disease
Cats with kidney disease tend to be middle-aged or older. Other symptoms include picky appetite, weight loss, vomiting, or diarrhea. There is lots of cat pee in these cats, although it’s clear and odorless.
Urinary Crystals
Urinary crystals are formed when your cat’s body digests food strangely, leading to crystals that irritate the bladder’s lining.
This happens most often in young cats that eat dry food and can make it uncomfortable to have pee in their bladder. Your cat might pee more often in smaller amounts as a result. Sometimes you’ll find blood in this pee as well.
Urinary Infection
This often happens simultaneously or as a result of urinary crystals. If your cat has blood in their pee, it could be because of either. Talk to your vet to get the tests to tell what is happening and how to fix it.
Why Do Cats Pee in the Wrong Place
Inappropriate peeing, or peeing outside the litter box, is a common problem with many potential causes.
There are several medical reasons, including some we’ve already gone over. So we’ll touch on the behavioral reasons your cat might be peeing outside their litter box.
Dirty Litter Box
Cats are as particular as us about their toilets. A litter box that has yet to be cleaned is too small or is in a location your cat doesn’t like might be keeping them from going inside.
Try cleaning the litter box out, switching the litter, and moving it to a better spot to help them pee inside more often. [8]
Stress
Unhappy cats will try to tell you; sometimes, they do that by peeing in the wrong place. Stresses like new animals or people in the house can make them try to communicate through their pee (like smoke signals, almost, but grosser).
Consider the impact of new people or animals on your cat’s stress levels. Especially when there’s a new animal, they might use urine to mark their territory.
For instance, when we first started adding furry friends to our family, our oldest cat Nova was unhappy. She stalked into the living room and made eye contact while inappropriately peeing to demonstrate this. We got another litter box and gave her breaks from her new sister until she calmed down enough to start peeing appropriately again.
The Bottom of the Litter Box
While no one likes the smell of cat pee, having a happy and healthy kitty is essential. A healthy adult cat will pee roughly half a cup daily. Many things can affect this, and every cat is different, so observing your cat to see what “normal” is for them is essential.
Keeping an eye out for inappropriate peeing, weird colors or smells, or difficulty peeing turns your cat’s bathroom habits into a valuable tool to ensure they’ll be around for snuggles and pets for a long time.
Summarize
Cats are strange and elusive creatures that seem only to want pets when you have no time to give them.
However, when you’re ready for pets, they’ll bite the hand that feeds them. That’s why guides to their behavior (and pee) are so important. We’ve put together more guides to help you translate what’s happening in your cat’s furry little mind.
Article Sources [1]- https://vetexplainspets.com/how-often-do-cats-pee/ [2]- https://caredicat.com/how-often-do-cats-pee-and-poop/
