Do Cats Pee More When Cold – What You Should Know

When temperatures turn cold, you might notice a strange phenomenon where it seems like your cat is going to the bathroom more frequently. You are not just imagining things if you notice this happening! So, do cats pee more when cold?

Yes, cats do pee more when cold. It’s a natural phenomenon that when it gets colder caused by lower external temperatures, eating too late, or irritated bladder. This is normal behavior for most cats.

While this behavior is normal, it’s sometimes concerning if you’ve never seen it before. Read on to learn more about why cats do this, and what you can do to help them in this situation.

Reasons Cats Pee More When Cold 

There are many reasons a cat could be urinating more when they get cold, but these are the 5 most expected ones.

The low external temperature of the room is making your cat feel cold

The weather outside directly impacts how frequently your cat may need to use the litter box throughout the day. During the coldest months of the year, it is common for cats to double the amount of time they need to go to the bathroom, as the cold weather sends signals to your cat’s body that make them feel like they need to pee. 

Your cat ate dinner too late in the night 

Sometimes people are advised to stop drinking water at 7 pm if they have trouble waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. This can happen to your cat if they are eating their dinner too close to when they go to bed. While cats don’t go to sleep for eight consecutive hours like a human, it is common for them to need to pee and use the bathroom more often in the hours right after they eat.

Your cat is drinking more water than usual 

If you notice your cat peeing more than usual, it might just be that they have been drinking more water than they typically do. Your cat may have been more active on a particular day and, as a result, is feeling a bit thirstier than they typically do. Depending on their breed and weight, cats need to be drinking between eight to twelve ounces of water a day to stay well hydrated.

Cats may also be drinking more water than usual if you recently switched your cat from wet food to dry food. While they were used to getting some of their water from their meal each day, they might need to drink more water to compensate for the difference, which causes them to pee more frequently.

Their bladder is irritated 

It might be that your cat is peeing more frequently for another reason other than the cold weather. Cats can get a urinary tract disorder from a bladder infection. These can be caused by an irritation of your cat’s bladder or urethra. When there is an infection or an obstruction, your cat may not be able to pee normally. 

One of the common side effects of bladder irritation is that your cat can only pee a little bit at a time. As a result, they will go to the bathroom a lot more often because not much is coming out. Usually, if they have a bladder irritation or infection, there will be other symptoms in addition to this. Your cat might be crying in pain while peeing or having accidents outside of the litter box when they have an infection. 

Is It Normal For Cats To Pee More When Cold

Yes, it is normal for a cat to pee more frequently when cold, and the condition is called cold diuresis. In colder weather, the body has to filter more blood than usual, which then, in turn, makes a cat need to pee more often as it flushes out its system. 

When a cat feels cold, its organs redirect its blood away from its skin and move it closer to the vital organs like the heart and lungs. When the body does this, it signals to a cat’s mind that because there is more blood than usual near the organs, they must have too much fluid in their bodies. 

As a result, they end up getting the urge to urinate more frequently, even if they don’t need to go to the bathroom. This is an entirely normal phenomenon that humans also experience. There is nothing you can do to prevent it, aside from keeping your cat warm and comfortable during the cold months.

Do Cats Pee Less In Warm Weather

Yes, cats pee less frequently in the warmer months of the year. When the weather is warmer, their bodies aren’t filtering as much blood as in the winter. It is more likely for a cat to be more dehydrated in the summer and therefore has to pee less frequently. 

Why Is My Cat Peeing More than Usual

If your cat is peeing more than normal, it might have a condition called polyuria. This condition occurs when a cat pees and their volume of urine is a lot more than usual. This condition can result from inflammation or bladder stones, or potentially a more severe problem with your cat’s kidneys. Your cat may also pee a lot more frequently if they have diabetes or excess blood glucose, as this leaves the body through urine.

Things To Consider

Most changes in bladder behavior are a sign that something is not quite right with your cat. The most severe illness to look out for is kidney failure. Your cat may be experiencing kidney failure if they suddenly have many bathroom accidents in your home. 

There are different types of kidney failure: acute renal failure, where the kidneys stop working very suddenly. Acute renal failure can start over a few hours or days and usually is caused by a disease, organs failure, or poison. Sometimes it can be reversed if it is caught quickly enough. 

The other type is chronic kidney failure, the more common type you will see with cats who suddenly seem to have new unexplained symptoms. This is where the kidneys gradually stop working over time. Unfortunately, it will eventually lead to total kidney failure for cats. 

Aside from keeping your cat away from poisonous plants and hazardous materials, there is nothing you can do as a cat owner to prevent kidney failure. If you suspect your cat may be experiencing this condition, take them to an emergency vet so you can help them get treatment immediately.