Cat urinary blockage treatment in Dubai

A male cat that strains in the litter tray and passes no urine is an emergency, at any hour. A blocked cat can die within 24 to 48 hours. Call 055 620 4085 now. Treatment is a urinary catheter under sedation and 2 to 3 days on a drip.

Call 055 620 4085 8 AM to 12 AM, every day

A grey male cat crouches in a litter tray, straining (illustrative image)

How urgentNow. Do not wait for morning
Who gets itMale cats, mostly 1 to 10 years
TreatmentCatheter under sedation, then a drip
Stay in the clinicUsually 2 to 3 days

01Overview

What a blockage is, and why hours matter

The urethra of a male cat narrows to about the width of a pencil lead near the tip of the penis. A plug of mucus and crystals, a small stone, or swelling and spasm can close it. Females have a wider urethra and almost never block.

Once urine cannot leave, the bladder stretches tight and the kidneys stop filtering. Potassium builds up in the blood and slows the heart. That is the usual cause of death, and it can happen within a day or two of the last urine. A cat that reaches the clinic early nearly always survives.

Owners often think the cat is constipated, because the posture looks the same. If in doubt, treat it as a blockage and call the urgent care line. Blood is run in our lab within minutes, and the cat is then nursed in the inpatient ward. The cost is given in writing once the vet has examined your cat.

02On the day

What happens at the clinic

Call from the car. The clinic is open 8 AM to 12 AM every day and the phone is answered 24 hours. After midnight, the nurse tells you where to go.

1
Bladder check
First minute
The vet feels the belly. A blocked bladder is hard, painful and about the size of a lemon. That single finding is enough to start treatment.
2
Blood test and heart
Potassium, kidney values and blood sugar are measured in our lab. The heart rate is checked, because a slow heart in a blocked cat means dangerous potassium. A drip is started and the potassium is treated before any sedation.
3
Written estimate
While your cat is being stabilised, you receive the expected cost in writing. It covers the procedure, the tests and the nights in the ward.
4
Unblocking
Under sedation or a short anaesthetic with pain relief, a soft catheter is passed up the urethra and the plug is flushed back. The bladder is emptied and rinsed. The catheter is usually stitched in place and joined to a collection bag.
5
Tests on the urine and imaging
Urine is checked for crystals, blood and bacteria. An x-ray or ultrasound looks for stones in the bladder or urethra, because stones change the long-term plan.
6
The ward
2 to 3 days
Your cat stays on a drip while the kidneys flush the backlog. Blood values are repeated. The catheter comes out once the urine is clear, and your cat goes home after passing urine unaided.

03In Dubai

Things that are different in Dubai

Dry food and little water

Most indoor cats here eat only dry food and drink little. That makes small volumes of concentrated urine, which is where plugs form. Wet food at every meal is the biggest single change you can make.

Flat life

An overweight neutered male that lives indoors and moves little is the typical patient. One litter tray per cat plus one extra, scooped daily, keeps a cat urinating often.

Stress sets it off

Many blockages follow a change at home. Common triggers in Dubai are moving flat, building works next door, a new housemate or helper, guests during Eid, and owners away for the summer.

Summer and air conditioning

Cool dry air and long naps mean fewer trips to the water bowl. Put bowls in 3 or 4 places, away from the litter tray and the food.

It is often found at night

Owners tend to notice the straining in the evening, when they are home. Do not wait for morning. Call, and the nurse tells you what to do.

04Do not wait

Come in now if your male cat shows any of these

Any one of these is enough. Do not press on the belly to check.

Call 055 620 4085

Phone answered 24 hours

In and out of the litter tray, straining, with no urine or only drops
Crying or growling in the tray, or when picked up under the belly
Licking the penis again and again
Drops of blood-stained urine around the flat
Hiding, refusing food or vomiting
Cold, floppy or collapsed. This cat is near death and needs a vet within minutes

05Afterwards

The first two weeks at home, and stopping it happening again

The risk of blocking again is highest in the first 7 days. Watch the tray closely. Clumping litter lets you count the clumps. You should see 2 to 4 each day, each about the size of a golf ball.

Roughly 1 in 3 cats blocks again at some point. Diet and water lower that risk. Cats that block repeatedly can have an operation called a perineal urethrostomy, which widens the opening.

Feed the prescription urinary diet, wet if your cat accepts it, and nothing else
Give every medicine exactly as written on the discharge sheet
Keep your cat indoors and check the tray morning and evening
Bring a urine sample to the recheck, usually at 7 to 10 days
If the straining returns, come straight back. Do not wait to see if it passes

06From the clinic

From the clinic

A long-haired ginger cat lies on the steel table with a drip line bandaged to its front leg

07Owners say

Google reviews that mention this

Muaadh Azmi3 months ago

The groomer was very nice and professional and he took care of my cat very well. The process and the results were fantastic.

Jeaspherlyn Tabuenaa year ago

I just visited Petflix for vaccinations and grooming of my seven cats, and I must say that I was pleased with their service and will surely return. The staff and doctor are very approachable.

Karen Purificacion4 months ago

Best vet clinic and fit to my feline, they took care of my cat very well and friendly staff Ms. Christine.

traillifica month ago

Our two cats, Snowbear (6yo Turkish Angora) and Greyson (2.5yo Chartreux), needed more than 3 days of intensive clinic care due to a tough viral infection requiring IV therapy, antibiotics, and nebulization. Snowbear and Greyson are now happily on the road to recovery at home.

Christine Rizzatoa month ago

The vet and their assistant came to my home, arrived right on time, and were both professional and friendly with me and my cats. They trimmed their nails, gave them their vaccinations, and provided all the necessary care. I was especially impressed by how gentle and patient they were with my frightened cats.

Aaliyah Munshi3 months ago

I've had both my cats spayed and neutered here and have also used their grooming services. The prices are reasonable, and the team is incredibly friendly, professional, and caring.

Joyce Lyn Dela Gracia3 months ago

I bring my cat, Vanilla, there for his annual vaccinations and grooming. Christine is always quick to respond, whether through WhatsApp or their Facebook page.

irina skripka4 months ago

Was very satisfied with home visit for my cat vaccinations, she loved them from first sight.

4.7 / 5 · on Google, from 528 reviews. Excerpts from our Google Maps reviews. Read all reviews on Google

08Questions

Questions about blocked cat

How do I know if my cat is blocked or just constipated?

Assume blocked until a vet has felt the bladder. Both look like straining in the tray. A blocked cat usually visits the tray every few minutes, cries, licks his penis and produces no wet patch. A constipated cat strains less often and is rarely in severe pain. A blockage kills within days and constipation does not, so treat it as the dangerous one.

My cat can't pee. Can I wait until the clinic opens in the morning?

No. Call 055 620 4085 now, whatever the time. The phone is answered 24 hours. The clinic is open from 8 AM to 12 AM, and outside those hours the nurse tells you where to take him. Potassium rises hour by hour in a blocked cat, and a cat that is still bright at 11 PM can be collapsed by 6 AM.

How long will my cat stay in the clinic after being unblocked?

Usually 2 to 3 days. The catheter stays in for 24 to 48 hours while the drip flushes the kidneys and the urine clears. After it is removed, we watch until he urinates unaided. Cats with very high kidney values or a stone may need longer, and you are told each day how he is doing.

Why did my cat get blocked when he is healthy and young?

Most blocked cats are healthy young males, so this is the usual story. The cause is generally a plug of mucus and crystals formed in concentrated urine, combined with a narrow urethra. Dry food, low water intake, extra weight, indoor life and stress all raise the risk. Bacterial infection is an uncommon cause in young cats.

Do female cats get urinary blockages?

Almost never, because the female urethra is short and wide. Females do get cystitis and bladder stones, with the same straining and blood in the urine, but urine still passes. A female cat that strains should be examined within a day. A male cat that strains should be examined within the hour.

09Related

Cat urinary blockage treatment in Dubai

Bladder check

Blood test and heart

Written estimate

Unblocking

Tests on the urine and imaging

The ward