A male cat straining in the litter box looks, at first glance, like a cat with constipation. He crouches, he strains, he may cry out. Owners wait a day to see if it resolves. That wait is often the difference between a cat who survives and one who does not. Urinary blockage in a male cat is one of the few genuine veterinary emergencies in small-animal medicine, and understanding why male cats face this risk so disproportionately is the first step to catching it in time.
