Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is reported to be a rare condition that occurs in people who have catheters, chronic constipation and bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). While in most cases it is harmless, the purple colour of the urine (a result of the breakdown of tryptophan, an amino acid found in food, in the intestines by gut bacteria) can be alarming. The priority is to address any underlying infection and maintain good catheter hygiene. Much of the literature focuses on symptomatic treatment. This paper, based on a case history, uses a more holistic approach to explain what PUBS is, why it occurs, and how it can be treated.