An intermittent urinary catheter for the drainage of urine from a bladder, comprising: a catheter tube (12, 112, 112') having a proximal end (14, 114) and a distal end (16, 116) and having a cylindrical wall (18, 118, 118', 118", 118"') with a lumen (20, 120, 120') extending generally from the proximal end (14, 114) to the distal end (16, 116) to permit the passage of urine therethrough; the catheter tube (12, 112, 112') being formed such that the proximal end (14, 114) thereof has a closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122"') for insertion of the catheter tube (12, 112, 112') into the body cavity and the distal end (16, 116) thereof has an opening (24, 124) for the drainage of urine from the bladder through the lumen (20, 120, 120') of the catheter tube (12, 112, 112'); characterized in that: the cylindrical wall (18, 118, 118', 118", 118"') having an outer surface with at least one defined external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126"') extending generally in a longitudinal direction from a point to be positioned in the bladder in proximity to the closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122'") to a point to be positioned in the urethra distally thereof; and one drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a'") associated with the defined external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126'") when the point of the external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126"') in proximity to the closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122"') is positioned within the bladder, the drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a"') extending completely through the catheter tube (12, 112, 112') from the outer surface to the lumen (20, 120, 120') to permit urine in the flow path to pass through the drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a"') into the lumen (20, 120, 120'). a catheter tube (12, 112, 112') having a proximal end (14, 114) and a distal end (16, 116) and having a cylindrical wall (18, 118, 118', 118", 118"') with a lumen (20, 120, 120') extending generally from the proximal end (14, 114) to the distal end (16, 116) to permit the passage of urine therethrough; the catheter tube (12, 112, 112') being formed such that the proximal end (14, 114) thereof has a closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122"') for insertion of the catheter tube (12, 112, 112') into the body cavity and the distal end (16, 116) thereof has an opening (24, 124) for the drainage of urine from the bladder through the lumen (20, 120, 120') of the catheter tube (12, 112, 112'); characterized in that: the cylindrical wall (18, 118, 118', 118", 118"') having an outer surface with at least one defined external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126"') extending generally in a longitudinal direction from a point to be positioned in the bladder in proximity to the closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122'") to a point to be positioned in the urethra distally thereof; and one drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a'") associated with the defined external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126'") when the point of the external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126"') in proximity to the closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122"') is positioned within the bladder, the drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a"') extending completely through the catheter tube (12, 112, 112') from the outer surface to the lumen (20, 120, 120') to permit urine in the flow path to pass through the drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a"') into the lumen (20, 120, 120'). the cylindrical wall (18, 118, 118', 118", 118"') having an outer surface with at least one defined external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126"') extending generally in a longitudinal direction from a point to be positioned in the bladder in proximity to the closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122'") to a point to be positioned in the urethra distally thereof; and one drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a'") associated with the defined external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126'") when the point of the external flow path (26, 126, 126', 126", 126"') in proximity to the closed tip (22, 122, 122', 122", 122"') is positioned within the bladder, the drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a"') extending completely through the catheter tube (12, 112, 112') from the outer surface to the lumen (20, 120, 120') to permit urine in the flow path to pass through the drainage eye (28, 128, 128a', 128a", 128a"') into the lumen (20, 120, 120').