BACKGROUND Urinary catheterization (UC) is a conventional perioperative measure for major abdominal operation. Optimization of perioperative catheter management is an essential component of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme. We aimed to investigate the risk factors of urinary retention (UR) after open colonic resection within the ERAS protocol and to assess the feasibility of avoiding urinary drainage during the perioperative period. METHODS A total of 110 colonic-cancer patients undergoing open elective colonic resection between July 2014 and May 2018 were enrolled in this study. All patients were treated within our ERAS protocol during the perioperative period. Data on patients' demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, and perioperative outcomes were collected and analysed retrospectively. RESULTS Sixty-eight patients (61.8%) underwent surgery without any perioperative UC. Thirty patients (27.3%) received indwelling UC during the surgical procedure. Twelve (10.9%) cases developed UR after surgery necessitating UC. Although patients with intraoperative UC had a lower incidence of post-operative UR [0% (0/30) vs 15% (12/80), P = 0.034], intraoperative UC was not testified as an independent protective factor in multivariate logistic analysis. The history of prostatic diseases and the body mass index were strongly associated with post-operative UR. Six patients were diagnosed with post-operative urinary-tract infection, among whom two had intraoperative UC and four were complicated with post-operative UR requiring UC. CONCLUSIONS Avoidance of urinary drainage for open elective colonic resection is feasible with the implementation of the ERAS programme as the required precondition. Obesity and a history of prostatic diseases are significant predictors of post-operative UR.