New and Need help with UTI

deb riffel

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Hi Everyone! I am new to this, but I need some advice!
The other day I noticed my cat Murphy going in and out of the litter box for almost a 1/2 hour. He never ended up peeing at all! I called the vet and they told me to bring him in, I did and they kept him overnight. I picked him up yesterday evening. They said they had been getting a good stream from him the whole time, but that he had some crystals, as well as alot of white blood cells in his urine. They gave me special food (Wet & dry) and also a medicine called Clavanox (liquid form) I brought him home and he is very happy to be back! He is eating the food I got from them okay (although he doesnt usually eat wet food, doesnt seem to like it as much) I tried to give him the Clavanox this morning and that did not work. I have never had to give him meds before and he is a bit of a maniac and kept getting away form me. I dont know what to do about that. Also, he was in the litter box for a while again this morning and did not go at all. I had just cleaned it this morning so I could monitor how much he is going. I plan to go home and check on him at lunch time today.
Should I be worried he didnt go this morning again? And what do I do about the medicien I cant get him take?
I dont want to let him get sicker, but i dont want to rush to the vet everytime something is a bit off either. What should I do?
Thanks for the help!!
Deb
 

sar

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Hi Deb and welcome to TCS!


In regards to the meds, did you receive a syringe with it? This is usually the easiest way to administer liquid as you hold Murphy, slip the end of the syring in his mouth and slowly let him lap it up. (you can always mix it with some pulped up food to make it taste better too)

I think if it were me, I would contact my vet and ask about the lack of peeing. Have you changed the litter or tray recently? What kind of tray and litter did they use at your vets when they were seeing a good stream?
 
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deb riffel

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Hi Sarah!
Thanks for the response!!
They did give me a syringe. i cant even get a good enough hold on him to get the thing near his mouth, let alone start squeezing it! Maybe I will try to mix it in with some of his wet food, will it be as effective that way?

I did change the litter a few weeks ago, but I have now changed back to the old stuff. Do you think that could have anything to do with it? I am not sure of the litter they use at the vet.
I change his food and his litter often, he never seemed to mind before this. I am reading though that may be a bad idea!
 

sar

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Oh I see! You can always scruff his neck while he's facing away from you on the floor and pull his head back to het to his mouth - he should be pretty immobile this way.

Mixing it with food is fine! Just give him a very small amount with the medicine in it and give hime a further serving once he's eaten that. I tried this with my Molly (recently had a UTI too) but she didn't fancy it after the first few days so we went back to the syringe method!


The change of litter could have something to do with it. Often when a cat suffers a UTI, they associate a certain litter with the pain and will not want to use it. Maybe if you have some of the litter you were using before the UTI, you could give this a try in a separate tray?

It is advised against changing foods often, as it can cause stomach upsets - but it sounds like Murphy is okay with change! I do add in the odd treat from time to time to keep meal times a little interesting!


This link might help too!
 
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deb riffel

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Yup! I should be able to put a bit of the other litter out. I still have some left. Honestly, I changed it because I didnt like the smell! It made me sick!!
Should I put it in a tray next to the current litter or just switch it out or what? I am thinking putting them both out, then he can choose....boy talk about spoiled!!!

I will try to mix the medicine in some fod when i stop at lunch, he prob wont least it, but it is worth a try i suppose.
I just want my ppor little buddy to go potti!!! Gosh!!!
 

sar

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Yes, it's certainly worth a try putting both types of litter out for him. I would try to place the second litter in a different, quite, place.

You've come to the right place! We're all spoiling our babies rotten!


Out of curiosity, does Murphy have more than one tray? This often helps!


It's funny how sometimes our choice of litter isn't that of our cats!


I agree that it is certainly worth a try mixing the med in with his food - you could always throw over a couple of his favourite dry biscuits (kibble) to tempt him to it! I hope it does work at it's a lot easier than syringing at times!

I've just thought, he might be a little off with his weeing as his routine has been put out by his vet stay. He might just settle down and go on his own - but it doesn't hurt to provide some encouragement!


Good luck and do let us know how you go with it!
 

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I have lots of experience with crystals and UTIs. Its great that he was not 'blocked'.. that can be life threatening. And it was good that they said he was able to pee. Give it a little time and see if he pees today. For the meds you could try wrapping him in a towel like a burrito so that he cant get away from you. Also if you can have one person help you that will probably make it easier. I just then stick the syringe in the side of the mouth and push the liquid in there slowly. Also be aware that Clavamox sometimes has side effects like vomiting and diarrhea. If that happens you may need to get a differnet med from the vet, there are lots to choose from. Hope he's feeling better soon!
 
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deb riffel

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I just got back from checking on him and he still has not peed today (unless he is going somewhere other than the box) He is standing in the box and not going. I am a bit panicked!! I called the vet and he said that he is prob just irritated, just leave him alone and let him go on his own. He said dont stress about the meds, it is worse to keep trying with no success. He also said if he was blocked, I would know (he would be vomitting and not eating and just obvioulsy sick.) He is acting totally normal aside from the hanging out in the box thing.

Thanks for the response!! I am pretty freaked out!
 

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My cat had the crystals and I give him carpon by dr. belfield. Do a search for it. I give him two pills a day and he pees properly now. When he doesn't get his medicine his pee is more frequent and less volume. It is an acidifier. I guess we will be taking for life, but he pees in the box which is making me happy.
 

batgirl2good

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Hi, Deb! I am having to give my cat Clavamox! He just had surgery. What they told me was to wrap him in a towel. That does help. He hates it, though.

I am not giving it to him for a few days (doctor's advice) since it was making him not want to eat at all.

Good luck! PM me if you need help.

Humble just had surgery to remove bladder stones, and I am going through something like what you are going through.
 

jt23

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Originally Posted by Deb Riffel

I just got back from checking on him and he still has not peed today (unless he is going somewhere other than the box) He is standing in the box and not going. I am a bit panicked!! I called the vet and he said that he is prob just irritated, just leave him alone and let him go on his own. He said dont stress about the meds, it is worse to keep trying with no success. He also said if he was blocked, I would know (he would be vomitting and not eating and just obvioulsy sick.) He is acting totally normal aside from the hanging out in the box thing.

Thanks for the response!! I am pretty freaked out!
Do you know if they catheterised him while he was in the vets? How long ago was the last time he peed? If he tries to pass urine again without success, I would ask the Vet to feel his bladder again, no questions about it. If it's still inflammed it's probably quite important that he gets his medication, as has been said earlier, the towel method is good for the wrigglers! Do you have someone that can help you medicate him?
 

purrpaws

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I have an easier time with pills than with liquids. If you think pills could be easier, you can ask your vet for some clavamox in pill form.
 

ldg

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Put a bowl of wet food down - or some treats - or whatever will get your kitty to stand still for a minute. Have the medicine (whether pill or liquid) already in your hand and ready to go. You have to learn to do this quickly - but kneal down behind your kitty so your knees are on the floor and you've made a "v" with your legs and your butt is on your heels. With the hand you are not holding the syringe, scruff kitty behind the neck while kitty is in the "V." Now kitty can't back up and can't run away.

If you're right-handed, while still holding kitty by the neck with your left hand, push the syringe into the back corner of kitty's mouth - that will force it open. Push the syringe toward the back of the mouth while pushing the plunger down, and do it as fast as you can. From the moment the syringe hits the back corner of the mouth, it should all be one quick motion. They whip their heads around, and if you don't do it quickly, they just whip the liquid out - that's why we always ask for a pill solution as opposed to a liquid solution.

To administer a pill, it's easy to do exactly this - with a pill plunger. They are soft-tipped so you don't have to worry about hitting the back of kitty's throat. The further back you get the syringe or pill, the more likely kitty is to swallow it. You have to aim for the back of the throat, past the hump of the tongue.

As your kitty is a male, you have to really watch this situation. Our kitty recently got blocked, and that can be life threatening. The problem is it can be REALLY hard to tell if they're trying to pee because they're irritated and they don't really have to pee, they just think they have to pee - or if they're actually blocked. If the vet said kitty was peeing fine and he didn't have to be catheterized, it is likely the irritation. Just keep paying attention to whether he's gone pee or not. If it's been 24 hours, call the vet - don't take chances.

We found the difference between Lazlo feeling like he had to pee and not having anything to pee and his being blocked was what he was doing. Straining in the litterbox for a while and then going back to normal behavior was irritation. Litterbox hopping every few minutes for 4 - 5 times and then going back to acting normal was irritation. Acting freaked out and running around the living room squatting every minute and straining to pee wherever he was not worrying about the box was when he was blocked.

The problem is the irritation combined with crystals can create what our vet calls "sludge" which can then block the cat.

I'm surprised your vet didn't prescribe Albeta. It is a pill that is a urine acidifier. It addresses the crystals or stones called "Struvite." This is what causes crystals 99% of the time. The other thing that causes crystals is calcium oxylate - there is nothing that can be taken to stop this, only a change in diet fixes the problem. Is the special food Hill's Science Diet X/D? That is the most commonly "prescribed" food for calcium oxylate crystals/stones. What causes them is principally green vegetables (the oxylate) - not so much the calcium.

Tuxedo had a problem that was like Interstitial cystitis. This looked like a UTI in behavior. It caused litter-box hopping with just a few drops or no pee coming out. However, it was because his bladder wall was irritated. He was not blocked and under no threat of being blocked. They could tell this with an ultrasound. We just had to get used to him straining in the litterbox. He was on prednisone for a few days to help reduce the inflammation (prednisone is a steroid) - but because of an autoimmune disease he's got, we (and the vet) didn't want to leave him on the steroid. So he's on a glucosamine product - Cosequin. It is often used for treating arthritis in older cats, but it also helps build up the mucous membranes. It provided relief for Tuxedo after about 2 weeks (although he'll probably be on it for quite some time).

It seems to me you should call your vet to discuss exactly what the problem was. Is it Struvite crystals? If so, should kitty also be on Albeta? Was it calcium oxylate crystals, and will kitty permanently have to be on the special diet? Is kitty in any danger of becoming blocked? Could steroid administration help provide relief from his discomfort?

Basically, you're trying to determine how freaked out to be about the litterbox issue. How worried DO you, in reality, need to be about kitty becoming blocked?



Laurie
 

batgirl2good

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I am going to the pet store tomorrow and get a pill plunger! The pill that Humble has to take every day for the rest of his life (benazepril) is a wee little thing, about the size of a small Nerd candy.

Thanks for the directions on how to give meds.
I live alone and have no help. My other cat sure can't help me.
 

purrpaws

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Originally Posted by batgirl2good

I am going to the pet store tomorrow and get a pill plunger! The pill that Humble has to take every day for the rest of his life (benazepril) is a wee little thing, about the size of a small Nerd candy.
What is benazepril? What does it do? I'm just curious because I've never heard of it.

You and Humble will get used to the daily pill routine very quickly. Have a treat ready when you give him the pill and give him the treat as soon as he swallows the pill. That's what I do with Polly. She doesn't really like taking her pill, but she tolerates it.
 
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deb riffel

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Hi Everyone!!
Thanks so much for all the replies and advice! I have an update on Murphy.
Our friend came over last night and gave him a dose of his meds! So that makes me feel better! He was doing alot of litterbox hopping last night and all this morning. After about an hour or so of following him in and out of the box with still no pee, I called the vet. They said to bring him in. Well, as soon as I hung up, he peed a bit, then, went to the box, peed a bit more. This continued for about 5-7 more pee trips in a matter if a 1/2 hour, everytime they got a bit quicker and a bit bigger. They didnt all make the litterbpx, but I dont care at this point! As long as he's going! I called the vet back , they said if he was going, that was good. I didnt take him back in. I am headed home to check on him in a bit. Does this sound like good news????
 

sar

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It does sound promising that Murphy is beginning to pee again! Might just have been the fright of the vet visit causing a little stage fright!


I'm sure as the meds start to kick in he'll begin to improve by the day!

You're doing a great thing by keeping a close eye on him though!


for more improvement!
 
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deb riffel

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I just got back from checking on him....more pee's!!! I am feeling better!! I let him out of the bathroom i had him locked in. He was excited to be out and get back to playing with his sister (the dog, Jaydah
He hasnt really pooped though, gosh, hope I dont have to start worrying about that! I am glad it is the weekend and I will be able to be home with him more to keep an eye on him. Hopefully our friend will come over again tonight and give MUrphy some more meds, or hopefully my husband will be able to do it.
I think things are looking up!!!!
 

ldg

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So glad Murphy's not blocked! I wouldn't worry too much about him being constipated - the antibiotics usually cause diarrhea (
) so I'm sure you've already seen by now that you don't have to worry.....
 
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