Hobbes has cystitis..help??

maherwoman

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
1,070
Purraise
1
Location
Edmonton, Canada
Hey guys...

So, Hobbes' antibiotics are gone, and he's having problems all over again...roaming around to find somewhere to pee, peeing on various soft places (clothing, blankets, etc.), walking around crying...etc.

The emergency vet we took him to diagnosed him as having cystitis...which of course could mean any number of things.

I've been told by a few sources that diet can affect his issue...and was wondering if ya'll could give me some advice on what you think we should do.

Right now, they get fed once a day (1.5c total...each cat is about 20lbs) Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul Adult Formula dry food. I've been told that working to switch them to wet food will be beneficial to Hobbes' cystitis...but they've HATED wet food all their lives (the only wet food I've ever gotten them to eat was the Iams kitten wet food when they were babies). In fact, they'd rather starve than eat it...so I think I've got quite the uphill battle on my hands in trying to switch them.

So, could ya'll give me dietary advice for him? Any particular ingredients we should watch out for? Any particular brands, or types that would help most?

Also, tips for switching strong-willed kitties would be wonderful!

Thank you so much, guys...I so want my boy to be healthy...and have a strong feeling that just giving him stronger antibiotics just won't help him through this, given that in doing the urinalysis, they didn't get any bacteria growth...so it's not a bacterially based thing.

Hugs!

Rosie*

Edited to add: We've already given the kitties a Drinkwell fountain, which is working out well. We're already having to refill it like mad!
 

mews2much

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
13,424
Purraise
27
Location
Central Valley,California
My Cats are on C/D but do not like. I hope your Cat gets better. Coco goes to the Vet again tomorrow for her infection which is very hard to get rid of. I hope something helps your cat.
 

glitch

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
3,773
Purraise
3
Location
In the land of Fur
Try PMing Sharky! Thats who knows the most I think on the food thing! Sorry I can't be of much help but wanted to wish you good luck!!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

maherwoman

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
1,070
Purraise
1
Location
Edmonton, Canada
Thank you! I've PM'd her, asking for advice.


Hugs to you both!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

maherwoman

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
1,070
Purraise
1
Location
Edmonton, Canada
Ok...back from the vet (have been for a bit now, had to eat, let Hobbes settle, etc.)...

The vet said he looks really good. His symptoms have been drastically improving over the last few days, which is wonderful (and I let her know that). And, from that, she said he's in the clear, and is doing good.

She said that she could recommend a dietary change, but given the amount of stress in the house at the time he started having problems (trying to move, and having everything fall through at the last minute), she said that she really thinks it was just a reaction to the stress. He's very strongly bonded with we humans, and saw us freaking out in general, and I think it affected him rather strongly.

I told her that we bought them a Drinkwell fountain and that seemed to also help...and she honestly thought that was enough. She said we could consider changing his food to Innova's EVO dry food, if we wanted to add more protein, but that in his case, it wasn't VITAL. She understood about them never wanting wet food of any kind (they won't even eat giblets or bacon, guys, hehe), and said that since he's improving on his own, it's not necessary to have to switch them.

So, there ya go! He was SO calm on the way home...and this is the cat that YOWLS the whole way!! I think he was just happy that he didn't have to stay there at all, much less overnight. And I think he was more content because I was calmer in general.

It's nice to know that my baby is okay...*sigh*
 

gailuvscats

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
2,283
Purraise
34
Location
philadelphia
My cat has struvite crystals presumable due to not enough of an acidic system. I give him Dr. Belfield's CArpon to acidify him. This is easier for me than trying food because I have two other cats to feed, and they don't need acidified. Too much acid causes another Stone problem. This way everyone can eat the same food.
 

ldg

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
41,310
Purraise
842
Location
Fighting for ferals in NW NJ!
I hope it was just the stress, and that he's doing better now.


HOWEVER.... just in case.... you can consider purchasing some Feliway spray to help keep kitties de-stressed. It mimics the "friendly" scent markers in cats' cheeks.


Also, if he still has problems and it is cystitis, our vet had our boy on Cosequin. It's what they give cats with arthritis as a natural remedy. But in addition to building up cartiledge, it also helps build up the mucosal lining of the bladder wall, reducing the problem of cystitis. Just a thought.

Laurie
 

jenniferd

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
589
Purraise
12
My cat is on Waltham Urinary So cat food.
I am surprised your vet didn't offer you any kind of prescription cat food.
 

marysmith

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 28, 2007
Messages
144
Purraise
1
Location
Minnesota
Cats should never just be fed a dry food - it is very bad for the kidneys and can cause cats to develop struvite crystals among other ailments of the kidneys and liver.

Try transitioning your cat to a low phosphorus wet food as soon as possible.
 

ldg

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
41,310
Purraise
842
Location
Fighting for ferals in NW NJ!
Originally Posted by MarySmith

Cats should never just be fed a dry food - it is very bad for the kidneys and can cause cats to develop struvite crystals among other ailments of the kidneys and liver.

Try transitioning your cat to a low phosphorus wet food as soon as possible.
Her cats don't like and won't eat wet food. Our cats aren't huge fans either - but they will eat it. Some cats just weren't introduced to it and thus as adults don't like it. But with proper hydration, there's nothing wrong with a dry food diet.

However - Maherwoman - you might want to ask your vet about baby food as a treat. Your cats just may go for that. We split one jar between six cats every other day - and we mix a little warm water into it. Helps keep them hydrated (although the fountains are great, aren't they?).


Laurie
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

maherwoman

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
1,070
Purraise
1
Location
Edmonton, Canada
Originally Posted by LDG

Her cats don't like and won't eat wet food. Our cats aren't huge fans either - but they will eat it. Some cats just weren't introduced to it and thus as adults don't like it. But with proper hydration, there's nothing wrong with a dry food diet.

However - Maherwoman - you might want to ask your vet about baby food as a treat. Your cats just may go for that. We split one jar between six cats every other day - and we mix a little warm water into it. Helps keep them hydrated (although the fountains are great, aren't they?).


Laurie
That's exactly right. With my cats, it's not that they PREFER dry food...it's that they will starve rather than eat wet food. We've tried MANY times to switch them...always gradually. They'll even ignore wet mixed with dry. They just flat refuse to eat it.

Not only that, but we've been trying since they were very young. They came to us at about a month old, as their prev. owner (well, their mama's owner) had weaned them and was feeding them dry food at a month old...so we took them home and started them immediately on Iams wet kitten food. It's the only wet food I've ever seen them eat. These are cats that will refuse even tuna and giblets...so it's fairly extensive. We offered Hobbes oyster juice the other night...he refused that, too.

And we feed them a REALLY low-carb food, too, (Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul adult formula) so not like they're addicted to the carbs. They just would rather the dry food's texture, or something along those lines, I'm guessing.

My cats are quite odd in this manner...in that it's not a preference, or them being addicted to the carbs, or anything of the sort.

The vet did say she COULD offer us a prescription food, but that if he's feeling better, and no longer has a problem, it's not necessary. I'll be calling around to feed places tomorrow to look for the Innova food the vet suggested, though.

One thing I should say, too...they've been drinking about twice as much since the fountain's introduction. So, they're getting LOADS of hydration, which is what I think is keeping Hobbes' cystitis in check.

Thanks for the info, guys!
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
Chicken soup is not low carb ... just an FYI ...
30 protein
20 fat
10 moisture
--- fiber
-- ash

yeild s likely 25-30% carbs which is typical of premium dry food

EVO is like 7% carb.... all the no grains seem to be under 20
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

maherwoman

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
1,070
Purraise
1
Location
Edmonton, Canada
Okay...then I'll start finding the EVO and gradually switch them.

Thanks for letting me know!
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
Charlie had UTI so he's mainly fed Royal Canin - Urinary which you only can get at the vets - they may have it listed under "Wathum's"
 
Top