Urinary Tract Blockage

My cat has one. Yesterday, we noticed him standing strangely. When we went over to see if he was alright, he was increaingly irritable and angry with everyone, hissing and growling. Throughout the day, we noticed he would walk stiffly around the house and saw him stop to lick himself a lot. Later on, he started in with these awful moaning meows. It was obvious at this point that there was something wrong. We assumed he was constipated or something not too serious like that.

As the day progressed into the evening hours, he got worse, simply laying out on his side moaning loudly. I wasn't home at the time, but my sister told me he was pooping at odd places in the house ( not in his litterbox ), and I saw him vomiting a lot. I was worried, but on a Sunday, no veterinarian's offices are open.

After a worrying night, I went to school this morning and my sister took the cat to the vet. I got out of college at about ten fifty in the morning and found out that my cat had a serious UTI and that there were crystals forming that blocked his urinary tract.

I understand that this is a common problem in neutered male cats. Why? What causes it?

My stepdad surprisingly agreed to let the doctors continue with treating the cat, even though the treatment will cost four hundred dollars ( he isn't too fond of the cat and he said we'd, meaning my sister and I, would have to pay him back), and they told him that he would be in the hospital for a week. I'm worried about him, even though I'm more of a dog person...but I do love him, even if he is evil.

They said that this might be a problem that crops up again in the future, even if they cure him this time. Is there anything my family and I can do to ensure that he doesn't have another blockage. If there's another, I don't know for sure if my mother and step father would agree to let them continue with the surgery. ( Keep in mind, if it's a diet change he needs [ my mother buys him whatever the cheapest cat food is] that my dog eats the same food he does. )

If anyone is wondering. The cat in this thread is the same cat I'm talking about now.

A Blockage can kill a Male Cat. I lost Frisky and Bogart to them when I was a Kid. They were are first Cats and my Parents didnt relize they were that sick. My Coco has Bladder Problems but she is Girl and can pass them. Her Son Midnight has had them twice. It can come back anytime. Coco is on C/D and so is Midnight. Its been 2 years since he was Sick. I hope your Cat will be ok. If you had not gone to the Vet he would have died. Make sure he has alot of Water and Can Food with the Dry.

I was going to suggest C/D as well....
My cat had stones.....that would for lack of a better term impact so much that he could not even be catheterized....This was in the '80's mind you. This is a EMERGENCY situation...I cannot stress that enough that has a nasty chance of recurring without a diet change and sometimes even with it but you have options! My cat had two options due to how bad he was: a perineal urethrostomy (called a P.U. at that time and quite new) or be euthanized. My mother was single, that cat was my child and we did the P.U. Since it was a new surgery the first time he was re-routed the hole was too small so we had to do it again and he was si depressed. It was so hard on him but ya wanna know what got him through it? I visited him daily after school to keep his spirits up and not just an hour either but from the time I could get there until they closed. It was expensive then but it was the BEST money I ever spent because that one investment let me have him in my life for 21 years and now he is in heaven. But if I had it to do all over again I'd do it......Get him C/D or if anything something with a low ash content in it and do some research on the web about cystitis in cats. Good luck.

What is C/D?

I need to know what to do to keep this from happening again once he gets out of the hospital. I know that if it does happen again, there's a huge chance my step father and mother will have him killed instead.

Charlie had a UTI - got him in the vet next morning after watching him go to the box without success. He's on Royal Canin for Urinary and is doing fine. I am careful of what canned foods I get. Very little fish. Mainly chicken, turkey, lamb, and venison.

C/D is a diet made by Hills....that generally, to the best of my knowledge you can only get from a vet....It is a cystitis diet that is supposed to reduce the chance of stones forming again but since this has become a problem that a lot of cats suffer from IAMS and other companies make food with cystitis in mind. I'd talk to my vet and explain your situation to him/her, especially if your dad doesn't want to pay for preventive food due to the cost and since C/D is rather expensive and cost is an problem I bet he could recommend a low ash content food that you can buy at the grocery store instead. Good luck!

I've been reading online, and I was wodnering is an all wet diet is the way to go from now on. I've read that a dry diet ( which is what he was on ) is bad because cats don't drink much water and their urine concentrates too much because of the lack of water and begins to form these crystals.

I don't think my stepdad will go for the prescription food, mainly because my dog won't be able to eat it and because of the price, but if I can switch the cat over to an all wet diet, and prevent the crystals from forming, I'll be happy.

Originally Posted by Wolfsong442

I've been reading online, and I was wodnering is an all wet diet is the way to go from now on. I've read that a dry diet ( which is what he was on ) is bad because cats don't drink much water and their urine concentrates too much because of the lack of water and begins to form these crystals.

I don't think my stepdad will go for the prescription food, mainly because my dog won't be able to eat it and because of the price, but if I can switch the cat over to an all wet diet, and prevent the crystals from forming, I'll be happy.

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A wet diet is certainly a good way to go IMO. I'd also recommend the water fountain - our kitties drink a lot more since I got the fountain.

The C/D can only be bought from the Vet and it isnt cheap. I am having trouble with Coco right now because they change the Can C/D and she refuses to eat it. She eatsb the Dry with no problem but I want her to eat more Canned because she is Constipated alot. We tried to take Coco off C/D but the problem came back every time we did that. I hope your Cat will not get sick again.

My only comment would be that you would indeed have to feed them separately because a dog can woof down a can of cat food in the time it takes a cat to situated to eat it.

My cat Fang had struvite crystals, is that what your cat has? Years ago I had a cat that had developed so much scar tissue in his ureatha penis, it had to be removed and another opening created for urine.
I use Carpon, and feed wet and dry food. The food is trader joes turkey giblets. IT appears to be good quality. below is a link for the carpon. We have been using it for over a year, and Fang is just right now. Occasionaly I test his PH with phion strips.
This can be managed if it is struvite crystals.
http://www.belfield.com/carpon.php

The ONLY answer for your cat is prescription food. Hills makes some good ones, and you must buy it from a vet. I have two male cats who both have had crystals. One has never been totally blocked, but the other one has. That is a life/death situation for a male cat. The C/D is the best. Both my cats eat R/D because one of them wouldn't eat the C/D. Also, this is weird, but my daughter who worked for a while in a vets office told me to give them filtered water. Three years ago we purchased a Pur water filter for the kitchen sink and only give them the water than runs through that. Since then, neither cat has had a recurrence of the urinary problems.

Originally Posted by Bugaboo1

The ONLY answer for your cat is prescription food. Hills makes some good ones, and you must buy it from a vet. I have two male cats who both have had crystals. One has never been totally blocked, but the other one has. That is a life/death situation for a male cat. The C/D is the best. Both my cats eat R/D because one of them wouldn't eat the C/D. Also, this is weird, but my daughter who worked for a while in a vets office told me to give them filtered water. Three years ago we purchased a Pur water filter for the kitchen sink and only give them the water than runs through that. Since then, neither cat has had a recurrence of the urinary problems.

Click to expand...

That is NOT the ONLY answer. Struvite crystals are dissolved or do not occur in an acidic PH which is the normal for a cat. 6.0-6.5. For whatever the reason, Fang, and I am guessing some other cats, have a higher PH. When Fang is not taking the Carpon, his PH is around 8. The prescription foods are designed to make the cats system more acidic. I prefer to give an acidifier, which is all natural and will not have side effects. Some people have had luck with cranberry powder. Unfortunately, Fang will not eat it on his food, and I cannot get enough into capsules to make an adequate dosage. Acidification of the system is how it is managed, how it is acidified depends on how you want to do it. I have three cats and do not want the hassle of trying to feed different foods, and it is important that the cats that do not need to be acidified do not get it, because that will cause a different kind of stone.
It is easier for me to treat Fang with one pill a day, fortunately he is very cooperative with pilling. Besides the RX food is very expensive, and not to palatable to the cats.