Using litter tray 30 times a day

Hello.
Apologies if this is in the wrong section. Can it be moved if need be.

We have the most placid cat ever, will let anyone pick him up, sits up like a human and knows exactly what face to pull to get what he wants.

But for the last two days he has been using the litter tray more than 30 times a day. We know this for sure because with him being a long haired cat he sometimes gets 'stuff' stuck to his fur when he comes downstairs.
He smells terrible when he comes down too, much worse than normal.

Is this normal, he has never used the litter tray this much before.

Should we take him to the vet or will they just take our money and do nothing like every other time we've been

Thanks a lot.

Hi and welcome to TCS. Before any of us can give you advice it would be beneficial to have more details about your kitty and home. Such as age, neutered, how long you've had him, and any other significant details. My first recommendation would be to talk to your veterinarian. If they have tested him previously for similar symptoms and seem to be misleading, I would contact another......

Call the vet.
If he is trying to pee he can get blocked.
He might have crystals in his bladder or a uti.

Originally Posted by laureen227

i agree - i'd have mine to the vet ASAP w/the behavior you've described.

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Definitely.

Frequent urination can be a symptom of crystals in the urine. The crystals make urination painful and so the cat will only allow small amounts to pass each time. Since they only pee small amounts each time they must go more often to relieve bladder pressure. The crystals can be large enough completely block the urethra. A blocked urethra can be dangerous, even deadly to a cat.

Get him to a vet ASAP.

And don't be surprised if he starts peeing outside the litter tray. This is common with crystals.

Other things can cause frequent urination. They all require attention from a vet.

Hello again,

He is approximately 2 years old maybe a little older and has been neutered since about 6 months. He has been an in door cat since we got him. We bought him from the owner as a tiny kitten and were told he was 8 weeks old.
when we took him to the vet at the time we were told he was only about 4 weeks, However this hasnt seemed to be a problem as he took to us and the new environment pretty quickly.

About a year ago we actually took him to the vet because of very strong urine smells and we were new to having a cat. They told us then that he may have crystals in the urine and we were told to put him on a diet. (SD cat food)

Since then he has been on the diet and has seemed to be fine until now.

Occasionally we have given him a little bit of tuna or wet cat food as he seems to turn his nose up at dry food all the time. We didnt think this would be too much of a problem.

I am grateful for all the replies as even though we have had him for a while we still are pretty new to having pets and knowing what to do.

Thanks again

Thank you for letting me know that as no vet that we have visited has ever given us that information.

I am really scared now incase i have caused something bad to happen to him. I could never live with myself

30 times a day isn't normal, so he needs to see a vet asap.

Let us know what they say

I agree. That cat should go to the vet. Some of those signs point to a UTI, which should warrant a trip to the vet on its own. Our girl had UTIs before, and the frequent trips to the litter box were always a symptom. However, our cat never smelled any worse than normal. That could be something else.

We are going to take him tomorrow and I am just hoping its something that can be sorted out. I would hate myself if i have caused him to suffer is any way!

To be honest with you when i went to the vet before with him they didnt say much. Just that he had crystals and to get him to eat SD dry cat food. I even asked then whether it was safe to give him other food on occasion and he said that was my own preference. so i honestly thought it must not be a big problem as long as i give him the prescription food.

It is the fishy foods that he tends to go for the most he sticks his nose up at anything else but it is always the better brands that i would feed him like felix etc. not that i think that would make a difference.

im so glad i have discovered this forum as i have had better advice off here than i have ever had from the vet!

I have filled his litter tray tonight with cut up plastic bags and am going to get a sample to take with me tomorrow so it can be tested straight away.
I will keep you posted!

Thanks again

One of my little boys Patch gets struvite crystals. He will only eat the royal canine (for cats) dry food and not much of that, he will not eat any of the prescription foods, so your lucky your little one eats the prescription foods. I give Patch wet Fancy Feast but I add some water to it because unfortunately, he's not a big water drinker either. Good luck at the Vets. Prayers and Please keep us updated.

Originally Posted by mews2much

Call the vet.
If he is trying to pee he can get blocked.
He might have crystals in his bladder or a uti.

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Yep, that is what I was thinking also.

good luck.

I recently read a book that was recommended here "Your cat: simple new secrets to a longer stronger life" by elizabeth hodgkins DVM

It has some awesome info about prescription foods and cat ailments--new ways to treat them--I highly recommend it.

Leslie

Hello

Our Sox has been to the vet this morning and they have confirmed that he has a bladder infection and also the the crystals are getting a bit worse.

I asked the vet whether he would be allowed to have anything else other than the SD diet food and she didnt know how to answer that! So at least i know it was not just me neglecting him in any way as the vet didnt even know herself.

Anyway he has been given antibiotics for the infection and i am going to see how he goes from there.

Thankyou for all your support!!

Crystals can be misdiagnosed pretty easily and even if they exist, what you are feeding is not good foood for a cat. Your cat would be much better off with a quality wet diet with no grains.
As far as the going 30 times a day, has your cat been drinking alot? The food you are feeding is very high in carbohydrates (not good fo a carnivore) and my first thought with excessive urination leans to diabetes
You do need a vet check but realize that when it comes to nutrition, you really need to do your own research as most vets are not nutritionists and get their education on nutrition from the food companies themselves

I'm so pleased Sox had a visit to the vet and he has meds for it. Lots of healthy that it clears up soon.

Have you got a water fountain, because that encourages them to drink more. My three love theirs

Thats one thing i can say is that he barely drinks much at all. i change his water very regularly and have tried it icy cold to just cold to luke warm and he just does not seem to drink much at all.

the only thing is if the vet has said for him to be on the SD prescription diet would it be safe for me to change what he has? ive tried him on the SD wet food and he just does not like it but seems to eat the dry food fine.

Sorry i am pretty unexperienced in having a pet as is much of my family so i dont really have anywhere to go to for advice without ending up with no money.
Thankyou for all of you help and concern i really am taking in all in!

I will certainly consider getting a little water fountain if that helps. Thankyou

Originally Posted by SoxPD

Sorry i am pretty unexperienced in having a pet.

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Don't worry, weve all been there, and even the most exerienced cat owner is still learning