Innapropiate urination problem sloved! =D

rain drop

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So I posted a thread sometime last week about my cat, Smokey, peeing outside the box. I thought it was just behavioral, but thank goodness you guys convinced me to go to the vet! ( Especially you strange_wings <3 )

Turns out he DID have a UTI.
Thankfully didn't have any crystals or anything like that but instead just this one certain bacteria (forget the name...).

The bacteria came from his mouth. See, apparently he has swollen lymph nodes and so his gums in the back of his mouth are red and puffy looking (infection D: ). So from that to licking himself down there gave in the UTI!

Yay, it's solved!

So today, at the vet he an exam, urine was extracted, two shots, an antibiotic to give him everyday till done, and a special (and very expensive T.T) cat food called "MEDI-CAL Urinary SO for Felines". The bill was quite hefty but it had to be done. At least they were nice enough to give me a 10% discount on the food since they know I'm on my own and have two other cats; they don't have meal time so they all have to eat it.

Speaking of which, I hope this food it alright.....before this I started them on a new diet with HealthWise and before that a crummy Purina brand that was super rich in grains. I'll use this new bag up, but I don't want to continue buying the special vet pet food.....it just kills my wallet, but at the same time, I'm afraid that bad food might have contributed to the infections or will in the future.

anyways, I'm just babbling on now, I'm just glad this got sorted out!<3
Now, lets just pray that the medicine and food works and his check-up in 10 days goes well!
 

strange_wings

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Poor boy, I'm sure those swollen lymph nodes didn't feel too well, either. Try something - gently feel for them. The problems ones in your kitty are just bellow the back edges of his jaw. If you ever feel them getting larger or harder in a cat, get the cat to the vet. This can happen with URIs, too. (same for yourself, if your lymph nodes swell or start having pain in them see a doc)

I'm glad he's getting treatment and hope all goes well. Did the vet have any suggestions how the cat picked up the infection in the first place? Is it dental related or anything?


One thing a lot of people do to help kidney health and prevent UTI's is to also feed wet food - though not any fishy types. You can read up on this in past threads and in the nutrition section. You can also get your kitties a water fountain to encourage them to drink more.
 
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rain drop

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Thanks so much!

Wow, I didn't know that swollen lymph nodes were also an indicator of URI.

Except for the puffy red gums from the swelling he mouth is in good condition. But the vet did said that it could have been the bad Purina food (since the UTI started before I started giving them Healthwise) since he told me that cheaper brand food (despite what labels say) ingredients are inconsistent by each bag and not even that great for your pet to start with......

But the vet also mentioned something about the breed of Smokey. Because he's himalayan his face is quite flat and so the swollen lymph nodes gave him the infected gums because everything is all squished together.....or maybe it was the opposite and the gums gave him the swelling?
I'm not sure, I sort of misunderstood him when he explained this and how it was connected. I plan on giving him a call later though just to understand this part.

And I do want to look into wet food, thanks! I'm a little afraid though because my cats are extremely sensitive and don't do well with change (big or small) and variety...but we will see!

The water fountain is something that defiantly interests me!
I'll have to wait once I have lots of extra money to spare though
 

strange_wings

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Swollen lymph nodes are just one sign that an animal or humans immune system is trying to fight off some form of infection.

It might be a good idea to bug your vet for an answer to where that infection came from to begin with. Could your kitty's immune system has some problems making it harder to fight off infections? or so on. Then again, your vet may not be able to answer that question - sometimes things just happen.
I had one start to get what could have been a bad bacterial overgrowth, with no real answer why.

I'm going to have to disagree about what you're vet said about the food. Even cheap foods have requirements that they have to meet. The same testing for consistency is done on cheapo Purina as is done on their more expensive brands.
That's not saying that the ingredients, amount and order, or formulas they're going by are great, though. There's only a small amount of variance allowed, and you'll see this reflected on all pet food bags - where it says "maximum" and "minimum". No food made during separate runs (batches) is going to be 100% exactly the same, they make this stuff by the tons.


I can't remember who it was that posted it, but apparently amazon is having a sale on a water fountain.
In the meantime you could try adding an extra water bowl or two, and if you decide to feed wet food you can add a little extra water to it. I've always done this with mine and haven't had a cat with a UTI in a long time (probably a lot more to do with luck, lol).


Again, good luck with your boy.
 

pintameez

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Just wanted to add a note about water consumption... cats are notorious for NOT taking enough water and becoming dehydrated quickly.
I have found that I can encourage my cats to drink more often by keeping a ceramic dish in almost every room of the house, and re-filling them all daily with fresh water. When the cats wander into a room and find a fresh dish of water right under their nose, they tend to drink, even if it's just a quick sip.

Even my skittish girl, Cruz, who hates being "crowded" at feeding time, can find a dish of water to drink in private and peace, in any room.
The bowl in the bathroom is drained a couple times a day during hot weather, even if they don't touch the "original water bowls" in the kitchen, they LOVE the bathroom drinking station best for some reason. Doesn't matter to me WHICH bowl they prefer to drink from, as long as they are drinking regularly.

Remember to wash your pet food dishes regularly, to avoid acne/bacteria/etc.
 
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rain drop

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@strange_wings

Yeah, I called him yesterday, but I'm still waiting for a call back.
It could be his immune system, but like you said, we'll never know for sure..

Yeah, you're right...I'm a little new to reading the labels on pet food too >>;

I'm totally checking out the water fountain now, thanks!<3

And thank-you for everything, you're very helpful<3333


@PintaMeez

That's a really good idea!
I'm going out today so I think I'll pick a couple of extra bowls up =3

thank-you<3
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Rain Drop

I'm going out today so I think I'll pick a couple of extra bowls up =3
Go look at dishes, instead of getting "special" pet dishes. Glass and ceramic mixing bowls come in nice large sizes, many colors and designs (match them to room decor if you wish), and are usually a little cheaper.
A cheap alternative is to pick up mixing bowls from garage sales and thrift stores, as long as you're sure any glazed dishes were intended for human food uses and not too old.

I hope you hear something from the vet Monday.
 
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rain drop

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lol, I already bought one of those "pet dishes" x3
It's really nice and deep though, so I though it wasn't so bad for $10 CD

But I'll look at the dishes we sell at my workplace.
My employee's discount will make it easier too =P

And I hope so too!
I'll probably just call again though.
 
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rain drop

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So today I brought Smokey back to the vet for his check-up. All is well and I couldn't be more happy<3

I also asked how the swollen lymph nodes, red inflamed gums, and UTI were connected and the said they weren't. The lymph nodes were swollen from just fighting off whatever bacteria invaded him. Right, that's a symptom, not the problem so that's fine. But we don't know how his gums got sore or how exactly he got his UTI. He just said it could have be from the bacteria in his mouth that was causing the inflamed red gums when he would groom himself down there, or maybe they were completely separate things and he got the UTI from something else.....I guess I'll never know for sure....Everything is better for him now at least.

Anyways, I'm keeping them all on the special urinary vet diet for awhile longer and then I'll either switch back to my old food (Healthwise) or stick with the same vet brand but a different food type ("Preventive" it's called. The stuff I have is "Urinary SO"). I'll figure out which brand I want later though.
 
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