Bathroom Behavior

I really don't know what to do. I have all of you guys telling me to take him to the ER right now but the two vets that were inquired said to monitor him and it could wait til Monday. I live with my parents and my mom really doesn't think we should take him [and I have no money, it would be her paying for it], and I don't know how I'm supposed to get him there if she is unwilling to take me at this point. She said if those vets said that he would be okay unless he stops eating and drinking etc, or acting weird also, then we should wait. Why would doctors say that if it wasn't the right thing to do? I'm very confused.

Right now he finished eating and drinking and peed a bit and is laying down napping [he sleeps a lot normally].

I am so unsure of what to do. I don't want anything to happen to him but it is not feasible to take him unless we have to and the vets seem to think it's not necessary to take him now.

:[ :[

A question to the more knowledgable -- Wouldn't he be in obvious pain if he had a blockage? Based on what the OP is saying, it doesn't sound like he's miserable.

Cats are masters at hiding illness and pain. It is a survival instinct. By the time they actually show that something is wrong, often they've already been ill or in pain for quite a long time.

Squatting and passing small dots of urine means he is feeling discomfort and it makes him feel like he has to pee all the time. So he keeps trying.

The problem with males is they have a very narrow urethra. There doesn't have to be something like stones or crystals to cause a blockage, simply inflammation caused by irritation can cause a blockage.

This cat began showing symptoms a month ago and is now spotting blood.

I, personally, would drive an hour, or two hours, to get my male cat seen as soon as possible in these circumstances. I understand though, that this is not the OPs decision to make, rather the adults in the household.

Well I am an adult, just not one that is able to control every single thing in the house because of my circumstances.

He hasn't been showing symptoms a whole month ago. I meant within THIS MONTH which has been a little over 2 weeks he tried to pee on my bed. It was probably about a week ago when he originally did that but he had been peeing normally up until this point. Today is the first day he actually has been peeing smaller amounts. And like I said the rest of his behavior is normal. He's been eating and drinking and playing and napping, but his urination is more frequent and smaller amounts.

I also wanted to add that it is not massive blood and not every time he goes. Only a few times has there been a slightly reddish tint to it.

My mother also called her friend who was a vetrinary assistant for years and she also said that it sounded like a UTI and that as long as his urination and eating/drinking continues that he would be okay until Monday.

If tomorrow his trips to the bathroom are just as or more frequent, and he stops peeing or acts differently, my mother said she would pay to take him to the emergency vet hospital.

I really hope you do not think differently of me because of my circumstances and the fact that I haven't rushed him to the ER already.

3 vetrinary professionals have told me it wasn't necessary to take him there yet, and as much as I want to heed your warnings, and value and trust your support and advice, my mother feels that I/we should listen to the vets etc.

I hope our decision will be okay.

I will get no sleep tonight, this is for sure. :[

This is for A&As Mommy and Foofy Cat Lady. Foofy Cat Lady wrote:
"Based on what the OP is saying, it doesn't sound like he's miserable."

So, i'd like to address this if I may.

When you see a cat doing what A&As Mommy first described, the cat is in pain. Any human who ever had a severe UTI or worse, knows what this pain is like, and would do whatever it takes to get relief for the cat without delay.

What A&As Mommy first described can be caused by a severe UTI, crystals or stones, a partial or complete blockage, or a very severe allergic reaction to some food. There is no way to tell what's going on without an exam and a urinalysis and some additional tests.

A severe allergic reaction will pass in about 6 hours and the cat will feel much better as long as he doesn't get the same food again. When he does, there will be another severe reaction and hours and hours of severe pain.

If it's a UTI, as I said in my previous post, the cat will not get better on his own because there is no home treatment for a UTI. Also, one can't relieve the pain which in itself is a problem.

Crystals cause bleeding and pain because of the inflammation and irritation they cause. Again there is no home treatment. Stones cause the same symptoms because of inflammation, irritation, bleeding, and they can also cause a sudden, unexpected blockage when everything seems to be all right and one doesn't expect anything like that to happen.

One can see the exact same severe symptoms from a UTI, allergic reaction, crystals, or when a cat has a blockage. There is really no difference. A cat showing these symptoms requires immediate medical attention and medication to relieve pain and inflammation. In addition, an untreated blockage is fatal within 24 hours. When a cat repeatedly spends time in the litter box and passes small amounts of bloody urine, there is no time to try to figure out why. The cat needs to be seen without delay in case the symptoms are caused by a blockage. It is absolutely essential to rule out a blockage first. Then the vet can do the necessary diagnostic work and start treating whatever is wrong.

We all got concerned when A&As Mommy first mentioned what was going on. And with good reason.

And, A&As Mommy, please forgive me, but all this talk about eating and drinking is pure nonsense. That advice applies when a cat has an upper respiratory infection, but not when a cat has a urinary problem. Over the years I had to deal with all the problems I listed in my post, every single one of them. Two of my cats required lifelong special care. So take it from me, eating and drinking is not what one has to watch for when a cat is showing signs of a urinary problem.

Well it is after midnight now and there is no way that my mother is going to drive us there tonight :[

I can try to talk her into taking him first thing in the morning but I just talked to her about it again and she is so resistant. She keeps saying "why would 3 professionals tell us not to panic?". I cannot take him myself and even if I could find someone to take us there right now, I am not sure on the hospital's policies/hours etc and I have no money.

I will try to talk to her again about going in the morning.

Believe me, I understand. I completely understand.
The fact is this, however. You don't have to panic if your kitty is passing normal amounts of urine after the episode you first described. But he still needs medical attention. Diagnostic work and pain relief.

A word of caution. Do NOT accept medication without thorough diagnostic work because that's the easiest way to get the wrong treatment. Anti-inflammatory medication is all right because that will immediately help with the pain. But anything else will have to be based on test results.

I know that you're beside yourself with worry about Andy and you have totally done the right thing by calling the vet and asking their opinion. No one will think differently of you, you are doing your best

Has Andy "vocalized" whilst trying to pee? My Chaos practically screamed when he tried to go. At that point I scooped him up and ran out the door. He had been on anti-biotics for a week for a UTI that the vet had diagnosed him with when I took him in after Chaos started randomly squatting and not really eliminating anything when he did this. If Andy is still peeing small amounts than he is not blocked yet, but like Otto said, males have extrememly narrow urethras and the presence of crystals can rapidly cause a block. Keep an very close eye on him and at the slightest indication of change please get him to a vet ASAP.

Andy hasn't vocalized while peeing. Everytime he drinks anything he goes and pees some shortly after. His behavior is normal. I tried to feel his stomach, sides, lower stomach and he didn't make any indication of any pain. He licks his lower region everytime he goes though [though he, like many cats always cleans himself often]. He keeps playing and napping and rubbing on us for affection as usual, and he is still urinating each time he goes to the bathroom, its just a smaller amount.

I am going to stay up overnight to make sure that he is okay and my mom said in the morning to call the emergency vet hospital and ask their opinion [she is under the impression though that they will say come in no matter what just to get the money]. And if we need to, she will take us then.

I have seriously been crying all day/evening because of this.

He licks his lower region everytime he goes though

Click to expand...

The definite sign a cat has pain and a burning sensation.

and he is still urinating each time he goes to the bathroom, its just a smaller amount.

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Another definite sign there is a problem.

With the right treatment the licking will stop when he is well. And he will also pass normal amounts of urine.

After treatment all you have to do is watch for licking when he comes out of the litter box. When you see licking, you'll know he is having a problem.

I am going to call the emergency place in the morning and if they advise me to bring him we will go. But hopefully tonight he'll be okay. Should I try to stay up over night and watch him?

No. Get some sleep. Then watch him closely in the morning to see how much urine he is passing. Make decision based on that.

Thank you all so much for your help and support. If anything happened to my baby, I would be crushed and I am going to be worried til this is resolved. My mom seems like going in the morning after I call them will be okay, so I will update as soon as I know more.

Thank you all again so much and please keep my Andy in your thoughts and prayers.

Prayers for Andy and heartfelt wishes for a quick recovery.

Just checking in again to see how Andy and you are. I really do understand your situation, but am naturally very concerned about Andy after having gone through a UTI with our male cat back in December. The wait from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning seems very risky, so please keep monitoring his urination. Will you be able to get him to the regular vet first thing Monday morning? Our vets' rule with a suspected UTI is "call and let us know you're coming in", rather than scheduling an appointment.

Yes, Monday I will be able to get in. We live in a very small town and know the vet people pretty well [from always having gone there for our pets] and if I call and tell them whats going on they'll tell me to bring him up or if they have no doctor in [because some days their doctor is a half hour away at another town's vet office] they'll tell me to go there and they'll call and let em know I'm coming.

So far since last posted he's chased and ant on the kitchen floor, played with a ball, ate a little, drank some and peed each time he drank. He is sleeping right now.

I am a night owl so while I'm up I'll continue to monitor him, as will my mother when she gets up to use the bathroom etc. And first thing in the morning we will check him again and call and ask the emergency vet hospital their opinion. If they want use to bring him, we will.

Good. I hope you manage to get some sleep!

Just checking in on Andy. Hope your mother will consent to him getting treatment today.

I called this morning to the emergency vet hospital and talked to the lady there and she said that as long as he was passing urine there was no immediate need to rush him there as long as we kept an eye on him and took him to the vet first thing tomorrow morning. She said if he started acting any different or stopped peeing [at the first sign of it] to bring him immediately.

So although I still feel worried and nervous, this makes the 4th veterinary professional that has told me that he didn't need to be rushed to the e.r. I am watching him closely and my mom said that if he acts different or stops peeing we will take him right away.

This is a good article from Dr. Hines. I believe the information you'll find in it will be very helpful to you.

http://www.2ndchance.info/fus.htm

How is Andy doing? Peeing okay?