Crystals?

This am Beeba is still his playful self and hungry. Good appitite. But he has gone up to use the litter box about 3 times and no urine. He just digs and sits. I have dealt with crystals before a couple of times and I know this is classic symptoms. He is also very verbal. Does not look or act ill except for what I said. I plan on taking him in although I have to go get a sedative first. Only 1/2 pill in bottle.

My question, where do you feel exactly in the stomach to tell if the bladdar is full? When I take him in, the vet palpitates his abdomen and can tell straight away. Just thought I'd do a preliminary feel to see if I can tell. He is definitely going in though.

Thanks.

It's lower on the abdomen, sort of between the legs - vague description, huh?

It might be harder for you to tell, though, unless you're use to feeling around on a cat. You may want to ask your vet later if they can show you, too, and to show you how much pressure you use to feel around. I don't know how prone cat bladders, specifically full ones, are to any bruising.


Hopefully you caught this in time so that it won't be as difficult for Beeba to recover from.

A male cat who can't urinate is an emergency situation. A blocked male will die within 24 hours without treatment.

It may be that the irritation is making him feel like he has to pee even when his bladder is empty. But please, don't wait a second longer, get him to the vet now.

He has 1 and 1/2 sedatives in him. Just waiting for him to gobble last greenie. I had a cat, Farley V who went through this twice. I have already been at the vets, got the seds and they are awaiting his arrival. I just need an hour or so to get them to work. I am alone here today so, I have to make the first attempt count to get him in carrier. He is a loving cat but as I am sure you all can relate, does not do change well! Especially being put in carrier.

Gotta go back and see if he ate last greenie. Wish me luck.

Good luck to you both! Hope the vet visit goes well.

Maybe it's just a UTI. Thufir has been completely blocked up with crystals once, so when I saw him climb into the litter box and not express any urine, I promptly rushed hm to the vet. It turned out to just be a UTI and he was in the litter box trying to pee with an empty bladder because it was irritated. I actually jumped for joy when the vet told me it was "just" a UTI. Two weeks of antibiotics cleared it right up.

Thanks for all the well wishes. Hey Grogs, you are spot on! He felt the bladdar and it was empty. Phew!! Then he checked under his tail and could see there was inflamation and redness from that area.

Came home with Baytril and a urine collection kit and urine acidifyer. Have to get him to give me a sample before I start on the acidifyer. He is eying with suspicion the strips of plastic I put in his box. He did dribble and it was red tinged urine.

I have him in his room till he gets over the seditive and controls his bladdar a bit better. Poor boy, I don't want him to fall down the stairs!

Thanks again everyone!

A male cat can block from a UTI just as easily as with crystals or stones if it is not seen to immediately. Irritation can cause swelling of the male's (very narrow) urethra. I'm glad it was not too serious, but I would never think of it as "just" a UTI, because it gives a 'false sense of security'.

Good job getting him in quickly!

Baytril is good medicine. Tastes terrible though. If it's tablets see if you can get some small empty gel caps and give the doses in one of those. Capsules go right down, with no taste, and do not affect the benefits of the baytril. (It does affect some medicines though, so always ask your vet or pharmacist before using this tip!)

Let us know how Beeba is doing.

Thanks. When there is any question on crystals, I don't dilly daddle! Tonight he is up in his room with a litter box and aquarium gravel (dust free) so I can get a sample to take in tomorrow. I used uncooked rice but there was a fine dust from it and wouldn't you know the urine got soaked up by that.

Originally Posted by otto

A male cat can block from a UTI just as easily as with crystals or stones if it is not seen to immediately. Irritation can cause swelling of the male's (very narrow) urethra. I'm glad it was not too serious, but I would never think of it as "just" a UTI, because it gives a 'false sense of security'.

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I understand a UTI is no laughing matter and my comment was actually meant as a slightly ironic statement. After having Thufir nearly die when the crystals blocked him up, it was a relief when the vet told me it was 'just a UTI'. Instead of a week in the ICU with a catheter and IV's in him, I was able to bring him home immediately and treat it with antibiotics. Cost was ~$200 instead of $2000. But certainly, I advocate taking your cat to the vet immediately if he is having problems in the litter box.

As for Beeba, I'm glad to hear it wasn't anything immediately life threatening. Hopefully his results will be as good as Thufir's were and after a couple of weeks of treatment he'll be all cleared up.

If you're having problems getting him to take pills, ask the vet if you can have the medicine compounded. Some medicines can't be prepared that way, but if they can, it's much, much easier than trying to force a pill down the throat of an uncooperative feline. I have to give Tre high blood pressure medicine every night and if I had to wrestle him every time, I'm not sure I could do it. Instead, I just have to rub some cream in his ear. He's not a fan, but other than shaking his head a bit it's not too bad.

Dante had to take Baytril in September - I was able to fit the pills into Pill Pockets and thank goodness, he gobbled them right up. Good luck and hope all goes well.

I know what you mean, I was relieved to know it was a UTI although I recognize the potential for just as severe probs. I thought I was going to have to leave him and go through the whole deal I did with Farley V years ago.

I was just thinking of compounding. I did it once with another of my cats. But then I thought, Oh what the heck lets just try to pill him. So about 2 hrs ago, I went up to his room, laid on the floor with him and started "playing" with his mouth. I looked at his teeth and told him what beautiful teeth he had bla bla bla. Then took out Baytril, he was on my lap on the floor. Popped it in his mouth, stroaked his throat and success! Just have a urine acidifyer left for today.

I got a nice urine sample at 3 am in the aquarium gravel. Will run it down this am.

Nice job on the pilling. Hope it continues!

I did use pill pockets for the seditive, but now he is wise and turns up his nose! He is such a bugger! But our routine seems to be going very well. I gave him his acidifyer like nothing. I can't believe it. He usually hates anything different. If I wear a different hair style, he freaks!

I heard something go bump in the night. It came from Beebs room. Flew out of bed, still half asleep, worried. I flung open the door and found him playing with his feather toy, flinging it about the room!

He is still going to the box quite a bit, doing more sometimes than others. But I can tell from his demeanor and the fact he is eating that things are getting much better. He is watching the birds again.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I used everything in some form or another. Love you all! Shannon and Beeba