I'm at my wits end. Please help

As for me, I look forward to my 3 am wake up call.

I get my coffee, my cat and slowly watch the world start to wake up.

I think your phrase "get rid of" rubbed many of us the wrong way. You should read some the posts here. All the heartache over sick cats or missing cats or beloved cats that have left this world.

There is not one of us who would not trade sleepless nights just to have our animals well and home with us safe and sound.

Please realize we do not know you, so we must judge on the content and tone of your post. Honestly, I don't know how much anyone can love a cat when they repeatedly use the words "get rid of".

I'm actually surprised that no one has mentioned this yet.

Another very real possibility with the red tinted urine is a urinary tract infection, which would also explain his NEED to be let out (and SCREAMING to get there) to urinate since there is no outlet for him to do so inside the house.

When cats have a UTI they have to go more often because it is difficult for them to urinate due to an inflamed urethra. The red tint to the urine could be evidence of a UTI. If this is the case, he need to be taken to a vet pronto because if it becomes a total blockage due either to crystals forming in the bladder or the inflammation of the urethra he could die within 24 hours. I'm not saying that to be dramatic or whatever - that happens.

While I have no idea about the clinic fees, the solution could be as "easy" as an antibiotic. Probably easy financially, perhaps not to easy to get a pill into him.

If it isn't a UTI, then the solution could be putting a litterbox somewhere in the house. Doesn't have to be your bedroom. Installing a cat door into the door. They make these really cool ones that have magnetic sensors attached to the cat's collar (or both since you have two cats) or even more high tech ones with sensors that are programmed into the cat door and collars so ONLY your cats can get in and out.

The bottom line is that you need to rule out any medical reason behind the excessive meowing. It doesn't always have to mean there's something wrong, like my cat was just a majoer meower, cause he felt like meowing all the time. But there are also cats who meow like that when they are in pain.

If I were you, instead of being so worried about not getting sleep over the meowing, I'd be losing sleep not knowing if he was in pain! It seems like you're really unconcerned with the possibility that he might be in pain and you refuse to get it checked out. See, that doesn't make any sense to me. If it were me, I'd be like, wow, I hope he's ok, better take him to the vet to be sure! Because the thought of any of my cats being in pain just mortifies me! I can't imagine being more concerned with being woken up by kitty than trying to find out and make sure he's ok and healthy. Don't you care if he's hurting? Or are you one of those people who thinks cats don't feel pain? Because they do feel pain, it's very real, and anyone who doesn't care enough about the cat they own and whether or not they are hurting really shouldn't own cats in the first place.

Just take him to the vet's for pete's sake! So you have to eat Ramen for a couple of weeks, big deal? At least then you'll know if he's ok! I just can't understand your mindset about this. It makes no sense to me at all. You have a responsibility to that cat to ensure he is healthy. To do anything less is neglect and bordering on abuse of the animal. And I don't support that at all.

I don't see why it is so strange to compare a cat with a kid. Humans are animals, too, and we perceive pain in much the same way cats do. However, cats are famous for hiding their pain and if your cat has gotten to the point where he is evincing pain he is in agony. No wonder he cries - just as a baby with an earache would.

Why would you go to greater lengths with a child than with your cat? When you adopt a cat is is the same commitment, IMO, as you would have towards a kid. I f you cannot afford/commit to a child at this point in time you are in no position to keep a cat.

Please help the poor guy. He is scared and needs someone to love and care for him and I am choking up just writing this. If it were my cat I would spare no expense and I'm freaking unemployed.

Originally Posted by valanhb

I'm actually surprised that no one has mentioned this yet.

Another very real possibility with the red tinted urine is a urinary tract infection, which would also explain his NEED to be let out (and SCREAMING to get there) to urinate since there is no outlet for him to do so inside the house.

When cats have a UTI they have to go more often because it is difficult for them to urinate due to an inflamed urethra. The red tint to the urine could be evidence of a UTI. If this is the case, he need to be taken to a vet pronto because if it becomes a total blockage due either to crystals forming in the bladder or the inflammation of the urethra he could die within 24 hours. I'm not saying that to be dramatic or whatever - that happens.

While I have no idea about the clinic fees, the solution could be as "easy" as an antibiotic. Probably easy financially, perhaps not to easy to get a pill into him.

If it isn't a UTI, then the solution could be putting a litterbox somewhere in the house. Doesn't have to be your bedroom. Installing a cat door into the door. They make these really cool ones that have magnetic sensors attached to the cat's collar (or both since you have two cats) or even more high tech ones with sensors that are programmed into the cat door and collars so ONLY your cats can get in and out.

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to all of the above. My first thought when reading about the red-tinged urine was a possible urinary tract infection, which is extremely painful, but luckily can usually be cleared up with a course of antibiotics, in pill or injectable form.

Yep, I was so taken aback by the posters use of language, I failed to address this too.

Please take him to the vet regarding this. It is extremely painful for him and can be very serious.

Originally Posted by farleyv

Yep, I was so taken aback by the posters use of language, I failed to address this too.

Please take him to the vet regarding this. It is extremely painful for him and can be very serious.

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Hopefully the OP will come and read plus act on what has been recommended

Cats are a lot easier than children so yes it is on the same lines. Cats cry for needs of simple reasons(food, water, need out, pain, etc) children cry for any(complex or simple) reason or no reason at all. My child once cried for 4 hours straight after he got his 2 month shots because I was less than 5 minutes late giving him Tylenol once his previous dose wore off, nothing I did would get him to be quiet. I finally had to hand him over to my mother in law to see if she could get him quiet, even having raised 3 kids, so an experienced mother, she couldn't quiet him down either. If you meet the cat's needs they quiet down, children don't always. If a cat's crying and waking you up is bothering you because you HAVE to have a full night's sleep every night how are you going to feel about getting up because you child needs you. You'd prolly be one of those who would never get up at night with a baby anyways.

Sleep is a joke with children. I worked NIGHTS and then had to be up all day taking care of a baby so don't even start about needing a full nights sleep, I was lucky to get a few hours sleep then had to work 10 hours and start all over again the next day. My(now) ex was supposed to take care of him but he was too busy playing on his computer to properly take care of our kid so it fell to me. Your crying over the cat waking you up just doesn't fly, I would have loved to have a cat wake me up once instead of working nights then getting home getting maybe a few hours sleep if I was lucky taking care of a baby all day then having to work 10 hours at night doing tech support having to use my brain and having to think on my feet all 10 hours and being up 24 hours straight happened more than once. I know what tired is, as do all parents who get up multiple times a night with children no matter how hairy they are and trust me you have no idea what tired really is. I get up every night at 3 AM to feed Attitude and Nuts, so I don't get an uninterrupted nights sleep even now.

Actually taking care of a baby was wonderful compared to a toddler. You are whining over the cat wanting out but at least the cat is wanting out and not going inside. You don't get that with a toddler that you are potty training. I did at least one load of laundry a day just washing wet underwear, and a pair of wet pants(he only got one pair of pants a day unless we were going somewhere or he had an accident at school.) I would have been more than happy to clean out a litter box over dealing with my kid peeing everywhere because he had decided he didn't want to be potty trained(and no, you can't force a child to be potty trained.)

Also, food allergies, my son at one point had 46-48 different food allergies, he is still allergic to milk and several other things. Cats are easy, you feed them the same food every day so you find one that works you are done, you don't get that with people.

Kids are also EXPENSIVE, formula, diapers, clothes, food, various gear, toys, etc. You are whining about spending money on vet bills, all the bills for all the testing in the world to find out what is wrong with the cat prolly doesn't even touch how much I would spend in a month. My ex pays around $500 a month on child support and that doesn't even begin to cover what I spend in a month taking care of Bobby, and he's 7, babies are even more expensive.

Seriously never have kids if you are going to whine about the cat waking you up once a night, there is a difference, cats are EASIER than children.

You sound like a spoiled rich kid and I'm willing to bet you are.

Take care of the cat or find someone who is willing to. He needs to go to a vet to see if you can figure out what's wrong.

Taryn

My boy Wellington is sick, and I have isolated him in my bedroom to monitor his eating and litter tray. And no, I don't mind having a tray in there so he is comfortable and I know what he is doing. And yes, he woke me up three times during the night when he wanted a cuddle, and then he went back to sleep on the end of the bed. And I didn't mind at all. I was able to feel his ears and reassure myself that he had no fever, and to comfort him for being alone without his playmates for the moment.

I also have a daughter and I spent many sleepless nights with her when she was a baby. And I didn't mind that either. But now my animals need me and they will get whatever I can give them, in terms of company, attention and the necessary medication.

Does anyone know any updates on this cat. Maybe the person is not coming back to tell us anything else.

JoshuaD - I agree with the posters who said check him for a UTI.(urinary tract infection.) If you have ever had one you know it creates both urgency and pain. Women actually get them more than men.

As far as wanting out at night, don't ever get a dog!

Good suggestions - getting a cat door - if you rent, clear that with the landlord.
Training him to use a litter pan. Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter works wonders for that.

I'm still around and I'm still reading. I really appreciate the help from everyone who has made suggestions, particularly those who brought up urinary tract infection. I'm going to call over to some vets today and try to get a feel for how they work. If I get the sense that they're sincerely concerned with helping my cat I'll go to them. If not, I'll call the next vet until I find one who is.

As to the one who said I must be a "rich kid". If I was a rich kid I wouldn't have to be concerned about how much I spent to fix him, and I'd spend whatever without doing any research online first. Unfortunately, I am far from a "rich kid" and therefore I have to be more careful with my money.

And for the baby analogies: This is is why the tone of my first post was what it was (in conjunction with the fact that I had gotten no sleep and was at my wits end). We simply disagree on the value of the animals life. I love my cats and I will do a whole lot to help them. They rank nowhere near the value of a child to me. I don't think a thousand cats are worth the life of a human child to me. For my child I would spend every penny I own and sell whatever I had if I thought it was necessary. For a cat I'm willing to go significantly less far.

I understand there are a lot of people here who disagree with me on this, and I don't intend to criticize your point of view. I do ask that you don't demand I share it. It's a waste of my time and yours and it won't help Buddha at all.

If you think a cat's life isn't anywhere near the worth of a child's life you should not have cats - period. Or any other pet for that matter.

Cats don't suck up every resource you have and then scream about how much they hate you.

Cats don't build weapons of mass destruction.

Cats don't oppress others on the basis of race/gender/sexual orientation/whatever.

Cats don't invent idiotic religions and kill in the name of said religions.

In fact, the more I'm exposed to humans the more I respect my cats.

I'm glad you're still around and still reading. There are a lot of people here who can give you good advice on how to care for Buddha. BUT... you will also find that most of us here believe that when YOU choose to adopt/take in an animal, you are making a pledge to care for that animal as best you can, for the duration of your animal's life. You wouldn't give your human child away if s/he wouldn't stop crying all night.

I appreciate your sentiment of agreeing to disagree, but in all honesty, you remind me of people who declaw their cats because they scratch on the furniture, or who give their cats to a shelter because they shed too much. I sincerely hope that is not the case.

Just like a human baby, our cats depend on us for food, water, shelter, love, and medical attention.

Originally Posted by JoshuaD

I'm really surprised at the responses that say you think he'd be better off at a shelter. Despite the fact that he drives me absolutely mad at night, I have a lot of affection for him and he has a huge amount of affection for me. He and his brother also enjoy playing. I'm shocked that people would say he's better off at a shelter than spending 90% of his life outside with his family.


As to the kid analogy: Really? I understand liking animals, but to draw any sort of parallel between a cat and a human child is just strange. I won't go into the multitude of reasons why I would be willing to get up to take care of my baby child in the middle of the night but why I'm unwilling to do the same for an adult cat. It should be pretty obvious.

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Re: Your first para:

I think you were ready to jump at people who suggested taking him to a shelter when you arrived.

Second para:

I feel for my cats more then any human alive. Sorry if that offends anybody. But my kitties are helpless and they depend on ME. You should rethink your decision as a cat caregiver if you aren't willing to go to the moon and back for them.

How you view your cats is purely up to you. You don't have to treat your cats like a child - if you give them the love, care and attention they need and want, then you're already significantly better than a lot of people in the world! The fact that you've come to a cat website to find help for Buddha shows that you really do care, and want to seek help, and that's the most important thing.

When you call different vets, ask what the consultation fee is like, say you'd like your kitty checked for a UTI, and to get an estimate on what those charges would be because you're on a limited budget. That will give you an idea on the attitude of the vet practise and their payment options, and an idea of what their consult vs. lab fees are. Some may have low consult fees but charge a LOT for testing. So finding out that in advance could be really useful for choosing a vet.

Good luck!

Oh and we love seeing pictures of people's kitties

Yes, I agree with everything that Sarah said. I hope I wasn't too offensive in my last post (I didn't mean to be), because the fact that you are seeking information on how to help Buddha IS a sign that you really care for him.

And I also second the suggestion for pictures!!!!

Originally Posted by sarahp

How you view your cats is purely up to you. You don't have to treat your cats like a child - if you give them the love, care and attention they need and want, then you're already significantly better than a lot of people in the world! The fact that you've come to a cat website to find help for Buddha shows that you really do care, and want to seek help, and that's the most important thing.

When you call different vets, ask what the consultation fee is like, say you'd like your kitty checked for a UTI, and to get an estimate on what those charges would be because you're on a limited budget. That will give you an idea on the attitude of the vet practise and their payment options, and an idea of what their consult vs. lab fees are. Some may have low consult fees but charge a LOT for testing. So finding out that in advance could be really useful for choosing a vet.

Good luck!

Oh and we love seeing pictures of people's kitties

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Well said, Sarah!

So I went to the vet a week ago to get Buddha checked out. A urinary tract infection doesn't seem to be the culprit.

His derimitisis has subsided almost completely. This may be due to a change in the weather, the change in his diet, or the anti-biotics he has been being given. The dermitisis had subsided before I brought him to the vet.

The big concern is his right eye. The ulcer in it has been growing worse for the last month, and in the last 2 weeks it has gotten particularly bad.

Otherwise, Buddha's mood is almost exactly the same as it was before this eye problem developed. He is happy, friendly, playful and energetic. He does squint a little, but otherwise he isnt' paying much attention to the eye.

The vet prescribed Atropine and Gentamicin Sulfate Ophthalmic Solution along with an anti-biotic which is administered through the mouth.

The Atropine is supposed to be a topical pain reliever so the cat doesn't do additional damage to the eye by scratching. When it is administered Buddha's mouth begins to foam for about 20 minutes.

The GSO solution is a topical anti-biotic.

After a week of regular treatment with these drugs the cat's eye has continued to get worse. After doing some research online I have come across a number of pages that are suggesting FHV as a potential cause, and they suggest using L-Lysine as a treatment. I began by giving him ~300mg of L-Lysine today. I've been told 250mg-500mg is acceptable for a cat, so if I don't see any adverse reaction I will up his dose to 500mg daily.

Below are pictures of his eye. Beyond what I've been doing, if anyone has any further suggestions I would appreciate it. I am growing concerned that if this goes unchecked it will soon cost him his eye and potentially his eyesight.

At this point I have almost no faith in the veteranarians. I have gone to two and neither have offered me any advice that has worked. They both offered the cookie-cutter solution despite the fact that there were large indications that this is not a typical problem. Neither attempted to diagnose Buddha by looking for maladies that caused both eye ulcers and dermitisis. When I pursued the issue further with the second vet he said he didn't want to "chase zebras". $350 later and I'm out of money and out of patience for the vets. I have a friend who's a vet-tech who can likely get any medicine that might be needed, and if anyone has any suggestions that seem likely that a vet would be able to test further I'd be willing to go back to one, but I'm not going back unless I have a very pointed question. They have shown no competence at diagnosing this on their own.





I'm actually moderately hopeful about the L-Lysine. I will keep everyone posted, but any information is greatly appreciated.

Aww, poor kitty.

One thing I always do and suggest if a cat has any kind of eye issue that's not improving after treatment suggested by a regular vet is to take kitty to a Vet Ophthalmologist (eye doctor). They specialize and are experts in animal eye issues, such as what your kitty is dealing with. To find a Vet eye doc local to you, just go to Google and type in something like this "Veterinary ophthalmologist __________" (the blank would be the town or city you live in, or the nearest large city).