Blood in my cat's urine... - Page 2

I like that name Neko. Sorry it was such a bad visit but most visits to the vet with cats are never a pleasant experience for either the cat or the owner. I was able to easily get Squeaks urine sample directly from his stream. He just let's me follow him to the litterbox and I wait until he squats. Most cats will not allow this. But I have been lucky over the years to have been able to obtain urine samples this way from my cats. I hope it works for you with Neko. I looked up and read the two links that Def Kitty posted. Very, very informative facts about FIC and FLUTD. I really hope you can get Neko on all wet food and add small amounts of water too. Tonight Squeak had a much larger urine clump and I was jumping for joy I think the all wet diet is kicking in. Plus he is getting some canned Hills C/D now too. You could ask the vet about it. You buy it from the vet. Very good for bladder health and treating FIC through diet. I hope Neko feels better

P.s. I sure hope you wouldn't have hosed her in that crate to clean her of the urine I am glad you just let her clean herself then. You could pick up some baby wipes and clean her off too and then she might enjoy a brushing.

Since if the urine tests positive for infection, you'll have to bring her in again, why don't you just have them house her overnight? Then they can get the urine sample without stress on you, and if she pees herself, they can clean her up.
Would you like any suggestions for wet food since they are not all created equal?

And some advice for getting her to the vet:
To make getting her there easier, you need to make getting in the crate a positive experience. There are several things you can do. If she has a favourite bed or blanket to lay on, place it inside the crate. Leave the crate out so it becomes a normal every day item. Place treats randomly in front of it, for her to find later. Progress by placing one treat inside the crate randomly. Then one treat far back inside the crate. Do this all when she is not looking.
Then when you notice treats disappearing faster, call her to you when you are near the crate. Place a treat near the entrance and encourage her. Then right at the entrance, then farther back, etc. Then when she is almost all the way in, take the door and nudge her in a bit. Don't latch it however. Then when she turns around, open the door, and say Good girl Neko! and treat her. Do this several times on different occasions. Next step is to actually lock the door. Stay in front of the cage and treat her through the bars and tell her how good she is, then let her out. Next time, make the time inside a bit longer (a couple minutes), next step lift the cage up, next step push the cage a few feet, next step pick up the cage and move it a few feet. Continue this until you can get her into the car. If you can get someone else to drive so you can be facing her in the back seat, that is best. Always praise her and give her chin scratches through the bars if you can.
Judge what step to take next by her anxiety levels. If she seems comfortable, then progress to the next level. If at any point, she starts to freak, stop the training and let her out/have her space back.
I use the method and my cat actually ENJOYS going for cat rides. He sleeps on the way back from the vet. While you are at the store, get several different types of treats and find what she is CRAZY for. I recommend The Goodlife Recipe: Catnip delights. Or if she likes say, some time of human food, that is okay to give her since it is only for encouraging good cage behavior and nothing else.
Good luck!!

@ Feralvr, only FLUTD cat owners understand the joy of finding a big urine clump in the litterbox It's still the highlight of my day!

@ jedinat, I am so sorry it was a futile and traumatic trip for Neko! It's something idiopathic cystitis kitties have in common, they're such bundles of nerves, my FLUTD cat for example regularly poops himself when we're taking him somewhere, he did it even when he was a tiny 10 week old kitten, while my other cats never do that. I haven't tried these yet but they supposedly work on most cats: Feliway and Zylkene. Neither is a drug so they're perfectly safe for the cat, Feliway comes in a plug-in diffuser and a spray (that you can use on the inside of the crate next time you're taking her somewhere) and you just put a little Zylkene from the capsule over her food, either every day if she's easily stressed and stress is causing her cystitis, or for a few days before a stressful event (like a trip to the vet's). Many people also recommend Rescue Remedy but I am skeptical about it, I like to see a scientific explanation how something works before I spend money on it. I second Minka's advice on making the carrier an enjoyable place for them, anything that can lower the stress levels should be tried. My cats actually enjoy sleeping in the carrier, I leave it open on the floor in a corner and it's like a kitty cave for them, so getting them in the carrier is never a problem (though the trip itself can be, for a nervous cat).

Btw, regarding the urine sample, catching it that way will only be useful for ruling out crystals, but the specimen will be contaminated by bacteria. Sadly the only way to determine whether there are bacteria in her urine or not is to take the specimen directly from her bladder with a needle :/

@ Carolina, that is such a sad story, deaths caused by crystals are so heartbreaking because it's such a treatable and preventable condition. Could you give me more details or point me to the thread where this case was described, I would like to see what mistakes were made with this cat so I don't repeat them with mine.

EDIT: I think I actually managed to find the thread. Is this the case you were referring to?
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=208451

I do agree with Def Kitty on the urine sample. I got two from Squeak by just following him to the box and catching the urine in the sterile container. But, to truly test the urine sample, it must be a sterile sample directly from the bladder and sent out for culture/sensitivity testing. Neko will most likely need to go back to the vet.. Do try to get her on the wet food adding a little extra water. As Minka said, and good advice, leave that crate out all the time with the door propped open with a cozy bed inside. I do this as well and some of my cats will take naps in there .

Have you tried any of the prescription dry kibble, like Hill's CD? My boy had crystals and just doesn't care for wet food much, although he does like the water fountain. But, knock wood, he loves the dry CD and hasn't had any crystal issues since we switched. My vets and I agreed pushing him to eat wet only wasn't really the best move, as stress alone can play a part in urinary issues.

Here is what I would do and I did this for Squeak after discussing options with my vet while I await the culture results. He is getting grain-free wet food plus the wet Hill's C/D. He loves the chicken. I also got a bag of Hills W/D dry and he get some crunchies at lunch. He loves his dry too and I only offer the W/D dry as a treat. C/D and W/D are very good for bladder issues and W/D has added fiber which my Squeak needs for his constipation issues too.

Call you vet and ask for some dry Hill's C/D. For Bladder health. Since she wants to eat dry I would put her on that right away. There is also a canned chicken formula, you could get one can and see if she likes it. Then you can leave down the dry C/D to free feed and at least that won't harm her bladder. Have you tried Fancy Feast (stay away from fish) or the Holistic Select pouches, those are available at Petsmart. The pouches have chunks in gravy and maybe your girl might like chunks over pate. There is also Merrick's canned foods that alot of cats love. If you have a natural pet food store near you, go and talk with the owner about your cat's issue. Most are very helpful and can tell you which brands "fussy" cats seem to like in wet form. OH, there is also a new brand out called Fussy Cat and they have a urinary wet food. It is shredded bits of chicken/veges. At this point, I would try anything to get more fluids in her.

Okay, several questions:
Is there dry out at the same time as wet?
How long are you leaving out the wet food? An hour? A few hours?
Do you refrigerate the food after she eats a bit the first time? If so, do you heat it up?
Do you put the whole can down? Or put the food in a bowl? Do you scoop it up with a spoon in a big piece? Or cut in into chunks?

The answers to these questions can help us greatly solve the wet food issue.

As for suggesting foods, Petsmart makes a food called Simply Nourish and its strips of chicken/duck/fish in gravy and my cat LOVES IT. And it will offer her lots of moisture.

Also, unless your cat Seems stressed (running around meowing for food, etc) I would continue trying to switch to wet at this time.

Okay, you can leave it out for up to 12 hours. If she is at least eating Some that is good. Don't put any dry down yet, it usually takes a few days for the cat to stop being stubborn and eat. You have to be more stubborn than a cat!!

I wouldn't squash it up, I would scoop up a chunk with a spoon and then cut it up into smaller pieces. You can also try adding a couple spoonfuls of hot water to it.

When I first started feeding wet, I had to put some down, let him eat, pick it up, 'refresh' it with new chunks and hot water, put it down, pick back up, and continue to do this until he wouldnt eat any more.
Also, as far as a way to get her more excited without breaking your bank is to add either parmesan, string cheese or tuna to the food. Most people already have these in their house.

I'm sorry you are in the situation you are in... :[
Have you looked into financial aid for pets? If there aren't sites listed here, I know at another forum I'm at, there are sites listed where if you are out of work, you can get a grant for money for food, vet care, etc. You dont ever have to pay it back.

You're doing good, don't give up yet!!

There is nothing wrong with your cat, cats are just weird like that. Just be happy that she changed her mind.

The only thing that worries me about what you are saying is, if you don't care, why keep her? Peeing in small amounts could mean that she is starting to block, and that is very painful. And unfortunately, by the time your cat starts to cry, if she does, it's usually too late to save them, and then I think you will be very sad she is gone... :[
Have you done any work to try to get her comfortable around the cage? She really needs to get back to the vet so that she can stay overnight and let the vet collect a pee sample. Infections of the bladder are serious, and if they spread to the blood are 100% fatal without treatment.

Look, I am really sorry for your situation at home right now. No job, living at home, no money to pay for vet, and now expensive food etc. But, this cat has to come first, especially with a potentially serious condition that could very well get worse as the days go on. Maybe I am wrong, and she will be fine but peeing often and small amounts, with blood in urine, is not normal. Also, this cat might feel your anxiety and feel that she is a burden and that in itself could be causing Neko stress (which goes directly to a cat's bladder) . And by the time she is crying or ominously ill, it might be too late anyway. I have to wonder if this kitty needs a new situation.

and giving up is hardly the right attitude IMHO.... There are dry urinary foods available in the market - plenty of them.... They were discussed... I am not sure why they haven't been tried yet?

Please don't "starve" her again! It can cause Liver Damage, and trust me you DO NOT want to go down that road. Do a search for Liver problems/not eating. It is very severe and it CAN happen if a cat doesn't eat for as little as 2 days. It can easily kill a cat. I am not jumping on you, obviously you did know. I went though liver probs (differnt cause) for 5 months, 5 months of force feeding and giving sub q fliuds. He lived but he still has to take meds daily. It took over $3,000, I literally didn't have it, and 24hr care from me (getting up every single 2hrs for over a month to force feed him, he wasn't keeping it down) for that cat to live. But he was worth it.

That said, the reason you cat is not peeing in the box is because she is in PAIN. When she pees in the box and it hurts/burns she tries to avoid the box by peeing somewhere else, she thinks the box/litter is hurting her not the untreated Urinary problem. I cannot believe that a vet sent you home with no meds, no food, nothing. That is freaking INSANE. Untreated urinary problems can cause permanent Kidney problems.

I cant belive that this cat wasn't on Rx food, antibiotics, and steroids WEEKS ago. It's very standard... in fact I know exactly what meds my vet would give me if I walked in today with a "pee pee" cat. They would do an exam, pH strip test, talk about Rx food, and give me meds (Amoxicillon or Bayrtil, Pred, and possibly a steroid/antiboitic shot.) If the cat didn't show improvment they would send in a culture of the pee to find a better antibiotic. It's not really brain science... In fact I am willing to bet that most vets see several cases of UTI/crystals every day. And if it was a male cat that was blocked and they were not able to "fix" it, I would be forking over $1,000 for a p/u surgery to save his live. (been there done that) Yes, girl cats block waaay less than males. But she doesn't have to be blocked for this to be serious.

It's hard to believe that you've spent that much money and still have no meds. I've delt with UTI/crystals so many times and the vet *always* give my cats meds and the cat almost always is 80% better in 2-3 days.

There are dry foods for this issue, your vet sells them. Hills c/d is one.

Please call around to other vets... get quotes it you have to. This cat needs meds fast, or you will have more than just crystals to worry about. Apply for CareCredit.....

That's great news!!

Sorry I can't agree..when I got my mom's two girls back in April both displayed the same issues you mention and it turned out both had UTI and crystals in the urin. With Piper it took three different antibiotics for her to become asymptomatic and I stress asymptomatic as her urine when tested a few days ago still showed bacteria. They are now growing a culture to determine what antibiotic she needs to get rid of the remaining bacteria.

Please, I urge you, have her tested !!!!!!!!!