Our cat's health and OUR stress levels-how they affect each other?

Since Miss has been dealing with this cystitis, I have been a stressed out mess.
It is day 10, and she isnt showing improvement-she will have hours of great pees, then teeny struggling, sitting in the litterbox for 4 minutes trying. It seems to vary by day. The past two days have been the most symptoms I have seen.
I have wondered how my stress is affecting her. I keep scooping and taking her pee and looking at it every time. I realize this may be stressing for her and have stopped. Especially because after I do it she tries to pee again if I empty the box.
I have gotten her a drinking fountain, am using distilled water, am adding water to wet food a few times per day (she is a dry addict but I am trying to give her soupy wet and she licks the juice-hey more water the better). I have gotten Feliway spray and a plugin. I am also now administering buprenex to help ease her stress and let her rest at the advice of the vet.
Her tests came back with no infection and no crystals, and her ultrasound is next monday.
But i am having a terrible time concentrating on anything , especially when seeing her struggling to pee. I made the decision to give her the buprenex as she leaked urine onto her fur today in the closet and she smelled like the pee.
I have been crying! And so hyper focused I think it may be affecting her. I have been trying everything-but I am practically stalking the poor cat wondering how she is every five minutes.
I just want this to be solved. I try to clean her after she goes as sometimes the urine gets on her fur, and I fear this is stressing her as well.
I wish Monday was sooner-but I don't know how my stress can take it until then.
It is frustrating.

Definitely they are affected by our stress for sure!   And we are certainly affected when they are ill.   A few months ago my Big Guy went through a urinary blockage that had to be cleared twice, had a bladder full of blood, it was just horrible.   Lots of expense, trauma for him, and knowing if I didn't stay on top of it he could literally die and staying in that state of mind for about four days.  Geeesh it was bad.    So I can relate.    Suggestions....do check the box after Miss goes, but wait 10 or 15 minutes after she leaves so it looks less like you are following her.   Also you can reduce some checks to an hour or more apart, remember worst case scenario is death from a blockage and even that takes at least 24 hours.   So if you take an hour or two off to do something else to clear your head it will be okay.   The urine will wash off and Nature's Miracle is available.   The buprenex is a great idea - that really helped Big Guy relax during the crisis and me too in turn.   Let us know how it goes and good luck! 

Oh poor you!  It is so distressing when your cat is ill.  But yes, our stress does affect them - particularly if you have a sensitive close-to-you cat.  Ours is like that and he will wee on our bed when he's stressed; and that includes being able to detect my husband was ill with leukemia 3 days prior to being sent to the haematologist.  

I know the urge to 'hover'.  Try and project absolute calm like it's all going to be fine.  Let's face it, it WILL be fine as you will deal with whatever comes and you love your cat.  It's the not knowing and worrying for the future that kills us.  I usually 'talk' to the cat all my fears in a lovely soothing type 'normal' voice (which is at odds with the content!), and that helps us both - I get it out, he gets voice love.

Glad you have the feliway on.  How about something for you too - Bach rescue remedy? Praying? Talking to someone (or us!)? Music? And time for you to get some fresh air and exercise away from it all  (what's the worst that can happen if you aren't there for 30mins? - the cat has a rest? you clean up some pee?)

I had Kato checked out for illness when he peed on the bed for apparently no reason (see above scenario! - we know now he just has super senses).  So we also tried to get more water into his diet.  It's the absolute best remedy for urinary tract issues.  Soupie wet food is a thumbs up. Also, if she's really not ingesting, try some tuna juice, or extend a can of tuna over a few small meals with added water to moisten it up each time.  (Tuna/fish not good all the time, but its lovely as a appetite perk once or twice a week or in times of non-interest in food).

Best wishes!

Wow-I never even thought of Bach's rescue remedy for ME! Thanks for the suggestion. And both of you-thanks for chiming in with experiences and suggestions. It means a lot.
I feel bad for Miss, as she has sort of become my "everything"...I moved to Canada from the USA (hub is Canadian) and it has been an adjustment. Mostly as I have no good friends here. I had a falling out with my best friend, and my time spent in the past year has hanging out after work at home with hubby, Miss, and my other 2 kitties.
I especially got attached when she had a knee injury and was confined to our room to heal. I moved my desk in there to make sure she wasn't lonely.
My husband calls her "the lamb" as in "the lamb was sure to go"...anywhere that I go. She follows me around where ever I go, just to hang out. So we are cuddle buddies.
I am trying to get my business off the ground so it is a trying time all around.
I am sure she is feeling my stress but i am going to get rescue remedy. Thank you so much for listening and your kind words!

Oh, wow-super senses for your kitty for sure! I hope your hubby is ok!

Did the vet take an x-ray?  Some bladder stones don't show up in the urine tests.  They can only be seen on an x-ray and can only be removed through surgery.  If a stone or stones are blocking her urethra she will have difficulty peeing.

D

Our kitty had stones that only showed up on ultrasound: they couldn't be seen on x-ray. Just something else to consider.

Hey JenL

I identify with so much of what you say! And these things make your cat the more precious. Hold the love you have for her in first place so the worry is subsumed and  you'll hopefully find the stress isn't so all consuming.

I've finally been in one place for 2 years - the longest time in 10years, so I totally understand relocation and the difficulty (seems to get even more so each time) of finding friends and your place.  Usually I say it takes 2 years to settle and have your business up and running again with (finally) the effect of word of mouth recommendations.  My business is finally getting to that place, but with the leukemia, the friends side of things has not; we were in quarantine for a while as hubby had zero immunity, and 'neatly dovetailed' on each side of the leukemia stuff was a broken bone and 2 surgeries for me, then a hamstring tear with nerve damage (4months and still rehabbing).  So really 14 months of isolation, and because I'm a dancer (yes, both were dance injuries), disaster.  And I also have been through the break up of a best friendship - thankfully 2012 was the year where that ulcerated wound was healed, and right at the end of 2012, hubby went into remission, although there's still a ways to go yet.  

Just remember to put one foot in front of the other and don't anticipate the future too much.  Slowly the difficult times will pass.  Do things that are in the interests of your health and wellbeing (FORCE yourself to exercise; eat fish; pet your cat; get some sunshine for the VitD  - when i did a post grad in health promotion I learned these things have huge benefit for depression) and of course revel in your cats (and your husband).  The bad times will pass.

Best wishes! 

Thank you for your kind words and advice, Tammy! I am so glad to hear your hubby is in remission!!

Miss is getting a full abdominal ultrasound on Monday-to assess the urinary issue and ibd. I am relieved-just hate that I have to wait that long but it is the only day hubby is off and I dont have my license up here. Plus, I cant carry Miss in her carrier-I dont trust it.
Hopefully we get her back on track soon. Vibes appreciated!

Oh hun... I'm sorry you have to wait so long. Tammy's given you great advice. :heart3: I hope you find some Bach's Rescue Remedy. It helps hubby!

Many for Miss AND you! :rub:

Thank you!