Male cat urinary problems

My 3 year old male ragdoll was treated 6 days ago for a urinary blockage.  He had a urinary catheter placed, was started on a special urinary diet, and started on Clavamox.  He is almost back to his normal self, but when I took him back to the vet yesterday I was told the urine tests came back negative and there was no uti, and the urinalysis showed no crystals or stones so he could stop the urinary diet.  His bladder is full again.  Vet is saying he may have a neurogenic bladder problem.  When he goes to the liter box now he only pees a few drops of urine.  Anyone else had a problem like this?

Hi.

I have 4 males all of them had that condition. It might be a idiopathic cystitis, you can google for it. I use Baytril, and Royal Canin SO but ask your vet also for a bladder support tablets that is used to humans to relieve the burning sensation. But very important, give them lots of water from a bowl or a faucet slightly running water. After they get well you might have a look at Royal Canin FIT 32 is what I'm using for about a year and no more issues.

Sorry for my English, but I'm from Europe.
 

@michellemac67 - was a culture and sensitivity done? The fact that Clavamox helped temporarily makes me think that there may be an infection. There is definitely bladder inflammation as well which I would try to address as well before thinking it was neurogenic in nature.

@petdefender - idiopathic cystitis means bladder inflammation of unknown origin, meaning no infection and no crystals/stones. If those were ruled out, then neither Baytril which is an antibiotic nor RC SO which is a urine acidifying food will help. Most sterile cases of cystitis do resolve on their own in about 7 days but they will recur unless the underlying inflammation issues are addressed. Since you have had 4 males with the same issue, I would look to their diet. As you said, moisture is critical, and feeding any dry is not good for FLUTD kitties. In addition, other ingredients such as grains or veggies may be causing an inflammatory response. What cats need are wet meaty foods. Please go to www.catinfo.org to learn more about feline nutrition and related health issues.

I am still feeding Frosty the urinary diet formula food from the vet, as well as giving him the antibiotic.  I'm a nurse so I know that even though the urinalysis came back with no growth, that was done before the procedure and any procedure can introduce bacteria, as well as the bladder retaining urine is a breeding ground for bacteria.  He probably urinated an amount equal to 1 normal urination but it just took him an hour, and he was squatting all over the floor in different places going, as well as in the liter box, and in a plain box I put out for him to use.  He seems fine, except for when he is trying to urinate.  The vet asked me if there were any recent injuries that could have injured his spine, but he is a pampered indoor cat, and if anything happened it was while he was at home alone with our dog, a corgi.  He has no visible signs of any injury.  I don't know what to do now.  The vet did order some medication that is supposed to help his body to empty the bladder.   The vet explained that his body isn't allowing the urine to flow to empty his bladder and his bladder is staying full.  What is so confusing is that this started literally overnight. 

michellemac,  sorry this is happening to your Raggie. I've had a 4 yr old male cat who had a blockage.     

 Sometimes after the procedure,   it could be the cat re-blocks due to scar tissue from the catheter.  or skin/ blood cells etc. have clumped together again. 

Or it could be pain is making him tense up.   Was he given pain med  like buprenorphine (Buprenex) to take home ? 

& sometimes they need medication to relax the urethra which it sounds like might be what you will be getting. 

It was good that vball mentioned Dr Lisa Pierson's site.  Here is the direct link to her very detailed article on feline urinary tract health. http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth       I wish it had been available when this happened to my cat back about 12 years ago!  

 I wish I had been more informed about nutrition at that time.   Or I wish his vet had been!  

 After I switched him over to all wet, high-protein, low-carb food,  he never had any urinary tract problems for the 6 last years of his life,  except for one time that was related to pancreatitis and diabetes ( the glycosuria promoted a bacterial infection).     Because unfortunately,  from age 4 to 9 my cat was on a dry  urinary prescription food and although   at least it did decrease the problems and he didn't get blocked again,  it was not a very high quality food,  it was very high carb --  full of cheap grain ' filler')  and he got overweight on it (which the vet admitted was common but he seemed to think nothing else could work)  and finally got diabetes.    That is when I started learning for myself about feline nutrition  and found out that the same sort of diet that would be good for his diabetes was also good for the urinary tract -- in other words ,  a diet appropriate for the species! 

Here is another link that talks about re-blocking  http://www.marvistavet.com/html/urinary_blockage.html

vball ,  agree with your comments to petdefender.  If it's idiopathic cystitis that = sterile cystitis,  no bacterial infection so no need for antibiotics.   Too often vets just throw AB at a urinary problem  when really it is usually not due to a bacterial infection.   and as you say it often would resolve anyway in about a week.

  ( which may be the case here for why the Clav seemed to temporarily help --  idiopathic cystitis can come and go  so it may really be there is no infection. 

 but the most accurate result  is with a urine sample obtained via cystocentesis  and a bacterial culture & sensitivity test.  

 michellemac67  I hope you get this solved soon and your cat will soon be totally back to normal.  

@petdefender - idiopathic cystitis means bladder inflammation of unknown origin, meaning no infection and no crystals/stones. If those were ruled out, then neither Baytril which is an antibiotic nor RC SO which is a urine acidifying food will help. Most sterile cases of cystitis do resolve on their own in about 7 days but they will recur unless the underlying inflammation issues are addressed. Since you have had 4 males with the same issue, I would look to their diet. As you said, moisture is critical, and feeding any dry is not good for FLUTD kitties. In addition, other ingredients such as grains or veggies may be causing an inflammatory response. What cats need are wet meaty foods. Please go to www.catinfo.org to learn more about feline nutrition and related health issues.

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I have 18 cats! How can I give moist food to them all jumping and fighting at others and I have one that haves CDK. The dry food only makes them have thirst and they drink a lot. I read a lot and try to manage all the issues if possible.

They should not be that frantic at meal times.  Are they all fed enough in general?  I would start by leaving the dry down and go into a bedroom or something to dish out the wet.  put as many plates down as you can and then let them in.  Have some plates on a dresser or some place high. Until you know how much they will eat start slowly as you do not want to waste the wet.  If you plan to go to all wet look at cost comparassion for brands you have available.  I just got my 28 off all wet as it got to be to much with an income cut and additional bills we are hitting now. 

That´s what I usually do, put the dishes in the ground in the marble balcony (I don't know how to name it) and they went like crazy through the kitchen to eat, but I have a few that only eat dry food, now that's is insane...give wet food, dry food, take care of the peaceful ones and the CDK trying to take a scrap. OoOhhoo and I have a 14 year old dog (bitch) that infiltrates in the party...Big cat that one.

My 50lb dog puts her paws up on counter then swipes to knock the bowl down.  Then gets the runs from eating the cat food...grrr