Very upset owner, kitty with cystitis

All started back in March and back and forward to the vet as my big boy was having problems weeing. Fast forward to last weekend and he'd stopped eating or drinking. He's now been at the vets for a week where they've drained his bladder numerous times, catheterised him numerous times, treated him for a secondary bacterial infection, given him diazapam to relax him . He has a spasm in his urethra. We've now been given the option of a risky operation that might not even work and even if it does work he'll be medicated for the rest of his life, he's only 4. After everything he's been through i just don't know what to do. He's my baby and it hurts me so much that nothing has helped him and that the only other option is putting him to sleep. At the moment he is eating and drinking and is a comfortable as he can be with a catheter so I'm wondering if his best option is to let him go peacefully. I know money shouldn't be an option but i really am struggling now. What would you do, I'm 80% sure of what I want to do but am I being heartless?

I am so sorry that you and your boy are going through this. Urinary blockages are very difficult. Is it PU surgery that the vet is recommending? Where they remove part or all of the penis? If so, I have heard many success stories of it being a lifesaver for male cats who have a tendency to block.

Many many vibes for you and your boy, whatever the decision and outcome.

Thank you for your support. Yes it is the PU surgery that is an option but we've only been given a 60% success rate due to the scarring as it may make the opening even smaller. Also there is the recovery process to consider. I don't think I could put him through any more pain x

I think you need to have a very serious discussion with your Vet, and maybe if there is another Vet in that office, get their opinion too, about that 60% success rate and exactly what the recovery process is, etc.   Have them walk thru everything involved from your boy's aspect so you'll know what he will be going thru.

Then let your heart and gut tell you what to do, knowing your cat     

I'm so sorry to hear about your boy's cystitis. It sounds like he's got a pretty bad case...poor guy. For my one cat, it didn't get to the point where he had crystals, but he had bladder inflammation, which was uncomfortable for him and causing him to go outside the box. For maintenance, I kept him on Cosequin for Cats. It's actually a joint supplement, but there are claims that the active ingredients helps thicken/strengthen the lining of the bladder and keep inflammation under control. Of course, there's no research/proof at this point, but I decided to try it. Well, he stopped going outside the box. I have since switched him to a human grade joint supplement that is safe for cats with the proper dosage (and no fillers). Most joint supplements are sourced from mollusks and crustaceans, so it probably wouldn't be good for cats with allergies to fish. I also try to feed him more wet food for water intake, and he's seen by a vet regularly.

Another one of my cats used to get bad urinary blockages, and he has not gotten another one since I switched him to a grain free diet with an increase in wet food, plus two water fountains to encourage drinking. He loves the fountains.

I'm sure you've tried everything. I guess there are some instances where these kinds of changes don't help, but I wanted to share. I really hope your boy recovers from this.
 

Well, I'm pleased to report that for now at least my baby is home and feeling better. He must've overheard the options the vet have us and thought neither sounded good and did a 180. He came home on Thursday with painkiller, antibiotic and muscle relaxant meds. It's been fun trying to get them into him but now we've got the method down he's made a lovely recovery. He looks a little worse for wear and is now nicknamed tattycat as he hasn't washed for ages and had lost alot of weight but he's back to his loving purry self.
He's on the meds until Wednesday and we've got to put 1tbsp water in his wet food and monitor his urine output but fingers crossed he'll be ok. I'm now looking as various holistic preps to minimise recurrence as well as other suggested things. Thank you for your advice and support xxx

Thanks for the update and glad to hear he's feeling better. Hope your boy continues to recover!

What is the painkiller and muscle relaxant he is on?

My cat has idiopathic cystitis (previously had struvite crystals) and definitely struggles to go to the bathroom. Right now I am hoping this flare up will pass on it's own (as he is still urinating, but outside the box).  If it doesn't I will have to take him back to the vet. Just reluctant as they charge an arm and a leg and his urinalysis is almost always normal.

I am thinking he needs something to reduce the pain and relieve the straining.

He's on Metacam, which is like paracetamol for cats and his relaxant is called Hypovase. They seem to be doing the trick for him he really was at deaths door just a week ago.
Hope your kitty feels better soon. If you have any worry that kitty hasn't weed for 24 hours, take to the vet immediately.

I would really caution you about the repeated use of Metacam. Metacam/meloxicam is an NSAID which cats have difficulty processing. It has been linked to kidney failure and death in cats. This is the FDA warning label on its use on cats.

http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/newsevents/cvmupdates/ucm231254.htm

Thanks, this is only his second time of being prescribed it but if they try to prescribe again I will most certainly mention this information

I saw on another thread that Leeroy had the PU surgery. Just wondering how he is doing.

Hi Susan, Leeroy is great. 3 months in and he is a completely different cat. Not even a recurrence of cystitis so I am really happy to have my kitty back. He's gone back to his kitten like self, sleeping with me and constantly following me around nod sitting on me. The only thing that has changed is that he no longer likes being held like a baby, perhaps due to the fact that we had to hold him like that to medicate him!

I'm just happy that he is finally over it all.

Ps. Sorry for late reply but didn't get a notification that anyone has replied on this thread x

Wonderful news!  I'm so glad that Leeroy is doing so well.