Frantic may be sick

Last December Frantic was diagnosed with magnesium stones. He was put on a med to stop the ureter spasms, and changed his diet to Purina One for urinary tract health. We had a good year.

I went away last weekend and when I came home the cat litter was a MESS. I cleaned it and thought everything was wonderful. Last night I noticed that Frantic hasn't used it. (He pees against the side whereas Pipsqueek uses the center.) I haven't noticed anything different about him tho. He's eating, drinking, fighting, playing like normal. I've walked around the house looking for a mess anywhere else, but nothing.

I called the vet for an appointment. She's supposed to get back to me. They suggested I isolate him with his own litter to check amounts of urine but I'm already at work. Hopefully they'll get me in tonight. Hopefully they'll help me with a payment plan too. I went overboard with Christmas shopping this weekend and now have just enough to pay the mortgage and nothing else. I just need till next paycheck!

Send some good vibes Frantic's way. He's my snuggler. Hopefully its nothing serious!

Sandy

Well, I guess no one else cares

Oh Sandy - don't say that; of course we care. A sick cat and a hurting cat mum is something we can all relate to.

I do hope Frantic (great name btw) doesn't have a UTI - keep on at the vet, maybe don't wait for a call back but keep badgering, and make sure you get that boy to the vet as soon as possible.

Good luck, and good vibes for your little fella.

We have a 6:30 appointment

That is great news. Please keep us in the loop. All the cats here are our extended family and we do care. So, let us know - OK!!!!

Sandy-

Sorry to have seemed to ignore this post. It is not that the board members don't care, some people don't know what to say and others are busy and need time to just rest and think about what to say. I would never want to just post and perhaps put in wrong information etc..

It is good that you are taking him to the vet to be checked. Urinary blockages can become quite bad, and even deadly if left untreated. Your vet is the best person who can guide you in what to do for your cat. Someone on the Internet, only going by what little information you do offer, isn't in the position to be the expert in this situation. Good luck at the vets, I hope it all turns out okay.

Sending some good vibes your way!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, the vet is stumped. Frantic's bladder is clear, no stones. She catheterized him and got a nice clear stream of urine. His urine PH was 6, which she said was within the normal range. His bladder wasn't full either. She centrifuged the urine and saw no stones. So, obviously he's peeing somewhere else. I am to increase the amount of his wet food. He's a strange cat...he'll turn his nose up at the wet for his kibbles. Even tho he's not a fat cat, she wants me to watch his weight. He is a heavy cat, he's very big boned.

I'm to keep him isolated for a few days to see if I can keep track of his litter use. Oh, and she wants me to switch litters. I've used the same litter all their lives, but she thinks clumping litter may help since its finer and less gritty.

Thanks for the good vibes. I was in a panic this morning. I was sitting at my desk most of the day in tears.

Sandy

I'm glad to hear he checked out alright at the vet's!

See, that will teach you to go away for the weekend!

That's good news Sandy. Do keep an eye on him though, as erratic peeing can be symptomatic of other problems.

Hopefully however, that will be the end of that eposide and Frantic can get back to normal.

BTW - does he live up to his name?

Frantic is an extremely laid back cat...till the doorbell rings or I sneeze. Then he is up the stairs faster than his brother. When he was a kitten he named himself in the litter box. You would think he hadn't been allowed in the box for a week the way he would scratch around to find the right place. He'd start in the middle, then work his way to 2 different corners before he'd settle in.

He's my snuggler. Every night he jumps up on the bed, I put my hand out and he settles his head into my hand then lays down. As I fall asleep scratching his head, he doesn't move. Once I'm asleep he quietly gets up and moves to the end of the bed and lays touching my feet.

He doesn't like being isolated. I never knew how hard it would be...ON ME! I had to stop myself several times last night going to the door and letting him roam. Pipsqueek on the other hand was a snugglebunnie He slept with me for the first time in 5 yrs.

Sandy

Glad to hear he is OK!!!!

Now the carrie thing. Leave the carrier out 24/7 so that it becomes part of the furniture. That way he will not panic when you pull it of the closet - thinking uhoh it's for the Vet and hides.

My Loki plays in the carrier and even has some naps in it at times and when it's time for the Vets no problem getting him in.

I have heard of a litter that actually attracts a cat to the box and makes them pee. Your vet might know about it, they use it when there are medical issues. I can't remember the name of it though, but again your vet might know. I will look through some of my old notes and see if I saved the email that announced it.

Good luck with Frantic- One of the best ways to test the urine is not through catherization but through a needle. It's over in a second and it is the cleanest catch the vet could hope to draw for testing.

Hissy - It's called Cat Attract and here is the website.

http://www.preciouscat.com/

I just read this thread sorry .

I hope everything will be ok with your baby and there is nothing else wrong with him .

As a not very prolific poster, and now taking a break, I know I will read as many posts as possible while on-line, even if I don't have anything to post back. I wish I knew more about cat health problems, but I'm not too knowledgeable.

Are magnesium stones more common in male cats? I know I've read something about this problem.

There is a litter that attracts cats! When we first brought Mysty (our lost, still-in-our-hearts cat) into the house, I visited Petsmart to buy a litter box and some cat litter and there was a product that the clerk recommended for cats using a litter box for the first time and for them to become accustomed to it. I don't remember the name, though. I opted for the regular cat litter at the time, as I was afraid of Mysty being a kitten and ingesting some of the clumping litters. We just put some shredded leaves from the yard into the box, and Mysty immediately took to it.

This is the first time I've been able to visit the Cat Site and actually post a message. Cindy and Lucy were spayed and now I realize why female kittens are not as desirable as males!! Both kittens had stitches that had to be removed in 14 days. It took them a week to bounce back completely to their very normal selves and I was constantly checking their incisions and spraying bitter apple on them, a trying time for me. Poor Lucy got sick from the bitter apple spray and upchucked her food several times. I then quit spraying this rot on her and feel sorry that they went through such a traumatic time. Punky was just in heat and that means she's next!

I leave the cat carrier out at all times. Cindy will actually go inside and sit there as if it's some type of cat enclosure. When it's time to go to the vet, I just scoop them or Punky up and deposit them into the carrier and close the hatch ASAP. Since my three cats are indoor only cats, I think it's easier to pick them up and place them into the carrier. I do emphathize with you as I've actually cried many times, too, because of all the stress and problems with cats whether it be health problems or lost/missing cats. Keep the faith and please, keep those questions directed to the vet! Lots of hugs!!!

Thanks all. I will look for the CatAttract in Petsmart. I hope it works.

I'm also going to leave at least 1 carrier out. When I pulled it out yesterday morning, Frantic headed for the hills!

Sandy

You could turn that cat carrier that you leave out at all times into a fun place. Put some new cat toys into the carrier, dangle some catnip mice inside it, and place inside a soft, warm blanket or fleece (I've used some soft baby receiving blankets). In addition, you could leave some tasty cat treats inside the carrier, making it so irresistible, that cats just have to go inside, explore, or have fun. My carrier has a top and side that unlatches. I can slide the side door up and inside a track, allowing the carrier to always remain open.