Cystitis question?

Our 3 year old female cat is having blood show up in her urine & we took her to the vet who took a urine sample & said no crystals & felt like it was due to stress. We had been gone for a month & she had a cat sitter. We never had been gone so long. Also I feel that the biggest cause of stress was that the older cat we had died in Nov. & she has never been alone before. Anyway the vet did give her an antibiotic just in case & retested her urine after 2 weeks & said all was clear. Yet this morning it looked as though her urine was tinged pink again in litter box. She doesn't act like she is in pain & acts normal & eats & drinks as usual. So, how long can stress re-lated cystitis last? We put a feliway plug in & considering a second one.

It can come and go. The events that you mentioned can definitely induce stress. Each time my cat has had cystitis, it's been after a vacation. Did the vet prescribe anything else? Antibiotics are usually used as a precaution, in case its bacterial. But the majority of the time it's sterile. 

Many vets prescribe an anti-spasm medicine (prazosin) and even a pain medicine (buprenorphine). The bladder is often inflamed or irritated during this time, so the anti spasm meds help the urine flow & reduce the 'I've gotta pee now!' urges. All of this is quite painful, so pain medicine is given sometimes too. I'd ask the vet if he thinks that would be appropriate in your case. My vet has always given that combo (all 3 times). 

Also, has the vet made any suggestions regarding food? My vet, as well as many others, will suggest switching to an all wet diet. This website has great info. http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth Some of the examples are much more extreme than what you're experiencing, but why let it get there! 

Feliway plugs are great for calming stress. So are calming treats that you can find at the pet store. Keeping the routine as steady as possible also helps. Extra cuddles, toys & play time also. The links below are all articles that deal with stress in cats. 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/six-surefire-strategies-to-reduce-stress-in-cats

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/potential-stressors-in-cats-the-ultimate-checklist

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/separation-anxiety-in-cats