Cami has a UTI

Cami, our new addition to our family, she's been with us for several months now & a very sweet & happy cat. However, I had to take her into the vet on Thursday as she peed on the bed & found out she had a UTI, so my vet gave her an antibiotic injection that last for 2 wks as he said she had a lot of bacteria in her urine. Well, I just washed her bed which she had also, peed on & it was all nice & clean & smelling fresh & she just peed on that once again. Now I'm all paranoid & hope she doesn't start peeing on our bed or on the furniture & I would have thought that injection would have started working by now. She still refuses to eat any wet food & only will eat dry which I don't like as I feel she needs the wet food. She does drink water but I really don't know how much as I have several water bowls thru-out the house since we have 6 cats. Gosh, I'm not liking this & I hope its not a behavior issue as well as a medical issue. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

What kind of food do you give (brand?)
Did she also had struvite or oxalate?

One of my cats is very sensitive to bladder issues: cystitis and struvite.

She is now on a special diet which keeps her bladder more healthy.

She also had a bacterial infection, which is quite uncommon in cats they say. If she has a bacterial infection, I suggest she had special antibiotics? Because it depends what kind of bacteria it was.. But I assume your vet did the right thing.

Food is an important thing, as well as water, but good to hear you have several water bowls thru out the house.

Also, UTI can be caused by stress. Is anything changed lately?

I gave my cat this special food (RC High Delution) and the antiobiotics and let her urine checked regurarly.

I also did an ultrasound scan of the bladder , which was fine, luckily.

If it stays this way you can ask for a blood test (kidneys e.g.) , or in any case, an urine check again. Try some other wet food , perhaps she just doesn't like this brand or this taste. You can also add a bit warm water, it makes it a bit more attractive sometimes, due to the scent, they will smell it better.
 

Also, when a cat urinates on something, you cannot simply wash it in soap and water.  You need to use an enzymatic cleaner to get the smell out.  WE cannot smell it, but THEY can   And if they can still smell the urine, they think it's an ok spot to continue urinating. 

Also, I hate to tell you, but when our Callie had a UTI, she also got that 2 week shot, and it's actually not the best antibiotic for UTIs .  We had them give it to her because she is IMPOSSIBLE to pill, but one shot did not do the trick, and the UTI did not go completely away.  She had to go back in and get another shot about a month later because the UTI returned. 

Maybe you'll be luckier.  BTW, here is a thread on enzyme cleaners:  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/231775/nok-out-or-other-enzyme-cleaners-question

In addition to the wonderful advice above you might find these articles helpful http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transit...-to-a-new-type-of-food-canned-raw-or-homemade
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transitioning-free-fed-kibble-kitties-to-timed-meals

Also, http://www.catinfo.org is a great resource for uti information and treatment.

Have you tried putting FortiFlora on the wet food? Its essentially animal digest - the same stuff that kibble is coated in to make it appetising. You dont need anything like the amount stated on the pack - you dont want it gor the probiotic, you wsnt it as a seasoning. Crushing up a few pieces and sprinkling them over the wet food might encourage her to try it.

If your girl is adamant she won't eat wet food, it might be worth trying raw. Some cats that reject wet food will happily eat raw food.

I agree with that. You need to wash it very properly, not with soap and water. You need to use a special cleaner , because even though you don't smell the urine anymore, the cat is the only one who can still smell the pheromones. I use Urine Off and it really works.

Besides that, I think it is important to get in touch with the vet again and do an urine check again.

Well, so far what she has peed on, I have been able to wash in the washing machine so I know its clean & there is no odor either. Thank goodness for that. As far as food, this cat refuses to eat any wet food at all & believe me, I have tried so many different brands, flavors, etc & nope, she just won't touch the stuff. I even sprinkled a little catnip on the wet food in hopes that will get her attention & still nothing. The only food she seems to like is ACANA, which my vet friend in Oregon recommended. As far as the urine results, all I know is that my vet said he had a lot of bacterial in it for whatever reason I don't know. He gave her the convenia injection & she's suppose to get another injection in 2 wks. This injection worked fine on Raven that had a UTI a couple of mos ago & he's fine. I didn't even know he had a UTI as he had no symptoms & neither did he pee anywhere other than his kitty box but when I took him in for his yrly wellness exam, I always do a UA & that's when they found it as he had some blood in his urine. I'm going to call my vet (I was his office mgr for 34 yrs) tomorrow & see what he has to say. Right now, I just covered our bed & some other furniture with plastic in hopes that will deter her from using it as a kitty box & don't want her to get use to thinking its ok to do this either. I've also tried Stella & Chewy's frozen raw food & nope, she wouldn't touch that either. She was a rescue cat & about a yr old when she got her so maybe that's all she ever got, was just dry food & that's why she prefers it. She really is a very sweet & loving cat & gets alone with everyone & loves to play especially she has this obsession with chasing her tail. Its really funny to watch her go round & round after her tail. Thanks for the info, haven't tried Fortiflora yet but will get some & try as right now, I will try anything.

I reiterate, washing in the washing machine will NOT necessarily get the urine smell out to a CAT.  WE won't be able to smell it, but THEY probably still will be able to.  

As to trying to convert her to canned food, I was able to transition all 4 of mine over from being free fed kibble for their entire lives.  My oldest was 15 at the time!  You can use different tricks listed in that article that Columbine referenced above, and for Cami, I would suggest crushing some of her beloved kibble into a fine powder  to use as a topper.  I would wait to try to transition her, however, until she's feeling better. 

mrsgreenjeens said:

I reiterate, washing in the washing machine will NOT necessarily get the urine smell out to a CAT.  WE won't be able to smell it, but THEY probably still will be able to.  

As to trying to convert her to canned food, I was able to transition all 4 of mine over from being free fed kibble for their entire lives.  My oldest was 15 at the time!  You can use different tricks listed in that article that Columbine referenced above, and for Cami, I would suggest crushing some of her beloved kibble into a fine powder  to use as a topper.  I would wait to try to transition her, however, until she's feeling better. 

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Especially about using an enzymatic cleaner. Nothing else will remove the urine smell to the cat. Our noses are far less sensitive than those feline instruments of precision

So, washing the sheets & comforter in the washing machine, will not work??? So, what should I use & can I use it in the washing machine? Right now I have the bed that she peed on covered completely with hard plastic & so far, she has not peed on that bed again. The only placed she peed was the bed in the guest bedroom where she eats her food & her cat bed that she laid  in but I threw that one away & I have the chair where the cat bed was covered with plastic, too. So far, that's the only 2 places she has peed. Thanks for the article on transitioning her to wet food & I'm going to try to follow the advice plus get some Forti Flora as well. Good idea, on crushing her dry food onto the wet food. I haven't tried that yet but I will. What wet food do you guys recommend? Usually I feed the other cats Wellness which they love plus I have given them Wild Calling, Tiki Cat & Blue Freedom & Raven seems to like Science diet feline c/d. I do buy a lot of food for my cats, whatever they need I get, after all, they are my family.

I've not used it myself, but this is worth a try for sheets etc http://m.petco.com/product/108216/Natures-Miracle-Laundry-Boost.aspx

With wet food, right now the wet food Cami will eat is the best one Generally, especially with utis, it's a good idea to go grain free/low carb. Limit or avoid fish flavours too. I'm still not terribly familiar with US brands, but all the ones you list (with the exception of the hills - yes it does the job it's designed for, but the ingredients aren't the greatest) seem pretty good to me. Just experiment until you find something she likes. I know what a pain picky animals are to feed. If there's anything you like the look of you can always email the company and ask for a sample. The worst they can do is say no! I did this a lot for my crazily picky chf greyhound. Usually, the companies are pretty obliging. Even if you don't get a sample, they may offer a discount on your first purchase

Only washing it in the washing machine will not work, indeed. To clean and remove cat urine properly, you will have to be able to get rid of the bacteria, enzymes and pheromones that can stubbornly remain even when the urine has dried out or you can't see it any more. Humans have about 5 million scent receptors compared to 200 million scent receptors in cats.  Humans can smell the roses, but cats can smell the person or animal that stopped by to smell those roses. As you can imagine, the cat still smells the urine even though you have put it in the washing machine.

What kind of dry food does she like?

Acana is a good brand. There are many many wet food brands and tastes on the market. There must be something she would like . Most cats do like Royal Canin, you even have wet food for finicky cats.  
Also, perhaps you can try Hills A/D for once. I am not sure if this is recommended, it's actually for cats who need to recover from surgery e.g. It contains lots of calories and most cats love it. But I think you can only give this temporarily.

What kind of bowls do you use? It might sound silly, but it might make a difference. Cats prefer large, wide bowls so their sensitive whiskers don't touch the bowl. Some don't really mind, others do. Also put it on the right place, not next to a door or next to a water bowl or litter box or any other place where other cats may 'interrupt' her during eating.

However, besides cleaning things properly, I think it is more important to keep an eye on her. I'd also ask the vet if she didn't had struvite or anything, because if she has, it is important to give her special food which will resolve these crystals. Peeing on places outside the box can have several causes, mostly physically, and the UTI may be the only cause, just make sure she is healthy apart from that (kidneys blood test, bladder ultrasound?)

No, Cami did not have any struvites in her urine. I am familiar with Hills A/D (as I worked for my vet for 34 yrs & we carried Hills Science Diet), however, I haven't tried that yet. She eats out of the bowl that she usually eats her dry food so I know its not the bowl. I tried another wet food & sprinkled some crushed up Acana on top but no go for that as of yet. Once again, she peed now in her bed that she likes to lay in by the window just this morning & I am so frustrated. The only urine removal I have is Nature's Miracle stain & odor remover so I will use that for now before I throw the items in the washing machine & hope that will do until I get get some Urine Off which is what you recommended. I will keep trying to find a wet food she likes but having to buy so many different brands & flavors is not easy at all & I have tried a lot already to no avail. I am so frustrated on what to do about this major problem. I have called my vet in Oregon & left him a msg for him to call me as he specializes in treating cats mostly & I value his opinion. I am so frustrated & upset that I have another cat that has issues like this.

Sending her aseptically collected urine to a reference lab, to confirm her bacteria, is important. Rarely, do cats get a bacterial cystitis. Inflammation due to stress, holding the urine to long, or dietary changes is much more common amongst females, leading to angry bladder walls, which leads to vessels in the bladder wall bursting and bleeding into the bladder. Indiopathic or interstitial cystitis is the most common urinary problem in female cats. They don't have urethral problems as male cats do, they don't get the "sludge" accumulation obstructing their urethra, and they have concentrated urine, a bacteriostatic environment, meaning the urine doesn't grow bacteria. If bacteria was truly seen on the slide, I'd suspect contamination of the sample due to method of collection or while processing it to the slide, it wasn't aseptically handled.

From one of my previous posts:

Next, if she does have pylonephritis, a kidney infection, or a bacterial cystitis, bladder infection, she needs antibiotics that can reach that potential infection, located deeply in the body, down the urethra. Blood moves through the kidneys for filtration. Any antibiotic absorbed into the bloodstream will be exposed in the kidneys. Subcutaneous antibiotic, as well as oral antibiotic, are taken into the blood across vasculature that surrounds the dermis tissue and intestinal tissue respectively.

Note, however, that Convenia, a cephalosporin, belongs to a class of antibiotics utilized for superficial infections, such as dermatitis, bite wound, abscess, not a urinary tract infection. So then exposing her to the side effects of a long-acting subcutaneous medication, without the benefits, while she is immunocompromised and sub-par health, is not a good medical call.

As difficult as adding another oral med is to her regime, the orbifloxacin (Orbax) or even Clavamox, would be a better choice, while waiting to get to that internist, so they can perform a cystocentesis and analyze her urine for white blood cells and bacteria. The high WBC, neuts, and monocytes could be due to a systemic infection, and have nothing to do with her urine. Either way, Convenia will only treat a superficial infection, so ask that no more of these injections be given. Once a urine culture is done, it may reveal the bacteria is sensitive to a cephalosporin, very unusual, but not unheard of. Typically, penicillins (i.e. clavamox) and fluoroquinolones (Orbax or Zeniquin) are best for feline UTIs, or stubborn oral/dermal infections.

If she's too inappetant for oral abx, ask your vet to administer a subcutaneous injection of ampicillin or unasyn twice a day for 2 days. In extreme cases with a sick fractious cat stressed in hospital, we'd send home the first 3 or 4 doses, after demonstrating to an owner how to give an injection under the skin. It's easier than a bolus of fluids under the skin at least! The injectable antibiotics must be refrigerated, so they are sent home on ice for transport. Often, just getting them into the first 2 days will enable the cat to feel well enough to start eating, then their antibiotic can be given by mouth or mixed into canned food. Orbax and Clavamox come in suspensions that can be easily dosed and mixed into canned food. Orbax doesn't even need refrigeration either! We appreciate that when needing to hide it, as Clavamox is kept cold, and cats find it in food easier than Orbax.

Enzymatic and hydrogen peroxide based cleansers help destroy urine odor. I use club soda first to help lift the urine from the fabric, but seeing as your bedding's washed and dried , that step is moot. Drying sets a stain and odor beyond club soda. Pretreating the fabric by soaking it with the Nature's Miracle, Urine off, etc 15 minutes prior to washing. I use Charlie's Soap for all kennel and cattery bedding and towels. The pretreated soiled laundry is washed with the usual dirty pet laundry. This has always been effective unless the cat urine isn't cleaned within 1-2 days. Sometimes, the odor just sticks, as does the yellow stain, if it's been on the fabric/carpet too long.

Thanks for all the info Puck as this was very helpful. Tomorrow I'm going to pick up some Orbax & try her on that & hope for the best.

Hope things will work out
Don't give up hope, I can understand it is frustrating though.

I am not from the US so don't know if Urine off is available over there? To me, it works good. Recommended by a cat behaviorist. I put it on some spots (walls etc) since once of my cats started to spray sometimes. He didn't spray on these places again since I start using it.

I did an urine check though, since he didn't spray before. He has cystitis so he has antiobiotics now. 

However, perhaps you can try Hills A/D , just to make sure if she does eat it. I wouldn't give it for a long time or a big amount, because in case she has problems with her kidneys or so, this food is not really recommended.
Since she even pees on her own bed, I think she doesn't feel well. Not to scare you or anything, but maybe it's good to go for a ultrasound of the bladder, and/or bloodtests and more detailed urine tests?

Well, I couldn't find Urine Off but I did order the Nature's Miracle laundry boost plus I already have the Nature Miracle urine & stain remover in a spray. Well, thank goodness she is not spraying, I had a cat that did this & it was a nightmare & I tried everything, medication including & finally I had no choice but to ban him from our house & he lived in our building in the back yard for the rest of his life. Its a nice building that we had built with a/c & heat & screened in porch & I did have a few feral cats that I rescued that lived out there so he wasn't alone but I sure did hate doing this to him & I sure hope I do not have to do this to Cami as there are no more cats that live out there & she would be totally alone plus she is so sweet & loving & has a great personality so I just don't think I could do this. Today is day 3 of the new antibiotics that she is on & I'm hoping & praying that this will work. I have been communicating with my vet friend in Oregon that specializes in cats & he's been giving me some advice as well. I haven't tried Hills A/D yet but I will give it a try as well. Of all the foods I have offered her, which all my other cats just love, you would think she would like one of them but so far, she has refused to eat any of them so I give her the Acana dry food as its not good to let a cat go without food for over 24 hrs. You would think that she would get hungry & want some more food since I'm only feeding her the dry food once a day instead of twice a day. She doesn't appear to feel bad at all as she plays & loves to chase her tail & acts like a normal kitty. I took her bed away & put down a big clean kitty box & had some bedding in it & she liked laying in that by the window but yesterday she peed on the bedding material so I removed it altogether & there is nothing in the box & she's laying in the box right now, so if she pees in the box, she can't try to cover it up so I'm hoping that will deter her from doing this. So far, that is the only place that she peed & she does use the kitty box as well as I keep her confined in the guest bedroom with her food, water & kitty box w/ kitty litter & she does use it so its not like she doesn't use the kitty box at all. If this antibiotic doesn't seem to help her, I definitely will do more testing.

Since she's ONLY peeing now on her bedding and in the box, I'm beginning to wonder if this is behavioral?  Granted, she had a UTI, but the antibiotic should have made her feel better, even if it doesn't completely cure it.  And by your own account, she doesn't appear to feel bad.

So...maybe we should tackle this as behavior while treating the UTI ?  My understanding is that Feliway plug-ins work fairly well for unwelcome urination problems. 

So let's talk litter boxes.  How many do you have?  You have multiple cats.  Do you have at least one box per cat, plus one extra?  That's the rule of thumb on boxes.  Are the boxes uncovered, and in an area where they get little traffic.  Cats normally prefer uncovered boxes, and in areas where they aren't disturbed, yet can see around them, so not in a closet type area.  I admit that I have one in a closet, but I keep the sliding doors both open so they can get in and out from either end and can also see from either direction.  They don't like surprises while in the bathroom   Also, she may not like the litter you are using.  Is it perfumed?  Most cats like unscented.  She may not even like the texture.  Do you have some boxes with different types of litter so she can try them out?  You MIGHT want to get some Cat Attract litter to use for awhile.  You can just put it on top of your current litter rather than fill all your boxes from top to bottom with it.  I'm sure I read about someone doing that and it worked

I'm under the impression that her confinement to the guest room is just since her inappropriate urination began, is the right?  Is it possible she was/is stressed being around all your other cats?  As I'm sure you know, stress can bring on UTI's in the first place, so could be the cause of all this.  Have you tried using calming sprays and/or Rescue Remedy for Pets? 

As to her food, texture might be what's holding her back.  I guess you've tried shredded, chunks and pate?  I converted all mine from kibble to wet using Soulistic, but now they all hate it (the Soulistic, not canned )  Even Fancy Feast CLASSICS are a decent food, and most cats will try them at least once.  But as I stated earlier, I wouldn't worry so much about switching her food just yet, until you get this other issue resolved.  It might stress her out and that is NOT what you need right now.  Especially if she's a stress pee'er. 

BTW, here's a very interesting read:  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/63150/peeing-in-her-own-bed

Well, before she had the UTI, she had no issues using the kitty boxes which I keep cleaned twice daily every day. I have 6 cats & 6 boxes, one for each cat, really have no more room to add anymore boxes. I, already have  several Feliway plug-ins which I have had for a few months now to no avail. The cat boxes are in a room that is what I call the cat room & some are covered & some are not. I've had her now for about 6 mos & up until she had the UTI, she had no issues with the kitty litter I use either,  I use the World's Best Cat litter (unscented) or ScoopWheat & also, Cat Attract. Yes, I just started keeping her confined to the guest bedroom due to the urinary issues but she's not in there 24/7 either. She really likes that room as when I first got her, that was her special room til I got her acclimated to the household & when she was recovery from her spay surgery. When she wants to go into that room, I let her go. She does not appear to be stressed out at all as she is a very laid back cat & gets along with the rest with no problems. Right now, she's laying on back of the couch in our sunroom which is where we are normally. Plus, today she has not peed except for the litter box. Today was day 3 of the new antibiotic & I'm just keeping my fingers crossed & hope for the best. Yes, I've tried shredded, chunks & pate & even ones that had a gravy base, so far, none of those have appealed to her.

Hi! Sorry to hear your kitty is sick

Have you tried a different litter? I found World's Best to be really dusty (and not all that great in my experience). I know that sometimes the dust from litter can cause UTIs in cats.

Peeing outside the litter box is in many cases NOT a behavioral problem. It might be behavioral, but first you need to make sure that the cat is healthy. Not only by an urine test, but also a blood test, for example.

If this seems all good, you can contact a cat behaviorist.

But the most important thing is that you first exclude healthy problems.

Hope the medicine will work