First time cat owner, desperately needing help on adopted cat with history of urinary problems

Hello Community,

I've been reading this site fervently and really need a lot of help...  But first a some background about me and then about my kitty before describing what is going on now (it's long so thank you in advance for your time and patience in reading this, I think all the info is relevant and important to know):

About me:

I am a student who has always never been in the pro-cat camp of people (bad experiences with aggressive/violent cats) until I started cat-sitting for my friends in the past year and quickly came to see cats as great companions. I have never owned a cat before but started looking into it seriously. I was looking for a cat who was quiet, docile, not overly attached to humans (enjoyed his/her time alone because I am a student and do spend a lot of time in the hospital or traveling for my training and it was important for me to have a cat that would not get upset about this... looking for a good fit for me and the cat, not just a play thing for me at his/her expense), and preferably affectionate.

Meeting Kitty Cat:

I researched cats for months, visited multiple shelters near and far, and met many cats before coming across my current cat. I originally came into the shelter for another cat that I saw on the website... but after speaking to the staff about myself, my schedule, and the type of cat I'm looking for... they recommended me to meet the cat that would become mine. The kitty was beautiful, during visitation she seemed to have the exact personality I was looking for (just as the shelter staff said)... I couldn't be more excited because at that time I had already met lots of cats (of all different ages, male and female, etc.) and had started to feel like I wouldn't find the cat that was a good fit for me. The staff explained that this was the cat's THIRD time being returned to the shelter and it was because of her long standing history of urinary problems: what were believed to be UTIs as well as voiding outside of the litterbox (in what appeared to be revenge). Her previous homes had either small children or/and other pets that terrified her and she would get having "UTIs" from it as well as take it out on the children by voiding specifically on their clothes/beds. The previous owners had taken her to the vet many times (consult, lab tests, imaging, etc), tried to modify behavior, litter boxes/litter, diet... ultimately, after exhausting these options and needing to replace carpets and furniture, she was returned. Obviously, this was a horrible fit leaving both the family and the cat miserable. I was absolutely saddened by this since she seemed to be such a great cat and felt sorry for all the trauma she has experienced from bouncing around from family to shelter, etc. However, I was extremely wary about this pre-existing problem. I asked for more information on what to expect/how to deal and the shelter simply said to just monitor her litterbox.. if the pee puddles get small, take her to the vet, get her antibiotics and she will be over it in a couple days. I thought that is easy peasy and I can definitely do that... Further, he staff said that they have never ever seen this in her during her time at the shelter and strongly believe that she would do well in a child-free and pet-free home... such as mine. I did feel like she had the potential to be an excellent companion and deserved a chance to be in an environment that suited her (can't expect anyone to be on one's best behavior in a stressful environment)... so I signed a waiver saying that I understood her history, and brought her home.

Kitty Cat at Home:

Kitty at first had kind of a tough time adjusting. She cried all night, tore up the house... and I spent so much time cleaning up up shredded pieces of home (wood, fibers, plastic, etc) constantly (could never just leave it because I didn't want her to ingest the pieces as well as for my own sake, I don't want to live in a dump... I own my home and have lots of pride in that). This negatively impacted my studies (made me late, was a major source of distraction and stress), which honestly is unapologetically the hugest priority (won a ginormous merit scholarship and am determined to keep it)... and I was seriously considering returning her. I kept up communication with the shelter who offered advice but nothing really helped. Toughed it out and eventually she cooled down. A couple months later she started randomly (or at least I couldn't figure out the trigger) attacking me. Fortunately, it was winter time so I had pants on... but full on running at me, pouncing, all fours and mouth sunk into me. This happened 3 or 4 times... the last time occurred when I did not have long pants on and left me bleeding and I went to an emergency clinic for it. This quickly brought back all my fears of cats... STILL, toughed it out... she cooled out again. Recently, she has been having beautiful moments... actually cuddling/sleeping next to/on me, greeting me at the door, running to see me, etc. (Forgot to mention, vet checked her out and gave her clean bill of health so these bad behaviors do not seem to be driven from illness). I started to feel like toughing out all my moments of weakness was starting to pay off and was so incredibly relieved.

Current problem:

I had returned from a weekend trip at midnight (only gone 1 full day plus Fri and Sun for travel) to find the house completely soiled. There was poop all over, urine all over (on hardwood, carpet, cushions, mats, rugs, literally ALL OVER)... and despite her prior history, she had never once had a single litterbox problem so I was immediately alarmed. I noticed that her backside was totally raw and she came in front of me and started peeing and at the end blood came out. I totally panicked and took her to the emergency clinic immediately. Urinalysis only showed red blood cells and some white blood cells... but the vet recommended going forth with antibiotics (without culture or imaging). To be honest, I totally wasn't on board with this but was so tired from the traveling, it was 2 or 3am at that time, very overwhelmed from my cat being so sick... and while I brought up my reasons to the vet about why I'm not ok with this (I don't want the cat on antibiotics if they aren't necessary, antibiotics aren't exact harmless so I don't believe they should be used unless indicated and I'm a student so I don't exactly have tons of money for unnecessary things... plus if we are just dismissing this as UTI without knowing for certain we could be missing out on the real root cause of this)... she insisted on proceeding with her plan. We popped a Clavamox pill and headed home. I made sure the cat was all settled and proceed to clean the house until daylight. Slept a tiny bit and saw that the cat had vomited many times in the house. I presumed it was from stomach upset... called my regular vet and we got her on Baytril, which she is currently completing her full dose and no horrible upset yet except for 1 vomit and 1 diarrhea. It does seem like Kitty is doing better.. the blood is gone (well, visible blood... there could certainly be microscopic blood that I just don't see) and she is making larger urine puddles.... none of which is in the litterbox. She is also acting healthy and back to her normal personality. All good things.

However, I just can't keep up with the cleaning. I am cleaning before I leave and when I come back. The mess is endless (poop and pee).. and I am so sleep-deprived and stressed out. I work at the hospital and in my daily tasks I work with chemicals, carcinogens, needles, infectious particles, drugs... REALLY dangerous and potent stuff and I am worried that I am going to make a HUGE mistake that will really hurt myself or others here at the hospital because of my lack of sleep and constant stress/distraction about this. 

Every time I interact with her... I do my best to approach with a clean slate, remember the good times, take care of her tenderly and lovingly with patience... but I am so exhausted by this that I am beginning to, sadly and I can't even believe I am saying this, resent her. However, I am going to tough it out... I am determined to get her over this hump (have yet to be stingy on costs and time but these resources are not unlimited) and am caring for her with as much tenderness, kindness, and patience as I can muster... and I really try hard to not bring previous frustrations with me. I don't want to make any decisions in this moment of stress but I am really concerned that this is going to happen repeatedly and regularly. Her previous records indicate this happened every 5-7 months... she has been with me for 7 months now... and I just don't have the ability to deal with this on a regular basis. I understand that cats, like people, get sick and these things happen... but I don't think I'm prepared to have this specific chronic issue on top of these other random events. I just totally did not expect this to happen in my home and I don't think the shelter did either. 

Environment/Potential triggers:

- The vet suggested that my going away triggered this... but I actually go away a lot and for much longer periods of time and it has never been a problem. I have very amazing cat-loving friends, who Kitty knows and likes, come visit to care for her, groom her, play with her, etc... and it has never been an issue before. 

- Diet: she is on 100% dry food (I know, everyone is going to come down on me for this)... but the first thing I did when I got her was try to transition her to 100% wet food...but tried many different brands, meats, composition of wet food and either she will not eat it or she will not have formed bowel movements. This is why she is back on dry food (which is what she was on at the shelter). She has a water fountain that she drinks out of, I have to fill it up regularly so it does appear that she is drinking good amounts from it. 

- Litterbox: she has a closed litter box which I leave in the open position. I have also added an additional litterbox in her favorite out-of-the-box voiding spot. Because a couple months ago I changed her litter and am concerned this could be contributing... the additional litterbox has her previous litter. So far this has not helped.

- Stress: my house literally could not be more stress free... very low traffic and quiet. There are many windows and she loves to watch the birds, bugs and other critters outside. She also has lots of toy options to keep her entertained. I have tried Feliway before... and honestly, she looked PISSED lol... I guess Feliway releases phermones that remind cats of their mother but maybe she hates her mother? haha  just being ridiculous, I have no idea.. but you could see it in her face that Kitty was PISSED. Also, Kitty is normally allowed to free roam (although currently confined because it is too hard for me otherwise) and she has her own space (places that are 100% hers, out of the way of foot traffic, if she goes there... I never enter that space, pet her, call her, etc... she knows that is her private area and is not to be disturbed) and has her own things.

I really think she has sterile cystits (FIC/FUS/FLUTD) just brought on from stressors that I clearly am unaware of because I feel like my home is 0% stress... Kitty doesn't agree, obviously. I need help on how to ID the cause and solve this because I can't keep going on like this for the rest of her life. Thanks again for reading and please no harsh words (constructive comments only, please) or judgement... I am really worn out and am just looking for support and ideas so that me and Kitty can lead happy stress-free lives... hopefully together....

Have you talked to your vet about behavior modifying medications? Lots of cats with FIC take antidepressants (Prozac, amitryptiline, Zoloft, Wellbutrin) or an anti-anxiety med like Xanax. It sounds to me like you're doing everything right (major kudos!!!) and your home sounds very stress free. But some cats just are stress cases for no reason. I completely understand your frustration and I commend you for going as far as you have. Try asking your vet about these meds; they may do the trick.

Thanks CatLadyVetTech for your quick reply. I am hoping to talk to the vet about getting Kitty on an anxiolytic after this clears up... but I read that anxiolytics can also have adverse effects on the urinary tract? I'm trying to learn more so I can have all my questions prepared for the vet. Kitty has a long standing history of chewing plastic which has also played out in my house (need to be extremely cautious about what she can reach) so I definitely think there is some sort of anxiety/mental unwellness going on. It would be a dream to nick the plastic and urination problem together.

Also, any advice on how to get her over this current bout of presumed FIC? I really am not expecting to the antibiotics to change this situation... I am currently giving her affection because I genuinely believe its some emotional/mental imbalance that is driving this... but I'm not sure if she is interpreting this as positive reinforcement for her behavior???? I  normally discipline her by saying NO when she does bad things but I haven't been because I don't want to exacerbate the situation with more negatively... I just watch her pee right in front of me -_-

k1ttyk4t said:

 
Also, any advice on how to get her over this current bout of presumed FIC? I really am not expecting to the antibiotics to change this situation... I am currently giving her affection because I genuinely believe its some emotional/mental imbalance that is driving this... but I'm not sure if she is interpreting this as positive reinforcement for her behavior???? I  normally discipline her by saying NO when she does bad things but I haven't been because I don't want to exacerbate the situation with more negatively... I just watch her pee right in front of me -_-

Click to expand...

Just to touch on this real quick, although many times cats will stop doing something at the sound of a sharp NO, they don't really condition to that negative response overall.  In other words, the lack of "discipline" isn't affecting anything here as cats don't really respond to negative reinforcement overall.  Whether she interprets the affection as positive reinforcement for behavior, I don't know.  In terms of litter box habit that would be surprising to me.  They are very instinctive about wanting to cover the smell so should always gravitate towards something soft/loose if available.  Often enough, having a cat pee in front of you seems to be (it's hard to tell for certain) an attempt at communicating that they need help with this.

As you're probably aware you may have a bit of a road ahead of you in getting back to litter box use, at least while medical issues are ongoing.  The issue is the cat's reaction to having any sort of urinary problem is often to associate it with location, so thus they go for a different location.  It may help to completely change to brand new and different style litter boxes as well as new type of litter and new locations.  There's a litter called Cat Attract which may help early on in getting her back to using a box.  And also closing her into a smaller space with said box and little to nothing else soft around the floor that would be appealing for her to use.

Other than that, I can't offer anything more specific to your situation I don't think.  I admire your steadfast determination to help her and wish you both the best.

Yup.. I totally know what you mean about the negative reinforcement... Kitty definitely stops but I think it's more for me to express myself than her learning

The additional litter box I added is a different size, color, and shape... and as mentioned before, a different litter that she has used successfully in the past. To her defense.. she hopped right in it when I put it down in her area... but when I didn't see a huge puddle come out, I knew she probably wasn't going to use it much more. Should I wait until she has normalized before adding yet another litterbox? I feel like she is going to try and then think it is hurting her and then stop using it yet again. I have checked out Cat Attract on Amazon... but again, should I wait until after she has normalized to use it... I'm worried she is going to associate all my last ditch efforts with negativity and then there is nothing left for me to try.

Currently, I have laid out diaper pads for her.. (well I guess more for me than her haha) and she indeed loves to pee on them. However, if there are no diaper pads, she still will pee just directly on the floor I have dramatically limited her space... but how small is too small? There is space for 2 boxes, her food, fountain, and cat tree and about 25 sq ft of area for her to roam. I have read other posts where cats are kept in such small spaces that the only floor space is a gigantic litter box. Is this worth trying... just seems quite small and depressing.

I would agree with the litter box thing, although it's only a guess really. Burning through too many litter combinations before you're on a path to resolving an underlying medical or behavioral issue might not be of any use. I guess the question would be if right now she is still in pain or stressed or whatever combination of things is triggering this, or is she simply continuing the habits formed while she was in pain/stress? That distinction would help you in working on returning her to litter box use, but figuring out which of those modes she's in is the million dollar question. I know virtually nothing of having cats on antidepressants and such (just that it does happen) so I defer to others' experiences in that department.

In terms of space, though, cats may enjoy having more space but they need very little horizontal space especially when different heights are available. But 25 sq ft really isn't so big anyway. You'll need room to get yourself in there and such so for practical reasons it probably isn't going to help to get much smaller. At some point you may want to try something on the floor that's smooth but protects the floor from the liquid, since the pads may be just appealing enough to ignore the boxes.

I'm reading your first post again and it's just so hard to say. If most things have improved and she's still going outside box, one might think that is from habit formed when she was ill and you just have to coax her back into the box use with maybe Cat Attract and careful choice of box and the limited area. But if you're really thinking stuff like FIC (which I know nothing about), then it might be too soon to go all in on those ideas before having something concrete which dials down what might still be some kind of physiological issue.

I'm guessing this is roughly same thought process you're already going through, so, sorry, probably not much additional help. I will say if the current vet has no ideas it can't hurt to seek out another.

Hello 2bcat,

Thanks for your reply. She does not appear to be in pain... although I have heard stories of cats walking normally and later found to have a broken leg so I believe that they can hide their suffering. The first couple days she was definitely in pain... her body position was crouched, slinky, and at times shivering... and definitely withdrawn. Additionally, her personality had changed and she just looked weary/depressed. For the past week plus some days afterwards, she has resumed normal appearance and personality... all while having urinary symptoms... I don't know if that means that the discomfort has come down enough to the point that she can hide it... or that she is no longer in pain. Further, her backside is healing (was hairless and raw) and I think that the decrease of incessant grooming is the most convincing sign that she is no longer in pain. That being said, I have not really seen anything that looks like normal sized pee or poop (but definitely improving) so I don't think she is 100% better and that this is 100% behavioral. Probably mixed illness and behavioral at this point.

Regarding the floor protectant, that's a GREAT idea. I'll check out Walmart and Home Depot to see what would fit the space well. Thanks for the thoughts and idea... they were helpful for sure! 

Was just thinking about this again last couple days, so I decided to find this thread and bump it to see if you'd had any better luck over the last week or so.  Hope you have seen some improvement.

Thanks 2bcat for bumping this.

K k1ttyk4t Reading your story makes me think of a My Cat From Hell episode I watched this morning. Kitty is clearly a very anxious character, as evidenced by her previous homes (there is no such thing as 'revenge' peeing, btw) and her reaction to coming home with you at first. Basically, you're dealing with MAJOR separation anxiety. Even the attacks could be based in that - does she go for you most when you've been 'away' the longest?

With Feliway, some cats really don't respond to it. Unfortunately for you, Kitty is in that category. The next step is Composure Max or Zylkene, but I am wondering whether something stronger may be called for in her case. Given the severity of the problems, she may need anti anxiety medication to level her out a little. So my first suggestion is a vet appointment asap to discuss this possibility.

The other thing that could make a huge difference is to have someone around for her more. I appreciate that you're at school and have a really hectic schedule (I'm guessing med student or similar, and I KNOW how crazy that is), but could friends or family drop in for a little while during the day to help her feel less isolated? In other circumstances I'd suggest another cat, but Kitty is clearly WAY to stressed to even think of that at the moment.

With going away - even if its only one night, you HAVE to get a cat sitter in. Whilst some cats cope just fine with being left for short periods, Kitty clearly isn't one of them.

I know this is a lot to take on board, and is the exact opposite of what you set out to get. Hang in there. There will be a way through this.

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Thanks @2bcat  for the bump and @Columbine  for the reply. I suspect that it could be an anxiety issue... but I'm curious as to why she had no problem with previous trips (have left her before for over 2 weeks at home with visitors coming to care for her and at least once a month I'll be gone for a weekend)? When I return home, she will come to the door but she's not exactly obsessed with me or super relieved (that I can tell) when I get back (ie OMG SO HAPPY YOU ARE BACK!!... not really getting that vibe)... she sees me, comes in for some rubs, and then basically just walks away to do whatever she does.

I have been in contact with our regular vet and we have since done another urinalysis (this time cystocentesis vs first time at emergency vet which was just urinalysis of expelled urine)... the report showed bacteria but rare frequency <8 HPF.. and the vet has suggested month long treatment of baytril to finish this off (we finished all of our original rx off baytril). Good news is that she looks 100% from the outside, even starting to resume her usual bathroom habits. We have begun to transition to the Hills C/D urinary diet for her so we'll see how that goes and we have a consult next week for more thorough discussion with our vet for other approaches (including anxiolytics).

All my friends here are all hospital people too... so we are all in similar situations. Except that things on my end are only going to get worse in the upcoming years (moving for sure as well as a worse schedule). THIS is my biggest concern... a normal schedule for me is quite far in the future (tbh, could even be past her lifetime). Still not at the point of making a decision on whether I would return her to the shelter... just riding this out in the meantime to see how things go after this episode... pretty motivated still to test more solutions. Will post another update after the consult with our vet... hopefully we can get a good plan together!

AWWWW - BLESS your heart for taking in this kitty in your heart and home knowing she had urinary mishaps and returned multiple times. It's no wonder she has so many unsettling and unnerving behaviors. OH boy can stress wreck havoc on cat's bladder walls - majorly. :shame: This kitty has not had anyone willing to work with her and give her a chance until you came along... Poor thing - new home and then back to the shelter. I feel for her tremendously and I really think that you can overcome her issues. It will take some time for her to realize that you are for real, that you are on board with her and willing to get her bladder back to health. One thing that I have used over the years with cats that have been so severely traumatized by being abandoned over and over again thus causing UTI's and inflamed bladders, is Elavil (Amitriptyline). This is one anti-depressant that is used specifically for some bladder issues that are just not getting resolved after antibiotics are finished. Blood in urine is also caused by stress due to it's strong impact on the bladder wall allowing bacteria to enter. Elavil works to calm the bladder, and helps the cat to retain urine a bit longer by not having that "urge" for frequent voiding. I only mention Elavil now as a preempt discussion with your vet after other treatments are potentially failing. It worked for one of my cats.

Baytril IS the go-to UTI antibiotic. I had to keep my cat on it for a month as well. Talk to your vet about probiotic therapy during this time to help keep healthy bacteria in the gut. Some of us use it here and if your vet says - yes - then we can offer up some product brands. I think you and your vet will come up with a good plan together. :nod:

I think what this cat needs more than anything - is stability with one person and a home right now. You say you may have to move in the future! No PROB. by then she should be settled and know that no matter where you two go - you will be together. PLUS - you will be moving all of the furniture, her cat tree, and all of her special things. Also - in the future, when you know stressful things are approaching - I would plan ahead with meds. to help the cat relax and begin treatment a couple of weeks before the big change.

There are also Jackson Galaxy Spirit Essences: http://jacksongalaxy.com/ For me, anyway, I have had great success in using flower essences.

Keep up with the great work, the solid foundation of trust, playtime, and loads of love - and I think she will begin to feel better also once the meds cure her infection. Have lots of vertical space for her such as shelving, cat tress, or even access to a tall cabinet with a kitty bed up top. Sounds like she really loves you now too and looks forward to your return home. You can always leave on soft music when you are away during the day.

You're amazing for sticking with her through this. I can tell you really want to make it work. We'll support you all we can. Hang in there!

coming back to write more as I was able to read more thoroughly your first opening post last night and some more thoughts came to mind. I think at this point, any thoughts are better than nothing, right???!!! :lol3:

First off - I want to tell you how much I respect your determination to work through all of these very challenging stages with Kitty. Obviously, she has some very serious PTSD from a life of God knows what and I think this makes her adjustment to any situation and new home almost impossible for the guardian to tolerate. I thank you so much for trying so hard because I do fear that if you are not able (and this is not to make you feel guilty by any stretch - just a fact and one that you probably already know) to work it out with her then her future looks very bleak and sad. Your a saint to be willing to take her on. :grphug:

After thinking about this. She was pretty much settled in after her initial stages of tearing up the house - but no soiling until you left for that weekend? correct? Obviously we know she has debilitating separation anxiety about being left alone. NOW - this could change after time - a long time of her knowing you will be coming back from your trips - BUT how long could that take? AND - if ever??!! I know of some dogs that never get over their separation anxiety. I had one - and had to deal with it for over ten years and it was very difficult. I imagine cats are the same due to the deep ingrained fear of being abandoned. I mean - who knows? Maybe someone left her in an apartment and never returned - she was only found by her howling and carrying on with no food/water? That is just one scenario of many that could have brought on this panic anxiety.

That being said. I think she needs one, two or three options for the next time you have to leave. At least, until she learns that you will be coming home and until she is completely 100% sure you are hers for life. One: She needs an anti-depressant. I used Elavil as my go-to when one of my cats needs some help. AND - this is ONLY temporary until she gets past her fear/anxiety. And the nice thing about Elavil is that you can use it intermittently as it works immediately. So you could use it a day or two before you leave, during your absence, and a day or two upon your return. My cat received 5 mg. per day which is half the dose of the recommended 10 mg. You have to try it to see how it effects your cat as they all are different. 5 mg. worked for my Pipsqueak. Two: She needs someone to either stay at the house full-time while you are gone or Three: She needs to stay somewhere other than your house - a cat boarding only facility? while you are gone. I think at this point, that is what I would do so that I don't have to come home to that mess - and that I don't have to worry about Kitty freaking out mentally when I am gone. Some will say "OH NO - not boarding!!!!!" but IMO - if you bring all of her things from home - a couple of your nightshirts that you have slept in - even some worn socks - then she will be fine. Some cat boarding places are really, really, REALLY nice, with windows, music and even bird watching TV's. I think this option will give you peace of mind to focus on your studies and your necessary work trips away from home. Another perk to this option is the trust building blocks that will build each and every time you pick her up and bring her home! People think these types of places are like shelters to the cats but truly, the cats know the difference for sure. You have to do some research to find a good place and they are becoming more and more prevalent in all areas and becoming quite popular for guardians and their kitties. Some kitties actually do really well in these places.

Another thought: She could be pooping/peeing when you leave as a way to leave her smell everywhere for you so you can find your way home - and fast. OR it just could be she is completely out of her mind with panic and fear. I have anxiety, actually, and know that certain situations, I just cannot tolerate or manage and that kind of fear most do not know unless they have dealt with it in their own minds. It is a fight to survive when there is really no real threat. It is just awful. Also, Cats absolutely DO NOT poop/pee out of revenge or anger OR to teach you a lesson. It is a natural behavior actually to mark areas and territories this way.

Also - as a last resort too and if you are really, really getting desperate. I have been there, believe me, and a friend got me to call an animal communicator. I have worked with her multiple times over the past few years and she blows me away each and every time. Recently, helping me with two cats that have been having problems for FOUR YEARS and are now - at least - tolerating each other. Her name and website: Ellen Kohn http://enlightenedanimals.com/ She has also helped a few other member's here such as @LDG - Laurie - with multiple behavioral, medical and even lost kitty issues. I am sure if you wanted to PM her she wouldn't mind sharing. Of course, not everyone believes and I didn't either at first, but I was at the end of my rope and thought why not contact this person as I have nothing left to lose.

There was something else too that I wanted to mention - but my mind is drawing a blank at the moment. typical of my brain lately. :lol3:

I think we all want to help you so you can help this cat and be successful in keeping her. I know this is probably the biggest challenge you have ever taken on but in the long run and down the road, if you can work through all of this mental obstacles and urinary health issues with her, she may just be the perfect kitty for you. :heart3:

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I remember what is was that I wanted to mention. Some may suggest getting another cat as a friend and one that I would suggest as well BUT BUT..... with separation anxiety - sometimes having another pet in the house as their supposed companion does not work at all. For my dog - nothing like that worked. Now - the only way to "try" this would be to offer to become a foster for the shelter where you got Kitty from. You ask them to help you find a suitable match for Kitty. Being a foster, you get all of the medical costs covered, you help another cat by getting it out of the shelter environment, AND you can see how this cat gets along with Kitty as well as seeing if having another companion alleviates some of her anxiety. Of course..... talk with the shelter and see how she was with other cats??? It might be the answer OR it could really backfire thus putting you heart on the line with another cat that you may have to give back up to the shelter. Being a foster, you already have that mindset that the cat is only with you temporarily.... maybe.... I have two "foster" cats and it has been FOUR YEARS... :lol3: Anyway - I think you get my point of mentioning adding another "companion" to see if it helps Kitty or hinders Kitty.

In addition to all the great advice you've gotten here, you might check out some of the blends from Jackson Galaxy's Spirit Essences store to help on a day-to-day basis to help her feel more confident in your home and with your schedule.  I'm so impressed with all you're doing for this kitty in your situation.  Keep up the good work and know we're here to help you through this crisis.

Hello all,

Kitty is currently doing well on her 2nd round of Baytril. No more bloody urine and she is using the litterbox 100% now so she is getting reintroduced into her normal routine of free roaming of the house and also getting some time outside enjoying the beautiful New England summer. 

The vet believes that Kitty has components of both UTI and FIC with this time definitely being UTI. She thinks that this bout is a continuation of her original from a few weeks ago and that the first 10 dose round of Baytril just wasn't sufficient. After this 1 month of Baytril we are going to get another urinalysis via cystocentesis to see that it is cleared and in the future IF this reoccurs, do urine culture with antibiotic sensitivity testing. 

Otherwise, we will try to introduce wet food again (even more slowly this time) and add the following supplements: Cosequin and cranberry/echinacea/vit c supplement daily. She is currently getting her Baytril with FortiFlora probiotic (she loves loves loves this) with her morning meal and now these 2 new supplements with her evening meal. The vet also gave us a rx for Prozac and we haven't started that yet... but it is a 10mg daily dose with a wean from 1/4 tab to 1/2 tab to full tab over time... we have that rx for one year of refills. Great news is that there are coupons for this online and is extremely affordable, which is something I was concerned about.

Thanks again for everyone's ideas and supportive comments. I hope that Kitty has a healthy and bright future ahead!

Awww I'm so happy that Kitty is doing better. What a lucky girl she is to have you as her companion and guardian!