My cat has urinary blockage/obstruction :(

Hmm...I wonder why they only kept it in there for a day, both times...

MaggieMay - What are SubQ-fluids? My vet kept telling me the hydrate him from under the skin....since he has not been drinking any water..

katnaps said:

 
Hmm...I wonder why they only kept it in there for a day, both times...

MaggieMay - What are SubQ-fluids? My vet kept telling me the hydrate him from under the skin....since he has not been drinking any water..

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Tigger's original catheter was removed and he reblocked, and the next catheter was left in place for 4 days.  Perhaps the vet didn't want to keep Prince sedated.  Tigger was given valium while his catheter remained in.  He wasn't knocked out, but was drowsy and very relaxed.  Sub-Q fluids are fluids given under the skin to prevent or offset dehydration caused by fluid loss (as occurs in vomiting and diarrhea) or too little fluid intake (if he isn't drinking enough himself).  I'm sure in this case that your vet is flushing his system out with these fluids, hoping to not only dilute the urine and flush out the crystals, but to keep the kidneys and bladder working well.  Lactated Ringer's solution is the most common sub-q fluid used in the US.  I've had fluids given to my babies for several reasons, and they always helped them enormously.  This is a good thing for Prince.

A demonstration of how to give subQ fluids at home

Many years ago when I had a blocked cat (1970s) after the vet was sure the cat had not blocked again, he sent him home with me after giving me directions to express his bladder after every time he peed.  If the bladder has been stretched out by being blocked, they may lose the sensation of it being full.  This happens to women who have just given birth as well.  When the weight of the baby is no longer on the bladder, she may not have the urge to pee, and pressure must be put n the top of the bladder in order to express urine.

My vet taught me how to feel the bladder and then how to express it by putting pressure on the top and sides.  I needed to do this in the bathtub after every time he peed, or if he tried to pee but was having trouble.  Once we got to a point where there was no urine left in his bladder after every pee, we didnt have to do that any more.  The vet also had me give him extra things to drink, such as goats milk and tuna ater (I think I mentioned that recpte, just put a can of tuna in a quart of spring water or distilled wter, let is soak a bit and hsake it up, then drain out the tuna through a strainer.  Pt the tuna water down fr your cat.  Sorry about the typos, I am falling asleep but did want to encourage fluids.  Also, no dry food, only canned food or real meat.

Re the PU surgery, it is a last resort, to save a life, and still I probably would not do it if it came to that.  A friend had it done and would never do it again.  The cat became incontinent and would dribble all over himself and then get diaper rash from the urine burn.  Eventually she had him put to sleep because he was so miserable. 

I would struggle to get through this first stage just as I did with my cat, by expressing his bladder after every urinarion until he gets his bladder tone back.  Then I would feed him the PROPER diet for a cat, no dry food (including so-called "prescription" dry food), high in meat protein (not vegetabe protein), moderate in fat, and very low (10% or below) carbohydrates.  With proper diet he will not be getting stones, and with no more blocking, you can return his bladder tone to normal.  It may take a few weeks, maybe even months, but it can be done.  I did it, and I wasn't much more than a kid at the time, and there was no internet, no youtube, no cell phones, so basically the cat and I were on our own at night.  But we made it.  He never got a kibble again and h never got blocked again either.

PU surgery would be my LAST resort....

Verdict is in....Prince blocked AGAIN this morning...He is recovering from his procedure and this time he will keep his catheter in for AT LEAST 48 hours..... This is not easy....I am so stressed out for his well being, mentally & physically. I'm going to visit him again tonight after work and speak to his vet. I'm hoping this time everything will flush out...

It's funny....I got him 7 years ago as a 2 month old kitten...FOR FREE....now he's letting me know how much he's really worth.  

Thanks again fellow cat lovers....you guys have been beyond helpful...Great community with great people.

Again...will keep you posted.

katnaps said:

 
PU surgery would be my LAST resort....

Verdict is in....Prince blocked AGAIN this morning...He is recovering from his procedure and this time he will keep his catheter in for AT LEAST 48 hours..... This is not easy....I am so stressed out for his well being, mentally & physically. I'm going to visit him again tonight after work and speak to his vet. I'm hoping this time everything will flush out...

It's funny....I got him 7 years ago as a 2 month old kitten...FOR FREE....now he's letting me know how much he's really worth.  

Thanks again fellow cat lovers....you guys have been beyond helpful...Great community with great people.

Again...will keep you posted.

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You might want to make sure with your vet that Prince is being something to keep him calm.  I'm sure he is, but it's nice to know for sure.  You are both in my prayers.

There is a very knowledgeable online vet whose website (http://www.2ndchance.info/fus.htm ) has lots of information on Prince's situation.  It is the most easily understood paper on feline urinary blockage that I have found.  I believe that it can answer many of your questions and also help explain why your vet is treating Prince as she  is.  I hope this helps you.  This link will take you to Dr. Hines' list of the most frequently asked questions from cat owners in his veterinary practice, which may help as well.  Most questions are in regard to housecats:  http://www.2ndchance.info/ACC.htm  Come on, Prince, you brave little boy, you can do it!

Hi Amazing Cat Community....

I am happy to bring some great news! Prince went home on Sunday around 1pm (after his 3 day catheterization). I'm happy he's home and he seems happy to be home (except for his brother who kept hissing at him, but thats a different topic/thread.) I monitored him all day and all night last night. I followed him everywhere because I'm afraid if something will happen. He has peed a lot the first day home (all medium to little clumps though). Not sure if thats something I should be concerned about. I'm having a rough time giving him his meds, especially pills that he needs to swallow. I kept syringe feeding him water about every other hour so he has peed a few times last night (med clumps). I am so afraid of leaving him alone. Is it normal for him to pee smaller clumps than he used to? I'm also giving him more water than usual so I can see why he pee's about 5+ times a day.

I'm sure we have a long, tough journey ahead of us; so any advice on how to make it as pleasant as possible is greatly appreciated.

Thanks all for listening and contributing. This has been the longest week and a half of my life.

katnaps said:

 
Hi Amazing Cat Community....

I am happy to bring some great news! Prince went home on Sunday around 1pm (after his 3 day catheterization). I'm happy he's home and he seems happy to be home (except for his brother who kept hissing at him, but thats a different topic/thread.) I monitored him all day and all night last night. I followed him everywhere because I'm afraid if something will happen. He has peed a lot the first day home (all medium to little clumps though). Not sure if thats something I should be concerned about. I'm having a rough time giving him his meds, especially pills that he needs to swallow. I kept syringe feeding him water about every other hour so he has peed a few times last night (med clumps). I am so afraid of leaving him alone. Is it normal for him to pee smaller clumps than he used to? I'm also giving him more water than usual so I can see why he pee's about 5+ times a day.

I'm sure we have a long, tough journey ahead of us; so any advice on how to make it as pleasant as possible is greatly appreciated.

Thanks all for listening and contributing. This has been the longest week and a half of my life.

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I can only speak from my experience with Tigger's blockage and reblockage this past January.   I found that smaller clumps were the norm for him for quite a while after he was released from the hospital.  His now are about the size of a ping-pong ball, and he's a 15-pound Maine Coon.  I've had excellent results (no further blockages) using the Get Naked Urinary Treats containing cranberry, and the Urinary Tract Irritation water additive by Tomlyn.  He is on an all-wet, grain-free diet.  He simply would not eat the prescription food.  I occasionally open another can to see if I can tempt him with it, but he hates it.  I do add a bit of water to his wet food, I think it's important to get as much moisture into their system as you can after an ordeal like this.  Remember there is a difference in the diagnosis of Tigger from that of Prince.  Tigger had no crystals.  But this is wonderful news that Prince is at home!  I'm thrilled!  Try to relax a bit.  It will help him to relax.

Prince re-blocked last night around 1am. This is his 4th time in 10 days. We rushed him to the emergency room. They had to re-catheterize him to stabilize  him because the vet specialist performing the p/u surgery is not in. This morning, they found that he did indeed have more debris in his bladder which is why he re-blocked. He is about to go into surgery anytime now. I am a nervous wreck. I just need to vent and get my frustration out. at this point I am feeling numb, but I just want the best for him....I hope this is the best decision/option for him.

katnaps said:

 
Hi Amazing Cat Community....

I am happy to bring some great news! Prince went home on Sunday around 1pm (after his 3 day catheterization). I'm happy he's home and he seems happy to be home (except for his brother who kept hissing at him, but thats a different topic/thread.) I monitored him all day and all night last night. I followed him everywhere because I'm afraid if something will happen. He has peed a lot the first day home (all medium to little clumps though). Not sure if thats something I should be concerned about. I'm having a rough time giving him his meds, especially pills that he needs to swallow. I kept syringe feeding him water about every other hour so he has peed a few times last night (med clumps). I am so afraid of leaving him alone. Is it normal for him to pee smaller clumps than he used to? I'm also giving him more water than usual so I can see why he pee's about 5+ times a day.

I'm sure we have a long, tough journey ahead of us; so any advice on how to make it as pleasant as possible is greatly appreciated.

Thanks all for listening and contributing. This has been the longest week and a half of my life.

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Before I start, I want to say I'm so sorry to read your latest news that Prince has blocked again.

And now for the information I want to share:     My cat Sweetie has never blocked but he has had problems with crystals in the past which made him get very sick.  I adopted Sweetie from a shelter about six years ago where the vet had prescribed Royal Canon for Urinary Tract Health for him.  Before he came to live with me, Sweetie was in another family's home for about a year.  This  family kept trying to save money by taking Sweetie off the Royal Canon and putting him on a grocery store food which was supposed to help with urinary tract problems.  Each time they did this Sweetie developed crystals.  Eventually Sweetie went back to the shelter and I adopted him.  In the six years Sweetie has been in my home, he has been on a strict diet of Royal Canon and he hasn't had one single problem with crystals.  So if you and the vet can get Prince to stay unblocked you might want to discuss having this food prescribed for him.  And one thing the shelter told me at the time of the adoption was to use clumping litter and to make sure the urine clumps stayed large.  They said smaller clumps were a sign of problems.

katnaps said:

 
Prince re-blocked last night around 1am. This is his 4th time in 10 days. We rushed him to the emergency room. They had to re-catheterize him to stabilize  him because the vet specialist performing the p/u surgery is not in. This morning, they found that he did indeed have more debris in his bladder which is why he re-blocked. He is about to go into surgery anytime now. I am a nervous wreck. I just need to vent and get my frustration out. at this point I am feeling numb, but I just want the best for him....I hope this is the best decision/option for him.

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I just saw this and I am praying so hard for you and Prince.  Of course you are a nervous wreck; I would be too.  I know so little about PU surgery, but I do know that many, many cats have pretty much been given new life because of it.  You are not alone, sweetie, we are here.  Hugs.........

I'm so sorry to see the update that poor Prince has re-blocked again. Poor little man. I'm so glad though that he has such wonderful guardians watching over him and getting him to medical attention swiftly. I'm hope that surgery goes well and that he is soon home recuperating. Hang in there and stay focused on the prize: a healthy Prince [emoji]10084[/emoji]️

Thanks Lorie D. I am so glad that Sweetie does not suffer from crystals anymore because of negligent owners who are out to save a few bucks. People like do not deserve pets!

Prince is almost 7 years old, him and his brother has been eating Natural Balance Premium (dry) since they were about 3 months old. His vet kept saying that was a good brand of food so I never questioned. I also realized he was never too keen on drinking water, so I sure that probably contributed to his blockage. I switched to Hills prescription diet (wet and dry) last week for him and his brother, but will do more research on better brands when this ordeal is over. 

Thank you for your story and kind words!

MaggieMay said:

 
I just saw this and I am praying so hard for you and Prince.  Of course you are a nervous wreck; I would be too.  I know so little about PU surgery, but I do know that many, many cats have pretty much been given new life because of it.  You are not alone, sweetie, we are here.  Hugs.........

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Thank you MaggieMay for being my sounding board since the beginning. This has been a tough 2 weeks. I just hope that this is the best decision I can make for him. 

katnaps said:

 
Thank you MaggieMay for being my sounding board since the beginning. This has been a tough 2 weeks. I just hope that this is the best decision I can make for him. 

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You have tried everything possible and it seems to me that this is what you are led to do.  So try to stay positive and have faith that this is what is best for Prince.  You have been on an emotional rollercoaster for two straight weeks trying to help this baby.  No one could have done more.  I know how much you love him and I know how it feels when your little fur baby is going through surgery.  I am always an absolute basket case, but they always pull through.  I'm just a keyboard away, sweetie.

Red Top Rescue said:

 
Re the PU surgery, it is a last resort, to save a life, and still I probably would not do it if it came to that.  A friend had it done and would never do it again.  The cat became incontinent and would dribble all over himself and then get diaper rash from the urine burn.  Eventually she had him put to sleep because he was so miserable. 

I would struggle to get through this first stage just as I did with my cat, by expressing his bladder after every urinarion until he gets his bladder tone back.  Then I would feed him the PROPER diet for a cat, no dry food (including so-called "prescription" dry food), high in meat protein (not vegetabe protein), moderate in fat, and very low (10% or below) carbohydrates.  With proper diet he will not be getting stones, and with no more blocking, you can return his bladder tone to normal.  It may take a few weeks, maybe even months, but it can be done.  I did it, and I wasn't much more than a kid at the time, and there was no internet, no youtube, no cell phones, so basically the cat and I were on our own at night.  But we made it.  He never got a kibble again and h never got blocked again either.

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For some reason I missed this post. Thanks for all the great advice, Red Top Rescue. 

In Prince's case, the vet tried to express his bladder again and nothing came out, and his bladder was filled with pee. I'm not sure I had a choice but to agree to the p/u surgery, or put him to sleep. I'm really sorry the outcome of the surgery for your friend resulted terribly. That sounds awful and NO cats/animals deserve that. I get it though, I do feel selfish agreeing to the p/u surgery because hopefully problem solved. I also feel guilty because it feels like a part of him is missing. 

Red Top Rescue said:

 
Re the PU surgery, it is a last resort, to save a life, and still I probably would not do it if it came to that.  A friend had it done and would never do it again.  The cat became incontinent and would dribble all over himself and then get diaper rash from the urine burn.  Eventually she had him put to sleep because he was so miserable. 

I would struggle to get through this first stage just as I did with my cat, by expressing his bladder after every urinarion until he gets his bladder tone back.  Then I would feed him the PROPER diet for a cat, no dry food (including so-called "prescription" dry food), high in meat protein (not vegetabe protein), moderate in fat, and very low (10% or below) carbohydrates.  With proper diet he will not be getting stones, and with no more blocking, you can return his bladder tone to normal.  It may take a few weeks, maybe even months, but it can be done.  I did it, and I wasn't much more than a kid at the time, and there was no internet, no youtube, no cell phones, so basically the cat and I were on our own at night.  But we made it.  He never got a kibble again and h never got blocked again either.

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For some reason I missed this post. Thanks for all the great advice, Red Top Rescue. 

In Prince's case, the vet tried to express his bladder again and nothing came out, and his bladder was filled with pee. I'm not sure I had a choice but to agree to the p/u surgery, or put him to sleep. I'm really sorry the outcome of the surgery for your friend resulted terribly. That sounds awful and NO cats/animals deserve that. I get it though, I do feel selfish agreeing to the p/u surgery because hopefully problem solved. I also feel guilty because it feels like a part of him is missing. 

I'm sorry you missed the post if it would have helped, but perhaps that was the Cat Goddess acting in the background.  There are no accidents.  Perhaps they have improved the PU procedure since my friend had it done, because that was over 15 years ago.  Also, the cat was not a sweet pet she had raised but rather a rescue she had saved from begging behind a fish restaurant, and he wasn't that easy to work with, i.e. she could not have expressed his bladder.  Prince is your beloved cat and of course you wouldn't want him put to sleep when there's an operation that can save him.  Hopefully the techniques have improved in 15+ years and Prince will heal up. 

A couple of years after that, I had been feeding a semi-feral male who blocked and was out in the yard straining.  I was able to catch him by wrapping him in a towel and take him to the vet, and they did unblock him and flush his bladder. I kept him in a cage for a week and he seemed fine, but within a week he was straining in the yard again, obviously blocked again.  (This was when I left dry food out for the ferals, like everyone did, not knowing that eating nothing but dry food could bring this on.)  This second time I took him to the vet and I did have him put to sleep, even though he was young, because I was sure that when he woke up out of surgery with a catheter in him, a cone around his neck, in a cage in a vet hospital, he would think he had gone to a chamber of horrible torture, and if he had this tendency to block, it could hit him at any time he was out in the world and not where anyone would take him to a vet, so I sent him to the Rainbow Bridge instead.  But if he had been one of my personal cats or even a placid rescue, I would have had them unblock him again and again and would have kept expressing bladder until he got his bladder tone back.

I hope Prince does just fine and am so sorry you are both going through all this.