Behavioral issue or a medical one? Help!!!

erfshan

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
13
Purraise
3
Location
Maldives
I'm from the Maldives so I want you all to know there are no vets here. (Don't even get me started on whybthe government won't bring in a vet ) Rarely some pet owner will bring a vet from abroad and that's all. There are a few pet shops which provide basic medications for cats.
I recently adopted a Maine coon mix who is a male and not neutered. His previous owner didn't take good care of him. She said she's too stressed to take care of him and put him up for adoption. When I got him he had a bad case of ear mites and fleas. The girl who was caring for him didn't even know how old he is. First she said he's 2 years then later she said his previous owner had him for about 3 years and she had him for almost a year. I have no idea what to make of it.
Anyhow, I went to the pet shop and got some over the counter medication for his ear mites and some spot on treatment for the fleas and it has been working. I noticed he was constipated and he would only poop every other day. So I thought maybe I'll change the cat food. I was giving him meeow and changed to whiskers. Which was working good until out of the blue he's started to yowl in the evenings and night. Almost every time he'd yowl he'd pee on one place of the house outside the litter box. I live in an apartment and idk how he is even able to smell female cats outside [emoji]129300[/emoji] I clean the litter box as soon as he's done so there's no question about it not being clean. I try putting him in the litter box some times when he starts to yowl but he only pees a little bit. He doesn't even bother covering it up. I thought maybe it's not mating behavior since he's not spraying. I'm waiting for someone to bring a vet so I can get him neutered of course. But is this a behavioral issue or a medical problem? Could these be the signs of a urine problem? I did manage to give him a deworming tablet. Is there anything else that I should be doing or I could try doing until I get to take him to a vet?
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
Hi, and welcome to TCS :wavey:

This sounds very like a urinary problem to me. The yowling in this instance is most likely due to pain, as is urinating outside the box (cats tend to connect pain on urination with the place rather than the action, and so will pee elsewhere in the hopes that it won't hurt). The biggest alarm bell, though, is that he's only urinating small amounts. This is usually an indication of a blockage forming - something that can become life threatening if not treated. You need to get him to a vet as soon as you can. In the meantime, I guess the best thing is to feed him wet food, the lowest carb you can find (so meat as the primary ingredient, and ideally without grains or veggies), maybe with a little extra water added, to try and flush things out. Finding a vet really should be your priority though.
[article="33674"][/article][article="29715"][/article]
 

mrs dolbear

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
13
Purraise
2
Location
Kent, England
Aww poor kitty I hope he's better soon, craxy they don't have vets, surly it would be good job opportunities for people
 

foxden

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
965
Purraise
909
Location
Delaware, USA
@erfshan

There is a recent thread here 

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/335987/struvite-crystals-background-info-vets-email-follow-up-questions

 that discusses the use of apple cider vinegar (ACV) and cranberry extract for home treatment of  straining to urinate and bladder crystals.  I don't know if those materials are available in your area.

I agree with the other posters here that you should see a vet as soon as you can.  The thread ,may help, and you can PM the members who recommend ACV

I hope you're able to help your kitty.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

erfshan

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
13
Purraise
3
Location
Maldives
Thank you everyone. I've tried adding some apple cider vinegar to his water. Just a few drops and noticed he wasn't drinking as much as he use to. (He drinks a lot of water) so I had to change it back to normal water in hopes he'd drink more water and stay hydrated at least. We do have cranberry juice but not cranberry extract. I don't know if cranberry juice is such a great idea concidering the amount of sugar in it. I am at my wit's end here guys. I called the fisheries and agriculture ministry to see when they'd bring down a vet and their answer was that they are trying and don't know when they'd be able to. It could take months. [emoji]128553[/emoji] I've formed a special bond with him and idk what I would do if anything happened to him.
 

foxden

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
965
Purraise
909
Location
Delaware, USA
Thank you everyone. I've tried adding some apple cider vinegar to his water. Just a few drops and noticed he wasn't drinking as much as he use to. (He drinks a lot of water) so I had to change it back to normal water in hopes he'd drink more water and stay hydrated at least. We do have cranberry juice but not cranberry extract. I don't know if cranberry juice is such a great idea concidering the amount of sugar in it. I am at my wit's end here guys. I called the fisheries and agriculture ministry to see when they'd bring down a vet and their answer was that they are trying and don't know when they'd be able to. It could take months. [emoji]128553[/emoji] I've formed a special bond with him and idk what I would do if anything happened to him.
I think the vinegar was added to food or diluted and given by syringe. He needs to keep drinking as much water as possible to keep his urine diluted, and anything that reduces water intake is not good.

I hope you're able to work this out for your boy.

It was a good idea to check with the ministry about a vet.
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
You're absolutely right that cranberry juice is a very bad idea. There's actually no evidence that even cranberry extract is beneficial for feline urinary health in any case
;)

With the ACV - you put it in the food, NOT the water ;) Go for something very strong smelling/tasting. If you're going to use this method, you MUST get some pH test strips and monitor his urine closely - the ideal pH for cat urine is 6-6.5. The acidity in the urine is what will help the crystals dissolve, but if it becomes too acidic that can cause it's own set of problems. In other words, proceed with caution!

Ordinarily I wouldn’t suggest this, but it might be worth getting hold of some veterinary cat food for urinary issues - either Royal Canin Urinary SO or Hills c/d. Do monitor him closely though, as if he becomes fully blocked that's a veterinary emergency.

Unfortunately, this really isn't the kind of issue you can treat yourself (especially if he's close to a full blockage), so there's very little we can suggest other than veterinary help :(

I really hope that you can get him through this, and that you're able to get him to a vet soon :vibes: Keep us updated - we'll help all we can :hugs:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

erfshan

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
13
Purraise
3
Location
Maldives
Alright. I don't think there are strips available here, but I will try and look for it. A friend told me that the pet shop does have the royal canine urinary SO there. I'll have to get that too. I was on YouTube and came across a vet named Dr. Andrew Jones (veterinary secrets). He talks about some holistic options one could try out and talks about a dose of vitamin C. What do you guys think about that? Should I try it out or see what happens with the APC and the royal canin first.
 

foxden

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
965
Purraise
909
Location
Delaware, USA
E erfshan
You can get broad range pH strips anywhere that sells supplies for swimming pools or hot tubs.

Some places that sell water filtration units will also have these.
You want to find strips that have a narrow pH range. Some only show whole units between 4 and 10 or so. You are looking for pH test strips that have a maximum range of 5-9, and preferably 6-8
 
Last edited:

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
Do NOT mix ACV and veterinary urinary foods. The vet foods have a urine acidifier added already, and overly acidic urine can cause it's own range of problems...which are usually harder to treat.

With the pH strips, you should be able to get them from a human doctor/hospital or maybe a pharmacy. They're not specifically made for animals :)
 
Last edited:

Geoffrey

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 17, 2016
Messages
521
Purraise
387
Location
Sydney Australia
This is most likely a surgical problem.  I agree entirely with @Columbine that you may well be heading for a veterinary emergency.  I am a human doctor, not a vet but the heavy drinking also sounds as if your poor cat may well be in, or close to, renal failure.   

I can only suggest that you keep on the Ministry's back about the veterinary situation as much as possible.  Bureaucrats only move when they are constantly pushed.  I don't know about the Maldives, but in Australia, the bureaucrats only get off their fat backsides when they have a Ministerial enquiry,  Can you write to the Minister himself.  You may have to do this several times, however, before there is any effect!

The only other partial suggestion I have is to try and contact a non-Holistic vet by email and ask him/her for advice on Vitamin C in your case.  I understand that Vitamine C breaks down to form oxalates and you don't want this if there are urinary stones!!  You certainly don't want a vet who gives holistic advice when what you need is a veterinary surgeon!   What a situation!   I think that you should obtain a second veterinary opinion on this before starting any Vitamin C?

Do human surgeons in the Maldives see felines in this situation?  I had secondary rooms under my house when I lived in Brisbane and I had bought the house from the vet who had a surgery down the road. Several times animals were brought to me in his absence, or in the belief that I was a vet!   I once had to give a cat urgent treatment for a severe infection in the absence of any vet, and I also sewed up a pregnant Boxer who had cut her mammary artery one weekend - and I am a Physician, not a Surgeon!

With all best wishes to you and your cat,

Geoffrey
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

erfshan

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
13
Purraise
3
Location
Maldives
Okay, I'll do my best. He's not doing too good. [emoji]128533[/emoji]Today he's been peeing frequently but only a little bit. I'm going to do everything I can with the limited resources I have. Thank you for all your suggestions and advice. I was suffering from depression and it got really bad at one point that I started to contemplate suicide. My husband who's not that fond of cats decided to get me one because he knew how happy they make me. I really don't know what I'd do without him now. So thank you [emoji]10084[/emoji]️
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
Okay, I'll do my best. He's not doing too good. [emoji]128533[/emoji]Today he's been peeing frequently but only a little bit. I'm going to do everything I can with the limited resources I have. Thank you for all your suggestions and advice. I was suffering from depression and it got really bad at one point that I started to contemplate suicide. My husband who's not that fond of cats decided to get me one because he knew how happy they make me. I really don't know what I'd do without him now. So thank you [emoji]10084[/emoji]️
:hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs: I do understand where you're coming from there. My animals are my world, and losing one is devastating. I really hope you're able to get some help and get your gorgeous boy through this :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes:
 

foxden

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
965
Purraise
909
Location
Delaware, USA
E erfshan
I don't know if you can order from Amazon. This is a product that looks like it would work

The pH range measured is appropriate for cat urine measurement. The package says to hold the strip in the urine stream. If you can get your cat to pee on clean gravel or clean sand in a clean litter box, these strips should still work.

You might be able to find similar test strips in a human pharmacy. Your goal is to have the pH between 6.5 and 7.

Ajay is very handsome. He would be easy to fall in love with
 
Last edited:

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
I'm just searching for any help near you, and found Suwana Pet Care. I know they're in Sri Lanka, but they say they provide coverage for the Maldives too. I understand that there are huge issues with getting a vet over to you, but if you contact them they may be able to offer more targeted support and suggestions than we can.

I know I'm clutching at straws here, but I so want you to be able to get Ajay through this :hugs: Even internet/phone vet support is better than nothing ;)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19

erfshan

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
13
Purraise
3
Location
Maldives
This is most likely a surgical problem.  I agree entirely with @Columbine that you may well be heading for a veterinary emergency.  I am a human doctor, not a vet but the heavy drinking also sounds as if your poor cat may well be in, or close to, renal failure.   

I can only suggest that you keep on the Ministry's back about the veterinary situation as much as possible.  Bureaucrats only move when they are constantly pushed.  I don't know about the Maldives, but in Australia, the bureaucrats only get off their fat backsides when they have a Ministerial enquiry,  Can you write to the Minister himself.  You may have to do this several times, however, before there is any effect!

The only other partial suggestion I have is to try and contact a non-Holistic vet by email and ask him/her for advice on Vitamin C in your case.  I understand that Vitamine C breaks down to form oxalates and you don't want this if there are urinary stones!!  You certainly don't want a vet who gives holistic advice when what you need is a veterinary surgeon!   What a situation!   I think that you should obtain a second veterinary opinion on this before starting any Vitamin C?

Do human surgeons in the Maldives see felines in this situation?  I had secondary rooms under my house when I lived in Brisbane and I had bought the house from the vet who had a surgery down the road. Several times animals were brought to me in his absence, or in the belief that I was a vet!   I once had to give a cat urgent treatment for a severe infection in the absence of any vet, and I also sewed up a pregnant Boxer who had cut her mammary artery one weekend - and I am a Physician, not a Surgeon!

With all best wishes to you and your cat,
Geoffrey
Thank you for all your recommendations. I'll be writing to the minister himself, if possible meet with him and talk about this. I don't know if you might've heard about the political situation in Maldives. Literally all politicians and government employees are corrupt and upto no good. What can I say. Even though there are a lot of pet owners there is no resident vet here. Not even one. And I don't think any physicians here will be able to help me. Things are so different here I don't even know where to start.
Unfortunately Ajay's health is deteriorating. He's stopped taking water and he wouldn't eat anything else except for his kibbles. And that too not enough! And he's been taking more naps than usual and is constantly kneading for some reason. Still taking frequent trips to the litter box and peeing just a little bit.
I've managed to hunt down someone who is bringing down a vet from Sri Lanka but he's coming on 31st.. I'm not sure Ajay would make it till then. Of course I still haven't lost all hope maybe by some miracle he can make it till then. I'm trying to give him water through a syringe but he's a big kitty compared to my Maldivian small frame. He's not easy to be pinned down and force fed.
Let's just hope he gets through this [emoji]128542[/emoji]
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
:hugs: I suggest you try giving the ACV by syringe, and maybe try syringe feeding him too - you can use any wet food - just run it through a blender with enough water to make it thin enough to syringe easily.

I know syringe feeding isn't easy (I've done a lot of syringing liquid meds to a cat, and had to syringe-feed my old dog for a while too). There's a wonderful video in the link below that demonstrates the best way to do it with the minimum of stress for you and Ajay. [thread="227858"][/thread]
Do try calling/emailing that Sri Lanka vet too. I totally understand you can't get someone to see Ajay, but they may well be able to offer more support and advice than we can, and may even be able to help you with likely diagnosis (crystals blockages and kidney issues are dealt with quite differently - my first instinct is crystals, but that's only my instinct, and im certainly no vet!).

This explains how to use ACV (taken from foxden foxden 's link):-
As mentioned by several people above, the Braggs Organic Apple Cider Vinegar "with the mother" (the bacteria that makes it vinegar) is an excellent urinary acidifier.  However, if you are adding acidifiers (which the prescripton foods have in them already) you really need to be monitoring the urine pH.  Easy to do with pH strips (cheaply had on eBay) so that any time the pH starts to climb above 6.5, you start them on it.  Dilute it 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar and give them just 1 cc of the mixture about every half hour until the pH comes down.  Just squirt it into their mouth with a syringe. They make a face but it's not that bad, and mine actually stopped minding it.  L-methionine, which is naturally found in meat, also helps bring the pH down and that can be purchased online or at health food stores.  It just takes a tiny bit in the food, just like you would lightly salt your food, use that.  It tastes like meat and they like it. Acidic urine will actually DISSOLVE struvite crystals, and the struvite crystals cannot form in a pH below 7.0.  (Calcium oxalate crystals CAN, however, but they cannot form in DILUTE urine, which is the other reason for feeding wet food and even adding a little water to it.  Also, being GRAIN-FREE is not enough!  It needs to be LOW CARB.  Many of the new foods that purport to be "grain free" have replaced the old grains with new veggies and beans that are still high carb and can still produce alkaline urine, such as potato starch, sweet potato, peas, pea protein, carrots and legumes.  READ LABELS. You can use common canned foods like Friskies, Sheba and Fancy Feast as long as you use the PATE form - avoid all those with gravies, chunks, slices etc.  Also, there is no such thing as a low carb dry food, although some are better than others, but they need some kind of starch to stick together.  Most of the prescription urinary foods are high carb, but they add a chemical in order to bring the pH down.  If you feed the proper balanced diet of wet food containing high Animal protein (not vegetable protein), moderate fat and LOW (10% or less) carbs, your cat's urine will stay acidic for about 6 hours after each meal.  Feed your multiple small meals rather than one or two big ones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Laboratory-...066232?hash=item1a21f83c78:g:PfIAAOSwA3dYGn7a
Google L-methionine to find it and learn about it.
It might be worth looking into DL-methionine too (the acidifier in the urinary foods). As a rough guide, the Hills s/d wet food(the stronger of their two urinary foods) has 3.6g of DL-methionine per kg of food. Their c/d wet has 1.7g per kg of food. The Royal Canin SO is slightly different as it uses two different acidifiers, something I'd be more wary of trying to replicate myself, even in these exceptional circumstances. Whether you go with the ACV or the DL-methionine, do try to get litmus paper test strips too though ;)

Don't lose hope. He's clearly not totally blocked yet, as he is still urinating. If you can syringe feed him and get the ACV/DL-methionine into him,
you may well be able to keep him going until the 31st. I really, really hope you can :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes:

Hint - syringe feeding anything is usually easiest if you get them whilst they're relaxed/sleepy ;) The video link shows the bag method (if memory serves), but an alternative that I've always used is to kneel on the floor with my feet together (to stop any sneak reversing out from under me) and the cat snugly between my thighs (cat on floor, NOT in lap ;) ). That way, his back and sides are held securely, and you use one hand on his chest to gently but firmly restrain him, and use your other hand to do the syringing. Take it slow, stay calm, and talk softly and rhythmically to him, soothing him and telling him how wonderful he is. End with a mini cuddle/cheek rub so you end on something pleasurable for him. (Btw, I'm pretty small framed too, so I absolutely know where you're coming from there ;) ).
 
Last edited:
Top