ME AGAIN!! Cat STILL peeing!!!!!!!

My 2yr old kitty is having pretty much the same problems as yours is. We noticed this problem early this year (Jan/Feb) but think it has been going on since last October when we moved into a new house. At that time we didn't realize the transition could terrify a cat until I read all the posts and articles. Anyhow, we started having this stench in the basement and just thought that it needed airing out since it's an underground basement. Until Cosi peed on my husband on a long drive (the litter box was in the back seat and within reach of her) did we realize what that smell was. To top things off, we had just gotten a puppy which probably put her in great distress.

We never took her to the vet at that time because we thought it was mostly behavioral issues. We bought enzyme cleaners for the basement, confined her to a bathroom with her toys and litter box for several weeks, changed litter brand and cleaned the litter box 2x/wk. Well, after all that, we thought things were better because we didn't notice the smell in the basement (we didn't remove the carpets but will be doing that come spring since we have plans to renovate at that time). Unfortunately, a little over 2wks ago, Cosi decided to pee on our brand new carpet in our bedroom... *sigh*.. that's when I put my foot down and took her to the vet.

So, 2wks ago we finally took her to the vet and they found large amounts of blood in the urine and some crystals. Today, we took her in for her 2nd urine sample and the antibiotics still had not cleared anything up. They took a bladder xray today and found no stones (good thing) so my husband and I are crossing our fingers in hopes that the new medication works better.

In the meantime, we keep her confined to the bathroom with all her stuff and have been letting her out into the kitchen to eat and while we are around, we keep her in sight on the main floor (fortunately enough my husband installed the laminate flooring when we moved in so we don't mind if there are accidents on that!). We have not let her into the basement nor does she go upstairs to the bedroom (esp. not after that incident because no matter how much urine/odor enzyme remover I used in that bedroom I'm terrified she'll pee there again) without our supervision. Right at this moment, she is curled up on the desk sleeping very soundly!

While at the vet this morning, I read in a cat (Cat Fancy?) magazine that Cat Attract litter is supposed to work. They also said to continue keeping her in a small area (cat crate included) with her litter box for 1 month and that should reinforce the idea of using the litter box. Lemon scented air freshner, aluminum foil on the pee areas, and even placing the food/water bowl and the litter box on the soiled areas were some suggestions in that magazine.

As for us, those are the things we're going to do... maybe you can try some of those ideas as well? Wish you luck. And if something works for Cosi, we'll let you know! But of course, if there are any other suggestions I am also up for hearing them since those vet bills are truly adding up!

I do feel and share your frustration. I think it would be fine to confine this kitty in the dog crate for a while until he can be retrained. I use a crate for my kittens when litter training (they usually take to it very, very quickly) and I see no reason why you cannot do this with Smokey. Go to your local Petsmart or whatever and buy a set or two of the stainless steel bowls (they are called "Coop Cups") to hang from the sides of the crate for Smokey's food and water.

Place a layer of newspaper on the bottom tray of the crate and cover it well with old towels or blankets (make it as comfortable and inviting as possible) and leave room for a small litter tray. You can hang bird toys off the sides and top to give him something interesting to do, but keep him in the crate.

You haven't mentioned whether or not the vet pulled blood labs on your kitty (or if you did, I didn't see it??), but it might also be time to have that done. Give him this round of meds as directed, but I would also call and schedule a follow-up visit with the vet and request that they pull blood for an organ panel. While the UTI is the focus of the problem at the moment, you need to find out WHY he keeps getting them. Sometimes, frequent UTI's can be the symptom of another issue.

Just another thought ... do you give him tap water? Is it filtered? Try using bottled water instead.

I'm sorry, I know dealing with bladder issues can be really frustrating.

Has the vet done a bladder x-ray? I'm really surprised that the vet still hasn't put him on a prescription food! Has the urine been tested to determine whether the crystals are struvite or oxalate? The treatment is different for the two different problems. Has the vet suggested trying Cosequin to help with the bladder inflammation?

Honestly, it sounds like he's still sick, and if the treatment isn't working, it's time to take him to another vet for a second opinion. Turning him in to a shelter when he's ill is essentially a death sentence for this boy (unless it's a no-kill shelter, and those are almost always full).

Here's a link to find a feline specialist in your area:
http://www.aafponline.org/ (click the "find an AAFP doctor" link)

Our cat Oreo had some urinary troubles when he was younger, so we put him on the Purina One Urinary formula and that worked for several years, then the problems recurred and he ended up with bladder stones & needed surgery. Now that he's on a prescription diet (Eukanuba Low ph/S), we haven't had any trouble with him for a while. Sure the food is expensive, but it's more nutrient-dense so we don't have to feed him as much, and having a healthy cat & clean house is definitely worth it.

Worth a thought - He also ended up with an aversion to the type of litter we had been using (he associated it in his mind with painful urination), so he continued to go outside the box even after he should have been well. Buying new boxes and switching to a different type of litter helped (the cat attract litter is great stuff!).

Here's a helpful link about seeing the litterbox from your cat's point of view:
http://www.catinfo.org/litterbox.htm

but honestly I think the first thing you need to do is get him to another vet for a second opinion, to get him feeling better ASAP.

This is an ongoing battle that is driving us insane. We kept Smokey isolated in a pet kennel for almost 2 months and then re-introduced him back into the house slowly only letting him free for an hour a day and so on until he was free to roam the house again.

We got rid of everything that he had peed on and all was well for about 2 weeks. Now, he is back to the same thing again, peeing on a plastic runner (a new one) that is near the front entryway. The other day he peed in one of the dogs food bowls.

Our baby is due the first week of May and we just can't be dealing with a cat that is peeing in the house. We know that he isn't sick as he got a clean bill of health from the vet. My husband wants to take him to the shelter tomorrow and surrender him and I just feel sick about it.

I don't know what else to try...and I still love my cats...the other 2 in the house NEVER have any problems with peeing at all...I just feel sick about it and to be honest I am so tired of dealing with this that I almost wish my husband would just take Smokey to the no-kill shelter without me knowing about it...

Please don't think I am a horrible person, as I love all of my animals and am just sick about all of this, as I don't take my responsiblity to my babies lightly. I am just so tired of this situation and am at my wits end...

Any advice would still be greatly appreciated.

Ashlee

Ashlee he could be just responding to the chemical changes in your body. When you are pregnant, you smell different, and some cats this can just stress them out. When cats are stressed, they will pee, their bladder is really a stress target. If he is that sensitive to the changes in your body, it might be better if you rehomed him (not took him to a shelter). Is there anyone that you know that you would feel comfortable with as his new owner?

There is a cat litter now that once you use it, it will tell you (by changing colors) to what degree you cat is sick. Let me see if I can find the link for you. This also may be an option for you to consider.

Scroll down to Scoop-Lite Premium Cat Litter

Well I ended up taking him to the vet again, as I was so worried about him and he has ANOTHER UTI!!! I am so worried for him. I asked the vet about x-rays and she said that we'd go another round with the antibiotics and then see how he is doing.

I am concerned b/c this has been going on for many months now! I worry about how this is affecting his health...he has lost a bit of weight. I put him on prescription cat food (which has seemed to help his pottying already).

We had to put him back in his kennel until the antibiotics are through him. He has had 2 weeks and has 2 more weeks to go.

I am worried about when I take him back to the vet for a urine check...what if he is still sick? What will they do with him? Can anyone tell me what I need to say to the vet? She doesn't seem too concerned about all of this (I AM) and she doesn't seem to proactive about it...so any help with a course of action I should take would be great.

Thanks,
Ashlee

I have to stand by what I said months ago - get a full organ function blood panel drawn and read. It may not show anything, but frequent UTI's are most certainly an indication that there may be another health issue at play. It is always best to rule out every possibility.

I'd take him to another vet, ideally a specialist. JMO, but it doesn't sound like this vet is very understanding about the impact this is having on your life (and his - UTI's hurt!).

And be aware that whenever this UTI problem does finally get solved, you may need to replace his litterboxes and change to a litter like Cat Attract to retrain him, because it's very likely he's associating his box with pain after all this.

my vet told us to feed our cat (who also has a peeing problem) purina one special care formula... for urinary tract problems. It seems to have helped in the beginning but she is still on antibiotics too. We put her in a cage too. At first she didn't like it but now I keep the door open and she comes out by herself to eat, drink and use the litterbox. But she does go back in there by herself. I think she feels safe there. I don't know if I should take the cage away from her or not now. Since she seems to like it in there....

I think by not doing the x-ray, the vet is wasting your time. After all these months of frustration, don't you just want to know once and for all? At least if there are stones in the bladder, you'll know in a few minutes, rather than waiting ANOTHER 2 weeks to see if the medicine worked, and THEN another 2 before the symptoms reappear, and THEN do the x-ray. Then if surgery is needed, he can have it and it's done, no more guessing. And, the blood panel is a good idea too. If you don't feel comfortable telling your vet what to do, maybe try another vet. Your cat is surely miserable, being caged for something that's not his fault, on top of the pain that comes with having a UTI. Please, at least do it for piece of mind, not to mention the cat's welfare.