Cat perpetually getting UTI's. Received difficult advice which need some guidance on

[19_k90]

My cat Jupiter, who is large and male, has gotten a string of UTIs over this winter/spring (4 to be exact). I think it might be related to some degree of separation anxiety, but it's incredibly hard to tell based on his behaviour, and the most recent occurrence happened at a time that I hardly leave the house.

I took him to the vet for this recent one about 12 days ago and he received great care and a lot of meds. This was my final vet visit as treatment, as I've taken him 4x in the space of a few months and I am a broke artist and I regrettably can't do another trip should it happen again in the next few months. The vet suggested that this is common in large male cats of his size, and its common for people to put them down as it's an unrelenting cycle of costs (and pain for the cat). This makes sense, but it also feels excessive to put my beloved Jupiter down due to my lack of funds & because they're UTI's, not heart problems..but this is also my first real pet and I've never found myself in this position before. Is giving him up to an Animal Care shelter an option, and would they treat him? (I live in Toronto, if it helps).

Appreciate any and all support and suggestions

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Let's dial this back a bit. How old is he? How much exercise is he getting? And, what are you feeding him?

 

[FeebysOwner]

There should be more things you can try before making such a final decision for Jupiter.

How old is he, btw? Does he have crystals/stones in his urine? When the urinalyses were done to determine he had a UTI, was a urine culture also done? Unlike the urinalysis, the urine culture will identify the type of bacteria that is involved and what antibiotics are the best ones for treating the UTI. Most antibiotics will help, but not all will totally eradicate a UTI, so it looks like it keeps coming back when it never really totally went away.

A lot of folks use pure D-Mannose as an additive to their cat's food to promote bladder health (I do for my cat). Others also use corn silk, which I think is also a bladder health supplement. That is just the beginning of what is possible. Ditto what Furballsmom just said - we sure could use some more information in order to try to better help you.

 

[19_k90]

He's about 6 years old (approx - was listed as stray when I adopted him so little info)

I play with him on average every 2 days but it's hard to get him to do much running/jumping.. quickly bored by most toys. I have a decent sized apartment though with lots of stairs so he frequently runs around +climbs the stairs 30x a day.

I typically feed him dry food in the morning (typically Purina +Plus for Sensitive Systems, recently started mixing in Nutrience Care, Urinary Health food), followed by a mix of wet (Friskies Salmon Dinner Pate) and dry (same as breakfast mix) for dinner..

 

[LTS3]

Can you feed only canned food? Or mostly canned with a small amount of dry? That would help with both weight and urinary issues. Dry food can cause urinary issues in many cats and the high calorie content means weight gain.

Try not to feed fish based foods. That may also cause urinary issues in some cats.

 

[Furballsmom]

To add to the great comments above, so, large means overweight rather than a big breed size? Is there a plan to help him lose weight? --often times cats that are shifted to mostly/all canned food will naturally, slowly lose weight, and slowly is the only safe way for a cat to decrease weight.

How deep is the litter in his box(es)?

Also do you have fresh daily water in a couple of clean daily bowls and/or tall water glasses/mason jars?

This might help;
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat’s Life – TheCatSite Articles

 

[stephanietx]

First of all, I would find a new vet. If your vet isn't giving you ways to be proactive to help your kitty live a better, longer life, then you need someone who will.

Your kitty is young! I would work on changing his diet to all wet food. Did the vet mention prescription food as an alternative? Eliminate or drastically reduce the dry food to small, snack size servings and limit his intake. Don't leave dry food down for him all the time. To help with stress, get some Comfort Zone or Feliway diffusers and plug them in and run them 24/7. It can take a month to see improvements, so don't give up.

There are a couple of supplements that can be helped such as D-Mannose and Corn Silk, but changing his diet is crucial. You could even try a raw diet, which usually requires a slow introduction, but can be done successfully. There are groups on FB that are focused on kidney and urinary tract issues to help owners give their cats a better life. You might want to search and join one or more.

 

[carebearbaby1]

Starting him on a urine acidifier would be my first step. The higher the acid in the urine the less bacteria grows. I like Uri-ease paw gel. My old cat had chronic UTIs and it helped a lot. Second get him on a urinary food, water fountain to increase water intake and either calming meds, feliaway plugin or phenomenon collar for the anxiety.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Starting him on a urine acidifier would be my first step. The higher the acid in the urine the less bacteria grows.

If you would choose to go down this route, first find out what his urine PH level is with the last urinalysis you had done. There is a balancing act between too low of a PH and too high. Too low PH can help to create oxalate stones, too high is what can cause struvite crystals. The normal pH range of cat urine is approximately 6.0 to 6.5. You can also buy OTC urine strips to check the PH level in your cat's urine too.
How to Test the pH Levels of Cat Urine | PetMD

 

[silent meowlook]

Switch to canned only diet. No treats no snacks. Feed 2 to 3 times a day and try to play with him before each meal. Make sure he has plenty of up high areas to hang out and watch things. Get a water fountain ( for cats) give only bottled water. Several locations of water to encourage drinking. Get a new vet.

 

[silent meowlook]

Forgot to add keep the litter box clean