Cat with UTI and Litter Training

[nikkiand2cats]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this site. I would dearly appreciate advice re my 4.5 month old kitten Audrey. She's been hard to litter train from the time I got her at 3 months, however she almost always did wees in her litter tray. Well, about two days ago she started weeing on my quilt cover, which she's now done 3 times in the last few days. I took her to the emergency vet last night who diagnosed a UTI and gave her an antibiotic injection, which lasts two weeks. Other constant behaviours increasing in the last couple of days are a piercing cry and wanting to go outside all the time. It's like she's feral, but she's not on heat yet!! I'm on Christmas holidays now and am finding it hard to cope let alone when I go back to work f/t. I now have to wash my doona again!!! Please help if you can, especially re preventing her weeing on my doona, which she mostly does at night whilst I'm sleeping
Merry Christmas to you all !
Nikki

 

[missymotus]

She's the right age to be in heat, often the first kitten call is loud meowing with tarty behaviours following.

She should have at least 2 litter trays, you may also need to try different types of litter. Keep her in a small-ish room so she's got no choice but to use the litter.

Beds are common places for young kittens to pee on, make sure you properly clean it with enzyme based washing powder and also clean any other area's she's peed on. 

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Thanks Missymotus, ok ill buy a new litter tray with different litter in it tomorrow when the shops open. I think my doona is now her fav place to pee! I'll apply your other suggestions too and let you know how she goes. Thanks again Nikki

 

[minka]

Yup, it's time to get her girlie bits taken out. The sooner the better before you go crazy.

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Hahaha, yes, this is very true!! :-)
She's been much better today in terms of the UTI symptoms, so it seems diagnosis and treatment were correct, thankfully. I can't afford to get her desexed until Feb, but I'll speak to my usual vet and ask. Ta.

 

[minka]

I'll be praying for you

 

[missymotus]

I can't afford to get her desexed until Feb, but I'll speak to my usual vet and ask. Ta.

Where abouts do you live? Most countries have low-cost programs, desexing is a very important part of pet ownership and should be factored in when getting a pet.

The more heat cycles she goes through the greater risk to her health and an increased risk to certain cancers. That's why it's best to desex them before their first heat, vets will do it from around 8 weeks/1kg in weight. 

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Thanks Minka :-)

 

[nikkiand2cats]

I live in Australia Missymotus. I'll speak to my vet, but a lot of those behaviours have settled down now since treatment for the UTI (e.g., calling out and licking herself). If she shows more signs of being on heat, I'll do my best to locate one of those subsidised desexing programs. She's still peeing on my bed, she loves it!! The pet store was still closed today, but I'm going to try your strategy re the litter trays tomorrow, so ill keep you posted :-)

 

[missymotus]

I live in Australia 

I thought so 

. If you google low cost desexing for your state you should find something. Do make sure she's booked in very soon. I'd be keeping her out the bedroom rather than washing the doona all the time. btw use Biozet or Drive washing powder, they've got the enzymes needed to fully remove all pee odours that kitty will smell. 

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Thanks heaps for the tips Missymotus I've just bought a new litter tray and kitty litter, Audrey actually shook her head as she walked past it, but hopefully that's nothing to go by!

The mattress wreaks now despite over an hr spent cleaning it w bicarb, vinegar and washing powder. Oh, there's a drama every day; now I've found a dead rat in my yard that I'm sure is from my landlord who insisted the pest control put baits in the ceiling. I was outside with Audrey when I noticed her sniffing something! My vet said to check their gums, should be a salmon not a pale colour!

Uh, these cats bring me great joy and such great worry!

 

[missymotus]

Lol at Audrey shaking her head at the new tray

Well at least it's sale time to get a new mattress

Yuck that rat would give me the shivers, if all she did was sniff it think you'll be ok, though unless she was on a harness/leash she shouldn't go out until desexed just takes a moment for her to get away

Let me know if you need anymore help or a good vet, I'm in SA but know breeders in most states who can recommend someone

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Thanks :-)
She did end up choosing to use that new tray, so that's good.
I hope your cat family is well.

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Good news to date: Audrey has slept two nights without any 'accidents' on my bed, God bless her! Hope I haven't spoken too soon. I think the fact I've slept using a thin sheet and nothing thicker the last two nights has something to do with it.

She is very quiet and tired tonight, so I hope she is ok.

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Well, Audrey seemed to be doing well until today. Don't know if she's on heat or has another UTI! I have her booked in for desexing and microchiping on Feb 25th. Meanwhile, my older cat has bad diarrhoea. I love my cats so much, but they're bleeding me dry and running me down! This is really just a support note. I'm taking Audrey to the vet first thing tomorrow am before work.

What happened to the days where you could be a loving pet owner and they didn't rule your entire life?

Hope you and yours are well.

 

[minka]

Is she peeing again or something else?

Glad you are taking her into the vet, let us know how it goes! :-)

I think in those days, cats were just booted outside or PTS when something went wrong. I'd much rather worry too much than the alternative. :nod:

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Thanks for your reply Minka. I'm in the worst situation. She's having trouble peeing again, licking her lower part often and something new - the most horrifying and distressing yowl I've ever heard! Took her to ER last night at 1am and vet said UTIs are very rare in such young cats especially so many. He thinks she may have congenital kidney disease. He recommended scans etc! Despite him giving her antibiotics, anti inflammatory and pain killer she still seemed in the same state w distressed yowling this am. Took her to my normal vet this arvo and they said there's nothing else they can do til antibiotics wear off in two weeks. Now I'm $600 in debt to the vet and counting. My son couldn't take her yowling so he let her out despite me yelling no. Now I can't get her in and when I tried again she ran across the road under my neighbours fence. I feel I'm living in one of my worst nightmares, I'm beside myself and in deep despair. I've never ever had a kitten so sick and so into roaming. This is a real nightmare with no end in sight. Sorry to be so negative but I feel trapped in the worst situation.

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Ok, managed to get Audrey back in, but now she's crossed the road literally, she'll do it again. I just hope that these current symptoms could somehow be simply from being on heat.

 

[nikkiand2cats]

Sorry, booked her to be desexed next Fri 25th Jan!

 

[minka]

Oh my goodness, how stressful! I would have a FIT if someone let my cat out like that.....

Trouble peeing doesn't have anything to do with being in heat, but the licking and yowling might.

I'm not really sure what other advice to give. Hopefully someone else with more experience comes along.