Around 6 months ago, my cat Bingley was diagnosed with Feline Idiopathic Cystitis.
First off, I have been to a vet, and many many tests have been run (multiple times). I went to a second vet anyway and while he did not run as many tests he did run some and concurred with my normal vet. I am at this point confident of the diagnosis and not seeking advice about what else it might be or to go to the vet and have more tests run (I do bring him to the vet anyway when he has a new episode, because part of what he does is run back and forth between boxes and dig and squat but not pee, and I am always paranoid that he is blocked, but he never is).
It seems that this is how he deals with stress, even though he was a trooper for the first few years of his life and never showed any signs of stress at all.
I am enormously frustrated because his symptoms are very inconvenient and are extremely frequently recurring. Basically, when he gets an episode, he acts like he is blocked (scaring the crap out of me) as discussed above, and alternates this with peeing in the most inappropriate places possible.
Unfortunately everything that it is recommended by my vet and the internet to do to reduce a cat's stress or to help prevent episodes I basically was already doing; the few things I could improve I have improved. It is clear that what mainly stresses him out is when I travel (sometimes when I leave, sometimes when I come back, but then sometimes he also has no reaction) but I have to travel for work and because my dad is not doing well and I've had to go help him out. I have reduced my travelling to the extent I can. Other seemingly random things sometimes set him off too- one time I got home 2 hours later than normal and it appears that was what did it.
-Diet: Is all wet, low carb, grain free, and has always been all wet, low carb, grain free. I have contemplated a prescription diet though I hate to do it because I feel strongly it will be less healthy than what I am feeding now.
- Schedule and environment: Is kept consistent to the extent that I can. I don't let people come over anymore because it upsets him; I can't let my family stay over when they visit me because it upsets him (which is heartbreaking to me and also essentially means my family doesn't have the money to come); I feed him at the same time every day etc.
-I play with him every day a minimum of twice a day, a minimum of 15 minutes each time. Most days he gets more. He gets new toys monthly, and his toys are rotated.
-He has multiple scratching posts, window perches, and a kitty condo. He has hiding places if he wants them.
-He has a brother but they have separate places to eat, 4 water bowls between them, 4 litterboxes between them (a stretch in my small apartment but I'd add more if I thought it would help, but I had 2 when this started and adding box 3 and then box 4 helped not at all). They also do seem to get along. If I had to say one is more of a bully, I think it's the one with the issue.
-The boxes are cleaned every day at least 2 times; usually they are cleaned every day 4-5 times. I tried cleaning them less for a while thinking maybe they were too clean. It helped not at all, especially because mainly, although they have 4 boxes to choose from, they choose to simply share the one in the bathroom.
-Feliway is plugged in all the time.I keep refilling it though it appears it has not helped at all.
-I have tried various medications while he is having episodes. Anti-spasmodics and anti anxiety meds mostly. They help but minimally.
Does anyone have any other suggestions? I am willing to try pretty much whatever.
I want to be absolutely clear that (since reading this over it is a bit melodramatic maybe) I am not contemplating getting rid of the cat in any way, but it has reached a point where I am starting to feel like I need to confine him to one room when he is having his episodes, at least when I'm not home, and that breaks my heart. However, I live in a small one bedroom apartment, and aside from the damage he's doing to the property that I'll have to eventually pay for, I could be evicted if I don't get him under control.
Thanks to anyone who actually read all this.
First off, I have been to a vet, and many many tests have been run (multiple times). I went to a second vet anyway and while he did not run as many tests he did run some and concurred with my normal vet. I am at this point confident of the diagnosis and not seeking advice about what else it might be or to go to the vet and have more tests run (I do bring him to the vet anyway when he has a new episode, because part of what he does is run back and forth between boxes and dig and squat but not pee, and I am always paranoid that he is blocked, but he never is).
It seems that this is how he deals with stress, even though he was a trooper for the first few years of his life and never showed any signs of stress at all.
I am enormously frustrated because his symptoms are very inconvenient and are extremely frequently recurring. Basically, when he gets an episode, he acts like he is blocked (scaring the crap out of me) as discussed above, and alternates this with peeing in the most inappropriate places possible.
Unfortunately everything that it is recommended by my vet and the internet to do to reduce a cat's stress or to help prevent episodes I basically was already doing; the few things I could improve I have improved. It is clear that what mainly stresses him out is when I travel (sometimes when I leave, sometimes when I come back, but then sometimes he also has no reaction) but I have to travel for work and because my dad is not doing well and I've had to go help him out. I have reduced my travelling to the extent I can. Other seemingly random things sometimes set him off too- one time I got home 2 hours later than normal and it appears that was what did it.
-Diet: Is all wet, low carb, grain free, and has always been all wet, low carb, grain free. I have contemplated a prescription diet though I hate to do it because I feel strongly it will be less healthy than what I am feeding now.
- Schedule and environment: Is kept consistent to the extent that I can. I don't let people come over anymore because it upsets him; I can't let my family stay over when they visit me because it upsets him (which is heartbreaking to me and also essentially means my family doesn't have the money to come); I feed him at the same time every day etc.
-I play with him every day a minimum of twice a day, a minimum of 15 minutes each time. Most days he gets more. He gets new toys monthly, and his toys are rotated.
-He has multiple scratching posts, window perches, and a kitty condo. He has hiding places if he wants them.
-He has a brother but they have separate places to eat, 4 water bowls between them, 4 litterboxes between them (a stretch in my small apartment but I'd add more if I thought it would help, but I had 2 when this started and adding box 3 and then box 4 helped not at all). They also do seem to get along. If I had to say one is more of a bully, I think it's the one with the issue.
-The boxes are cleaned every day at least 2 times; usually they are cleaned every day 4-5 times. I tried cleaning them less for a while thinking maybe they were too clean. It helped not at all, especially because mainly, although they have 4 boxes to choose from, they choose to simply share the one in the bathroom.
-Feliway is plugged in all the time.I keep refilling it though it appears it has not helped at all.
-I have tried various medications while he is having episodes. Anti-spasmodics and anti anxiety meds mostly. They help but minimally.
Does anyone have any other suggestions? I am willing to try pretty much whatever.
I want to be absolutely clear that (since reading this over it is a bit melodramatic maybe) I am not contemplating getting rid of the cat in any way, but it has reached a point where I am starting to feel like I need to confine him to one room when he is having his episodes, at least when I'm not home, and that breaks my heart. However, I live in a small one bedroom apartment, and aside from the damage he's doing to the property that I'll have to eventually pay for, I could be evicted if I don't get him under control.
Thanks to anyone who actually read all this.
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