Just got the call - Pike has crystals.

[franksmom]

Hi Mliz, 

I just wanted to direct you to the forum rules[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]:[/font]

No online advice can replace direct veterinary intervention. If you suspect that your cat may be ill, please contact your vet immediately. You are welcome to look for advice in the health forum while waiting for that appointment, but never delay proper veterinary care waiting for Internet advice. Remember that cats, and especially kittens, are very adept in keeping pain to themselves and delaying treatment may cause irreversible damage.

This is why we must advise people to take their cats to the vet if you suspect your cat is ill because none of us can actually examine your cat. I understand vets are ridiculously expensive where I live it is usually $100 just for a visit That is also why there is also an article titled “When You Can’t Afford a Veterinarian” on this website, available at http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/76/...erinarian.html. Personally I do not take my cats to the vet for every little thing but for things like suspected urinary problems a vet trip is absolutely necessary. 

As for the fleas you certainly do not have to pay for a visit but a lot of the flea stuff they sell at the store is dangerous. The only safe flea treatments are frontline, revolution or advantage though I am sure there are some effective holistic treatments for prevention and maybe treatment. Flea collars are super dangerous and the hartz flea treatment has killed a lot of cats (http://www.hartzvictims.org). In canada, it seems you can only get the safe treatments at a vets office (you can just call your vet to pick it up). In the states I think you can buy frontline and advantage at some stores and online- this may be why someone suggested going to the vet so the person can pick up a safe flea treatment.

 

[franksmom]

Also wanted to post this great write up by Dr. Pierson, a great vet, on feline urinary health (http://catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth). It is great you are feeding wet food and she suggests moisture is the most important thing and that she is not a huge fan of the vet food. I would try adding  water to their wet food and maybe try a water fountain like the catit-it is actually pretty cheap and my cats both love it. Adding enough moisture to their diet should prevent future vet trips in most cases. Phosphorous is also important to monitor as I believe others have mentioned and Dr. Pierson has a chart that includes the amount of phosphorus for a lot of foods. She advises you feed foods below ~1.0-1.2% dry matter (not 'as fed'), or below ~250-300 mg/100 kcal.

 

[mliz]

Franksmom - thank you for your feedback.  I understand why people refer to vets, I really do.  Urinary infections can become deadly very quickly, and I am grateful for the people that urged me to seek advice when I was coping with that.  As far as the fleas - my cats are run-of-the-mill, healthy (sans this last issue), 8 pound balls of fur and love.  No elderly or kitten issues, and the flea products you mentioned - which I have researched thoroughly on this site - ARE available without a vet at various websites.

That being said, since joining this site I have added another litterbox to my home, switched my cats to an all wet food (and added water that I stir in, thanks to Mud Bay for the advice) diet, covered our home in Diatomaceous earth, and finally purchased an onsite spray and Revolution for their flea treatment.  I for suresies take all of your generous advice to heart.

Just trying to find a happy balance between a Mama that's learning how to use food stamps for the first time, and kitties that someones need more care than I was ready for.  I grew up in a farm-cat type home - we put out a bucket of food and water, and if one of the cats was obviously injured but didn't seem like it was dying, it would maybe go to the vet for the first time in it's life to see what was wrong.  It's been a journey to realize my family's way of caring (?) for cats is not the path I want to take, because my cats are truly my family.

I will research more on what you said regarding phosphorus, thank you so much for the tip.

 

[franksmom]

So glad you found the flea treatments online a great advantage of living in the states because we need a prescription to buy it here though I think some American sites will ship it.

Another flea tip is to put a flea collar in the vacuum.

Sounds like you are doing a great job and it is fine to have a balance. You don't have to buy the most expensive food a lot of people feed fancy feast and friskies. As long as she keeps getting enough moisture she should be good.