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My kitty with bladder trouble
- Thread starter gacountrymom
- Start Date
My kitty has bladder problems as well, so I really sympathize with what you're going through...
From what my vet said, many owners don't recognize the symptoms of a blockage early enough. Some think the cat is just constipated if they see straining, have multiple cats, or Littermaid units -- all of those things make it difficult to measure a kitty's pee. Cats don't demonstrate pain the way dogs do, since their survival instincts say not to display weakness. So I wouldn't beat yourself up too horribly over missing it.
We only have one cat, and he is very communicative. He climbed right up on the couch next to me and squatted to pee. I almost got angry, but then I saw that he seemed to be straining -- he was squatted for about 30 seconds, then he jumped up and ran and started licking himself. There was only a very tiny drop there, and I called my vet to make an emergency appointment. They said his bladder wasn't even a quarter full when I got him there, but they couldn't force him to go and couldn't even get a catheter in, so he had only been blocked a few hours at most. My vet was very surprised we had recognized it so quickly. It took quite a bit of time to get him catheterized, and much longer to get truly well. He had styruvite(sp?) crystals and was on s/d for quite a few weeks until they cleared, then was on c/d.
Second time he blocked I came home from work and found him in the bathtub straining. It was a Sunday so he had to go to the emergency vet. His bladder wasn't full yet, but they couldn't force him to pee. He's really a smart cat I think -- he knows how to make himself understood.
The vets said if it happens again he'll need the surgery. I hope we can afford it if it happens again.
One of the complications that can occur if a blockage isn't resolved quickly is that the bladder can become way too distended and be damaged because of it. The bladder is a muscle, and if it's damaged can lose it's ability to contract. If he's just dribbling and the bladder is still getting too full that's what it sounds like may have happened to your kitty. Sometimes it's temporary, sometimes the damage can last a really long time. I'd talk to your vet about it, especially since they mentioned that they had to give him something to make his bladder contract.
Sending lots of well-wishes for both you and your Artie...
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My Kitty has been in the vet hospital over month now, same thing, and I also got chewed out for not noticing sooner, but as someone else said, he was acting normal til the last day, and then he was laying low and puking, so I thought stomach issue and he ate something bad so I waited another whole day before taking him in, and now just hate myself for it. And he DOES have issue where his bladder so damaged, it won't contract and it causes constant UTI's. They want to put him down, really...we're trying one last thing w/little hope. But I am not losing hope and can't believe there isn't another way to get his bladder working again. Has anyone had this issue progress this far and successfully beat it?
Hi Tina, i'm sure you are concerned about your cat, bladder problems can be scary and serious. I'm a little confused by your post though, and hope you can clarify. I read the older posts which you reference. They actually talk about a lot of different bladder problems: UTI, urethra blockage, weak bladder wall, inflammation, and cancer. There are lots of options to care for your cat depending on the cause of the blockage. I can mention some of the basics, and maybe from that you can elaborate your cat's situation.
Your cat has been at the vet for a full month with a catheter? Can you please let us know what has been done, diagnosed, for you cat? Have they actually done a bacterial culture to confirm a UTI? Many times that is the vet's first response to treat a block, and a cat is given an antiobiotic, but rarely does a bladder blockage involve bacteria. A seperate urine test must be done, with extra charge, to verify bacteria in the urine.
Have they done an abdominal ultrasound to look at the bladder and kidneys? This will be key to see whether there is inflammation and or cancer in the bladder. It may also give an idea as to the location of the blockage. When inserting the catheter, do they detect obstruction at the end of the penis? If so, and the obstruction is chronic, it may require the PU surgery. This surgery can create new problems, so is not to be done lightly.
Often times bladder blockage is solely caused by inflammation (cystitis). This can be caused by diet and lack of fluids. Carbs and dry foods can irritate the bladder, resulting in inflammation. The inflammation can weaken the bladder wall, worsening the situation. A change in diet is key. There are medications available (non steroidal anti-inflammatories) that can be used to help reduce inflammation in the bladder. They are often hard on the kidneys, so close vet monitoring is required. But a reduction in inflammation can allow the bladder to resume normal function.
The diet can also cause stones and crystals to form. These can either cause obstruction at the end of the penis, or irritation in the bladder itself. Some stones can be dissolved through diet, some cannot and must be removed by surgery. The crystals can usually be analyzed through the urinalysis, the presence of stones identified by ultrasound. High proten, low carb, wet diet is best for the cat.
Sometimes the inflammation can cause the bladder wall or urethra to spasm, which inhibits the muscles from contracting properly, thus blocking the flow of urine. Again, there are medications (anti-spasmodics) that can be used on a temporary basis to basically calm those muscles, allowing them to work properly.
Stress can also cause bladder inflammation. I actually don't understand the logistics of how, but cats are complicated creatures.
Pain is a big factor with the bladder. Blood or bacteria in the urine, an inflammed bladder wall or urethra, can keep the cat from peeing properly. Pain medication is crucial. Buprenex is often (temporarily) used in this situation. Again, with close monitoring by your vet.
There are also more holistic things that can be done for the bladder. Essential fatty acids (omega 3) help fight inflammation, some say glucosomine has been shown to help the bladder wall, slippery elm is suppose to coat the bladder wall, protecting from inflammation. These options could be considered along with other medical treatments, but only with the blessing of your vet. You wouldn't want to give your cat something that might interfere with his other treatment.
To be honest, proper treatment might require a more specialized vet than your regular clinic vet. In these type situations, I appreciate it when my vet deals with the emergency and then directs me to the specialist down the freeway.
Lastly, this situation can certainly be life threatening, but does not have to mean the end of life for your cat. My cat has had chronic cystitis for many years with a malfunctioning bladder wall. More recently he was diagnosed with TCC and kidney stones. He's had some rough patches, but is currently doing great. Don't give up hope. I send good wishes to your cat! (my ipad won't let me do fancy symbols).
Let us know in more detail what is wrong. We could then give more specific ideas.
Your cat has been at the vet for a full month with a catheter? Can you please let us know what has been done, diagnosed, for you cat? Have they actually done a bacterial culture to confirm a UTI? Many times that is the vet's first response to treat a block, and a cat is given an antiobiotic, but rarely does a bladder blockage involve bacteria. A seperate urine test must be done, with extra charge, to verify bacteria in the urine.
Have they done an abdominal ultrasound to look at the bladder and kidneys? This will be key to see whether there is inflammation and or cancer in the bladder. It may also give an idea as to the location of the blockage. When inserting the catheter, do they detect obstruction at the end of the penis? If so, and the obstruction is chronic, it may require the PU surgery. This surgery can create new problems, so is not to be done lightly.
Often times bladder blockage is solely caused by inflammation (cystitis). This can be caused by diet and lack of fluids. Carbs and dry foods can irritate the bladder, resulting in inflammation. The inflammation can weaken the bladder wall, worsening the situation. A change in diet is key. There are medications available (non steroidal anti-inflammatories) that can be used to help reduce inflammation in the bladder. They are often hard on the kidneys, so close vet monitoring is required. But a reduction in inflammation can allow the bladder to resume normal function.
The diet can also cause stones and crystals to form. These can either cause obstruction at the end of the penis, or irritation in the bladder itself. Some stones can be dissolved through diet, some cannot and must be removed by surgery. The crystals can usually be analyzed through the urinalysis, the presence of stones identified by ultrasound. High proten, low carb, wet diet is best for the cat.
Sometimes the inflammation can cause the bladder wall or urethra to spasm, which inhibits the muscles from contracting properly, thus blocking the flow of urine. Again, there are medications (anti-spasmodics) that can be used on a temporary basis to basically calm those muscles, allowing them to work properly.
Stress can also cause bladder inflammation. I actually don't understand the logistics of how, but cats are complicated creatures.
Pain is a big factor with the bladder. Blood or bacteria in the urine, an inflammed bladder wall or urethra, can keep the cat from peeing properly. Pain medication is crucial. Buprenex is often (temporarily) used in this situation. Again, with close monitoring by your vet.
There are also more holistic things that can be done for the bladder. Essential fatty acids (omega 3) help fight inflammation, some say glucosomine has been shown to help the bladder wall, slippery elm is suppose to coat the bladder wall, protecting from inflammation. These options could be considered along with other medical treatments, but only with the blessing of your vet. You wouldn't want to give your cat something that might interfere with his other treatment.
To be honest, proper treatment might require a more specialized vet than your regular clinic vet. In these type situations, I appreciate it when my vet deals with the emergency and then directs me to the specialist down the freeway.
Lastly, this situation can certainly be life threatening, but does not have to mean the end of life for your cat. My cat has had chronic cystitis for many years with a malfunctioning bladder wall. More recently he was diagnosed with TCC and kidney stones. He's had some rough patches, but is currently doing great. Don't give up hope. I send good wishes to your cat! (my ipad won't let me do fancy symbols).
Let us know in more detail what is wrong. We could then give more specific ideas.
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thank you for your detailed response. unfortunately, my cat is past the blockage stage and the issue is the bladder now will not contract, much as the first woman described..so he(now a she) can't really urinate, and just dribbles all day long, and apparently, this condition, if it does not change once they clear the current MRSA, will not only be uncomfortable for him, but also cause him to have constant UTI's.
The vet seems to think there is no hope of the bladder recovering...this is last chance..when the infection clears up..if it does. culture had been done to ID the infection, but no ultrasound as yet,I don't think. but the thing is...bladder so stretched out from the blockage not being recognized for so long (several days at least), it is beyond repair, the vet thinks.
so I was just wondering...if there was anything radical, new, far-out or experimental that anyone knew of that might make his bladder start contracting again?
ty
The vet seems to think there is no hope of the bladder recovering...this is last chance..when the infection clears up..if it does. culture had been done to ID the infection, but no ultrasound as yet,I don't think. but the thing is...bladder so stretched out from the blockage not being recognized for so long (several days at least), it is beyond repair, the vet thinks.
so I was just wondering...if there was anything radical, new, far-out or experimental that anyone knew of that might make his bladder start contracting again?
ty
I've seen it before, actually my boss's cat had a very similar situation and she is a cat-only vet! He went through several repeating blockages before she had the PU surgery done, and he came home with a MRSA UTI. He also dribbled terribly for about 4 months after surgery but that has improved.
In his case time and frequent manual expression of his bladder was the only thing that helped.
From what you're describing (blocked for days) it sounds like he never had a full blockage, once they are fully blocked you've got about 24 hours. Partial blockages which last longer or multiple frequent blockages are what cause the muscle and nerve damage you're seeing in your cat. Also, has your cat had MRSA UTIs before, or do you have the culture results back saying it is MRSA?
Sadly from what I know there is nothing out there new or innovative for this situation. I would discuss with your vet if manual expression of his bladder is an option to tide you through this and see if the muscles and nerves will repair themselves. You need to take in to account how long you are willing to have to have to express him 3 to 4 times daily. Also, if is it even possible to express his bladder, is he the kind of cat who will tolerate that kind of handling? How will you keep him clean? If he doesn't improve in 4 or 5 months what then? Are you prepared to take the risks of manual expression of the bladder?
A lot of long term care like this will be dictated by the cat, I have one cat I can do anything I wish with, and another who would never tolerate the kind of manhandling this sort of care would require. You have to ask yourself what quality of life you are giving him. If his bladder is easily expressed and he totally comfortable with you scooping him and squeezing his belly 4 times a day I say it is worth the try. If you cannot get the UTIs under control and he lives in constant bladder pain then I would say it isn't.
-Edited to correct my poor grammar skills
In his case time and frequent manual expression of his bladder was the only thing that helped.
From what you're describing (blocked for days) it sounds like he never had a full blockage, once they are fully blocked you've got about 24 hours. Partial blockages which last longer or multiple frequent blockages are what cause the muscle and nerve damage you're seeing in your cat. Also, has your cat had MRSA UTIs before, or do you have the culture results back saying it is MRSA?
Sadly from what I know there is nothing out there new or innovative for this situation. I would discuss with your vet if manual expression of his bladder is an option to tide you through this and see if the muscles and nerves will repair themselves. You need to take in to account how long you are willing to have to have to express him 3 to 4 times daily. Also, if is it even possible to express his bladder, is he the kind of cat who will tolerate that kind of handling? How will you keep him clean? If he doesn't improve in 4 or 5 months what then? Are you prepared to take the risks of manual expression of the bladder?
A lot of long term care like this will be dictated by the cat, I have one cat I can do anything I wish with, and another who would never tolerate the kind of manhandling this sort of care would require. You have to ask yourself what quality of life you are giving him. If his bladder is easily expressed and he totally comfortable with you scooping him and squeezing his belly 4 times a day I say it is worth the try. If you cannot get the UTIs under control and he lives in constant bladder pain then I would say it isn't.
-Edited to correct my poor grammar skills
Last edited:
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wow! ty so much...and sadly, I kind of knew what you were saying was true, already, and feared the result, but was hoping for something, anything different.
I think they have already been doing this to the kitty...expressing his bladder because they were going to teach me but then ended up w/other issues that he wasn't ready to come home.
I don't have the culture results but the vet does. and he has been getting treated, and is almost at the end of 2 wks w/some very expensive medicine...so we can only hope.
I w/b willing to do whatever..esp, 'cuz this is my fault that I didn't notice his issues sooner and get him in right away. thankfully, I work at home.
I didn't know he was still in pain..he doesn't act like it when I visit...but if he is, that w/b a factor I have to look at.
it just sounds like he has to live like this for life, or not live. unless you are saying that...months down the road of this treatment...the manual expression of the bladder, he m/b get better?
he is a young kitty...like 10 mths old, so the good news is, if there's healing to be done, his body at its best for it....I think that is why he is tolerating his medicine so well.
thank you again..my last question I hope you don't mind me bothering you...are you saying there still c/b chance of his recovery, after months, of this? or really..not?
ty
I think they have already been doing this to the kitty...expressing his bladder because they were going to teach me but then ended up w/other issues that he wasn't ready to come home.
I don't have the culture results but the vet does. and he has been getting treated, and is almost at the end of 2 wks w/some very expensive medicine...so we can only hope.
I w/b willing to do whatever..esp, 'cuz this is my fault that I didn't notice his issues sooner and get him in right away. thankfully, I work at home.
I didn't know he was still in pain..he doesn't act like it when I visit...but if he is, that w/b a factor I have to look at.
it just sounds like he has to live like this for life, or not live. unless you are saying that...months down the road of this treatment...the manual expression of the bladder, he m/b get better?
he is a young kitty...like 10 mths old, so the good news is, if there's healing to be done, his body at its best for it....I think that is why he is tolerating his medicine so well.
thank you again..my last question I hope you don't mind me bothering you...are you saying there still c/b chance of his recovery, after months, of this? or really..not?
ty
Regarding the comfort of your kitty, I'm willing to bet that the hospital has him on some pretty decent pain control right now. If you bring him home then he would be weaned off the pain meds and you would have to assess him from there.
I suppose what I'm saying is that it is worth a try, but not to hang your hat on it. He may have a chance of recovery, and you'll never know unless you try; were he my cat I would feel I owe him the trying. Just know that it is a small chance. The important thing is to know when to stop trying and give him the kindest gift we can in the end.
Also, it isn't your fault.
I suppose what I'm saying is that it is worth a try, but not to hang your hat on it. He may have a chance of recovery, and you'll never know unless you try; were he my cat I would feel I owe him the trying. Just know that it is a small chance. The important thing is to know when to stop trying and give him the kindest gift we can in the end.
Also, it isn't your fault.
My last reply was in general terms, sorry, I didn't realize your cat already had the PU surgery. I'll start again by saying I have no experience with a bladder infection or the PU surgery, my cats problem is inflammation and cancer. It sounds like your vet is trying to treat the infection, and hopefully with time, the infection will resolve. I know that infections can be common with PU cats. It's good they can manually express urine from his bladder. The more the bladder is empty and without irritation, the better chance it has to heal.
What you're basically describing for the condition of the bladder is hypertrophy of the bladder wall. Sometimes with urethra obstruction, the bladder wall can get distended and stretched, limiting its ability to relax and contract to expel the urine. I've read a little about this as it is a problem with my cat. There are situations where the bladder has been distended for too long such that it will not shrink up or the detruser muscle will no longer contract. Here is a link to a study that extensively and very technically discusses this condition in humans, but references all sorts of studies done in animals. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1537051/ If you can work yourself through the article (scroll down a little, it starts out gray as if it's not there), it discusses all sorts of cell reactions and in the end mentions the possibility of treating the hypertrophic bladder with a-adrenergic antagonists to help the bladder contract.
If you google a-adrenergic antagonist, there are lots of drug names listed. One of the drugs listed, Phenoxybenzamine, is what my cat was prescribed after his bladder surgery a few months ago. I was told this served as an anti-spasmodic to help the bladder contract and urethra relax to allow the urine to flow. Right after surgery he was straining to pee in the box but was incontinent at the same time (dribbling throughout the house). So he wasn't blocked, but the bladder wasn't expelling the urine. He took the Phenoxybenzamine twice a day, for maybe three + weeks. At the same time, I gave him Buprenex for pain as he showed discomfort when trying to pee. Eventually he started to pee better in the box and the incontinence stopped. I assume the combination of medication and time did its thing. Upon palpitation, the bladder is no longer distended.
As I said, there are several drugs mentioned for a-adrenergic antagonist. In fact, the surgeon first prescribed a different drug. Since my cat was still having problems, the oncologist switched him to the Phenoxy drug - she said the first one was new-school. She is old-school so she thought we ought to try the drug she was familiar with. I don't know if your vet is using this type drug with your cat, and I certainly can't promise this will help your cat's specific condition, but it might be worth a mention to your vet.
With respect to dribbling throughout the house, we covered every couch and bed with old baby waterproof pads, waterproof mattress covers, and puppy pads for about two + months. I then put beach towels over the waterproof covers on the couch, and they were washed daily. Far easier to wash towels and pads than couch cushions.
I do hope they can find a solution and your cat can live a long, happy life.
Edit:
I just tried the link above, and it didn't work. You can try copy and paste. If not, google: ncbi bladder outlet obstruction ultrasound PMC1537051. You should find it that way.
What you're basically describing for the condition of the bladder is hypertrophy of the bladder wall. Sometimes with urethra obstruction, the bladder wall can get distended and stretched, limiting its ability to relax and contract to expel the urine. I've read a little about this as it is a problem with my cat. There are situations where the bladder has been distended for too long such that it will not shrink up or the detruser muscle will no longer contract. Here is a link to a study that extensively and very technically discusses this condition in humans, but references all sorts of studies done in animals. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1537051/ If you can work yourself through the article (scroll down a little, it starts out gray as if it's not there), it discusses all sorts of cell reactions and in the end mentions the possibility of treating the hypertrophic bladder with a-adrenergic antagonists to help the bladder contract.
If you google a-adrenergic antagonist, there are lots of drug names listed. One of the drugs listed, Phenoxybenzamine, is what my cat was prescribed after his bladder surgery a few months ago. I was told this served as an anti-spasmodic to help the bladder contract and urethra relax to allow the urine to flow. Right after surgery he was straining to pee in the box but was incontinent at the same time (dribbling throughout the house). So he wasn't blocked, but the bladder wasn't expelling the urine. He took the Phenoxybenzamine twice a day, for maybe three + weeks. At the same time, I gave him Buprenex for pain as he showed discomfort when trying to pee. Eventually he started to pee better in the box and the incontinence stopped. I assume the combination of medication and time did its thing. Upon palpitation, the bladder is no longer distended.
As I said, there are several drugs mentioned for a-adrenergic antagonist. In fact, the surgeon first prescribed a different drug. Since my cat was still having problems, the oncologist switched him to the Phenoxy drug - she said the first one was new-school. She is old-school so she thought we ought to try the drug she was familiar with. I don't know if your vet is using this type drug with your cat, and I certainly can't promise this will help your cat's specific condition, but it might be worth a mention to your vet.
With respect to dribbling throughout the house, we covered every couch and bed with old baby waterproof pads, waterproof mattress covers, and puppy pads for about two + months. I then put beach towels over the waterproof covers on the couch, and they were washed daily. Far easier to wash towels and pads than couch cushions.
I do hope they can find a solution and your cat can live a long, happy life.
Edit:
I just tried the link above, and it didn't work. You can try copy and paste. If not, google: ncbi bladder outlet obstruction ultrasound PMC1537051. You should find it that way.
Last edited:
Thanks for the info. My Cali cat is 30 days recovering from a spinal injury that caused her to be incontinent. I am so afraid she stretched out her bladder and will not recover. The first vet I saw was a bum. He gave her a shot of cortisone without even checking her xray. She had internal bleeding in her reproductive system, too. She was leaking urine from the start, but he made no mention of expressing her bladder. Then it was four days before I got her to a competent vet. Then she needed an emergency spaying where they took out a sack of blood and tissue the size of a chicken egg. So you really could not do more than press on the area to help her relieve her bladder.
I have been feeling so guilty. She is getting older and had never been spayed. She developed some behavior problems that I attributed to arthritis in her hips and I have been giving her Joint Perfection that seemed to have helped. The vet verified her arthritis and as best we can tell she missed a jump and fell. My daughter was asleep and I was in the bathroom with the water running when it happened. But maybe having the reproductive system take the blow saved her, who knows?
After 28 days, with a week on cortisone that made her crazy, she had some recovery in her tail and minimal control of her bladder and BM. I took her xrays and her to my chiropractor against the vets advice. He picked out a luxation in her last three vertebrae and gave her an adjustment that really helped. He tail came back and the next day she even sat and peed like a real cat. She is not using a box yet, but mostly will use dogie training pads with some catnip. She does not tolerate being expressed, but does need help getting started and stopping again. She does best on a training pad on the kitchen floor, where I press her bladder. She is such a good cat, I am praying for her recovery and appreciate the information on how to help her.
I have been feeling so guilty. She is getting older and had never been spayed. She developed some behavior problems that I attributed to arthritis in her hips and I have been giving her Joint Perfection that seemed to have helped. The vet verified her arthritis and as best we can tell she missed a jump and fell. My daughter was asleep and I was in the bathroom with the water running when it happened. But maybe having the reproductive system take the blow saved her, who knows?
After 28 days, with a week on cortisone that made her crazy, she had some recovery in her tail and minimal control of her bladder and BM. I took her xrays and her to my chiropractor against the vets advice. He picked out a luxation in her last three vertebrae and gave her an adjustment that really helped. He tail came back and the next day she even sat and peed like a real cat. She is not using a box yet, but mostly will use dogie training pads with some catnip. She does not tolerate being expressed, but does need help getting started and stopping again. She does best on a training pad on the kitchen floor, where I press her bladder. She is such a good cat, I am praying for her recovery and appreciate the information on how to help her.
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Can you let us know what meds your cat was on to control tcc?
Just thought I would let you know that this thread is 10 years old and none of the members who posted to it are still active on TCS. You are more than welcome to tell us about what is going on with your cat and see what responses you might get from our active members.
