Our old guy Ollie was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with a UTI, he's had a history of crystal block as well (he actually had surgery a few years ago for it...he almost died). He's all done his medications now, and the vet told me that I should bring in a urine sample after a couple of weeks....and that is what I'm trying to do.
I've put some plastic beads in the litter box for him to pee on...he peed in there once but there wasn't much (I don't think he needed to go, he just saw clean "litter" and had to squeeze something out, he does that every litter change). He doesn't like the beads though from the look of it, and I might try shredded plastic next.
The biggest problem I'm having is that I've had to shut him in the bathroom with the box or else he will go outside or somewhere else and pee (actually I let him out of the bathroom yesterday and he peed in our indoor planter!). There is also the added complication that the other cat Hemi will go and pee on the beads. He is being stubborn and he HATES being stuck in the bathroom....he meows dejectedly most of the time he is in there, he'll do his best to get into the cupboards too (luckily he doesn't manage it) I'm guessing he wants to hide in there to pee. He also threw up the first time I left him in there (just hairballs), it may have been stress but he was fine after that, other than the howling.
Does anybody have any suggestions? I really don't have the money laying around to spend the extra cash to take him in to have the vet get a sample, but I want to be sure he is ok. I feel so cruel leaving him in the bathroom and hearing him, but its the only way I feel like I can be sure he'll go to the "special" litter box when he needs to go. In addition, I think he's prone to UTI's now partially because of stress (the other cat is an issue), and I know that this whole thing is causing him more stress. I'm kinda stuck here...am I going to have to take him to the vet?
I've put some plastic beads in the litter box for him to pee on...he peed in there once but there wasn't much (I don't think he needed to go, he just saw clean "litter" and had to squeeze something out, he does that every litter change). He doesn't like the beads though from the look of it, and I might try shredded plastic next.
The biggest problem I'm having is that I've had to shut him in the bathroom with the box or else he will go outside or somewhere else and pee (actually I let him out of the bathroom yesterday and he peed in our indoor planter!). There is also the added complication that the other cat Hemi will go and pee on the beads. He is being stubborn and he HATES being stuck in the bathroom....he meows dejectedly most of the time he is in there, he'll do his best to get into the cupboards too (luckily he doesn't manage it) I'm guessing he wants to hide in there to pee. He also threw up the first time I left him in there (just hairballs), it may have been stress but he was fine after that, other than the howling.
Does anybody have any suggestions? I really don't have the money laying around to spend the extra cash to take him in to have the vet get a sample, but I want to be sure he is ok. I feel so cruel leaving him in the bathroom and hearing him, but its the only way I feel like I can be sure he'll go to the "special" litter box when he needs to go. In addition, I think he's prone to UTI's now partially because of stress (the other cat is an issue), and I know that this whole thing is causing him more stress. I'm kinda stuck here...am I going to have to take him to the vet?