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Is this a common problem for a young cat?
by MJIthewriter, Nov 03, 2009 11:59PM
For those who are concerned about my "mood message" (if anyone was concerned?) I noted that one of our cats is staying overnight at the vet hospital for at least two nights.
Both grandma and I noticed since this summer a change in our younger cat's behavior. He had sort of shifted to being less energetic, didn't care much about food (though would eat it.) That wasn't really too much a concern, but grandma noted he kept returning to the litter box and not producing anything. At first we thought it was constapation and tried offering mineral oil. This last week grandma noticed he tried to go some place by the liter box and it was wet... Her siamese cat (now long since passed away) had a similar problem. She called the vet and was told to take him immediatly.
We found out he's got a narrow urethra and it is blocked up with crystals Grandma gave me the news. Later on the vet called stating they were going to keep him another night.. I asked on a scale of 1-10 how bad she would rate it. She gave it an 8.
They stuck a catheter in him and are trying to remove as many crystals as they can. He's going to require a prescription diet, and probably need a special diet for the rest of his life? I'm a bit puzzled because he's only about three, maybe 4 years at the most. He wasn't neutered until probably about a year old. I thought this was something that affected males if they were neutered too early.
The good news is, so far he's been doing fine behaving really well. The vet did not need to anesthetize him because he was so calm. They put him on some pain meds, and according to them, he just stayed still.
Both grandma and I noticed since this summer a change in our younger cat's behavior. He had sort of shifted to being less energetic, didn't care much about food (though would eat it.) That wasn't really too much a concern, but grandma noted he kept returning to the litter box and not producing anything. At first we thought it was constapation and tried offering mineral oil. This last week grandma noticed he tried to go some place by the liter box and it was wet... Her siamese cat (now long since passed away) had a similar problem. She called the vet and was told to take him immediatly.
We found out he's got a narrow urethra and it is blocked up with crystals Grandma gave me the news. Later on the vet called stating they were going to keep him another night.. I asked on a scale of 1-10 how bad she would rate it. She gave it an 8.
They stuck a catheter in him and are trying to remove as many crystals as they can. He's going to require a prescription diet, and probably need a special diet for the rest of his life? I'm a bit puzzled because he's only about three, maybe 4 years at the most. He wasn't neutered until probably about a year old. I thought this was something that affected males if they were neutered too early.
The good news is, so far he's been doing fine behaving really well. The vet did not need to anesthetize him because he was so calm. They put him on some pain meds, and according to them, he just stayed still.
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I had an older female cat who had a similar problem, which the vet found quite unusual as she'd seen these crystal blockages only in males.
She suggested that, in addition to foods for urinary health, that a little bit of cider vinegar in the cats' water would help, too. About a tablespoon per pint, not enough to affect taste, but just enough to affect the pH balance a little. Her theory was that water toward the hard side is slightly alkaline and the bit of venegar would helpeven things out.
Will be waiting to hear some good updates later! = )
I don't know how long he will be on the prescription diet. I guess it will be long enough to clear out his system, then probably be put on a low magnesium diet, like grandma's older cat was. I think it also had to be low in ash as well.
I think grandma and I miss him more than Waldo. Waldo thinks he's on vacation and enjoying being the "only" cat for a while. The only thing he seems to be missing is Sahib's food dish and the chance to rob Sahib of his leftover food. You're probably right, Sahib probably misses Waldo. Waldo was something to pounce on, lick, bite and annoy (besides occasionally snuggling with.)
The vets want to keep him yet another night to see if he was trying to pee out of irritation from the catheter or if he still is blocked up.
Now I am beginning to be a little worried. How long does it take to clear a cat of urine crystals? Last night after I put Waldo to bed, I heard loud howling meows. Perhaps Waldo is starting to miss Sahib's company too. He's been sort of following grandma around a bit more form what she told me.
as far as i know..if there are many tiny crystals present it could take a few days to all flush through.
you know waldo howling like he did can be a sure sign of pain too.
I had a cat with the urine crystals years ago and thats just what he did before I finelly realized something was wrong, maybe good idea to have a urinalysis done on him too????
best to you all
So far I haven't seen Waldo have difficulty using his litter, but he does have an unusual appetite. He's always hungry! He begs for food or lays in the kitchen whenever someone is in the area. But it's hard to tell. I thought maybe it was just his personality, but it is becoming a problem for grandma when she is cooking. (he not only meows when he begs but will try to rub up against our legs or rest right in key places)
When he is not begging, he's practically motionless. He lays on his side. Both grandma and I thought it was his age. I think I've brought up that concern to a few different vets Waldo has had in the course of owning him. None of them seemed horribly concerned.
One thing to consider for the future...be sure to try and increase the amount of canned food that your kitty gets. This will help with moisture intake and can help prevent future recurrences of the crystals.
Hope you get him home soon!
Well another update, and a potentially upsetting one. He's still not being able to pee, so now they are trying a steroid and some other med. Now if that fails, he will likely need surgery.
What's upsetting me greatly is that my grandma refuses to to put him through surgery and by her quote said "will put him to sleep before she gives him surgery."
Angered, I said I would pay for the surgery (would cost me a bit, but I rather that than having Sahib killed.) But grandma retorted she didn't want a disabled cat.
God, I wish I knew how to deal with her. Once she has her mind made up, there's not much hope changing it. I feel awful, like I wish I had more control about this.... I seriously hope she reconsiders.