I am new to the site, but in the two posts I have made, both sound like I am a spokesman. Royal Canin Urinary S/O....makes the kitties drink more, dilutes the urine, helps alleviate ureter inflammation, eliminates stones....wonderful stuff....best out there. I have four cats that have to have it...it is expensive...if you are used to the cheap stuff, but only about 45-50 dollars per 18 lb bag...worth it....Saves me paying an outrageous vet bill for all the UTI's and kidney failure....Good luck....You can get it at vet or PetSmart with prescription card.
The only realy way to treat chronic UTIs in cats is to attack them from a preventative angle. Feed the cat foods that are very low in ash content to prevent crystals from forming, which irritate the urinary tract and lead to the infections. Other than that, once an infection has started, the only way to get rid of it is to use an antibiotic prescribed by a veterinarian. You said that your kitty gets these on a regular basis. Has the vet prescribed the same antibiotic each time she has had it? If so, there is a chance that the bacteria in her body have developed a resistance to the Orbax and at this point, even though you give her the antibiotics, they aren't completely killing the bacteria. It might be better, if she gets another UTI, to use something other than Orbax, that way if the bacteria are resistant to it, the different antibiotic will stand a better chance of killing them. And also, pay attention to the ash content of the food you are feeding. Ash content should be 3% or lower. Stay away from fish cat foods, they are very high in ash because the whole fish, bones and all, is processed for the food. I once had a cat who was prone to forming crystals, and I had to get used to reading labels to make sure that every food I bought was within the safe ash levels for him. They even make dry foods now that are designed to promote urinary tract health, so the food options today for a cat who is prone to forming crystals are a lot more numerous than they were even ten years ago.
Ghilly
There are OTC herbal/omega treatments that boast they aid greatly in preventing UTI. I would ask your vet if he has a preference for one (or if it conflicts with his present treatment). The most important thing is to let your vet know of any additional treatments you try as the two of you seem to have a "game plan" in dealing with the issue.
Has anyone else had any success with a particular brand of homeopathic treatment? (I haven't used one for UTI so don't have a particular brand to referral).