worried about my cat :(

Linas · #1 07-01-2011, 03:41 PM

This morning I woke up and found that my cat had urinated outside of the litter box, but the urine had blood in it. He had been to the vet 2 weeks ago because he was having trouble urinating, and it was determined that he had a UTI (x-ray showed no blockage or stones). He was given an antibiotic and started urinating normally again.

I would take my cat into the vet, but I am unemployed and literally don't have any way to afford the visit. The low income clinic said that it would be 2 weeks before they can see him. He has been eating and drinking normally and his disposition is normal. He hasnt been crying in pain, but obviously i am very concerned.

I called my regular vet and she said to just keep monitoring the situation and that I should try to get him in on tuesday for another antibiotic shot. She kindly said that she would just charge me for the shot and not the visit, which i really appreciate.

Ughh, just had to vent, feeling very sh*tty about this whole situation. Either way, any advice would be appreciated. Just hope he is okay.

Please keep him in your thoughts.

5StringBlues · #2 07-01-2011, 03:48 PM

What kind of food does he eat?

I had a cat with similar problems and it was determined that the ash content in the food I was feeding him was too high.

Changed to Science Diet low ash formula and had no further problems.

Just a thought,good luck.

bassteban · #3 07-01-2011, 03:48 PM

Damn, that sucks A. Outside of pro med care, I don't know what to suggest. Sell some gear? NOT trying to be a smartass- I have two & have lost a bunch over the years(we almost always get gimpy ones, who sometimes don't last...

)

Selta · #4 07-01-2011, 03:57 PM

A cat in my life is worth more to me than quite a lot of other things. I'd be selling gear at stupid low prices, begging, borrowing, doing whatever I could to take care of them. I have no real advice for you other than do what you can to make sure you get him back into the vet again...

NickMarinelli · #5 07-01-2011, 04:02 PM

Make sure he has plenty of cool water, and try to make sure it is as fresh as possible. We do this by refilling our cat's water two or three times a day. If the water is fresh and cool, cats seems to like it more. Keeping him hydrated will help keep him together until you can get into the vet.

Sonic_Death · #6 07-01-2011, 04:32 PM

Looks eerily similar to my brothers cat:

It's always hard to deal with medical issues with pets. We've been through a lot over the years. Good luck and stay strong!

tom once dead · #7 07-01-2011, 05:02 PM

My cat is in at the vet on a drip with a kidney infection. I was pretty cut when I heard the news.

onestring · #8 07-01-2011, 05:18 PM

I'm definitely NOT A VET but have had a few cats with UTI issues. They will keep happening over and over with cats who are prone to them, but you can help prevent/minimize them with some changes to their diet. HYDRATE.

You have to get lots of fluids into them and keep the plumbing flushed to prevent the formation of crystals which can lead to blockage and infection. Giving IV fluids is usually part of the treatment along with the antibiotics if you are already at an acute infection stage (ask your vet if she recommends this as part of the treatment RIGHT NOW-cost is minimal and they can set you up to do this at home yourself for even less), but you can try to keep infections at bay before it goes that far.

That means wet food only, and mix in a little extra water too, especially if you have a cat who rarely drinks. The cat we have now who has UTI issues also eats and loves cantaloupe (in small quantities). Weird, but cantaloupe was suggested by our vet and we tried it (supposedly there are healthy enzymes in there).

Good luck and hope your cat is on the mend soon!

AcidFripp · #9 07-01-2011, 05:35 PM

You can never really tell with cats...
Even if they're hurt, they'll try to do their best to conceal it.

I, too, will wish you good luck!

bassguppy · #10 07-01-2011, 06:07 PM

researching online with your cat's symptoms may help get an idea what's going on. Sounds like kidney issues.

Try wet foods with a little added water, keep fresh water available also.

try small pieces of ice. For whatever reason, one of my cats loves to lick ice on the floor.

One of my cats has developed health issues the past 2 years & it does get expensive (probably close to $2,000 a year for ultrasounds, lab work, etc.. in my cat's case).

Is there any sort of veterinary colleges near you? Sometimes they may offer lower cost care.

DeathFromBelow · #11 07-01-2011, 08:15 PM

No advice to offer, but I hope everything works out!

Great looking cat btw, love the bottom picture, looks like a really cool little dude.

Best of luck!

jp58 · #12 07-02-2011, 01:46 AM

Making your own food for the kitty wouldn't be bad either, on top of some of the above suggestions. You would be surprised how many pets are better off eating people food instead of the mechanically separated crap they call pet food.

Selta · #13 07-02-2011, 01:48 AM

Not all cat foods are created equal. There are a lot of great cat foods that you can buy. You just have to make sure to actually buy them - along with either doing research on feline nutrition, or ask your vet what is truly best.

gustobassman · #14 07-03-2011, 07:14 PM

How's the cat doing? How old is it? One of mine started the urinary issues around 11 years old, but he still acted normally. i would watch this closely as the blockage stuff is really bad. i spent a lot of money on it. as in the case of mine it was the precursor to bigger problems.

If you have a young one, it might not really be a big deal. if it's an outdoor cat, who knows where it drank water and got some funk...

onestring, you are on point. i've never heard cantaloupe. wish i would've known.. my cat loved lettuce, the vet said that was fine. might want to try that too. shredded iceberg is mostly water. Mine had thyroid stuff too.. that was some real work.

this was my little buddy.. miss him mucho..

bassteban · #15 07-03-2011, 08:00 PM

Happy thoughts/prayers- love me some kittehs

Eric Albany · #16 07-03-2011, 08:18 PM

What an adorable cat. You should see if there is some type of illness that is breed specific. Those are really annoying. My last dog was prone to hip displacia and the breeder didn't tell us that so we ended up paying out of pocket expenses(after we lost our business[darn economy]). Thankfully we were very good friends with our vet and he let us slide, but this has nothing to do with your cat. Try and become very good friends with him/her and see if they can decrease the expenses. Also explain your financial position. That should help.

Best of luck with your cat(cats are too smart!),
Eric

Thunder Pulse · #17 07-04-2011, 12:04 AM

You don't have a credit card? You live in Chicago, UPS is always hiring.

disenchant · #18 07-04-2011, 01:43 AM

I have two cats and i lost one to cancer a while back so I have a lot of research for kitties.

1. Diet change. Cats do well on a raw diet since that's what they would be eating in nature. Research raw diet for cats and start on it if you can. One of my cats will eat raw meat, the other will only eat dry food. Get a high-quality dry food without animal by-product. I suggest Nature's Recipe or Blue brand cat food.

2. Alkaline water for cats. Alkaline water can be more hydrating. I give my cats 9.0 alkaline water and not only do they love it, but their coats have become all soft and shiny. I've left regular water out and they meow at the bowl and push it around until I give them alkaline. You want your cats to be well hydrated.

3. Litter change. I changed from clay litter to wheat litter. Clay dust can be inhaled by your cat and is not good for them. I suggest a wheat litter like Swheat Scoop or a paper litter like Yesterday's News. I like them because they are flushable.

4. Miracle Mineral Supplement. I use it on our whole family, it's very cheap and kills most all bacteria and helps with viruses. You'll have to research that one as well.

With the exception of alkaline water (and I made my own water ionizer for $50) none of the above changes cost that much but really help with the health of your cat. Good luck, I hope your cat gets better!

RadioactiveGuy4 · #19 07-05-2011, 04:07 AM

I work at an emergency vet clinic and so far what people have been recomending have been good ideas. I would recomend a few things as well.
1. Dont panic. It can take some time for cats to recover from UTI's. Any where from a week to two weeks.
2.keep an eye on the litter box. I would scoop it at least once a day if not more. If you have other cats isolate him so you can know when he is going or if hes not. Blocked cats are no fun.
3.Maybe talk to your vet about a oral antibiotic meds instead of the injection. That way you can get a more sustained level of meds in his system. I like clavamox, it comes in a liquid or pill.
4. if you have more questions send me a PM. I im a vet tech and i have bit more info on these things then most people