Help-Could Mort have a UTI?

alphadoginthehouse

I was watching Mortimer today and he was squatting in his litter box forever and peed only a little. Then later, I saw him outside and the same thing. He came in the house and squatted on the rug (didn't do anything) and went into his box and stood there for the longest time.

Looks like it'll be a vet visit for Mortimer... Anything I can do for him in the meantime? Thanks!

Criosphynx

Mortimers the cat right? hehe


What do you feed? Some foods can bring it on.


There are cranberry treats for cats that litterally cleared up my Twitchy Cat's UTI... like gone...poof.... The vet will put the cat on antibiotics....
http://www.pup-n-stuff.com/catberry.aspx

My cats looove these things...

alphadoginthehouse

Yes, Mortimer the Attack Cat!

He has been on Nutro Max - Indoor Cat formula for about 2 mos now. His coat looks fabulous! He is eating fine but I haven't noticed him drinking much...if the water level in the bowl is not to his liking he moves it

Wonder if PetsMart carries anything like this? I take Daja for doggie school tomorrow. I'll have to check.

Patt

If Mort does in fact have a UTI, please don't wait too long to see a vet. A UTI can go into a blockage very quickly on a male cat. Good luck and keep us posted.

alphadoginthehouse

I may drop him off in the a.m. and pick him up after work. I have to take Daja for class tomorrow at 6:30 so it will be tight. And school starts tomorrow so traffic will really suck!!!

Wonder if I need to change his food because he has never had this kind of problem before. He had pooping issues when he was little (icky!) but not this. I'll watch him closely tonight and decide in the a.m.

Why can't life be simple?

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Criosphynx

yeah it can get bad quick like Patt said. So just use your judgement.

The treats are available at petco/petsmart they are a great preventative once you get him cleared up too.

I forget what it is in the food that makes it worse... phosphorus maybe? YOu can google it im sure...

Also the kitty water fountian will make your cat drink more... they like the moving water i guess...


update us when you can!

Willowy

Fortunately, I've never had a cat with a full-blown UTI. Sometimes one or another of the girls will start squatting indiscriminately, but a cranberry tablet always clears it up fast. It is more serious in males, though, because they can get a blockage much easier. There's a little more leeway with females. Yeah, cranberry treats are a good preventative, and encouraging the cat to drink more water is never bad. A little canned food every day helps. Do try to get him to the vet tomorrow....blockages are nasty.

alphadoginthehouse

I actually had enough sense to shut him up in "his room" last night. I walked in to him squatting on a sheet that was on the floor. Didn't see anything in his litter box. I think it had a tinge of blood in it but I wasn't sure given the pattern on the sheet. I just dropped him off at the vet for them to take care of whatever is the problem.

Ya know, it's always sumpin with these critters...I'll let you know what the vet says. Poor Mortimer...he was not happy being in his carrier.

______________________

Took him in this a.m. and he has a real bad UTI. No stones or crystals but she is putting him on a heavy duty once a day anti-B, a pain med and cosequin for cats (need to look that one up). His PH is fine, he's just a miserable big boy.

They had to give him sub-q fluids (he had nothing in his bladder) and he "gave it up on his own" later this morning. I'm going to leave him there overnight for them to dose him a couple of times and to make sure he behaves himself. I'll pick him up after work tomorrow. Then he will be shut up "in his room" for a couple of days...he isn't going to be very happy but that's life big guy!

Poor baby. Too bad he doesn't like canned food cuz he would be one happy kitty when he came home.

Elana55

Glad he is at the vet. I have lost cats to UTI, Male fixed cats can be very prone tho many are not. The diet is critical but sometimes it must be augmented with medication and the cat must be on it for LIFE.

My show cat, Spencer, had this issue. If you have to pass a tom cat catheter too many times you get scarring in the Urinary tract (it is a very small tube.. this is a CAT). This can make things worse. Sometimes you need to do an operation that literally removes the cat's penis and allows for freer flow of urine, tho it does not eliminate the infection or the underlying cause (urine Ph too high).

I have met the vet at the vet clinic at 3:00AM to pass a tom cat catheter.. it is THAT serious. Spencer knew when he had a problem and would come get me and go to the litter box and squat and when little or nothing came out, it was a phone call and meet the vet at the clinic.

EVERYTHING you described is a UTI in a male cat and it is very serious.. can kill the cat in a matter of hours (kidney's back up, terrible pain for the cat as struvite crystals block the ureter).

Spencer, my show cat who had this problem, would pee in the cat box if I told him to go "hurry Up" because I had to watch him pee all the time. He had a pill EVERY day for years. I would tell him, "Time for your pill" and he would open his mouth and I would plop it in and he would swallow it. I kid you not.. he was that kind of animal. He was a shaded silver American Shorthair.. a very very different cat in all respects including his color and green eyes.

When he was "whole" and had bred a female he would stay with her and help her when she had her kittens (yes, he would clean them up and push them up to her to nurse). He would watch his kitties when she ate... and play with his kitties and help raise them and clean them.

I had him 14 years... he was neutered at age 3 and that is when the UTI problems started.

I have had some wonderful animals in my life.. Spencer was one of the very very best, UTI and all.

Patt

Thanks for the update. It's good your leaving him at the vets and he can get "flushed out". I've had a few cats with UTI's, also one that had the surgery that Elana55 mentioned. I didn't do the special diets, way too many cats.

I hope Mort is back to his old self soon. <cross fingers>

alphadoginthehouse

Mortimer is home now and is not happy with me. I have shut him up in "his room" (the front bedroom where his food and box are). And it only cost me an arm and part of a leg! I sure am glad I have some savings for all that I have spent on the critters this month.

He is on:

1. Zenequin
2. Buprenex
3. Dasuquine Feline (even the tech didn't know that it was also to help the bladder)

The vet was concerned that he didn't eat last night...I knew without asking that they had given him canned food. And they had. So they gave me a sample of ROYAL CANIN SO. Does anyone know about this food. He has eaten a little bit of it...but the best thing is...HE IS PEEING!!!!!!!!!! I never thought I would be so happy to see a cat pee. He even did it when I was in there a minute ago...I think he was showing me cuz he seemed very proud of himself!

I'm going to close the doggie door tonight so Mort won't have to be cooped up all the time...I do spoil my babies.

Thanks for all the thoughts and good wishes for Mortimer. He told me to tell you thanks!

Elana55

Whenever you see him pee (because now that this has happened it will be something you need to monitor.. forever...) tell him something like "hurry UP!"

Eventually you will be able to take him to the cat box and tell him to "hurry UP and he will pee for you. Of course something he really LOVES to eat will help this training along.

Only cat people can understand the pleasure of male cats peeing....

alphadoginthehouse

I haven't found ANYTHING that he really loves. Got any suggestions? I have wasted more money than I care to think about on treats, canned food, etc. I have never had a cat like him. But he is beautiful and I love him. I think he lost about 1/2# since I had him in for his annuals last month. His "tummy waddle" isn't as big as it used to be.

Criosphynx

We call them "moobs" here... kitty cat man boobs. But i digress

Patt

HaHaHa we just call 'em Fat Pads.

alphadoginthehouse

He has been peeing up a storm. And I swear he pees when I go to let him out cuz he knows it will make me happy! He peed a huge spot while I was at work. Who'd a thunk a human would get so excited about peeing!

He hasn't eaten much. I mixed a little of his other stuff with it yesterday and today. I must admit I never really watched how much he ate (he free feeds); I would fill it when it needed it. So I don't know if he does or doesn't like the stuff the vet gave me. Suggestions anyone?

I get to fight with him for 6 more days giving him his anti-B. Thank goodness it's only once a day. I'm only giving him his pain stuff once a day. I have 3 more syringes to give him.

Thanks for the help everyone. I don't know what I would do without this place!

I agree Elana...

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