Problems with my cat...

[doodle]

My normally very peppy Maine Coon has been pretty clingy for the past day or two, which is not TOTALLY abnormal for him because he IS an attention whore, but he''s been more so than usual. Then today, he got in his litter box, sat there forever, and was meowing pitifully while trying to go to the bathroom. I''m not sure what he was trying to do in there, so I''m not sure whether he ate something he shouldn''t have and has an upset stomach or if he''s having bladder problems. I know male cats in particular can be prone to UTIs. I''ll be keeping an eye on him for the next day or so, and if he''s still having issues, a trip to the vet is definitely in order. I''m just hoping the woogie man is A-OK because he''s mah babay. Mainly, I just wanted to vent, but I was also wondering if anyone else has had a cat have urinary tract issues and if there''s any other symptoms I should be keeping an eye out for. He has been eating and has still been playful, but he usually drinks a couple of bowls of water a day and hasn''t today. He hasn''t gone anywhere else in the house, which I''ve heard can be a sign that something''s wrong. He''s also an indoor cat but tried to run outside last night (something he pretty much never does, but every now and then in the summer, if I''m out there, he''ll want to go out, too, and investigate, so that could be nothing). Thoughts? Oh, and just for fun, a pic of Bentley, haha!

 

[yssie]

Oh no, I hope he's better soon!


I don't want to scare you with this story, but I do think it's important to pay very very close attention to him over the next 24 hours or so, and whisk him off to the vet at the first sign of a serious problem. My parents' cat had a UTI a few months ago. He was lethargic, would visit the litterbox literally every few minutes but not do anything. A day passed and nothing changed, they were really worried and decided to take him to the vet in the morning. That night he started walking strangely, they bundled him up and drove to the emergency, and on the car ride he apparently started frothing at the mouth, drooling, then became completely unresponsive. The vet who saw him said he was lucky, just an hour or two more and he would have died. They catheterized and drained him, he wasn't doing much better so they catheterized again and this time his bladder burst. Emergency surgery, they found several stones big enough to block the urethra, and a few weeks later he was back to his healthy, happy self. He's on a special diet now.


Watch him closely, if his trips to the litterbox aren't productive over the next few hours take him to the vet. Better safe than sorry.

 

[VRBeauty]

First thing, clean the box so you can be sure what''s not going on -- or coming out. It could also be constipation.

 

[doodle]

Deleted a lengthy post because he''s in the box right now. I feel like a cat perv spying on his potty time, haha! AAAAND I''m starting to think he faked the whole thing because he''s mad that his box didn''t get scooped this morning, the prissy little diva!

Thank God your parents'' cat is okay, the poor baby! Heres to hoping Bentley was just being a brat--it wouldn''t be a first!

 

[doodle]

If it''s a UTI, would he consistently have problems, or would it be hit and miss? He just had a good go of it with no problems--and, might I add, after the box being scooped, he licked it, laid down next to it and "hugged" it, then came over to me to wallow. Just figured I''d throw that out there because Mr. Priss is a funny man!

 

[LAJennifer]

Hi Doodle - hope your boy is ok. Several years ago I noticed my cat, Seth, digging in the litter box way too often (several times in an hour). Then the next day I saw a drop of blood. I rushed him to the vet and they said his bladder was empty (every time his bladder made a drop of urine, he would go pee it out - that is why he was going so often).

He had struvite crystals and they said he had a 50/50 chance of blocking within the next few days. They sent him home with antibiotics, strong sedatives, pain meds, and prescription food.

My instructions were to confine him to the bathroom with clumping litter barely covering the bottom of the pan. If he were to go 4 hours without some pee in the litter box, I was to take him to the emergency room.

We were lucky, but I''m sure it was because I caught it early enough.

There are some cat litters that turn a certain color to alert you if the ph is abnormal. I know Petsmart used to carry one. I''ve never used them, but that might be something you could use to ease your mind a little.

 

[HVVS]

I''d still have the vet check him immediately. He might have an infection; might have crystals and be at risk for blockage, as others suggested; or might need to be on a prescription diet. They have anti-inflammatory drugs for cats.

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 6/3/2010 7:10:14 AM
Author: HVVS
I''d still have the vet check him immediately. He might have an infection; might have crystals and be at risk for blockage, as others suggested; or might need to be on a prescription diet. They have anti-inflammatory drugs for cats.

I agree. There may still be a problem. Cats don''t show that they aren''t feeling well until they are REALLY sick.

Our sweet old bombay was acting about how you described. By late that night, she couldn''t walk. We rushed her in to the kitty emergency room (around 11pm) and stayed with her as they ran tests and watched her. Turned out to be a blockage in her intestine (not a furball, just stuff that had stuck in her intestines -- since she had appeared to be using the box like normal until that morning I had no idea). We used olive oil (they also have kitty laxatives) and by the end of the next day she was walking and eating again.

She was with us for another happy 3 years.

 

[risingsun]

Date: 6/3/2010 7:10:14 AM
Author: HVVS
I'd still have the vet check him immediately. He might have an infection; might have crystals and be at risk for blockage, as others suggested; or might need to be on a prescription diet. They have anti-inflammatory drugs for cats.

This happened to our male Maine Coon. We called our vet and he met us at his office at 10:30 pm. He had crystals in his urine and was at serious risk for blockage. Please get your cat to a vet now.

 

[katamari]

Ditto to the PPs that suggest taking him to the vet asap. My childhood cat had to undergo a very radical surgery to completely reroute his urinary tract because we waited too long to take him in after noticing some problem with urination and water consumption. The not drinking is a huge warning sign. I know it can be a hassle, but you will hate yourself if you don''t take him when you suspected something and he does get sick, so it is better for you and him to just go ahead and take him in. Also, there is a brand of litter that changes color when the ph in your cat''s urine is unhealthy. You could invest in it. Our local pet store has it, and I believe it is called something like First Alarm Litter.

And, if I may say so, Bentley is a very beautiful boy! I have a special place in my heart for Maine Coons. It must be all that fur!

 

[Lynn B]

Oh, I have a Bentley too! I *thought* it was a pretty unusual name (was feeling pretty smug with myself!!!

) and since I've named him, I've run across SO MANY "BEntleys"!!! Oh well!!!

Anyway, if he's peeing OK and acting OK, I probably wouldn't worry. But (as a PSA!) I wanted to mention that it is important to know that in male cats in particular, STRAINING TO PEE AND NOT GETTING OUT ANYTHING IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. GET HIM TO THE VET ASAP.

Also, most cats don't drink enough water, especially if they eat dry kibble. I have found that a fountain really helps with my boys' water consumption.