Can cat owners please help?

alicat53

Hi there,

I was hoping that fellow cat owners could please help me out. I adopted a 2 year old tabby in February - my first pet - and about two weeks ago he began urinating on my rug and crying while doing so. After taking him to the vet, he was given a shot at the office and prescribed Batril liquid to be given by mouth for 10 days.

Now, two days after completing his Rx, he has taking to urinating on the rug again. Could it perhaps be his food? (he's a finicky eater, but currently eats Purina dry cat food - won't eat wet food).

Any suggestions would be appreciated - THANK YOU!!!

Allison

sproutlady

That stinks (literally).

I'm not sure what Batril is used for, but I know male cats sometimes develop crystals and urination problems, which can be painful and might be why he's crying. If he's crying and peeing in front of you, he might be trying to tell you he's in pain and you might want to check with the vet (or another vet) again.

If medical issues are ruled out, think about behavioral or environmental changes.

- have you changed litter brand or location? don't put the litter near the food as you wouldn't want to eat in the bathroom either.

- have you changed your routine - out of the house for longer hours, new frequent guests, new pets?

- have you changed food to/from the Purina?

I hope you figure it out. Please keep us posted

lucille

Wow, sorry to hear about your cat. Sounds painful to watch. I recently switched to a cat food brand called "Organix." It's more expensive, but it lasts longer. My theory is that my cats eat less because they are getting more of the nutrients they need. I recently bought a bag of comparably priced Nutro when I couldn't get to the place that sells Organix,and neither of them will touch it. Organix is available at Natural Heights on Washington Ave. between St. Marks and Prospect Place, but I found it online too. Best of luck with the little guy.

whyfi

Yeah, what Flexi said - could be medical or behavioral.

It's not uncommon (in my experience, and based on what I've heard from 'cat people') for cats on 100% dry food to have urinary problems. Cats on 100% wet food can have other issues (like bad teeth/gums). Try a mixing wet and dry, it'll be best in the long run. Don't worry about him being finicky - animals (and humans!) are only finicky if you let them be finicky. Be persistent, and when he sees that he has no choice in the matter, he'll relent.

On the behavioral said, if he's been peeing in that spot, the residual urine smell will only encourage him to pee there again. Get some Nature's Miracle and make sure the area is cleaned thoroughly - a blacklight (available at a lot of pet stores) can help you spot residuals. Once the area is clean, place your boy in the litter box every few hours when you're home, praise when he pees. He'll get the picture within a week or two.

sweet tea

did your vet not mention the crystal possibility? that kind of makes me think you should see another vet. peeing in an unusual, "look-at-me" spot while crying is exactly what our cat did when he first had that problem.

the bad news is that getting completely blocked can kill a cat pretty quickly. the good news is that we've been able to control the problem (knock on wood) with diet changes -- low-magnesium (under .003%) WET food (they need the extra water if they have this problem) plus a powder supplement that is supposed to change the pH of the urine. (there are two kinds of crystals, one that forms when the urine is too acidic, one when too basic, so you need to get the urine tested to be sure.)

when our cat has had acute problems (like what you're describing), the vet has prescribed antibiotics AND a muscle relaxant.

long story short, if your vet didn't discuss all this with you and explain why your cat definitely doesn't have this problem, i think you should go see another vet, soon.

arock75

I definitely recommend visiting Whiskers on East 9th Street in Manhattan:

http://1800whiskers.com/V2/template2.php?CHAPITRE=106

Find the owner Phil and discuss the problem and he may have some healthy suggestions for you.
For one thing if possible throw the rug out. My cat has never done this but I used to live with an ex that had a cat that peed on stuff all the time. The cat would keep going back to the same spot where she previously peed. If it was something that can be thrown out then it would temporarily solve the problem. Other than that throughly clean the area where the cat pees as much as possible but don't use anything with bleach as this attracts cats.

shishkab

Baytril is an antibiotic. not used for crystals, but perhaps it's a UTI

alicat53

Subject: Thanks!

Thanks to all who responded. My little guy is now on the mend after an emergency procedure to correct his urinary infection, and I hope to bring him back home this weekend. Your feedback was very much appreciated.

outofthecloset

Subject: Re: Thanks!

alicat53 wrote: Thanks to all who responded. My little guy is now on the mend after an emergency procedure to correct his urinary infection, and I hope to bring him back home this weekend. Your feedback was very much appreciated.

Poor little guy. I'm glad you caught it in time and had it taken care of. When they pee in front of you it's usually a cry for help. When they pee in your suitcase as you're packing, they're likely just pissed off (pun intended) that you're leaving them alone.

leozoeypiper

I HIGHLY recommend switching him to another food. Purina is crap. Definitely visit Whiskers for some good food advice. Joseph and Phil are so helpful and will steer you in the right direction. Whiskers delivers for free to Brooklyn twice a week once you find out what food will work best for your cat. If your cat did have a urinary blockage then he is prone to have it again. Getting him on a good diet can prevent this from happening again. Good food will save you from having to fork over money for this again.