Discussions

Late this past Friday evening my cat began squatting in various places around the house trying to pee, but he just couldn't.  
 
After googling what it could be and what I could do I read just how serious this might be, I ran him the the vet and the vet confirmed it.  
 
Has anyone else gone through this?  
looking for some info about your furbaby, like age and breed, what kind of food they were eating, what changes were suggested to you and what changes you made.  
And also if this happened to your kitty again.  
 
It happened so fast, and he didn't have time to wait. His vet bill will be a little over one thousand dollars. and its just so much to unexpectedly come up with in two days. I need to ask for help.  
 
Thanks so much for reading this far. Any help is greatly appreciated! and information!  
(I hope the link works, might have to copy and paste it into the search bar)  
 
https://www.gofundme.com/our-little-buddy-is-sick

I was giving my cat urinary SO dry food by Royal canin. I have tried other brand from walmart or petvalu for urinary tract food but I found that royal canin was the only helping my cat. Vet clinics carrry them.  
It worked for 6 years or so then not so often but the problem to pee will reoccur.  
Give lots of water, during summer freeze a bit of water in bowl to let the water fresher longer or add ice cubes to the bowl. My cat was fussy to have water cold.  
Lots my cat not of this urinary tract problem but cancer.  
good luck with your cat

There are a few choices one is diet, getting quality food and adding wet food helps. But the problem will most likely reoccur.

Most common in neutered males fed dry food. Changing to canned is the best thing you could do. Cats get most their liquid from prey. By the time they drink water they are slightly dehydrated.

had this happen, He was about 4 when it happened, so far we have not a reoccurrence. I think it was about 8-10 months ago.  
 
My vet told me that it could be due to food or stress. Originally I had him on a food from the vet but then he was having hairball issues.  
 
He is now on hairball/urinary care Science Diet food that I get at pet value.  
 
I am extra careful now who I get to watch him when we are away so that they know to make sure he is urinating. He was very close to his bladder exploding.

I am doing everything I can to try to prevent this happening to my neutered male cat.  
This is just a thought, nothing has been proven, but it's my opinion that perhaps clay clumping cat litter that is dusty may have something to do with blockages. After all, the clay can be pretty dusty and when they are digging around in their litter box maybe microscopic clumping dust particles are finding their way into the urinary tract. I never use clay clumping litter for my boy.  
I use the Swheatscoop natural wheat cat litter. There is no dust and I feel why take the risk with clay?

Where do you get that cat litter? I'm looking for a new type of litter or the toilet training kit for my girls

We had male cat with urinary calculi a couple of decades ago. At the time we were advised to buy a low ash food. Looking this up now it appears that may not always be the cause. He was a farm cat, I think we switched foods for him and we didn't have any further issues with him or any male cats since.  
 
I've had a male lamb experience the same thing. The calculi gets stuck in the vermiform appendage. Same idea though...it's the calcium/phosphorus ratio. I also just learned this also affects humans the same way...so good to know.  
 
Here's a few good links about it. The last link isn't about cats but it explains some important things:  
 
http://pets.thenest.com/foods-male-cats-urinary-tract-cysts-6298.html  
 
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/holistic-healthcare-library/bladder-problems/84/ash-and-magnesium-in-cat-food-summary.aspx  
 
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/urinary_calculi_in_sheep_and_goats

I buy the Swheatscoop at Pet Valu either Corral Centre or Pet Valu on 18th S south.  
It is made from wheat so no clay.

Some cat litter I have been considering trying for my cat, who also suffers from urinary problems. I just haven't been to Winnipeg yet to pick some up.  
Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal in the black box is probably the best cat litter I have used, hardly any dust. Low tracking, with sand like texture. Expensive tho, and the clay stuff lasts longer.  
 
http://www.petsmart.ca/cat/supplies-and-training/litter-and-waste-disposal/litter/exquisicat-micro-crystals-cat-litter-23769.html?cgid=200093  
 
http://www.petsmart.ca/cat/supplies-and-training/litter-and-waste-disposal/litter/precious-cat-senior-cat-litter-13506.html?cgid=200093

Cats should have 80% of their diet composed of wet food. Water is key too. Some cats do well with those pet water fountains. You can also make ice cubes out of chicken broth or seafood and add it to the water bowl. You'll have to change the water out a few times a day if you do this though. Male cats are more likely than females to get blockages/crystals.  
 
Feel better soon Kitty!

Thanks for all the responses, he's home now and much happier  
 
Diet, stress, and a infection seemed to be the culprit.  
 
But if I am remembering right the blockage can happen without the infection, he just happened to have one as well.  
 
I am following all the recommendations from his Dr, which is mainly diet, I'm giving him the urinary care dry food and the urinary care wet food. He will not touch wet food. He is 10 years old and stubborn. I'm afraid if I simply give him no choice but wet food he will wither away out of spite.(my goodness if I ever have a kitten she is getting wet food from day one!) I'm going to give just wet food a go one day in few weeks after his meds are done, when all this stress is behind him. Fingers crossed he gives in and eats it!  
 
It is incredibly helpful to hear that those who have had this problem did not have it again!

I was told litter shouldn't have been an issue, but I can't help be paranoid.  
 
I usually use wood pellets, but a few weeks back I couldn't get my hands on any and have been using non a clumping cat litter, which is very very dusty, an I see alot of you mentioning might be the issue.  
Maybe it was the dust, maybe it was stress from having different litter. Either way I'm going back to the pellets!

Petplan insurance will STILL cover him for future occurrences! They have variable premiums, YOU chose the coverage and what you can afford to pay! Some premiums are as low as 20 a month!

Had the same blockage issue 7 years ago. He has been on the SO urinary dry cat food and canned food since then. The vet also recommended a water fountain rather than just a bowl of water (got the fountain at Walmart and it wasn't expensive). Those three things combined I believe has helped us avoid crystals in the urine and any further blockages.

My vet said wet food is the best for preventing crystals. She said there was a few dry foods that were ok but now I can only remember Iams. She said she's never had a cat on Iams get crystals. You can also add broth or tuna water to their water. My cat was fussy with wet food at first but i found he loves fancy feast because it has a more natural chuncky texture. Now he loves his wet food.

If your cat won't eat the wet food, try soaking the dry with water so that he gets more fluids with the food.

My cat at 1 year old got it and we were put on low ash Science Diet cat food and he lived to be 17 years old with no more problems..