My 18 year old cat has started having frequent urinary tract infections over the past three months. The only other health problem he has is hyperthyroidism, which he takes medication for. The Vet has not offered any explanation for the UTI frequency. Does anyone have any ideas?
By smponder from New Orleans, LA
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You need to change his food, Science Diet has a special vet only formula for this to disintegrate the crystals. The food is what normally causes crystals.
Also if it is frequent they normally chop off most of the penis so the crystals can pass, but since your cat is so old they may choose not to do so. Some indoor cats will keep getting them over and over so this procedure is a last resort.
Will they allow you to inject water into your cat? If so then you could inject him with water to help flush the bladder.
Also try adding multiple water bowls through out the house to encourage drinking.
Lastly, you can have the crystals analyzed and find out what they are made of and try to avoid foods that cause them.
Please keep close watch with your vet. I had no idea my cat was so very ill until it was too late. (kidney failure) The vet made me fell very bad for waiting so long as he said this is VERY painful for them. Best wishes!
"The Vet has not offered any explanation for the UTI frequency. Does anyone have any ideas?" Yes, go to another vet.
I don't know anything about pet urinary tract infections but for myself I take probiotics that are specially formulated for urinary tract and I have seen probiotics created for animals at my health food store. Best wishes.
My mother had a male cat for many years. He came down with uti. Her vet put KitKat on antibotics and also told mom to put low sodium chicken broth in his water. Kitkat got well and mom continued putting the low sodium broth in Kitkats water. Never had trouble again.
Sent you a message sweetie. OK for anyone else on here with this problem. Male cats can not have anything over 3.0 in ash max..(look at your cat cans in the back) If a cat has a UTI/blockage they can die from it. And it can be costly to have them unblocked. They are in alot of pain and end up with a fever, if not treated it will get worse. I have done this and done research on it.
Buy a bottle of cranberry pills. The ones you can either open or cut in half to get the cranberry gook out. This should cost no more then $10. (cost of vet for me once was $800) Give him the cranberry stuff from the inside (not the casing) that isn't good for them. I had two sick kitties at the same time. Gave them one cranberry pill contents then that evening I gave them another. The following day they urinated like a race horse (don't want to offend but you get the idea) it flushed them).
For the rest of the week I put it in their food, even tho some was left in their bowls, they were still eating some of it. Leave fresh water out they will need that. Funny thing is, the vets never told me why it was happening, i found out from a shelter telling me. Dry food is not good for male cats, it is high in ash this is why you don't see it listed on the bags, boxes, etc.
Only on can food. I stick with friskies and only buy 2.7 and under for them now. I also now have them on a schedule. They eat twice a day when I get up and then for the evening. Not only is it healthier they eat most of their food and not leave much which also helps with weight. (even tho vet said they are a bit over weight). Dry food is giving once in awhile and as a treat and that is it. Worried about them eating too much wet food because of their teeth. You can also start brushing them they need that anyway. :)
That's a pretty old cat. Poor old guy. I had frequent UTI's and they were torture until I got to the right MD. I start out with every new cat giving them dry food with urinary tract protection in it. There are several brands you can get. If you're not using it now, it might help some. UTI problems are rather common in cats, probably moreso as they age. I would suggest you research it on the net. Maybe you could press your vet for an answer.
First of all, I thank you for being such an attentive pet owner. To have an 18-year old cat reflects much love and care. UTI is more prevalent in male cats than females, and can be fatal in a very short time (overnight). Sometimes it comes with age, sometimes it's the food. I hope your vet prescribed an antibiotic and a special food. Royal Canin makes a very good dry food - Urinary SO. He might need to stay on that food for the rest of his life. It's not cheap - sold only at a vet clinic - but you pay for it one way or another. Just like most anything else in life.
FYI, I have done rescue work for over 25 years. I have always fed premium food (Iams, Science Diet, ANF, etc.) but my (highly regarded) vet told me he has seen fewer UTI problems with cats who are fed Science Diet (regular food) and, after switching, I found this to be true. Now that's if you have other cats who are not experiencing frequent UTI. I hope this helps. Susan
My cat has been on Science Diet CD for several years because of crystals. He has never had a recurrence. I would go see another vet, as the first vet I consulted said my cat had a hair ball. If I had left it at that, he would have died. He was 11 at the time; now he is 16.
My vet told me to quit feeding the cat "whiskas" (INMHO) as it is a cause of urinary tract infections in some cats, I have never heard this before but i did and he seems to be much better (I am not stating this as fact only what I was told and what has worked for me. :)
I hesitate to post since everyone here seems to know so much more about this than I do. But I had a completely different idea and think I should mention it. Have you changed cat litters or do you think you should change cat litter?
Cats have their own ideas about things. If it is painful when they urinate sometimes they blame the litter box and go elsewhere. I have had two cats who needed special food that I bought at the vet. One was diabetic, took insulin and ate low salt food. Most commercial food has two much salt. My baby now has a problem with constipation and won't urinate when she is constipated and gets UTI.
We solved the problem with high fiber food from the vet and a teaspoon of inexpensive cat stool softener. Most problems can be fixed with a good vet. I take my cats to a vet who only treats cats. No offense to dogs but when a cat is stressed it is aggrivated by the sound of barking dogs all around.
I give my cat ( who has a small urethra, and is on medication frequently) a 1/4 tsp of olive oil, every other day. i mix it in his food and he doesn't mind it at all. It prevents constipation, especially since he eats Royal Canin dry food, for urinary tract infections. And we notice that his coat has a healthier appearance.
Hello, Just a little about hyperthyroidism in cats. My cat was dx about 3 years ago and what it does is make every thing race inside the body and damages the organs, the heart works 3x as hard and they tend to lose weight and it also is severely damaging to the kidneys causing renal failure. It is the number one cause of their death when they are diagnosed with Thryrioid. If the Vet did not explain these things to you. Then you should take your boy to a different Vet.
My cat has already suffered kidney damage and we are all dealing with the fall out. She has had 3 UTI in the past 1.5 yrs and it appears she is leaning toward another at this time. We feed her special food that helps protect the kidneys. She was eating Hills K/D diet for a bout 2 years a 10 lb. bag was $38. We have since switch to a food called Duck and Pea and she is doing great with it. This food is about $24 for 10 lbs. Plenty of fluids just keep a watch on her. I wish healthy things for you and that sweet kitty. God bless you both.
ps. My Bella is going to be 17 yrs old on Jan 24th She is a flame point Siamese kitty. She is my baby girl and I tell her so every day.
Switch to all canned food for this problem and even rinse the can out with water and add to the food. Also cook up chicken in water with nothing else. Strain the cooled broth through coffee filters in a strainer to remove as much fat as possible. My cats LOVE this broth and they have not had recurrences of their UTI's.
I agree with most everyone here. I experienced this years ago with our male cat Morgan. So when we got Ramsey (male) I specifically asked my vet how to avoid this. He told me to use either Royal Canin or Purina Pro Plan. Both make one for UTI's and I buy it at Pet Supplies Plus and also at Petco. Yes, it's a little more expensive than most brands but well worth it. Like someone else said, either you pay now or you pay later. I prefer to pay now with good quality food for my boy. It is more prevalent in male cats because their urethra is shaped differently. It's zig/zagged vs. straight like in female cats. Good luck with you little boy and thank you for taking such good care of him. One more thing, I think I would look into a different vet if yours doesn't take the time with you to explain things.
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How many times does a cat urinate in 24 hour period? I am trying to figure out if my cat has a UTI, because she is urinating outside her litter box.
By LisaAR
Please take your baby to the vet to find out if she does or doesn't. If she does it must be so painful for her and could lead to her death. (09/27/2009)
By Deeli
Oh, and I forgot to post your bottom line question. Most cats only urinate two or three times a day. (09/28/2009)
By Deeli
When a cat urinates outside the litter box, it is trying to tell you that there is a problem. Usually it is a UTI, but it could also be diabetes or even kidney failure. Please take her to the vet as soon as possible. (09/28/2009)
By Janus
My cat used to urinate often, and I was afraid she had an UTI and someone told me to change from dry cat food to canned. When I did, the problem went away. Hope this helps. (09/29/2009)
By linda
You need to see a vet. My cat was peeing a lot. Found out he has diabetes and is now on insulin shots twice a day. Costs me about $50 a month for special food, insulin, needles, test strips, etc. Well worth it. (09/29/2009)
By Dena Roberts
I have a 10 year old male cat, who has a urinary tract infection right now. He pees just a little amount, quite often, and all around the house. He's on antibiotics for the next two weeks, but when he's better, I'm worried that he's going to smell where he peed before, and pee there again. Any tips?
Also, I heard if you let your cat outside once in a while, the inappropriate urination seems to stop. I'm worried, because his front paws are declawed, that another cat will attack him, and he won't be able to defend himself. Will this happen?
Aldal
Hope your cat is better soon. I would clean the spots with hydrogen peroxide. I put it in a spray bottle and spray the spot then use water in a bucket with a rag wet the area down and use a dry rag to get the rest of the water up. The peroxide won't ruin carpet etc., but just to be on the safe side I would try in first in an area that you can't see.
I would not let your cat out if he is declawed. The vet will let you know what to be feeding your cat if he is prone to urinary infection. I think if you feed dry food it should be low ash content. I feed canned and dry to my cats.
Liz (08/04/2004)
By Liz acraftycat
I hope your cat is doing better. I have had male cats with urinary tract infections, after they were better they did not go anywhere, but in their box. There are cat foods out there dry and wet, they are normally called special diet, that's what I used and haven't had a problem since. Good luck.
By EVIE
I have always used plain white vinegar on such "accidents". Just wet a rag and dab the spot so that it is pretty wet, then let it dry (the vinegar smell goes away quickly). Hydrogen peroxide can be used to bleach out stains on fabric, so I'd be leery of using it on carpet.
I buy the "special diet" food for our "little old man" cat (he is 15 now and still enjoying life).
Hope your fella feels better soon. (08/09/2004)
By Becki in Indiana
You should not let a cat that has been declawed outside ever. There is no way for him to defend himself. What's your 1st instinct when approached with danger head on? You put up your hands. Same with him except it would be front paws.
Buy the spray from Walmart in the pet department. It has special enzymes in it that destroy the bacteria that causes the urine odor to remain. It is safe, cheap and it works. (08/09/2004)
By Denise
Do put your cat on the special diet food. It will help with the urinary tract infections and he'll also lose weight on it. The special diet foods are more easily digestible so you'll have less mess to clean in the litterbox.
To locate the spots where he's peed here and there, get a black light lightbulb in a lamp and shine it around your home. Wherever he's peed will glow under the light and you'll know where to clean. (08/10/2004)
By Alma Riffel
Your best bet is to talk with a vet about the problem. I have a (spayed) female cat who developed a urinary tract infection a good many years ago. The vet put her on a special diet (only available at vet. clinics) and told us not to give her anything with fish or seafood, even flavored. That fixed her up, but the food was expensive and she had a problem with hairballs as well.
Good luck. (08/12/2004)
By Warren D. L.
I have a male neutered kitten currently with a UTI the vet put him on amoxicillin. Told me to get Uri-ease from Petsmart for him and he eats those really well. Use non clay litter which I haven't ever used anyways and scoop his boxes at least 5 times a day. The vet also told me to feed him wet cat food and mix 1-2 tablespoons of 100% cranberry juice with his wet food each time I give it to him until he's over the UTI. Also, to feed him Blue Buffalo cat food which is natural and also has cranberry in the food among other minerals and vitamins. I do not know if this is going to work yet, but sounds similar to what would be done if I had a UTI so sounds right to me. Hope this might help someone else. (09/05/2009)
By A
