random urination update

Hi folks - a few weeks ago, I wrote for some help with Skipjack, who uses his
box but uses other places as well. His first visit to the vet showed no UTI.
Neither did a visit to a different vet. We tried to go to my preferred vet,
but she's an hour away. On the day we had the appointment, Skip made it clear
that he was not at all happy with this car thing and one or both of us would
not have made it alive during rush hour with that drive! So we made an
appointment with another vet, very close by. Skip had more bloodwork and
urinalysis and culture done, as well as an ultrasound (a little overkill, but
what the heck).

Anyway, although there are some crystals in his urine, there is not infection.
I left him at the vet last Wednesday, so his bladder could fill and they could
do the tests. Well, since we've been home, he hasn't had a problem. I started
using some citrus room spray on the sofa cushions he commonly (recently at
least) has urinated on, and he hasn't eliminated on them again (no problem
being on my lap on same cushions). Knock on wood, does he seem to get it?

The vet recommended putting him on Elavil, but I'm not sure I want to drug a
cat if I can treat it otherwise. He also recommended CDS or IVD Control food.
I've never been a Hill's fan, although years ago, I did have my male cat on CD.


Any other food recommendations? He's eating Solid Gold, which seems to give
him less gas and stink than any other food. He eats small amounts of Sheba or
Fancy Feast (which I give in larger amounts to my sick kitty to get her to
eat), but prefers his dry food.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

in article , J1Boss at
wrote on 7/7/03 3:40 PM:

Hi folks - a few weeks ago, I wrote for some help with Skipjack, who uses his
box but uses other places as well. His first visit to the vet showed no UTI.
Neither did a visit to a different vet. We tried to go to my preferred vet,
but she's an hour away. On the day we had the appointment, Skip made it clear
that he was not at all happy with this car thing and one or both of us would
not have made it alive during rush hour with that drive! So we made an
appointment with another vet, very close by. Skip had more bloodwork and
urinalysis and culture done, as well as an ultrasound (a little overkill, but
what the heck).

Anyway, although there are some crystals in his urine, there is not infection.
I left him at the vet last Wednesday, so his bladder could fill and they could
do the tests. Well, since we've been home, he hasn't had a problem. I
started
using some citrus room spray on the sofa cushions he commonly (recently at
least) has urinated on, and he hasn't eliminated on them again (no problem
being on my lap on same cushions). Knock on wood, does he seem to get it?

The vet recommended putting him on Elavil, but I'm not sure I want to drug a
cat if I can treat it otherwise. He also recommended CDS or IVD Control food.
I've never been a Hill's fan, although years ago, I did have my male cat on
CD.


Any other food recommendations? He's eating Solid Gold, which seems to give
him less gas and stink than any other food. He eats small amounts of Sheba or
Fancy Feast (which I give in larger amounts to my sick kitty to get her to
eat), but prefers his dry food.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

I agree that I don't want to use drugs. I have used Feliway spray, but not
consistently. Not sure exactly where I should be spraying it at this point, or
whether a diffuser would be optimal. And where to locate the diffuser(s). 2
level house, fairly open floorplan.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

I nearly missed this thread in my quest for information on Feliway.

Your cat's problem sounds a bit like mine was. Has anything traumatic (in
his terms) happened before he began?

The first time we had moved house temporarily whilst some major renovation
work was done - he peed on the spare bed a couple of times. When we moved
back he stopped.

Later he got "lost" for 24 hours - he was only about 200 yards away but he
has no sense of direction! He was upset by the whole affaire particularly as
he had picked up some sheep ticks. He was ok to begin with but then we went
on holiday and my parents came to cat sit (as usual). It was also summer,
the patio window was always open and other cats do pass through the garden.
When we got back it was major pee city for quite a while and we tried
everything - including some wrong things like getting cross if we caught him
in action.

I got so frantic I was contemplating spending a fortune for a cat "psy" -
but before I did I followed a link on his web site which explained why cats
do this and what to do about it. The main thing that worked for us instantly
was putting lots of small bowls of dried cat food all around the house -
food = security. The next thing was to get rid of the cat pee smell but not
to replace it with another unfamiliar smell that he may find threatening and
want to cover up. It also said to rub his face and then rub your hands over
the areas to transfer the pheromones - this is where the Feliway comes in.
Of course getting angry just make's things worse as they become more
stressed.

The dried food really worked but you have to put up with lots of little
bowls around the house. I eventually removed the ones that seemed
un-necessary and found ways of hiding others behind curtains etc. Now we
mostly have a problem with the conservatory which he considers as outside
because he can see other cats occasionally and the door is often open. We
also had an episode on the front door mat - I'm wondering if a cat outside
had sprayed near our door, or if he had heard a cat fight in the night.

I suggest you try and find what is making him stressed, dried food all over
the place (don't forget water, but just in one place will do) and something
with enzymes to get rid of previous accident smells - I use Shout stain
remover.

Good luck, it's not nice however much you love them, nobody wants their
house to smell of cat pee.

Moi

"J1Boss" wrote in message
...

I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

I agree that I don't want to use drugs. I have used Feliway spray, but
not
consistently. Not sure exactly where I should be spraying it at this
point, or
whether a diffuser would be optimal. And where to locate the diffuser(s).
2
level house, fairly open floorplan.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

I nearly missed this thread in my quest for information on Feliway.

Your cat's problem sounds a bit like mine was. Has anything traumatic (in
his terms) happened before he began?

The first time we had moved house temporarily whilst some major renovation
work was done - he peed on the spare bed a couple of times. When we moved
back he stopped.

Later he got "lost" for 24 hours - he was only about 200 yards away but he
has no sense of direction! He was upset by the whole affaire particularly as
he had picked up some sheep ticks. He was ok to begin with but then we went
on holiday and my parents came to cat sit (as usual). It was also summer,
the patio window was always open and other cats do pass through the garden.
When we got back it was major pee city for quite a while and we tried
everything - including some wrong things like getting cross if we caught him
in action.

I got so frantic I was contemplating spending a fortune for a cat "psy" -
but before I did I followed a link on his web site which explained why cats
do this and what to do about it. The main thing that worked for us instantly
was putting lots of small bowls of dried cat food all around the house -
food = security. The next thing was to get rid of the cat pee smell but not
to replace it with another unfamiliar smell that he may find threatening and
want to cover up. It also said to rub his face and then rub your hands over
the areas to transfer the pheromones - this is where the Feliway comes in.
Of course getting angry just make's things worse as they become more
stressed.

The dried food really worked but you have to put up with lots of little
bowls around the house. I eventually removed the ones that seemed
un-necessary and found ways of hiding others behind curtains etc. Now we
mostly have a problem with the conservatory which he considers as outside
because he can see other cats occasionally and the door is often open. We
also had an episode on the front door mat - I'm wondering if a cat outside
had sprayed near our door, or if he had heard a cat fight in the night.

I suggest you try and find what is making him stressed, dried food all over
the place (don't forget water, but just in one place will do) and something
with enzymes to get rid of previous accident smells - I use Shout stain
remover.

Good luck, it's not nice however much you love them, nobody wants their
house to smell of cat pee.

Moi

"J1Boss" wrote in message
...

I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

I agree that I don't want to use drugs. I have used Feliway spray, but
not
consistently. Not sure exactly where I should be spraying it at this
point, or
whether a diffuser would be optimal. And where to locate the diffuser(s).
2
level house, fairly open floorplan.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

in article , J1Boss at
wrote on 7/8/03 6:12 AM:


I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

I agree that I don't want to use drugs. I have used Feliway spray, but not
consistently. Not sure exactly where I should be spraying it at this point,
or
whether a diffuser would be optimal. And where to locate the diffuser(s). 2
level house, fairly open floorplan.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com


I think you must be very consistent with it's use. Adding a diffuser would
not hurt, but I think in this instance the spray would be more useful.

Karen

in article , J1Boss at
wrote on 7/8/03 6:12 AM:


I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

I agree that I don't want to use drugs. I have used Feliway spray, but not
consistently. Not sure exactly where I should be spraying it at this point,
or
whether a diffuser would be optimal. And where to locate the diffuser(s). 2
level house, fairly open floorplan.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com


I think you must be very consistent with it's use. Adding a diffuser would
not hurt, but I think in this instance the spray would be more useful.

Karen

I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

I agree that I don't want to use drugs. I have used Feliway spray, but not
consistently. Not sure exactly where I should be spraying it at this point, or
whether a diffuser would be optimal. And where to locate the diffuser(s). 2
level house, fairly open floorplan.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

in article , J1Boss at
wrote on 7/7/03 3:40 PM:

Hi folks - a few weeks ago, I wrote for some help with Skipjack, who uses his
box but uses other places as well. His first visit to the vet showed no UTI.
Neither did a visit to a different vet. We tried to go to my preferred vet,
but she's an hour away. On the day we had the appointment, Skip made it clear
that he was not at all happy with this car thing and one or both of us would
not have made it alive during rush hour with that drive! So we made an
appointment with another vet, very close by. Skip had more bloodwork and
urinalysis and culture done, as well as an ultrasound (a little overkill, but
what the heck).

Anyway, although there are some crystals in his urine, there is not infection.
I left him at the vet last Wednesday, so his bladder could fill and they could
do the tests. Well, since we've been home, he hasn't had a problem. I
started
using some citrus room spray on the sofa cushions he commonly (recently at
least) has urinated on, and he hasn't eliminated on them again (no problem
being on my lap on same cushions). Knock on wood, does he seem to get it?

The vet recommended putting him on Elavil, but I'm not sure I want to drug a
cat if I can treat it otherwise. He also recommended CDS or IVD Control food.
I've never been a Hill's fan, although years ago, I did have my male cat on
CD.


Any other food recommendations? He's eating Solid Gold, which seems to give
him less gas and stink than any other food. He eats small amounts of Sheba or
Fancy Feast (which I give in larger amounts to my sick kitty to get her to
eat), but prefers his dry food.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

I really recommend Feliway for a try before drugs.

Karen

Hi Janet ,
When Kim first had a bad bout her urine test for crystals was
negative but a couple of weeks later the scan showed small crystals .
I found that keeping her on an entirely wet diet like Sheba and
whiskas has helped the crystals pass out of the bladder . Even if
there is no infection the crystals could still irritate the bladder
which might be why your cat is weeing on soft things like cushions .
This is a physical thing rather than a mental thing so maybe its not
worth putting Skipjack on Elavil .
BTW I have new dog. It was hard finding a JR type that liked small
pets and didn't stress them out but Diddy
is half the size of Kim so no problem there! (BG)
Alison

"J1Boss" wrote in message
...
Hi folks - a few weeks ago, I wrote for some help with Skipjack, who
uses his
box but uses other places as well. His first visit to the vet
showed no UTI.
Neither did a visit to a different vet. We tried to go to my
preferred vet,
but she's an hour away. On the day we had the appointment, Skip
made it clear
that he was not at all happy with this car thing and one or both of
us would
not have made it alive during rush hour with that drive! So we made
an
appointment with another vet, very close by. Skip had more
bloodwork and
urinalysis and culture done, as well as an ultrasound (a little
overkill, but
what the heck).

Anyway, although there are some crystals in his urine, there is not
infection.
I left him at the vet last Wednesday, so his bladder could fill and
they could
do the tests. Well, since we've been home, he hasn't had a problem.
I started
using some citrus room spray on the sofa cushions he commonly
(recently at
least) has urinated on, and he hasn't eliminated on them again (no
problem
being on my lap on same cushions). Knock on wood, does he seem to
get it?

The vet recommended putting him on Elavil, but I'm not sure I want
to drug a
cat if I can treat it otherwise. He also recommended CDS or IVD
Control food.
I've never been a Hill's fan, although years ago, I did have my male
cat on CD.


Any other food recommendations? He's eating Solid Gold, which seems
to give
him less gas and stink than any other food. He eats small amounts
of Sheba or
Fancy Feast (which I give in larger amounts to my sick kitty to get
her to
eat), but prefers his dry food.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com