Urinary problem - male cat

Can anyone advise me?

I have a 2 yr, 9mo. old male long hair cat. He has always been
perfectly healthy. Yesterday, he kept going to the littlebox, crouching
as if he needed to urinate, but nothing came out, or only a drop would
come out. He did this at least 5 times over a four hour period. He has
never done this before. He always has urinated frequently.

I was worried about kidney failure, urinary infection, etc., so took
him to the vet. The vet was originally going to take a urine sample,
but said the cat was very constipated. He took an xray, and said the
bladder looked ok, not distended or overfull, but xray showed the cat
was very constipated.

We agreed I would take him home, give him some more Laxatone, and see
if he passed anything. I would also fast him. I gave him a dose of
Laxatone last night at 6, again at 10, and again this morning. Last
night he had two very small bowel movements (much smaller than usual)
and two very small urinations (again, much less than usual, about a
teaspoon each). He has drunk maybe about a tablespoon or two of water
in the last 18 hours.

When do I need to start worrying? The vet is going to call back this
afternoon. We had discussed an enema, but I know that will traumatize
the cat. I don't understand why the constipation is affecting his
ability to urinate. I am much more worried about the urination than the
constipation. Should I start giving him water with a dropper to keep
him hydrated?

I tried giving him some olive oil from a sardine tin, but he does not
like it. His mood is very playful and as usual, not listless.

Hi, I just had the same situation with my 6 year old male cat about a
month ago. He was straining in the litter box, so I rushed him to the
vet thinking he had a blockage, the vet gave him x-rays and saw that he
was constipated. The vet kept him there overnight and gave him the
enima and some fluids, then sent him home with a bag of prescription
high fiber food. He told me to put him on Science Diet Hairball food
once the prescription food is gone. My cat HATES leaving the house and
going to the vet so I was freaked out about him being traumatized,
especially since he got blood work, fluids, x-rays, an enima, his bum
was shaved AND they gave him a bath when it was over. He was very vocal
for the afternoon when he got home, but the next day he was 110%
better...he was back to playing with his feather on a stick! I totally
understand why you would be hesitant to put him through that, I was a
basket case, but in the end I was happy I did it because I could tell
he felt SOOO much better. Good Luck and make sure your kitty is on a
food that won't clog him up!

erw wrote:
Can anyone advise me?

I have a 2 yr, 9mo. old male long hair cat. He has always been
perfectly healthy. Yesterday, he kept going to the littlebox, crouching
as if he needed to urinate, but nothing came out, or only a drop would
come out. He did this at least 5 times over a four hour period. He has
never done this before. He always has urinated frequently.

I was worried about kidney failure, urinary infection, etc., so took
him to the vet. The vet was originally going to take a urine sample,
but said the cat was very constipated. He took an xray, and said the
bladder looked ok, not distended or overfull, but xray showed the cat
was very constipated.

We agreed I would take him home, give him some more Laxatone, and see
if he passed anything. I would also fast him. I gave him a dose of
Laxatone last night at 6, again at 10, and again this morning. Last
night he had two very small bowel movements (much smaller than usual)
and two very small urinations (again, much less than usual, about a
teaspoon each). He has drunk maybe about a tablespoon or two of water
in the last 18 hours.

When do I need to start worrying? The vet is going to call back this
afternoon. We had discussed an enema, but I know that will traumatize
the cat. I don't understand why the constipation is affecting his
ability to urinate. I am much more worried about the urination than the
constipation. Should I start giving him water with a dropper to keep
him hydrated?

I tried giving him some olive oil from a sardine tin, but he does not
like it. His mood is very playful and as usual, not listless.

Keep a close eye on him. He might need an enema. have the vet teach you
how to do it. It's not difficult. I have a cat who gets bollixed up
(can't poop) easily. As a preventative, we give her about an inch of
cat a lax a day. she hasn't been constipated in years.

Thank you for your response! I had him on Iams hairball, but the vet
recommended a switch to Science Diet. I always thought Iams was a
premium food, but apparently it is not the best for male cats.

He did have a normal urination this evening, and I got him to eat some
pumpkin, which is supposed to be a laxative, so hopefully he will pass
something tonight. Thank you again.

Thank you for your reply. He struggles so when I brush him and clip his
nails, that I have serious doubts about giving him an enema! But I will
ask the vet to explain it to me if one is necessary. He has always had
extremely regular litterbox habits and has never been constipated
before. Hopefully switching his brand of food as the vet recommended,
and using the Laxatone, will prevent a recurrence. Thank you again.

My vet said that it isn't a good idea to give laxatone on a daily
basis. It coats the stomach and doesn't allow absorption of nutrition.
There are all kinds of food, now, that are high fiber.

Yesterday, he kept going to the littlebox, crouching
as if he needed to urinate, but nothing came out, or only a drop would
come out. He did this at least 5 times over a four hour period. He has
never done this before. He always has urinated frequently.

My male cat did this one day - I saw him go into the box and do little spots
of urine about the size of a quarter; he kept going back and forth to the
box about 4 times. The next day he did a normal pee so I thought everything
was okay so I didn't call vet (yes, I was a dummy - the normal sized pee the
following day fooled me). About a month later he was totally blocked up and
couldn't urinate at all which is an emergency. Rushed him to vet and they
inserted a cathetar in him and kept him there for a few days. He was given
Hill's s/d for a short period afterward to destroy the remaining crystals and
then Hill's c/d. He is now able to eat the Hill's Science Diet food from the
pet store. I always make sure I give him canned every day too (he also eats
the dry) to get more water into him and I have a bowl of water on each level
of the house (he also drinks from the sink). It happened almost 6 years ago
and he's never had a recurrance.I only wish I had taken him to vet when he
was doing the little pees and all of that could have been prevented. I still
feel guilty when I think about it. I think your vet should definiately take
a urine sample anyway just in case he has a urinary tract infection; better
safe than sorry.


Anna

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Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

Thank you for your reply. The vet is going to put him on a different
food, so hopefully Laxatone won't be necessary very often. I have to
remember to brush him twice a day during shedding season, otherwise he
gets clogged with hair.

wrote:
My vet said that it isn't a good idea to give laxatone on a daily
basis. It coats the stomach and doesn't allow absorption of nutrition.
There are all kinds of food, now, that are high fiber.

I'm afraid you are right. He is at the vet's overnight, because after 2
days of normal urination, he started straining at the litterbox again
today. At first I was going to collect a urine sample at home, but then
they thought it best to have him under observation. It is very hard
being away from him; he has never spent a night at the vet's. I hope he
urinates so they don't need to take a sample with a needle. Thank you
for responding.

I hope he urinates so they don't need to take a sample with a needle.

I think they take if this way if they suspect a bacterial infection because
it produces the best results; getting the sample this way ensures that is not
contaminated with debris or bacteria from outside of the bladder. Don't
worry about this - my cats have had it done and they were fine. I have done
it both ways. I had it done with the needle for my male cat but when I
recently had senior testing done on my older cat, I took it myself using the
container they gave me and debris showed up in it, I probably touched the
container too close to her behind and dust or whatever was there fell in but
since she wasn't there for a bacterial infection, they said it was fine.
Just wondering why he had to stay overnight for this as he isn't blocked up
if there's still urine coming out. Usually they tell you to bring them in
early in the morning after not letting them use the litter box all night so
their bladder is full; then they take the sample while you wait and then you
take him home.


Anna

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