Help please, think BertCat has cystitis - can emergency vet wait until tomorrow AM?

[MrsBertMacklin]

Started this morning with a puddle outside the tray, weeing on the carpet and an hour of non stop bottom cleaning (first time she's ever gone outside the tray).

I've been at home all day and have been keeping an eye on her, she was back to normal by mid-morning and has been either asleep or wanting petting until 30 minutes ago.

She's now letting out drops of urine every 5 minutes or so, accompanied by one normal urination in her tray.

Doesn't seem to be in pain or distress, no blood in her urine (I've isolated her in the bathroom to monitor). Not sure what crystals look like, but her urine is completely odorless (I thought it was water when I found/sniffed it on the carpet this morning)

Emergency vet, I think, yes? If it's started this morning, any chance of it waiting until first thing tomorrow morning or should I push for this evening? Only thing with this evening is it would have to be on public transport.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Ring the vet and speak to the vet nurse, they'll advise you.

[Ifiwasabadger]

Vets take cystitis really seriously in cats, more so in male cats as the urethra is shorter. You might be ok overnight if Bert cat is a lady.

Sympathies, my elderly cat is prone to frequent cystitis (every few months or so) has been the same ever since we had DD.

[ozymandiusking]

If she is eating, try adding a couple of teaspoons of water, to keep the urine dilute.

[MrsBertMacklin]

Thanks. Vet has said keep an eye overnight. We're absolutely stuck anyway for the next few hours due to a local event.

Would it be horrible of me to keep her isolated in the bathroom with water and a blanket? Not keen on urine drops all round the house.

[ozymandiusking]

I have just read this again, and what I should have said was, add the water to her food!! Sorry.

[MrsBertMacklin]

Bumping for more advice, please.

How do you get your cats to take their medicine, if they only eat dry food?

I've need to get powder capsules down BertCat. The only thing she eats, other than dry food, is dairy products if I leave my back turned. So the vet suggested mixing the powder into a spoonful of plain yoghurt.

And of course, BertCat has instantly detected something awry with the odour of the yoghurt and hasn't fallen for it.

I will try again later with malt paste sandwiched in between Dreamies, but in the meantime any tips, please? Literally, she won't eat anything other than dry food and dairy.

And I also have a syringe of liquid to get down her throat - how forceful can I be with this - last time I tried with a worming tablet it got snuck out of the side of the mouth, even with me holding her mouth/stroking the throat for about 3-5 minutes.

[ShipwreckedAndComatose]

Does she like cheese? Our cat would only take a pill wedged in a small cube of cheese.

[MrsBertMacklin]

She does, have tried and failed with that previously, just get a from BertCat with any attempts to sneak stuff into other stuff.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Primula cheese spread is very good as it has a stronger flavour than yoghurt. Tuna, pilchards and pate are also good.

[sparkysparkysparky]

We used Pill Pockets by Greenies (or something like that). Got them off Amazon and they worked on our very sharp eyed cat for ages. Then they stopped working, but that's cats for you ...

[googoodolly]

Does she have to take a powder?

When mine had cystitis a couple of months ago, he got Metacam and Synulox tablets (he needed catheterising, bless him). The metacam was just injected and the synulox in tablet form. If you're struggling to get her to take meds it may be worth asking the vet if it's available in a different format?

I found syringing it direct into their mouth was the path of least resistance with my boy. He hated it at first but was fine with it after a couple of days.

[MrsBertMacklin]

GooGoo, she had an injection at the vets which I think must have been Metacam, as I've been given this in a liquid, but told not to start administering until tomorrow.

I've also been given Cystaid, some (not all) of which has now been accepted mixed into malt paste sandwiched between Dreamies.

I did tell the vet that she's a bugger with anything but dry food, will press the point if we don't have any success by the end of the week.

Thanks all, not sure how BertCat or I would function without this forum!

[googoodolly]

Yeah, it would be Metacam if it's a liquid injection. I find mine ignore it if put on food but will take it reluctantly if I squirt it down their throats directly. Not the most enjoyable job but at least I know they've had it.

Hopefully she'll keep on accepting the powder - cystitis is a real bugger!

[Ifiwasabadger]

Our cat is on medication, again, for cystitis. Cystaid and pain relief. Only dry food normally.

This is the one time I crack out the tuna or the tin of whiskas she can't resist. It's just for a few days. Surely Bert cat can't resist?

[MrsBertMacklin]

I promise you, BertCat will not go near anything raw or wet other than dairy and malt paste.

I've tried her on chicken, salmon and tuna at various temperatures, 12 different brands of wet food, complimentary pounches, everything in the first 3 months I had her.

All refused. Wastrel.

Anyway, to update, the malt paste sandwich has worked with the powder. Very successfully delivered the first dose of liquid this evening, here's hoping she won't wise up to the syringe coming out when I try again tomorrow...