Does my boy cat have cystitis?

[MyKitchenIsATip]

Took boy cat to vet Saturday night as I noticed he was going to the litter tray repeatedly and only doing tiny little wees. Vet prescribed metacam and cystaid, said he wasn't blocked, bladder was nearly empty. He is able to go for a wee and sizes range from a teaspoon to a couple of dessert spoons I'd say. I'm used to seeing much bigger wees from him though. He is going to the litter box very frequently, sometimes in quick succession with not much to show for it.

I'm starting to doubt myself now though. He's always been a bit of a funny bugger in that as soon as I'd empty a litter tray he'd rush in and go again (I must empty the litter trays at least 4 times a day, this isn't me letting them get dirty!) My question is, could he just be 'marking' (with wee) a clean litter tray, rather than having cystitis? He's very perky in himself now (whereas on Saturday he hid under the bed all day, adding to my cystitis suspicions). I'm worried I'll finish the metacam and he'll still be doing his micro wees and I'll be none the wiser. I don't want him having anything invasive. I'm planning on getting a wee sample to the vet on Wednesday morning (when I'm home).

It sounds like how my boy cat behaved when he had cystitis. I came on to suggest a wee sample but I see you have got that in hand. That should give a definitive answer. You can also buy special cat litter which changes colour if a urinary infection is present - Nullodor mature cat litter. Hope he’s ok.

The metacam is an anti-inflammatory pain relief, so if he is perkier since having that there's a good chance he was in discomfort beforehand (cats often hide when unwell/in pain). The frequency of urination, small amounts and discomfort do point to a bladder concern, and cystitis isn't uncommon in cats.
Only your vet can diagnose though - I'd proceed with the urine sample if you can get one. Hope he feels much better soon.
My male cat often has a massive massive wee in a clean litter tray, but doesn't do any small marking behaviour. Unless you've changed your litter type or tray location it seems unlikely he'd change his routine.

My boy occasionally has cystitis, we don't have litter trays, but he wee'd in the bath once or twice and the vet said it was because it was "clean and clinical" and that in a cat's mind, it won't hurt as much (cat pyscology?)

His downfall is biscuits, which he craves. Too dry though, and he's not a great drinker.
When he's on solely wet food he doesn't have a problem.

Thank you so much for replying, this is really useful. I'll look up that cat litter Canshopwillshop! He does seem much perkier now, asking for love and delighted that he's getting extra wet food and white fish so I can get the meds into him! I had hoped to avoid cystitis as I was aware it's an issue especially for boy cats. He's on dry food but has been having (daily) white fish or cat soup which has a lot of liquid in.

Poor little guy, hope he's feeling better soon.

My female cat has had urinary tract infections quite a lot. The vet has now put her on urinary tract health capsules. You sprinkle the contents on the food. They cost about £8 per month but appear to be working. We also add a couple of tablespoons of water to her food. We don't bother mixing it in. We'd never seen her drinking from her water bowl, but she goes for the water first, then the urinary tract powder, then her food!

Cheap dried foods, especially Go-Cat, wreak havoc with many male cat's bladders. Making sure his food is high meat and low/no grain might help.

One of my girls has FLUTD which alongside the cystitis symptoms meant the poor darling was bleeding. We put the cause down to over affectionate DD and had to explain to her that she has to leave girl cat alone as she was making her poorly (fortunately she paid heed and it's stopped).

Wet food only, I sometimes add a few drops of water to the canned food too.... we also use cyst aid all the time, down to 1 capsule a day. Hope he's better soon.

One of my male cats had cystitis. We only found out because he urinated on a newspaper next to where I was sitting at the time and there were traces of blood in it.

He was treated with antibiotics. Also, when I did see him "go" after that, for a couple of days, his face showed it was quite uncomfortable for him

3catsandcounting Funny how they go in different places at times like this - it was almost like he needed to show me, as he would normally go in the litter tray.

Hope he is better soon. My cat always goes in the tray as soon as it is clean and has a little wee, I do think he is marking. Also vet told me that cats do not like their water bowl near their food bowls. I moved the (never used) water bowl and my cats drink from it all the time now, so it might be worth moving the water bowl and see if that helps.

What are you feeding him?

My old cat had problems with his bladder and crystals but as soon as we switched his food he was fine. He needed grain-free food, ideally wet as he didn't drink much. We switched to a mixture of Lily's Kitchen and James Wellbeloved and he was absolutely fine after that.

Buy some Cystease capsules. You can get them from Ebay cheaper than the vets.

If you have to feed dry food then use Royal Canin Urinary Health ones. Try to limit the amount and increase wet food.

Feed high quality wet food. Mix in small amounts of cooled, boiled water.

Avoid feeding all treats and Dreamies.

Get a cat fountain.