running out of ideas :(

[Teaandcake79]

Hello all, haven't posted here before but I am fast running out of options and need someone to put this into perspective for me...
Poorly kitty appears to be suffering with possible lower urinary tract disease, or urethral stricture or spasms, no one seems to really give a definitive answer!

He's been treated when he's been unable to urinate, 6 times in 4 and a half months. Each has included everything from metacam, diazepam, antibiotics, vetergesic... And one surgery after completely blocking to insert a catheter.
Today he was back at the vets again, put on a concoction of drugs and told if he hasn't urinated by morning he will need another surgery the poor boy is so off his face on these meds he can barely walk properly, and certainly not straight, he's basically stumbled and fallen onto my lap and is now asleep face down!

my question is where do we draw the line? I know it seems extreme? But this is hardly fair on him, at least once a month we have to cart him to the vet, stressing him out whilst they jab him with needles, I hate watching him hiss and cry in pain. And then there's the financial implications, I'm fast running out of money, putting him to sleep is the last thing I want but I just don't know what else to do

Forgot to mention that poorly kitty is already on prescription diet, increased water intake and cystease capsules, none of which have made any difference

Hello, cat (now no longer with me) had episodes when he couldn't wee. After intervention a couple of times the vet told us not to feed him biscuits as he said it formed crystals in his urethra or bladder or something (was a wile ago) So we didn't and we never had any more problems....But I guess his special diet covers this?
Good luck.

I think after all that I'd be considering a new vet. It's not affordable to keep throwing money at things that dont improve.

Poor cat must be in pain with it too.

Stupid question but what are you feeding?

Has he got bladder stones? No experience of this in my own cats but a friend's cat had this & needed surgery to remove the stones, rather than having a catheter. I think her cat may have had an ultrasound scan to diagnose, has yours had similar investigations done?

Thank you all for the replies, he started on hills c/d and is now on Royal Canin urinary. Both are to keep the crystals at bay, they think it may be a stricture because they couldn't get catheter in past a certain point. They are suggesting a pu surgery to make his anatomy a bit more like a girl, however with the high rate of complications and the sheer pain of the surgery and recovery, not to mention the minimum £1600 price tag it really is not an option.

The vet is baffled as normally once on the diet these cases never return to the vet, it's also happening like clockwork at the start of every month so the vet I saw for a second opinion this morning was trying to find any changes at that time of the month... None. So he's at a loss as well!
He's been put back on metacam today which we will keep him on for about 5 weeks to see if it stops a repeated episode, poor thing still has to finish the diazepam though and it's horrible watching him unable to walk properly (or even sit straight) ...I think we have come to a conclusion today that this will be the last option, the vet agreed there aren't many more avenues to go down

fluffy I'm glad someone said that, I don't want to be that owner who pts because I couldn't afford anymore treatment, but my savings are gone and were skipping bills and not getting our own prescriptions now which is not ideal, and that's with us both working full time. I can't put him through much more of this, I can't imagine not being able to Wee when I needed too

And yes I'm considering changing vet, it's just because they know him so well now that I haven't already done it! The guy I saw for the second opinion today really seemed to be on the same page so I think we will go back to him in future ... Arghh why do we get so attached to these little fluff balls!