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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

My poor little cat.

100 replies

Apanicaday · 15/12/2018 21:16

We adopted him and his sister getting on for 4 months ago. They were dumped on a vets doorstep in a cardboard box at roughly 24 hours old and were hand reared. They are now 5 and a half months old.

He's had all sorts of issues with weeing since we got him - he would wee anywhere and everywhere. We (and the vet) initially assumed it was behavioural and so we tried to deal with it using training.

About a month and a half ago we walked into the bathroom to a scene of carnage - there was blood everywhere. We thought initially that he had a urine infection, but when the vets investigated he was incredibly swollen. They anaesthetised him to investigate and decided to neuter him at the same time. When they did so they discovered that he had incredibly small testicles for his age and they couldn't find his penis (despite cutting him open a bit to try to locate it). He ended up in the vets for a couple of days with them emptying his bladder with a needle throigh his tummy, but eventually he started weeing again. They think that because his penis is either very small or non-existent, when he wees it doesn't poke out like it's supposed to and so he wees into the pouch which should cover it and so it kind of drips out of there. Which explains some of the random weeing- he certainly drips for some time after he's been.

About 10 days ago he started weeing blood again. So we got in touch with the vets who gave us antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. He has been on them since then. He hasn't reallt improved but hadn't got worse until today. Late this afternoon he started trying to wee almost constantly- and only drips were coming out - if anything. He was then sick several times.

So now my DH has taken him to the emergency vets and I'm at home worrying myself sick. He's such a cuddly boy and his sister is missing him :( When he was at the vets last time they said that there's specialist surgery that they can carry out to create a new hole for him to wee through if he keeps having problems, but that it's very fiddly and complicated and expensive. He's insured (thank goodness!) but has already used £500 of his annual limit.

Poor little thing. He had such a crap start to his little life too.

OP posts:
Mia184 · 19/12/2018 20:41

Fingers and paws crossed here!

DiaryofWimpyMum · 19/12/2018 21:04

Poor boy I hope he is better soon.

Skatersbeskating · 20/12/2018 18:47

How is he OP?

Lightsong · 20/12/2018 18:56

Poor fella, really hope he's OK. You sound like a fab owner

Apanicaday · 21/12/2018 14:26

He's still at the vets - the catheter isn't flushing clear every time so it's now staying in until Sunday evening- if it's not clear by then or he fails to wee then they will operate on Monday morning. Am starting to stress a bit about how much it will end up costing - he's insured, but there's a limit on how much we can claim for each condition. Ah well - will cross that bridge when we get to it.

His sister is becoming more destructive by the day- she's very clearly missing him and making up for it by being naughty. Poor little thing. Am hoping that they reintegrate with each other ok - last time he was only away for 48 hours and it took a good while for calm to be restored when he came back - there was a fair amount of fighting and growling. He's been away a week tomorrow this time :(

OP posts:
minkies11 · 21/12/2018 14:38

If he has an Op he might be away even longer. Have you got a cage/crate you can maybe use when you bring him home? That way they can see each other and touch noses (or growl!) without doing to much damage as he'll probably be a bit fragile. Really hope he will be ok as he seems such a lovely puss....

Apanicaday · 21/12/2018 15:37

I can borrow a dog crate from a friend - I might see if I can have it to hand just in case. His sister is very feisty and if she isn't in the mood will think nothing to putting him well in his place - so bars between them to start with would probably be a very good idea!!!

OP posts:
Vinorosso74 · 21/12/2018 17:32

Poor soul. He's having a rough time of it. Sending positive get well thoughts his way.

TinslePaws · 21/12/2018 17:45

I'm sorry to hear your poor kitty is still struggling OP. I'm keeping everything crossed for him!

Please don't worry about him spending so long away from his sister. I had 2 cats in childhood, sisters, and one had to be confined to one room for several months after an operation to repair her leg. They were not happy to be reintroduced but after a few weeks they were thick as thieves again and never had a problem with each other. Just make sure he's nice and healed up before letting them loose incase they're a bit rough with each other like kittens can be. As a PP said a small pen or large cat box would be ideal to keep him safe whilst he heals.

Apanicaday · 23/12/2018 13:44

Today's the day his catheter comes out - am hoping against all hope that he does some wees. He has 24 hours of monitoring. I want him home for Christmas :(.

He's a lesson in why to have insurance (it had better pay out!). His first lot of treatment 2 months ago cost £400 which they paid. This lot is now at £2000 and counting. Slightly concerned that the limit they will pay out for him per year is £4000 - If he needs more surgery we will easily pass that I think- which is going to make life difficult (it's do-able- but it will be goodbye to a new kitchen any time soon). He'd better not be poorly again this year. We debated about whether or not to get it and if we did whether to go for the more expensive insurer as it had been recommended to us - am so glad we did!

In other news, his sister managed to get out of a top upstairs window last night- it was only open a bit. Fortunately she managed to land on the window ledge and the porch roof is below the window so she would have been fine anyway, but she properly gave me a heart attack!!

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 23/12/2018 13:50

Oh my! They are really testing you aren’t they? Hope insurance pays out and he pees lots ASAP too. Fingers crossed home for Christmas.

minkies11 · 23/12/2018 14:52

Don't know what I'd do without my pet insurance! It's so wrth it although you need to shop around. One of mine (failed to) swallow a long blade of grass which got stuck. Said piece of grass cost £500! Only paid £60 thanks to insurance! But truly, I'd sell my car if they ever needed it! Worth every penny my boys!

Apanicaday · 23/12/2018 18:11

Thank you for the messages.

Vet just phoned - he's done a wee!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't think I've ever been so pleased about a wee!

OP posts:
AloneInMyHead · 23/12/2018 18:16

That's fantastic news. Well done Kitty!

Did they say when he can come home? Hopefully Christmas cuddles are coming his way. 🐾🐾🐾😻

confusedandemployed · 23/12/2018 18:17

Just RTFT - yay!!! Well done little moggie!

thecatneuterer · 23/12/2018 18:27

yay! I know that feeling of being very pleased about a wee (unfortunately I'm rather more familiar with the feeling of being extremely displeased about a wee ...)

minkies11 · 23/12/2018 18:30

So pleased about the wee! What a little soldier! Hope it continues and he can come home soon.

ImaginaryCat · 23/12/2018 18:43

I've never been so pleased to hear about a cat weeing! Thank you so much for being the kind of person who stuck with him. Many would have called it quits a long time ago. He's very lucky to have you.

PepsiLola · 23/12/2018 18:45

Oh I've just read this and that last update really made me smile! You need to sing driving home for Christmas when you collect him from the vets ❤️ fingers crossed he's on the up

Wolfiefan · 23/12/2018 19:20

Brilliant.
Hoping for more wees soon!!

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/12/2018 19:38

Oh that is wonderful news. Poor cat can home now.

Apanicaday · 24/12/2018 18:15

He's home! He's not best pleased with life, has a collar of shame, and is confined to the bathroom because we have to monitor wee output and so he has to be apart from his sister, but I am so happy to have him home!

OP posts:
minkies11 · 24/12/2018 19:30

So glad for you and the little one! Collar of shame is a pain isn't it? But hope he keeps doing his wees and all is rosy now for you. Happy Christmas Flowers

AloneInMyHead · 24/12/2018 22:09

That's great news.

He's been through such a lot so is bound not to be feeling too pleased especially with now having to wear the collar. Poor cat.

I'm sure he does feel much better being home with you and hopefully he'll be fully recovered soon.

Wolfiefan · 24/12/2018 23:33

He’s home. He may feel disgruntled but he’s alive and hopefully on the way to being fully well. Hoping for a quiet (yet lots of wee in the litter tray) Christmas. Xmas Smile