possible urethra blockage, can't get through to energency vet

[Mynameisthecatwhogotthecream]

Male cat has signs of possible blockage, have rung emergency vet but going through to answer phone, don't know what to do?

Did you get to visit him?

Unfortunately no, and he is very wary of any one but us(we found him as a starving feral kitten), thankfully he has been eating this time unlike when we had to put him in a cattery

So pleased you got him there in time. If you don’t mind me asking, what are the symptoms?

He appeared to be straining(at first we thought constipation), tender abdomen and then he just became more and more obviously distressed. We first noticed him straining about 5 pm but he normally goes outside so it may having been going on for longer, he went down hill, by 9:15 we were trying to contact the vet, by 10 he was in visible distress and by 11 we were on our way to the vet. It was frightening how rapidly the symptoms got worse and I dob't think he would have lived til the morning without vet intervention

He's weeing without the catheter so hopefully will be home later today/tomorrow

@Ibizafun
When Basil had this he kept going to the tray, but didn't produce anything. He was also cleaning his bits obsessively. The vet clearly recognised these symptoms as I was told to bring him in straight away.

@Mynameisthecatwhogotthecream

Very pleased that your cat is on the mend.

Highly recommend Cystease capsules to sprinkle on food!

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats thank you. Sounds so easy to miss if you’re not around all the time or distracted. Is it more boys that suffer from this or can it happen to girls?

Tends to be more males, particularly neutered males

@Ibizafun I was about to say it's always males, not just 'it tends to be'. But google assures me that it is in fact possible for females even though I've never come across it in 20 years, and we get one or two cases in males through our doors daily. If your female is showing similar symptoms it's much more likely to be cystitis

thecatneuterer Thank you so much that’s good to know, we have not had cats before so I’m still learning.

Unfortunately they've had to put a catheter back in as he was in discomfort and there was blood present so probably at another 24/48 hours

He's home, the bill wasn't as much as I feared considering he was in for 7night, being very affectionate and vocal

Do they need to see him again?

Check up on Monday, been given a months worth of cystaid plus