DP has taken our lovely cat to the vet

[addler]

It's the first time he's been poorly. He hasn't done a wee in his litter tray since yesterday, last week did a big wee in DS's swimming bag which is very unlike him, he's never done a wee anywhere outside the tray before. Also noticed over the last couple of days he sometimes smells a bit like wee, or we can smell it in the house, but can't find the location.

He's our first cat for both of us, we've only ever had dogs before. But we love him so much and he's so lovely and gentle and I'm pregnant and hormonal and am very worried about him, I keep reading about male cats having blockages and needing surgery.

Have attached a picture of our lovely placid boy.

Will they keep him in overnight? Are people with the animals overnight or are they alone? Why does having a pet bring so much worry along with so much love?

How do you feel about raw pet food? You buy it frozen and defrost at home. I have 3 cats that demolish it every time where they used to lick the jelly/gravy and leave the lumps with commercial food. One big benefit is that their poo doesn't smell any more!

You can buy cat soup?

My cats have gone bonkers this week over Morrison's pate trays. Thankfully they don't have expensive tastes!

There's also a paté in a tin you can get on Amazon. It's an ethical brand entirely owned by a non profit www.almonature.com/en_GB/

It's grain free as well which can be good. I think they do pouches too.

My black cat had UTIs and cystitis several times. I ended up buying cystease (sp?) tablets online as they were a fraction of the price than the vet charged. We did have a horrific month or so once where he kept having to be operated on and having mucus scraped out of his bladder, then he got a hernia etc etc, but he survived all of it although it was touch and go for a couple of weeks. Anyway, he was fine for years afterwards. It is terrifying cause they can't tell you what's wrong, but cats are fighters and I'm sure your gorgeous boy will be back to himself soon.

Oh and water fountains were amazing for my poorly boy. Good luck!

No advice but he is a lovely looking cat 😍

He's lovely!

Wanted to recommend Lily's Kitchen for food. It's not as expensive as some of the other subscription type brands and they often have an offer on a first order so it's not quite so painful to try. And you don't have to sign up to a subscription, we just buy it whenever they do an offer code every few months!

@Whiskeypowers he's close to that! His mum was a silver and black tabby British Shorthair, dad unknown. But he definitely has strong BSH looks! He's quite big too, 5.8kg when weighed at the vet yesterday.

Thanks all for your recommendations on food, I've been doing lots of googling this morning. The idea of him getting a full blockage as soon as a week after a mucous plug is really scary.

He actually gobbled up his whole plate of dinner last night as I put a lick-e-lix on top as a treat, and had his Metacam fine with it too.

I don't know if I'm imagining it but he seems to be a bit more active today, back to exploring around the house more and not just lying around on the floor like he has been doing.

@addler he really does look all BSH to me
those cheeks and ears the eye colour and weight …..
his mum being a tabby provides for the non agouti gene I think as you need two “b” cats with a non agouti gene for a solid black like my girl ….pictured!

he’s a gorgeous cat. I’ve had and have bag for fifteen years now currently have three they are the most beautiful teddy bear cats

how is he doing today ?

There's no wee again in his litter tray today

Can he have got another mucous plug already?

DP thinks maybe he has actually done a wee and we just can't see it but it's clumping litter so it would be quite obvious if he had done one right?

We've got cystease coming today, and I'm going to go buy him some cat soup as I know he really liked it before.

What a lovely boy op!
As you've discovered cats are notoriously finicky where food is concerned 😀
I had older cats and when they had appetite problems with illness or just plain fussiness I'd mix in likelix with their wet food. It's like kitty crack for some cats they go mad for it.
Glad your boy is ok and home he's very handsome and sweet. There's just something about black cats 🐈‍⬛

I am currently looking after a cat who eats Katkin. It is a bit smelly, I keep the unused half pouch in an airtight container in the fridge , but he eats it all up and is looking very good on it. The pouches are frozen so you need to allow for freezer space. It is pricey though. He does small very neat non stinky poos,I don’t know if this is because of the katkin, but if it is it is another tick in its favour!

If he is still not weeing please take him back to the vets today

@addler how is he today?

He's absolutely gorgeous 💙

Much better thank you!

He's definitely urinating in the litter tray as he'll go in, then scratch around and come out and I can smell the wee, I just can't see any clumps. I don't know why it's not clumping anymore? We've only just moved over to clumping litter in the last couple of months once he turned one, so I don't know if it's normal or not?

He's been having his cystease and Metacam just fine each day, and is loving the cat soup. Our cat fountain is coming too!

He seems much happier in himself, and has been knocking things off the top of the kitchen cabinets like he was before.