Please help - elderly cat

[wanttokickoffbutcant]

My big ginger cat has been a bit strange all day. He has always been an outdoor cat but have recently got him a litter tray. He has been in and out of it all day but doesn't seem to be able to do much - tiny poo and a couple of small wee.
My DH found him in the bath and he had done a wee which was pink/red.
Tried to find an emergency vet but nearest is 30 miles away.
Cat is going to be 18 in a few weeks by the way and I am thinking the worst.

He needs to see an emergency vet now , doesn't matter if it's 20 miles away .
He could have a blocked bladder, it's one of the few acutely urgent veterinary issues and can't wait till tomorrow.
It might just be cystitis but you won't be able to tell the difference.
Please don't leave it and good luck

Get him to the vet asap. It may be something very simply treated like cystitis. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

One of my former elderly cats had a tendency to cystitis after she was about 12 - very similar symptoms of lots of squatting and only a little blood stained wee. She even crouched on the edge of the sink at the vet. But a course of antibiotics and painkillers and she was fine - she loved the "liver flavoured" meds,

Had another cat who was prone to crystals forming in his bladder which eventually caused blockages. The treatment was a bladder wash out under sedation, pain killers and a special diet.

Hope you get to see the vet soon

Vet here- please take him to the emergency vet tonight, it may just be an inflamed bladder which can be treated medically… however alternatively if he is truly blocked (ie. unable to pass any /much urine) then it is an emergency- painful, scarey/stressful and life threatening (potential for causing kidney failure). Even if at his age you decide not to treat and just to say goodbye it is kinder to not prolong his suffering.

Sounds like a blocked urinary tract. One of mine had that and has made a full recovery but you need to get him to a vet now.

Good luck.

I hope he's been to the vet.

As the others say, a blocked bladder can be fatal at any age, but I'd be very concerned to see those symptoms in an 18yo. Please don't leave it until the morning - he needs to be seen now.

Just a quick update - cat was at vet first thing Thursday and had a temp of 41. Had an antibiotic injection and blood sample taken. Thorough exam showed no sign of tumour/blockage They couldn't get a urine sample as bladder too small due to dehydration but we managed to get one at home and drop it off. The urine sample result on Friday showed that he had a raging infection but when we took him in on Friday his temp was down and he has been eating and weeing. Blood result came came back today and it is E- coli. Never heard of that it cats before but Google says it is quite common in senior cats. We are back two weeks for repeat bloods and urine tests to make sure it is clearing up properly but initial signs say no lasting damage.

Very tired cat but much better. Thank you all for your advice.

The expensive bugger 🐈😺

He’s lovely. So glad to hear he’s on the mend.

Thank you - I am so relieved.

Gorgeous boy Glad he is on the mend.