Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The litter tray

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

Not bladder stones… but distressed kitty!

4 replies

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 04/12/2022 03:56

4yo male house cat, neutered, no previous health conditions, no recent stresses or changes to home or diet.

This morning, we noticed him using the litter box more than usual. By the afternoon, he was going 4 times in 15 minutes. To understand how much urine he was producing, we shut our other cat in the basement, cleaned the litter, and watched for a little while longer. Multiple trips to the litter box, no pee.

We called the vet, who suspected an obstruction of the urinary tract, and told us this was potentially an emergency. We rushed our cat to the out of hours animal hospital and he was seen immediately. Vitals all normal. He peed on the examination table (of course!). No inflammation of the bladder. They did an X-Ray to check for bladder stones but didn’t find any. They said it could be a urinary tract infection, but they are apparently extremely rare in male cats, and he didn’t seem unwell in any other respect. They couldn’t take a urine sample because… well, he had already emptied his bladder.

They said it could be a urinary spasm, and sent us home with anti-spasm meds as well as pain meds and something to help him relax.

I gave him all three meds about half an hour ago. He is still going to the little box every few minutes, and coming out howling (very unusual for him).

Do I just trust that the meds will kick in after a few doses? It’s hard seeing him in such distress, when the vet basically said “he’s fine”. The poor little guy is distraught. Any experiences of similar symptoms?

OP posts:
UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 04/12/2022 13:18

Hopeful bump at a more reasonable time of day!

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 04/12/2022 17:43

Poor thing. I'd take him back. Has he calmed down at all?

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 06/12/2022 00:37

He was still pretty awful last night, but is currently curled up next to me purring and hasn’t peed in about an hour, so I hope we’re turning a corner!

DH and I are going to trap him with us in the basement this evening to keep an eye on him for a solid 1.5-hour chunk. If he shows any sign of distress, then we’ll take him to the vet tomorrow. But fingers crossed for things are improving…

OP posts:
thelobsterquadrille · 06/12/2022 08:20

Ask the vet to take a urinary sample and check it for crystals. They don't always show on an x-ray and are incredibly common in male cats.

They need a diagnosis as there are a few different types and each requires a different diet and approach.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread