Blocked bladder … when do you give up?

[Noshadowsinthedark]

We got two rescues last year, nell exactly a year ago.
They took ages to settle, they had obviously had a really rough time of it, one of them still flinches occasionally a year later.
The more chilled of the two, absolutely loves us now, cuddles, purrs away, likes to mostly stay indoors.
He had issues urinating last month, we popped to the vets. He had a bladder scan and some anti inflammatory meds sorted him out.
I noticed last Friday he was being odd, staying in the garden, a poo on the floor and then Saturday he was really lethargic and I rushed him to the emergency vets.

Long story short he’s been on and off a catheter since Saturday. Multiple medicines every few hours and they just don’t know if he’ll unblock and for how long. When they tried removing the catheter he couldn’t urinate so they put it back in….

He is so miserable and they say it’s stress related but he’s insanely stressed being admitted everyday then coming home and I watch him all night and so his meds then he’s back in again.

What do I do? Just keep going with this? The vets just don’t have any answers as they say each cause is different. Some recover and some don’t.

What is the ph level of his pee like? My female cat was prone to overgrooming and it was because her pee level was not okay - I forgot what it was like. She hat to take methionine for 100 days and it worked wonderfully. It is also used for cats with blocked bladders so might work for your cat. ♥️

I’m don’t know to be honest.
They have been testing his urine and blood throughout the week but they didn’t mention PH.

It seems to be putting him on a catheter then waiting a few days, take him off and see if he wees. This now doesn’t seem to have worked twice.

I put in a request this afternoon to find out what the surgery might cost so hopefully they’ll come back to me in the morning.

Have you tried the supplements? Like d-mannose? And the cystease?

My cat had a UTI and thankfully it was spotted early. My vet told me to keep him on wet food (he has Purina) but if he was to have any biscuits as an extra, to get the Urinary ones... again, Purina do one. He's been fine since but I do keep a close eye.

Maybe get a 2nd opinion about treatment options? I don't believe that stress is the cause, especially as you say he's not stressed (apart from the pain).

Hope he's better soon x

Please ask your vet whether methionine might work.

Yes, we’re trying everything they’ve recommended this week but it’s only since Saturday, not sure how long they take to work.
Cystease we have and I’ll google d-mannose now.

I will, thank you.

They did talk about anti depressants too but they’re not prescribed.

Thank you.

I have called the referral place near here, they are coming back to me about options including cost for urethra widening.

I am sorry your cat keeps blocking. Lower urinary tract disease is a complex issue in cats and often there are multiple factors at play so treatment involves a variety of different things.
i have carried out the perineal urethostomy surgery on a few occasions it is a brutal surgery - simply the penis is chopped of and a new exit is made more in the style of a female cat. Cats often require several days hospitalisation for intravenous pain relief post surgery. It is a surgery with a high risk of complications due to its nature. Also due to the time the surgery takes, the level of experience the surgeon needs and the type of post op care the surgery is expensive.

Yes, most of the vets I have spoken to have said it’s got risk to it.

One of my main concerns at the moment is how unhappy he is with the treatment. I have never seen him snarl or be angry before. I know they say it’s stress but he always appeared such a happy cat before this and now he’s so angry and visibly unhappy.

I keep thinking if he was human we would carry on but he doesn’t have the understanding we’re trying to make him better. He’s terrified of the cat carrier now as he understandably associates it with the catheter experience etc.

My cat had a blockage last year and it only cost £770 for an emergency operation. They said he may develop stones again, he may not. It's been a little over a year and he's been fine since

I've made sure to always add water to his food since and I do think his was stress related as we had got new kittens and he hated them

It sounds like you are trying to find reasons to euthanise tbh.

Given he's a young cat, and there is an operation which should fix the problem, then I think you owe it to him to do that. As others have said, if it comes to it, they can lob his penis off (sorry kitty) and that will definitely solve the problem.

My cat had a blocked bladder a couple of times and had to be catherrised
We changed to royal canin urinary SO cat food and he hasn't had any problems since

@Tcateh Get another quote!! My dog was quoted £1k for a tooth out and clean in January. I went to another vets, she had to have two teeth out and a clean, cost £303.

@Noshadowsinthedark Sorry for jumping on. Does your puss have insurance that will cover the cost for an operation?

I have no reason to want to PTS if we can genuinely help him. He’s the sweetest cat.

I have stayed up with him every night this week to medicate him and make sure his catheter is safe.

They don’t want to put the catheter back in as that in itself will start to cause damage so we’re discussing of the penis operation with them.

They’re worried that the catheter being repeatedly in has now caused damage in itself but there was no alternative to stop his bladder filling.

I think the best course of action is to have an honest discussion with your vet about the costs involved and also consider if your cat will cope with it.
I also don't think that the surgery is a cure all, as evidenced by experienced vets and may risk further complications by the sound of it.
I have an ex feral who is terrified of travelling, vets etc. He was discharged from the vets because he was so stressed and pulled his own catheter out. I have said that if he gets another blockage I wouldn't hospitalise him and would euthanise instead, he just can't cope with it, so I do understand your reasoning, sometimes letting them go is the kindest option.

After the blockage is sorted, ask the vet about hills prescription diet for urinary problems. Our cat never had a blockage after starting on it. And he did have it twice before

It won’t cover the operation. It covers up to 6k and we’re 4k in already from the repeated hospitalisation.

They’re now saying another catheter isn’t a good option due to the damage from that.

They are a good vets and he has been going between them and a referral hospital to try and treat him.

The problem is the unblocking never seems to actually unblock him and now he has possible damage from the unblocking too.

The only good news is he’s not in pain with all the medication he’s on. I’m clinging to that a bit.

This is the decision that is absolutely torturing me.

If he's young and otherwise healthy, I'd definitely be inclined to give him a chance if the op is the only way to deblock him. It's unfortunate that the vets bill has already racked up, It seems to me to be rather too long a wait for it to unblock naturally - I don't understand their reluctance to operate as its usually effective and resolves the problem sooner rather that later. Definitely take him off biscuits completely,they are a known cause of bladder crystals: Give him soft, wet food only and to encourage him to drink, a small investment in a catit water fountain (we have one and it's brilliant) might be a good idea as the flowing water does encourage reluctant cats to drink. Normally that combination should resolve the problems.

Just re reading your posts, I've had to send three cats for the op over the years, most recent a couple of years ago. 700 is the max I've paid.........!

Good news in that his bladder feels ok like a stress ball rather than a tennis ball they say, so more meds and different meds and we see how he goes for the weekend.

They think the repeated catheter situation might mean it’s hard to wee now as well so some time for that to heal.

Keeping everything crossed for some proper wees!

We’ve got the supplements, wet food, feliway, litter trays throughout the house and I’ll look into a water fountain.

Trying everything we can.