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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / January 2004spending a lot of time in the litter box
One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending a lot of time in the litter box. He seems to go about twice an hour, and spends up to 15 minutes at a time in there. Seems to be healthy and playful otherwise; belly is not tender or distended. I'll try for a vet visit tomorrow, but wondered if anyone has any ideas? Sounds like a urinary tract infection. He must see the vet ASAP. (he may be blocked and unable to urinate. This could result in death). Gail > One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending > a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I'll try for a vet visit tomorrow, but wondered if anyone has any > ideas? > One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending > a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I'll try for a vet visit tomorrow, but wondered if anyone has any > ideas? This is an emergency in a male. Males can die from systemic poisoning within 48 to 72 hours if they block. Please try to get him in TODAY. Karen >> One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending >> a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >This is an emergency in a male. Males can die from systemic poisoning within >48 to 72 hours if they block. Please try to get him in TODAY. I did. Turns out it wasn't an emergency. The vet said you can tell whether a cat's urinary tract is blocked by feeling for a distended bladder; his wasn't. He did have an infection, which made him think he had to pee even when he really didn't. Oh, good. That he's already seen the vet, & that he wasn't blocked, just a UTI. Cathy -- "Staccato signals of constant information..." ("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon > >> One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending > >> a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > He did have an infection, which made him think he had to pee even when > he really didn't. I just went through a similar situation with my cat. My vet told me that if the cat was blocked, you would know it - the cat would be extremely unconfortable, crying, etc. My cat also just had a urinary infection. Antibiotics cleared it up. Sue > >> One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending > >> a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > He did have an infection, which made him think he had to pee even when > he really didn't. > I just went through a similar situation with my cat. My vet told me that if > the cat was blocked, you would know it - the cat would be extremely > unconfortable, crying, etc. My cat also just had a urinary infection. > Antibiotics cleared it up. > > Sue My cat has been blocked. The *only* sign he gave was getting in and out of the box frequently without doing much. Waiting until they are yelling or throwing up is chancing death. My vet was very clear that if that ever happened I could call her immediately even if it was the middle of the night. Karen >> I just went through a similar situation with my cat. My vet told me that if >> the cat was blocked, you would know it - the cat would be extremely [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >happened I could call her immediately even if it was the middle of the >night. This vet (emergency clinic) showed me how to palpitate the abdomen for a full bladder. He said that a blocked urinary tract with a full bladder would be perfectly obvious, and that THAT would be an emergency, even in the middle of the night. I'd already palpitated his abdomen to make sure that it wasn't a blocked colon or simple constipation, but I hadn't known what to look for in the bladder. Better safe than sorry, though. >>> One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending >>> a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > He did have an infection, which made him think he had to pee even when > he really didn't. Trust me, it's better safe than sorry. Unless you are used to feeling a cats bladder, you can't know what's going on and in a male cat, death *can* happen. Talk to a few people on this board. Also, if the vet just said "it's an infection" and handed you antibiotics and didn't test the urine, chances are it's really crystals which could lead to a blockage. I hope the vet did a urinalysis and a radiograph. Karen >>>> One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending >>>> a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] >are it's really crystals which could lead to a blockage. I hope the vet did >a urinalysis and a radiograph. Sam's bladder was empty, and I didn't want to leave him overnight. The vet *assumed* that it was crystals (although there was obviously no blockage) and hydrated him, gave him Dexameth and Ceftiofur, and gave me Amox/Clavamox and IVD unrinary care food. Fortunately both Sam and Frodo (his littermate) like the IVD. Sam goes back for a checkup next Saturday. Cost $222, but it's worth it for peace of mind. (accidentally e-mailed this when I meant to post...sorry) > >>>> One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending > >>>> a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > Cost $222, but it's worth it for peace of mind. Great! Definately a small price to pay for peace of mind.......... Linda > The vet said you can tell whether a cat's urinary tract is blocked by > feeling for a distended bladder; his wasn't. No! That is absolutely *not* a reliable method for determining if a cat has a urinary tract obstruction -- *especially* in a potentially fatal situation -- . For instance -- if an obstruction occurs in a ureter - or in the renal pelvis, urine flow will be occluded *before* reaching the bladder. urea diffuses back across the renal tubules and increases the BUN. > Sam's bladder was empty, and I didn't want to leave him overnight. > The vet *assumed* that it was crystals (although there was obviously > no blockage) and hydrated him, gave him Dexameth and Ceftiofur, and > gave me Amox/Clavamox and IVD unrinary care food. Another erroneous ASSumption.... Urethral *plugs* -- not crystals or uroliths are the most common cause of urinary tract obstructions in male cats. Feline urethral plugs are made up of a lotta organic matrix (sloughed tissue, mucous, cells) and small amounts of crystalline particles. Uroliths are composed of just the opposite - more polycrystalline concretions and very little matrix. A urethral plug is analogous to fruit Jell-O: the matrix = the Jell-O; the crystalline particles = the fruit pieces suspended in the Jell-O gelatin. What made your vet ASSume the problem was caused by crystals rather than the more commonly diagnosed urethral plug? > gave me Amox/Clavamox and IVD unrinary care food Prescription diets have little, if any, affect on organic matrix. Also, how did your vet know which urinary diet to prescribe without an analysis? Feeding a diet formulated to dissolve struvite to a cat that has a tendency to form calcium oxalate will *promote* the formation of calcium oxalate -- Calcium oxalate *cannot* be dissolved in cats and usually requires surgical removal. OTOH, a diet formulated to inhibit the formation of calcium oxalate will *promote* stuvite formation. Fortunately, struvite can be dissolved - but not without significant risk. If your cat didn't have a crystal problem before, he may be in the process of developing one... thanks to your vet's unique intuition.... Did your vet have the common sense to at least check your cat's urine pH?? I'd seek a second opinion if I were you, and order a complete analysis.... > Cost $222, but it's worth it for peace of mind. Wow! I wonder how much your vet charges for *good* advice!..... Probably double.... Your cat needs a different vet... quick, if not sooner. Best of luck.. Phil >What made your vet ASSume the problem was caused by crystals rather than the >more commonly diagnosed urethral plug? The fact that he can pass urine. > >What made your vet ASSume the problem was caused by crystals rather than the > >more commonly diagnosed urethral plug? > > The fact that he can pass urine. Kindly explain how and why you/your vet believes a partial obstruction caused by a crystal/urolith would be any different in relation to urine flow than a partial obstruction caused by a urethral plug. Is he peeing at all? Or is it that he's constipated? If he isn't peeing at all, despite spending so much time in there, take him to the vet today instead of tomorrow. A male cat can become blocked (urethra) & it's literally a life & death situation, which needs attention *quickly*. Cathy -- "Staccato signals of constant information..." ("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon > One of my indoors only, 6 yr old neutered males has taken to spending > a lot of time in the litter box. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I'll try for a vet visit tomorrow, but wondered if anyone has any > ideas? |
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