Conference misery::feline_v1

    
         Why is it your fault?  I think you did what you thought was
    the best thing for cinamon.  Don't blame yourself for trying to
    make your kitties as healthy as you can.  Why did the vet say not
    to feed him dry food?  It could be because he is old or because
    of his FUS problem, so you might not be harming your younger kitties.
    Don't feel bad, you always sound like a very caring owner who only
    wants the best for your "kids".
    
    Willa, Sharmin, Hobbes (who gets his stitches out today), and Bear
    (Who still has 'accidents')

    re:.0
    
    Karen, I have a cat that eats only canned and has the problem.
    I am starting to believe that if a cat is prone to the problem
    that they are going to have the problem no matter what you feed
    them.   The vets have been telling me this........
    
    E.T.
    
    
        

    Karen, why can't you give Cinamon canned when he stays with you
    and still give the rest of the cats dry?  Why do they all have to
    eat the same thing??  Being a multi-cat owner sometimes means varying
    diets to meet the special needs of each cat.
    
    I'm sorry to hear about Cinamon and am glad he pulled through.
    

    I don't know if this will help. The makers of PERFORM
    cat food say that this food specifically addresses FUS
    in cats, by lowering the harmful ingredients that cause
    this to flare up.
    
    I started my cats on it and they seem to be very pleased
    with both canned and dry food. If you are interested,
    I can get the 800 number for you to call and get a sample
    and nutritional information. It's the only food that I
    know of that advertises the benefits against FUS.
    
    And, you're cat should be fine. Lucky you caught this
    in time. My mother's 14 yr old cat had the same problem
    and they put him on baby food, which really improved his health.
    
    You may want to try that just for the short term, since
    I'm not sure if baby food has all the nutrition an elderly
    cat needs.
    
    Good luck!
    
    LP 

>> Why did the vet say not to feed him dry food?  It could be because he 
>> is old or because of his FUS problem

	Both reasons actually.  He told my mother that the cat would
	never survive another bout with this.  He is too old and the
	odds are no longer in his favor.

	E.T. - I'll let my mother know to watch out for canned too.

	Roberta - I can't feed them a different diet when Cinamon
	is there because my too just nibble throughout the day.
	That would mean that Cinamon could still get into it.
	I'll have to give them all canned.

	Re: all
	
	Thanks for the support.  Emotionally, I feel guilty but
	rationally I'm feeling a bit better :-)

	Karen

    Both S&H had bouts with FUS.  Neither has had the problem recur
    for the past several years, during which time, at the recommendation
    of their vet, they've been on canned CD.  (If your vet has prescribed 
    medication for Cinnamon, be sure to check with him before putting
    the cats on CD.  The combination of the medication plus the balance
    of the CD food may be overdoing it.  I think CD can only be bought 
    from vets.
    

    re:5
    
    Karen, what I meant was that my cat has been eating low ash
    low mg. its entire life and still has a problem - actually,
    eats (I think) canned and some dry - I generally don't hang
    around to watch them pig out - there is enough left when 
    after the first sitting for anyone that doesn't crowd around
    and they all know they will get some - most of them don't rush
    to the pan (only the real pigs - the largest males in the house).
    
    I think if a cat is  going to have the problem that cat is just
    prone to the problem - save yourself the trouble of a guilt trip.
    
    E.T.

    Monroe once had to be catheterized, and so did Jesse.  Both were
    switched to C/D dry food (available only from the vet) and neither
    has had a problem since.  Jesse passed away in February at the ripe
    old age of 17 years 7 months.  He did not die of FUS.  Monroe is still 
    going strong. 
    
    I would get a second opinion about what to feed Cinamon now that
    he has been blocked.
    
    Bye the way, what food did he specifically recommend?  Many canned
    foods are high in magnesium too.                     
    
    This could no way be construed as being your fault, please don't
    blame yourself.  Sometimes these things happen and there is nothing
    you can do about it.  Just be thankful that your mom recognized
    the symptoms in time and got him to the vet.
    
    Jo

	Things aren't looking so good for Cinamon.  As you know,
	this 14 year old cat was catheterized last week for a
	blockage.  Well he seemed to be recovering nicely for
	the first few days but things have gone down hill lately.

	Cinamon has lost COMPLETE control of his bladder.  My mother
	tells me that he can be just walking around and then stop and
	take a leak.  He even does it without squatting, probably 
	because he isn't really prepared for it.  He has been 
	confined to the kitchen since he came home from the vet and
	has been urinating all over it.  At first it was only once
	or twice a day but yesterday he went 8 times!!!  The vet 
	suggested that he might have an infection but there isn't
	even any blood in his urine anymore (there was earlier this
	week).  

	Aside from this bladder problem Cinamon is fine.  He eats
	and plays and wants attention just like usual.  But my parents
	are at their wits end.  Their kitchen STINKS and they are
	very upset about this but it seems they may have to put
	Cinamon to sleep.  They're going to give him a couple of
	more weeks to see if things improve.  He'll be going into
	the vet next week if things haven't improved to see if the
	vet has any suggestions.  

	Please, if anybody has a cat who had this problem and recovered
	please let me know.  I need some hope.  All I can do right now
	is cry and expect the worse.  I wish I knew what was happening
	to him!  It really hurts to know that Cinamon may be put to
	sleep when in all respect but one he is fine!

	Karen

    Karen,
    
    I had a "whole" male that got a severe blockage.  It took him more
    than a month to recover complete control of his bladder.
    
    I kept him in a large cage during this time to minimize the clean-up.
    
    Good Luck with Cinamon,
    cin
    

    My beloved TiJai developed this problem when he was two years old.
   
    He would spend three days in the vet's with a catheter ...and three
    days in misery at home before he would completely block again. His
    weight went down 'til he was skin and bones. He was our special
    baby and the entire family, including my mom and gandmother cried
    when I finally decided it was time to let go.
    
    It was at this point that the vet suggested surgery to enlarge the
    urethra (sp?). Remember, this was years ago when the surgery was
    experimental ....and TiJai was blocking completely.
    
    We were lucky. The surgery worked and TiJai never blocked again.
    He gained his weight back (He should have! He was the one that
    would ravenously gobble down one side of an ear of corn while I
    munched on the other! :^)  ) ...and was his wonderful self again.
    
    He shared our lives for eighteen more wonderful years 'til we finally
    lost him to the usual problems associated with aging.
    
    From time to time during the years the 'irritation' from the FUS
    would act up again ...and we would see blood in the urine or he
    would start urinating frequently. The usual treatment with antibiotics
    and a temporary increase in the amount of urine acidifier we gave
    him would usually take care of it.  Strangely enough, this used
    to almost always coincide with an impending storm. My vet says it
    is very common to have that (changes in barometric pressure, I guess)
    happen.  Anyone else with FUS cats ever find this to be true?
    
    I guess there is some controversy now over just how much the diet
    influences the condition, but I think everyone still agrees that
    keeping the urine acidic can help. Lots of cats love tomato juice
    some of my friends have found that is enough to avoid trouble.
    
    So, don't give up. It's usually treatable. Talk to your vet again...
    
    Good luck!
    
    Linda
    
                                   

    If the vet thinks that Cinamon may have an infection, did he put
    him on antibiotics?  He can also culture a urine sample and then
    do a sensitivity test to find out what medication would be most
    effective against it.
    
    Poor Cinamon, I'll bet he is embarrased about his lack of control.
    Cats have so much dignity.
    
    Jo

    As for the urine not having blood in it, has that been confirmed by a
    lab report or just assumed because it isn't red ? Almost every time
    Argus gets an infection, the lab report shows blood even though the
    color hasn't yet turned red. What about urine crystals (which actually
    look like barbed icicles when they are passed)? What was the ph of the
    urine (I think that 6.5 is considered normal)? When Argus was replumbed
    for FUS, the vet explained that there were several types of bacteria that
    could live in the bladder, and they fell into groups that needed to be
    treated by three different types of antibiotics for two weeks at a time
    (six weeks in total). Because of the expense of a urine test, which
    often takes two days to get the results back, plus the fact that most cats
    will improve with amoxcillian or clovamox, vets will often just prescribe
    that without running a test. However, if the cat's problem is caused by
    some germ that amoxcillian/clovamox has no effect on (or that has become
    resistant to amoxcillian) the vet would need to get a urine sample and
    send it to a lab for analysis. 

    Deb

    I know from my own experiences with UTI's that there are medications
    available that help relax the bladder and ease the symptoms of a
    urinary infection.  Specifically - urimed & pyridium.  Perhaps there
    is something comparable to that for cats.  Ask your vet.
      Nancy

    Seems like Renazole does that for cats.  It is a urine acidifier
    and antibiotic.
    
    Jo

	The problem with Cinamon urinating all over the place has not
	stopped.  In fact, it hasn't gotten any better at all and it
	has been almost 3 weeks since the catheter.  

	But, my parents are beginning to suspect that he may be spraying
	and the vet thinks so too.  He will just stop, pick up his tail
	a little and let loose!  He isn't just going on the floor either
	and my father says he looks like he is enjoying it!  The vet
	suggested that he may be a little bit senile which could explain
	why he is doing this.  There is nothing physically wrong with
	him!  My parents have set a sentence.  He has till the end of
	the summer to stop this nasty habit or thats it for him!  I don't
	know what to do!  He sprays walls, the floor, furniture, you
	name it.  He is still confined to the kitchen but my parents will
	take him outside if he wants to go.  The kitchen also has a nice
	porch for him to sit on.  Unfortunately, the house reeks of
	urine now!  I don't know what to do!  I'm supposed to get Cinamon
	back in October but I can't possibly take him!  I have a small,
	carpetted condo which will be going on the market this fall
	and I can't have a cat pissing all over it!

	Please, has anybody ever had an older, neutered cat suddenly
	start spraying?  How can they stop him, short of putting him
	to sleep?

	Please help!

	Karen

    Karen, what about medication?  My mom's neutered male, although
    much younger than Cinamon, developed this problem and the vet
    prescribed some sort of hormone(?) type pills that helped combat
    the problem.
    
    Poor Cinamon.  I hope that others can assist with more information.
    

    The hormone usually perscribed for "inappropriate male behavior"
    is Ovaban.  You have to consult with your vet about it, and because
    of Cinamon's UTI, you may not be able to use it.  Ovaban can sometimes
    cause kidney problems, if I remember correctly.  Your vet will be
    able to tell you if he thinks Cinamon may be able to take it.  You
    use small doses over a long period of time, like half a tablet twice
    a week for two weeks to a month.
    
    Now, I wish someone would come up with a way to stop "whole" males
    from spraying!!!
    
    cin
    
    

    Also, get some Nature's Miracle to clean up.  It will get rid of the
    urine smell.
    

    I got the latest issue of CAT FANCY in the mail yesterday, and it
    had a couple of letters in the "Ask the Vet" column which deals
    with this problem.  You might want to check it out. 
    
    Bernice
    Mother_of_Trouble+2

    Karen,
    
    I can sympathize with the spraying problem.  I have the problem
    intermittently with Matzah.  Last year I had to replace $800 worth
    of carpeting.  It has reoccured again this spring/summer and I
    have reached the end of my tolerance for it.  We have just had to
    tear up the carpet in my son's room and have decided to replace it
    with an inexpensive linoleum.  Our living room carpet is coming up
    too and we have decided not to waste our money on carpet that will
    potentially be ruined.  We are going to install a hardwood floor.
    Total tab this year is expected to run us about $2000.  
    
    As much as I love my cats, this is truly no longer acceptable.
    We've thought about trying to find a new home for Matzah, but who
    wants an adult cat that sprays.  We've thought about making him
    an outdoor cat.  Right now he is on ovaban.  My vets' technician
    mentioned that some cats remain on low doses of ovaban all their
    lives, in spite of the risks associated with it, this may be
    preferable to euthanasia.
    
    Donna

        When I wrote my reply yesterday (Monday AM) it was based on
        information that I got Friday night.  I guess I should have
        waited till today.  Cinamon came off the medication that was
        keeping him from getting blocked up on Friday.  Friday night my
        mother brought him in for a bath.  Saturday he only peed once
        where he shouldn't have and since then he hasn't done it!  He
        now has supervised roam of the house which is quickly becoming
        less supervised! 

	I guess he really wasn't spraying after all, even though it
	looked like it.  It must have been the medication.  He is
	now using the litterbox normally!  I'm trying not to be too
	optimistic but it looks like he is out of the woods!  Both
	my parents and I are very happy!  

	Karen