Cystitis?

[jan]

Hi there all, I have a health question concerning Felix who is six and a half. He has had two occasions in the past where he has had a bladder infection or at least the usual signs, sitting for ages on the litter, licking his bits profusely, back on the litter .... know the signs cus Tess has always been prone and have to limit the dried food. Anyway, the first time it cleared itself, the second time he was given some sort of relaxant or calming tablet but not anti biotics and today I took him to the vets with the same symptons, squatting and licking, the vet said he s not dehydrated, his bladder was empty, keep an eye on him and see how he goes. Any advice apart from stopping his basically one third maybe, no more, dried food? He does nt really drink water. He s eating okay but still hopping on and off and licking. Is there anything anyone can recommend to sort him out? Thanks! Jan x

[Mags]

Poor Felix:( Have you tried adding a couple of spoonfuls of water to his wet food? That way he'll take in more fluid which will help.

I hope he feels better soon, not very nice for the poor boy:(

[Donna]

Chloe is prone, and I have decided to stop dry food forever. Misty loves it, so she gets a few treats of dry stuff now and again when Chloe is not around. Also I add water to Chloe's food to make it even wetter. I managed to stop the last attack by doing these things.

[dandysmom]

I too add the extra water to the wet food to make more gravy, and limit the dry food to just a little sprinkling on top of the wet. Leia only had a spell of cystitis once, and has not had one since (knock wood!) I changed her diet. She was put on anti-inflammatories rather than ABs. Poor Felix!

[farthing]

If you want him to drink more, perhaps try a water fountain, it can often encourage cats to drink.

[Midnight]

Oh bless him, hope you manage to get it sorted soon.

[jan]

Thanks for your replies - have tried the water on the food trick but he s not over keen as if I have ruined the taste! (and i only drizzle it on.) Anyhow, I am convinced its the dry food thats to blame, I try to limit him to a few crunchies now and then as he (like 3 of my 4) love them probably more than wet food. I sprinkle them on top etc and give as treats or an enticement to get them to come down from say, upstairs. Always works! But have realised I have probably been over generous.

Poor Felix has had a repeat journey to the vets Friday tea time. He s been sitting ages and ages on the litter, sometimes managing a few drops and it definately had a pinkish tinge last night. Anyway, hes not blocked thankfully, as that can be life threatening. The vet said its amazing how many owners bring their cats in half dead with blocked bladders as they have nt realised the cat is in trouble. He had two injections, and now has anti biotics and anti inflammatories for a week. He hated it in the car, howled like someone was throttling him, over and over... yet the silly boy got straight into the cat carrier and settled down to sleep prior to us shutting it - he has nt learned! Tess sees the darned thing and runs for the hills!! Even clambers on top of the kitchen units to hide lol.

So hopefully a happier Felix shortly, one that s not eternally squatting and licking his bits. No more dried food for him. (Has anyone tried the hills dried food the vet recommended which apparently encourages cats to drink?)

Oh one last thing, a Water fountain? How does that work then? Am intrigued about that. Thanks again, Jan x

[dandysmom]

Hi Jan. Hope Felix is doing better after his shots and AB & AIs. Is the wet food you're giving him one that's minced with a bit of gravy, or the solid one that's like pate? Adding water to the latter doesn't do it for Leia either; she loves the extra gravy from the minced beef or chicken: laps that before tackling the food. And she too loves dry but gets only a tiny sprinkling on top of the wet. No recurrence of cystitis since I started the extra water and cut out 90% of dry food. Hope it works out as well for your little guy.

Never tried a water fountain; lots here have them; sure someone will have an explanation for you.

[farthing]

Hope this helps,
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_bowls_feeders/cat_fountains/80895

[jan]

Hi there, Dandysmom I usually get the tinned food with jelly so that it does have a good water content, sometimes get foil trays which are more meaty, Felix can obviously taste the powder from the capsule I cut open and has nt finished his first dose yet today. He s a fussy eater! He seems better in himself as he s been lying on my bed without moving down to the litter for a couple of hours now. Big improvement. And he s not licking his bits lol. Farthing, thank you for the link, they look brilliant and I shall seriously look into getting one for them. Theres a good choice there too! Thanks again, Jan x

[dandysmom]

It's amazing how sensitive their sense of taste is, and how clever they are at avoiding or eating around something in the food they don't like. Fancy Feast Chicken Primavera has some carrot in it and Leia always manages to leave most of that, also the rice in Lamb and Rice. They are so fussy! .

[jan]

Yes, sadly am not doing very well on the tablets stake, he missed his secoind anti imflammatory last night as he still had nt finished and did nt finish his food from morning with the first one in. Today he is supposed to have two more anti imflammatories AND 2 HUGE antibiotics - bigger than paracetamol these are! Havent even tried giving him the anti biotics yet as hes still nibbling around his food tho I have mixed it so well. I had a cat called Smudge who died a few years ago, hearty appetite, ate anything (inc rats and mice and pigeons...) but giving him tablets was a dream, roll them in a piece of ham or stick in a cube of cheese and he wolfed them down in one. Lol.... Jan x :lol:

[jamie18]

I know this threads abit outdated lol but have you tried ice cubes with prawns in? Marvin gets cystitis and ice cubes with prawns in go down a treat. You could try someting else like tuna or sardines. they have fun trying to get to the food and also get the extra water. Also the vet told me to try adding a small amout of tuna in there water. Ive not tryed this but it might get him to drink more.

[jan]

:D Hya Jamie
Thanks for the ideas - they are probably going to help quite a few other folk but Felix only eats food that comes out a tin saying Cat Food!! He wont touch prawns, tuna, chicken, cheese, etc etc.... very odd cat really but the up side is I can leave stuff out on the side and he wont touch it. (but the other 3 will!!) Very clever ideas tho. Thanks. Jan x

[dandysmom]

Felix sounds like Leia's twin! She too for years refused to eat "people food", but has slowly mellowed and now finds ham, chicken and a bit of prawn quite acceptable. Cheese and fish are still no-nos. She'll be 11 in March.

[jan]

Felix is coming up to 7 but he is nt even inquisitive when there s "people" food about !! Its quite funny, when you offer him a taste he sniffs it suspiciously then turns his very bushy tail to you as he walks off in disdain. If only my others were like that I could maybe eat my tea in peace ! :lol: Jan x