Chronic urination issue in house - giving Amitriptyline - what is max dose allowed?

[edandjill]

Our cat Lilly has been having chronic urination issues in the house for about 4 years. She was on Fluoxetine but was still having the issue. Though it did seem to be less when she was on it. Started giving Amitriptyline about a month ago and we do not think the issue is any better than before. She is getting 1/4 of a 10mg table daily. Her current weight is about 8 lbs. She does have other issues including HCM which she is getting medication for. Going to be calling the vet soon and just wanted to be as educated as possible on this issue.

She has 3 litter boxes all kept very clean. Seems to urinate in the same spots. We use Nature's Miracle and vinegar for clean up.

What is the max dosage that can be given? Have others had success with other drugs? We are at our wits end.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, I can't help regarding the meds, but I wanted to clarify, are you saying her chronic issues are that she always misses the box?

I'm wondering if there's a different, additional approach that could be utilized, such as different style boxes, different types of litter, pee pads, over the counter calming products, Cat Music to help with stress et al?

 

[edandjill]

No, sorry. She is deliberately spraying in parts of the house. Often times near her litter box. All of this started when we had four cats pass away in a two year time frame. Thinking of rescuing another cat but not with this serious problem lingering.

Should also add that in addition to HCM she has chronic constipation. We see a correlation with when she has trouble defecating she urinates outside the litter box. She is taking multiple medications to help with her digestive system.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. The dosage sounds about right from what I have read, but as is the case with any med, sometimes what works for one cat does not work for another. Talk to the vet about this, as well as the constipation. Since there is a correlation between these two issues, getting her more regular might go a long way in helping. It sounds like her urinary issues have been deemed to be a form of cystitis, which is often stressed induced, and I would imagine being constipated is probably attributing to her stress level. Maybe something like Miralax might help (1/8 tsp mixed with some water and then added to her food, either daily or just as needed), but as I said talk to your vet for their recommendation.

A lot of people have said Nature's Miracle isn't as good as it once was, so maybe other cleaning tactics should be tried in case you are not entirely getting rid of the smell.

Some article links below in case any of them might be of benefit to you.
How To Get Cat Urine Smell Out Of Carpet: Effective, Non-toxic Solutions – TheCatSite Articles
How To Get Cat Pee Smell Out Of Clothes And Linens – TheCatSite Articles
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis – How To Improve Your Cat’s Quality Of Life – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Furballsmom]

All of this started when we had four cats pass away in a two year time frame.

Oh my, that poor sweetie, and poor you!

Definitely try some of the relaxation methods I've described above, and I totally agree with feebysowner's post too.

Is she getting canned food rather than kibble? Multiple, unusual clean daily water sources (such as a mason jar) with fresh daily filtered water?

Hang in there with this!

 

[jagged37]

I'm Lilly's mom. Thank you so much for your suggestions but I have to say we've done just about all of them. I've even sprinkled lavendar essential oils around the basement where she sprays to no avail. I've also cleaned up the areas with vinegar, Nature's Miracle, OxiClean and have even tried peroxide and baking soda. I've also tried Rocco and Roxy, Zero, and one other brand of enzymatic cleaner. I scrub the areas about every 1-2 months with either oxiclean or vinegar solution.

Here's my take I do think her urination issues are a combination of behavior and medical. My husband, Ed, mentioned her heart condition but she also has been diagnosed with IBS with chronic constipation and is being treated for that with Prilosec and metoclopamide with Benefiber and probiotic for her constipation. I spoke with the vet today and she is also prescribing lactulose for her chronic constipation. The vet did not want to increase her dose of Amitriptyline at this point due to the potential for increased constipation. So, I'm looking into homepet to use in conjunction with Amitriptyline for her urination/stress issues. Anyone hear of this or know of anyone who's used it with success OR do you all know of any homepathic supplements that are good and can work in conjunction with anti-anxiety meds?

Just FYI - I am going to email the vet the list of ingredients to make sure it's ok for Lilly to take given the medications she's on as well.

Thanks!

 

[Furballsmom]

I've heard of that one although I haven't used it so I unfortunately can't speak to whether it works. Thinking out loud, there might be something on the website Only Natural Pet.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I can't offer much in the way of anti-stress supplements, but I was curious about the surface that she is peeing on. Concrete? You mentioned basement, so I thought that might be the surface underneath whatever type of flooring you have and if the urine has soaked through to the concrete, no amount of cleaner is going to work if just treating the flooring on top of it. Concrete is porous, so removing urine from it can take a bit of time - it is possible that some of the cleaners you have used would work more effectively if applied directly to the concrete and allowed to sit on the surface for hours before cleaning it up.

Also, did the vet ever consider trying an anti-spasmodic? I don't think amitriptyline does anything for spasms, which seem to be fairly common with urinary stress issues.