Here We Go Again - Ugh!

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. History first - sorry, but necessary. I've talked a lot about Feeby - you can see from many previous posts... She is 14+, had bladder surgery for stones 8 years ago, has been on urinary health food since with no known recurrence of stones. She has two nearly fused vertebrae in her upper back, and some arthritis in at least one elbow. She is on Glyco Flex Plus to help with that, and it has because she is now jumping up on furniture that she had stopped before treatment. She is overweight, and at this juncture in her life, I am going to be OK with that.

Litter box habits are that she stands up to pee right after she steps into the box. So, the height of the box is 8" to help avoid peeing outside it. I always watch her pee because she is so close to the top of the box EVERY time. She has had multiple UTIs this year (none before since 8 years ago), and with the last one the first sign was her peeing over the top of the litter box. Vet thinks she doesn't clean herself as she should, so she has been going through 'booty duty' daily - me cleaning her behind with hypoallergenic wipes. Last UTI was in September - booty duty started right after that.

This is where the 'Here we go again' comes into play. This morning she once again peed over the top of the box. She has no idea she is even doing it. I am going to guess another UTI - and will try to catch her pee next time with a vet supplied litter/pee collection kit. The vet will be closed soon, so I will probably have to wait until Monday and watch her like a hawk to collect the pee. I would like to avoid taking her to the vet just for a urine sample/analysis.

If you bothered to take the time to read ALL of this, please offer information about a cat who constantly has UTIs - for what appears to be no apparent reason. Also, has anyone purchased a UTI strip test kit for cats - like AZO for humans? I found one on line at Petco. Are they reliable? I just need help...

 

[verna davies]

I'm sorry you and Feeby are going through this unpleasant issue. I have had no experience in this area but have read that adding apple cidar vinegar to the food can help. Google 'how to treat my 'cats uti at home'.

 

[badw0lf]

My vet gave me puppy pads and sprinkle litter on top of it to "collect" the urine. But it didn't really work out for me, he just went in the litter and dug there.

 

[FeebysOwner]

My vet gave me puppy pads and sprinkle litter on top of it to "collect" the urine. But it didn't really work out for me, he just went in the litter and dug there.

She has had a washable rug in front of the litter box "just in case". That helped a little this morning. I am looking for a bit more long term solution. She doesn't dig ever, so not an issue either. Like I said I don't even think she realizes she went outside the box. Thanks, though!

 

[FeebysOwner]

I think I need to approach this from a different perspective.

Has anyone used UTI test strips for their cat? Are they reliable? I only found one offered - on Petco.com. I know I can get a pellet urine collection kit from a vet - and, then take the urine sample to the vet for testing. That is great when the vet is open. But, I am just trying to rule out - or confirm - her behavior has to do with a UTI. And, I have a funny feeling this is going to be a long term issue...

If she has another UTI, I will bug the vet to do x-rays or whatever to see if she is once again accumulating stones. I will also ask about apple cider vinegar. I will ask anything....

 

[Kflowers]

Sorry to hear this is happening.

When SG was first learning gave her a large mat - the one you put in the shower or tub to keep from falling. It has shallow ribs in it that slows the pee from running over the edges. It is 28" by 16", so if you put it long wise at the end she pees over it might help.

After a couple of days we put a small pile of litter on it for her. Once you see where the pee hits you might do that to help catch it.

The mat is synthetic rubber, toss it in the shower or the washing machine, shake it dry. Okay, the bottom has those little sucker things, which take awhile to dry, so get two and put the dry one down while waiting. The key thing is in and out of the shower, minutes, and it's done.

You may not consider this a long term solution, but in my world it is. Maybe a medium term solution?

(I know how big it is because it's now in my shower.)

 

[stephanietx]

You can treat UTIs with D-Mannose, a human supplement.

Normal dose: 250mg/day OR 1/4tsp given once a day or split into 2doses/day
Can be used for urinary tract inflammation, mucous plugs & a couple UTI bacteria (E. Coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa)

For the litter box issue, have you tried a large plastic tote with a hole cut in the side or the end?

 

[FeebysOwner]

You can treat UTIs with D-Mannose, a human supplement.

Normal dose: 250mg/day OR 1/4tsp given once a day or split into 2doses/day
Can be used for urinary tract inflammation, mucous plugs & a couple UTI bacteria (E. Coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa)

For the litter box issue, have you tried a large plastic tote with a hole cut in the side or the end?

Thanks about the supplement, I am logging options, and of course will only try one at a time. Do you know for sure, since they are a human supplement, that there is no issue with giving them to cats. Sorry, just checking...

RE: the tote - just gotta watch how easy it is for her to get in and out, given the arthritis. Her previous box was covered, but as I watched her I worried that it was becoming a problem to squeeze in and out of the opening.

 

[Kflowers]

how about using a large rubber maid box, the sort to make feral shelters? Cut the door opening level with the floor. Put the shallow litter box, or one with the front side cut low, into the rubber maid box. Again, put the rubber maid box in the shower to rinse. If you do it daily you won't need detergent.

 

[stephanietx]

FeebysOwner it is perfectly safe for you to give the supplement. I would recommend the NOW brand if you can find it. I know you can order it online.

 

[Jem]

I've never used the test strips, so I can't offer advice on that, sorry.

Because of her age and weight, has the vet ever done testing for diabetes or thyroid issues? Both can cause UTIs as a secondary condition.

How often do you feed her? I've heard that 3-4 (wet) meals a day encourages more trips to the litter box, which means that she will "clean out" her urethra/bladder more often, helping to prevent bacteria from accumulating.

Bone broth is another "home remedy" that can help with recurring UTIs. It contains glucosamine and chondroitin to fight inflammation and protect the bladder’s lining along with anti-inflammatory amino acids.

So I drummed up a thought on a litter box design that may be helpful.
try to find the biggest "litter box" you can find. I think I gave you the name of the box I used for mine in another post, you would need something at least that size.
Do not cut a hole or the sides down at all.
On the "end" of the box, have a ramp or steps leading up to the top of the box.
and on the INSIDE of the box have a smaller, but still easily used step that will lead her to the bottom of the box where the litter is. Having that step to go down from may force her to get IN the box and even if she stands, no biggie, because ALL the sides are high. If once she's in she doesn't turn around, again no biggie, you just need to quickly wash the step.
For the step (or ramp) you put in the box, I'm sure you could find a small plastic foot stool at the dollar store or something. And if you want it to be a ramp, just cut the legs on an angle.
The box would have to be long enough to accommodate her length plus the depth of the stool you put inside.
She may HATE this, but I figured...why not try?

I quickly drew this up in paint, please don't laugh too hard.......OK go ahead and laugh. LOL!

 

[Kflowers]

Jem, that's a really nice box. We had a large water bowl for the dogs that the cats insisted on using. To keep the cats from involuntary swims, we made steps up to the bowl. This box could work.

 

[Jem]

thanks K Kflowers , it's obviously not to scale, but you get the gist

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. And, no I am not laughing at your depiction. Thanks for putting so much effort into this!

I will have to check but I am guessing that a senior blood panel entails glucose and thyroid. He does know she's fat - lol!

She is a dry food grazer, but loves her 1/3 canned food for dinner - although it takes a bunch of scooping, multiple times, of the food by me to get her to eat it all. She prefers to nibble a little bit at a time. She drinks water relatively frequently throughout the day, but really only pees once or twice a day. One is always HUGE - always been that way.

 

[Jem]

Hi. And, no I am not laughing at your depiction. Thanks for putting so much effort into this!

I guess we are our own worst critic! And your very welcome, I know how frustrating it is to have a cat with FLUTD.

 

[kmoulus]

My elderly cat pees over the side sometimes, it happens more frequently now that she is 17 years old. She's just old and doesn't even know she's doing it, she just can't crouch down like she used to. Also she is on Lasix so she pees a lot. My vet is not alarmed. I just keep puppy pads under the box and change them as needed.

 

[FeebysOwner]

My elderly cat pees over the side sometimes, it happens more frequently now that she is 17 years old. She's just old and doesn't even know she's doing it, she just can't crouch down like she used to.

Thanks. I have a funny feeling that is going to be the case with Feeby as well, now that she is older. She hasn't done it again (yet!), and I totally knew she had no idea that she was peeing over the top of the box! She has always stood to pee, and now apparently there will be times that she just doesn't quite get into the box as far (she never has gone very far inside anyway). That is why, despite her arthritis (being fairly well treated with Glyco Flex Plus), I can't have a box that is shorter than 8" high on all sides!!

I have a washable rug right outside the area where she enters, but think I will place a puppy pee pad underneath it. That will be more normal for her, with the rug being left in place. I think, if I don't do that, she will try to go in at a different angle and defeat the purpose of the pee pad and the rug!

 

[Kflowers]

If not the puppy pads, you might consider the rubber shower/tub mat under your washable rug. For some reason I happen to know that cat pee will take up varnish faster than anything other than a sander.

 

[FeebysOwner]

If not the puppy pads, you might consider the rubber shower/tub mat under your washable rug. For some reason I happen to know that cat pee will take up varnish faster than anything other than a sander.

Lol! Thanks! That might actually work better than pee pads since they have a slick bottom to them and she could slide on those when trying to jump in the box.

Her box is in a bedroom, so there is carpeting. Not that I like carpeting getting peed on, but at least "The Equalizer" seems to do the trick of removing the smell and it dries pretty quick!

 

[Kflowers]

good, when you get on up there things just get more and more slippery. Stuff you used to be able to trust runs out and coats itself with olive oil and sends you skidding across the room. It ain't right, but there you are.