Senior Cat Peeing Everywhere & Frequently

Sienna221

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Hi- I recently posted for the first time over in the Cat Nutrition forum. I have a senior cat (almost 17 y/o) with some health issues. He was diagnosed with CKD about 5 years ago. We’ve checked his values yearly every since (most recently in April 2021) and they’ve stayed only slightly elevated and haven’t got much worse. However, over the last 10 months he has significantly dropped weight (from 8.5 lbs to 4 lbs), constantly throwing up, and soft stool since September 2020. We’ve been in and out of the vet since then and here is an overview of what we do/have tried...

- 50mL of Lactated Ringers (Sub-q fluids) 2x per week to help with dehydration
- Tried 2 rounds of Metronidazole with no luck
- Completed 1 round of Prednisolone (Steroids) with no luck when the vet started thinking IBD...no change
- Had Thyroid tested...everything looked fine
- Tried a few different foods the vet has recommended...no luck with weight gain. Always been eating normal amount but not gaining weight.

The vet wants to do an abdominal ultrasound to check for intestinal wall thickening/GI lymphoma and from there put him on a stronger dose of pred. My post in Nutrition was in hopes that me taking changes in his diet in my own hands might help. So I took him off dry food completely and started introducing Rawz Duck flavor wet food into his current k/d wet food. Well after only 36 hours and not even fully being on Rawz, he seems terrible. Before everything bad was physical (weight loss, etc) but he was still great and acting the same. Now he’s down a few ounces (3.11 lbs), so lethargic, and just hangs his head. He’s also having terrible bathroom issues. He’s always been bad with every once in a while about peeing in the dog bed because the CKD (been looked at a few times and never diagnosed with UTI...the vets always come to the conclusion he’s just being a brat) but the last 36 hours he’s peed everywhere. Today alone he peed on my pillow while I was sleeping, on the dog bed, and in the toy bin. And these are the times I didn’t catch him in time. There were several other times I scooped him quickly and took him to one of the litter pans. The one good news is his poops seemed to start taking a more solid form...but he was obviously struggling going. I several times some him straining to go...sometimes leaving nothing and sometimes just something small. Once 36 hours hit and he seemed so off, I brought back out his normal dry food. But he is still so off tonight.

I really have no idea if this all is just a huge coincidence that his decline lined up with the diet change. Or if the diet change is the reason. Can a diet change like the change from wet/dry combo to wet food only with a new wet food being introduced cause constipation and frequent inappropriate urination? Or does this time sound like it could be something more (eg UTI, IBD flare up) instead of “him being a brat” like it’s been in the past? Looking for any input and advice. Of course it’s the weekend too so my vet doesn’t open back up until Monday for me to get him checked out. And lastly, does another round of stronger pred for a cat with the issues I mentioned above make sense? I see so many mixed reviews on this site. Thanks for letting me ramble- sincerely from a stressed cat owner.
 

Xena44

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Hi- I recently posted for the first time over in the Cat Nutrition forum. I have a senior cat (almost 17 y/o) with some health issues. He was diagnosed with CKD about 5 years ago. We’ve checked his values yearly every since (most recently in April 2021) and they’ve stayed only slightly elevated and haven’t got much worse. However, over the last 10 months he has significantly dropped weight (from 8.5 lbs to 4 lbs), constantly throwing up, and soft stool since September 2020. We’ve been in and out of the vet since then and here is an overview of what we do/have tried...

- 50mL of Lactated Ringers (Sub-q fluids) 2x per week to help with dehydration
- Tried 2 rounds of Metronidazole with no luck
- Completed 1 round of Prednisolone (Steroids) with no luck when the vet started thinking IBD...no change
- Had Thyroid tested...everything looked fine
- Tried a few different foods the vet has recommended...no luck with weight gain. Always been eating normal amount but not gaining weight.

The vet wants to do an abdominal ultrasound to check for intestinal wall thickening/GI lymphoma and from there put him on a stronger dose of pred. My post in Nutrition was in hopes that me taking changes in his diet in my own hands might help. So I took him off dry food completely and started introducing Rawz Duck flavor wet food into his current k/d wet food. Well after only 36 hours and not even fully being on Rawz, he seems terrible. Before everything bad was physical (weight loss, etc) but he was still great and acting the same. Now he’s down a few ounces (3.11 lbs), so lethargic, and just hangs his head. He’s also having terrible bathroom issues. He’s always been bad with every once in a while about peeing in the dog bed because the CKD (been looked at a few times and never diagnosed with UTI...the vets always come to the conclusion he’s just being a brat) but the last 36 hours he’s peed everywhere. Today alone he peed on my pillow while I was sleeping, on the dog bed, and in the toy bin. And these are the times I didn’t catch him in time. There were several other times I scooped him quickly and took him to one of the litter pans. The one good news is his poops seemed to start taking a more solid form...but he was obviously struggling going. I several times some him straining to go...sometimes leaving nothing and sometimes just something small. Once 36 hours hit and he seemed so off, I brought back out his normal dry food. But he is still so off tonight.

I really have no idea if this all is just a huge coincidence that his decline lined up with the diet change. Or if the diet change is the reason. Can a diet change like the change from wet/dry combo to wet food only with a new wet food being introduced cause constipation and frequent inappropriate urination? Or does this time sound like it could be something more (eg UTI, IBD flare up) instead of “him being a brat” like it’s been in the past? Looking for any input and advice. Of course it’s the weekend too so my vet doesn’t open back up until Monday for me to get him checked out. And lastly, does another round of stronger pred for a cat with the issues I mentioned above make sense? I see so many mixed reviews on this site. Thanks for letting me ramble- sincerely from a stressed cat owner.
Is the RAWZ a raw diet? I wonder (and it sounds like) if he’s dehydrated. 50 mils twice a week is just a drop in the bucket as far as I’m concerned. That’s barely enough and I mean barely enough to even just think about addressing dehydration. Quite frankly right now what I would do if it were my kitty would be to give him 100 mils of sub Q fluids. Warmed up In a bowl of water to a comfortable temp. Dehydration will take a cat down very fast. Oh that urination to me, are signs of urinary tract infection. just because he never had one before doesn’t mean he doesn’t have one now. Is the urine pinkish at all? dark yellow. Very yellow?. They get the same frequency, urgency, burning symptoms that we do. (But you say he’s on Pred right? That should relieve inflammation of the bladder.) Do you have any antibiotics on hand? Like amoxicillin or Clavamox or anything like that? or do you have any emergency clinic you can go to? I do not subscribe to the theory that a cat is ever a brat when it comes to, inappropriate urination. There is always a reason whether it’s mental stress or physical stress. That’s just my humble opinion but cats are very delicate in their little psyches sometimes. But honestly right now, I will get some fluids into him.
 
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daftcat75

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It sounds like a bladder infection. Get him to a vet ASAP. He’s losing a lot of hydration with all that peeing. With Krista, she got a bladder infection that proved too much for her steroids-weakened immune system and body. It happened quickly over a few days. A bladder infection is usually not life-threatening. But your boy has been through so much and he’s literally half the cat he used to be. Take him to an ER if you have one. He may need to be put on antibiotics and IV fluids for a few days. If he’s not in so bad a shape, they may be able to give him some outpatient care until you can get him to your regular vet next week.
 

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Also just a heads up. I don’t think what you are seeing is related to the introduction of Rawz. But the duck recipe has added salmon oil if that is an allergy concern for him. Salmon oil is not the same as salmon protein. Though some cats with sensitivity to the protein do also have issues with the fat (possibly an issue with trace amounts of the protein left behind in the manufacturing of the oil???) I would start with turkey or rabbit. Hopefully he’ll do just fine on turkey because that’s easier to find than rabbit. 🤞

Please don’t delay on getting him care for what sounds like a bladder infection.
 

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I tried Rawz for my cats and as I recall it is not a raw food. They advertise am "minimally processed" and "the next best thing to raw." Just my opinion, but too much is going on with your cat to lay it at the feet of a food change, even if that is partially involved. He definitely needs medical help. Please let us know what happens.
 
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Sienna221

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Xena44 Xena44 No, Rawz is not a raw diet. As others mentioned it is advertised as “the next best thing”. The vet prescribed 50mL because he has a heart murmur (add it to his list 🙄). He is not currently on Pred now...the vet wants to start another stronger round. And the pee has no pink from what I see...may be pretty yellow. Can’t really tell. Definitely has a strong odor...different than normal cat pee.

daftcat75 daftcat75 The pet store I went to only had duck and chicken flavors. That’s why I went with the duck. But maybe I’ll order some of the turkey or rabbit. I wanted to try a few cans before I bought a case as I find online most of the time.

fionasmom fionasmom thank you for the info. Definitely has a lot going on. I have a vet appointment Monday since my vet is closed over the weekend. After I give him more fluids, I’ll see how he reacts and decide on the emergency vet.

Has anyone ordered needles for the iv online? If so, from where?
 

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You can get the entire set up from Chewy, for one. They will call your vet for approval since this is all prescription but I get several prescriptions from them, dog and cat, and they are conscientious. Their pharmacy is separate from their food/supplies services, so I have not ever received a damaged box, etc.
 

Xena44

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Xena44 Xena44 No, Rawz is not a raw diet. As others mentioned it is advertised as “the next best thing”. The vet prescribed 50mL because he has a heart murmur (add it to his list 🙄). He is not currently on Pred now...the vet wants to start another stronger round. And the pee has no pink from what I see...may be pretty yellow. Can’t really tell. Definitely has a strong odor...different than normal cat pee.

daftcat75 daftcat75 The pet store I went to only had duck and chicken flavors. That’s why I went with the duck. But maybe I’ll order some of the turkey or rabbit. I wanted to try a few cans before I bought a case as I find online most of the time.

fionasmom fionasmom thank you for the info. Definitely has a lot going on. I have a vet appointment Monday since my vet is closed over the weekend. After I give him more fluids, I’ll see how he reacts and decide on the emergency vet.

Has anyone ordered needles for the iv online? If so, from where?
Good. Glad you’re going I’ll get some more fluids into him. How bad is the heart murmur? Did the veterinarian grade it? Because honestly, unless the heart murmur is particularly bad, 50 mls is still not much. there is a big difference between hydration and flushing. I realize there is an underlyingI medical condition that you have to watch out for but part of the purpose of giving sub Q fluids besides hydration is to also help flush the contaminants/waste from the system that the kidneys aren’t able to filter out. Have you seen a cardiologist? Not that they’re the be all and end all but they typically have more info to provide so you can proceed in a really informed manner. But I know a consult is not cheap. Is the urine odor foul or is is just really strong “uriney”. The more yellow the color is, the more concentrated it is. And that would indicate a need for fluid. I am glad that you have an emergency vet available if you need it.
 
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Sienna221

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So I ended up taking my cat to the emergency vet yesterday morning. He was very lethargic, still straining to poop, and peeing around the house. The vet said he believed he had an infection and he was very dehydrated (causing the constipation and straining to poop). They ran blood tests and a urinalysis. Blood test came back as expected...showing CKD (which we knew) but also slight anemia. We should have urinalysis results in 24-48 hrs but the vet gave him a shot of Cefovecin as an antibiotic for the infection. He said he wasn’t sure if that was the right antibiotic...and they wouldn’t know until urinalysis results were back...but it wouldn’t hurt him if it was wrong and we could correct once results were back. He also said to up him to 50 mL sub-q fluids per day (I was doing 50 mL twice per week). This vet said he heard no heart murmur. And lastly he did a preliminary abdominal ultrasound (but mentioned he wasn’t an expert with ultrasounds) and said he saw some fluid in his stomach. But really mentioned nothing more on this other than he’d notify my primary vet in his report and that he was really most concerned about the infection for now...the other stuff could be figured out/discussed with my vet so not to have “too many cooks in the kitchen”.

I brought him home and let him eat relax. He seemed better at first... more energy...but maybe he was just happy to be home. But he’s back to being lethargic, still straining to poop, and has 1 accident in a pair of shoes. He’s still eating some wet food but I haven’t seen him drink much. But that could be because he’s been getting fluids. Once he was home for a little, I decided to give him his now daily fluids. The Emergency Vet gave me more needles (18 gage) that were different than I had before. Not sure what happened but the angle I had the bag at was quite extreme and the fluids didn’t drip but poured out so quickly. Whereas 50mL usually takes 3-4 minutes...all the sudden in under a minute the bag had given him around 125 mL. I called the vet back worried and he said the amount was fine since he was so dehydrated. He was very wobbly after the fluids but I attributed that to him being only 4 pounds and the fluids caused a large sack on one side. But now the fluids have absorbed and he still seems so weak, unsteady and wobbly. He is still lethargic and straining to poop. I’m just worried and just want something to work for my poor guy.
 
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Sienna221

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I’ve actually been up with him for the past hour or so in the middle of the night. He’s very uncomfortable and can’t poop. He’s straining in the litter pan and just walking around all over. The vet didn’t warn me in how to help the constipation/straining. Just made it seem like it would be helped when he was hydrated again.
 

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I would call the vet to discuss, but a lot of members who are dealing with constipated cats use Miralax to help out - I believe they start with 1/8 tsp. and see if they get results after a day or so. You mix the Miralax with a few spoonful's of water to dissolve it and then give it to him with some of his food.
 

Xena44

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It could be dry and impacted and may require an enema to get moving. Miralax takes time and works better with new poop than old. Call the vet back and see what he recommends.
I would definitely try the MiraLAX first. An enema really takes a toll on the body since they typically need to be sedated do it and even at that, I’m reiterating, it’s really hard on the body. I would definitely try the MiraLAX first. An enema really takes a toll on the body as I t is not a gentle procedure, Recovery from the procedure itself it tough, especially one that is already having a very difficult time is it is. If it was my kitty, I would not have an enema done, I would stick with the MiraLAX. It doesn’t take that long to act, usually within 24 hrs. It works by drawing fluid from the body and depositing it in the stool to soften it and then it can pass. having said that, there needs to be fluid in the body for it to draw from. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to give the 50 Mls and then give the MiraLAX. Also not a bad idea to consult a vet first but some vets just aren’t familiar with MiraLAX and their “go to” is an enema, but I wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t do it I wouldn’t do it. Even the enemas that are just inserted rectally typically just a surfactant, making the cat want to go because they have filled the lower colon with fluid and they feel like they have to go. They also the lubricate but it doesn’t really soften the stool, it just makes them want to go so they just push until they poop, if they poop. Again, really tough on an old body.
 
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Xena44

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So I ended up taking my cat to the emergency vet yesterday morning. He was very lethargic, still straining to poop, and peeing around the house. The vet said he believed he had an infection and he was very dehydrated (causing the constipation and straining to poop). They ran blood tests and a urinalysis. Blood test came back as expected...showing CKD (which we knew) but also slight anemia. We should have urinalysis results in 24-48 hrs but the vet gave him a shot of Cefovecin as an antibiotic for the infection. He said he wasn’t sure if that was the right antibiotic...and they wouldn’t know until urinalysis results were back...but it wouldn’t hurt him if it was wrong and we could correct once results were back. He also said to up him to 50 mL sub-q fluids per day (I was doing 50 mL twice per week). This vet said he heard no heart murmur. And lastly he did a preliminary abdominal ultrasound (but mentioned he wasn’t an expert with ultrasounds) and said he saw some fluid in his stomach. But really mentioned nothing more on this other than he’d notify my primary vet in his report and that he was really most concerned about the infection for now...the other stuff could be figured out/discussed with my vet so not to have “too many cooks in the kitchen”.

I brought him home and let him eat relax. He seemed better at first... more energy...but maybe he was just happy to be home. But he’s back to being lethargic, still straining to poop, and has 1 accident in a pair of shoes. He’s still eating some wet food but I haven’t seen him drink much. But that could be because he’s been getting fluids. Once he was home for a little, I decided to give him his now daily fluids. The Emergency Vet gave me more needles (18 gage) that were different than I had before. Not sure what happened but the angle I had the bag at was quite extreme and the fluids didn’t drip but poured out so quickly. Whereas 50mL usually takes 3-4 minutes...all the sudden in under a minute the bag had given him around 125 mL. I called the vet back worried and he said the amount was fine since he was so dehydrated. He was very wobbly after the fluids but I attributed that to him being only 4 pounds and the fluids caused a large sack on one side. But now the fluids have absorbed and he still seems so weak, unsteady and wobbly. He is still lethargic and straining to poop. I’m just worried and just want something to work for my poor guy.
Well I am really glad that you went to the vet. Kudos. And the size of the needle makes a huge difference in how fast the food there was an 18 gauge needles really make the fluid flow it just makes the poke a little bit more owee. I imagine the vet probably gave you a smaller gauge needle to begin with. I would address the amount of fluid given to the kitty every day. It’s just my humble opinion and I know you don’t want to give too much fluid to a 4 pound cat but there’s a big difference between hydration and flushing. And even if that 50 mils is not that much hydration. One wants to be able to give enough fluid so that it helps flush the toxins from the body that the kidneys can’t handle it because they are starting to show their age, as well as hydrate the cells. Hydrating the cells just isn’t enough. No I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just giving you information so that you can help support your kitty better by being armed with knowledge so you can take a more active role in discussions with your veterinarian. I give a 6 pound kitty 200 mls every other day. I’m just saying. And I’m really glad that he did not hear a murmur. Sometimes you have to listen really closely. Did your kitty make a big pee after getting 125 mls? It just makes a difference because I’m just wondering how much of that he absorbed and how much of it flushed through. The smaller the pee would indicate a lot of the fluid was needed in his body, in his cells. A bigger pee would indicate that he got a good flush. And mild anemia is to be expected when you have some CKD. As long as it’s not too major, it’s just something to keep an eye on. And that antibiotic injection is a pretty typical one to use. It is a good broad spectrum antibiotic. Hopefully it will address the infection. 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽❤❤❤❤😻
 
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Sienna221

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He spent several hours straining and trying to go last night. Just walking around in the weird hunched position. His poor 17 y/o, 4 lb legs looks so sad and he kept toppling over. I fed him some pure canned pumpkin I had mixed with his wet food and sprinkled with Metamucil. I had been giving him Metamucil every once in a while to try help when he had diarrhea for 10 months straight prior to this. (From one extreme to the other) The straining must have exhausted him because he kept just laying down at points. I was ready to take him back to the emergency vet when he was finally able to pass a huge BM. He settled down and then got back up and had another one. Both in random places around the living room but I didn’t care. I was so relieved. As I’m sure he was. We finally got a little sleep.
This morning he is super lethargic but has been eating. Gave him more pumpkin with Metamucil with his wet food. I called my normal vet right when they opened and they said I didn’t need to bring him in right now. Since he was able to pass something...they thought it was best to let him rest as he must be exhausted from the emergency vet yesterday and the ordeal last night. So they told me just to monitor him for now and call if needed.

He has had maybe two normal size pees since the fluids. But they all did seem to absorb. He hasn’t been drinking too much water anymore...guessing because he got the fluids. I’m going to call my vet back and see if I should give him 50 mL today or skip one of the daily sub-a fluids since he got so much yesterday.

Lastly, I just want to say thank you so much to all of you. I’m sure it’s not the main thing you want to do right now...read my excessive updates. But it really has been so helpful to be able to vent here on my sweet little guys situation and see everyone’s input.
 

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I am so glad that you finally had some results. You both have to be exhausted from this entire episode. Members of TCS want to be here to support others, so please continue to post about your boy and his hopeful recovery as he continues on. People will worry if they never hear from you.
 

Xena44

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He spent several hours straining and trying to go last night. Just walking around in the weird hunched position. His poor 17 y/o, 4 lb legs looks so sad and he kept toppling over. I fed him some pure canned pumpkin I had mixed with his wet food and sprinkled with Metamucil. I had been giving him Metamucil every once in a while to try help when he had diarrhea for 10 months straight prior to this. (From one extreme to the other) The straining must have exhausted him because he kept just laying down at points. I was ready to take him back to the emergency vet when he was finally able to pass a huge BM. He settled down and then got back up and had another one. Both in random places around the living room but I didn’t care. I was so relieved. As I’m sure he was. We finally got a little sleep.
This morning he is super lethargic but has been eating. Gave him more pumpkin with Metamucil with his wet food. I called my normal vet right when they opened and they said I didn’t need to bring him in right now. Since he was able to pass something...they thought it was best to let him rest as he must be exhausted from the emergency vet yesterday and the ordeal last night. So they told me just to monitor him for now and call if needed.

He has had maybe two normal size pees since the fluids. But they all did seem to absorb. He hasn’t been drinking too much water anymore...guessing because he got the fluids. I’m going to call my vet back and see if I should give him 50 mL today or skip one of the daily sub-a fluids since he got so much yesterday.

Lastly, I just want to say thank you so much to all of you. I’m sure it’s not the main thing you want to do right now...read my excessive updates. But it really has been so helpful to be able to vent here on my sweet little guys situation and see everyone’s input.
Passing poopies is cause for....... CELEBRATION!!! Seriously, what a relief!! And not one doubt your poor little guy is exhausted. His little body has been through the wringer! The pumpkin and Metamucil...... 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽! The fact that he passed a normal pee says his body really needed all the fluid. This gives him a bit of an edge. Personally, and this is just mho, I wouldn’t skip the fluids. You’re not going to overly flush him just 50 mls. You’re doing great hun. Really. Keep up the great mommy job. And don’t worry about giving updates, we want to know! We are on this site to learn something and hopefully pass along something helpful to someone else and to support other kitty lovers (and be supported too!) it takes a village...... 😉😻😉😻😉😻. Please, keep us posted. 😻
 
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Sienna221

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So the ER vet got back to me and his urinalysis results came back “fine” and showed negative for bacteria. I attached what they sent me. He mentioned it may be a kidney infection. Would that not show up on the urinalysis or blood work? He kind of rushed me off the phone so I didn’t get to ask as much as I would have liked. Either way he said the Cefovecin should work for a kidney infection as well. But will definitely be following up with my primary vet.

He’s still lethargic/different than his usual self but maybe at almost 17, this is just how he’ll be from now on and it’s just making him the most comfortable for the time he has left. He is still straining a little to poop but getting something (usually small) out each time. He isn’t peeing quite as much and still going outside the litter pan sometimes...including my bed again last night 🙄. But still eating great thank goodness! Just hoping 50 mL will eventually catch him back up where he’s not dehydrated and the antibiotic fully kicks in/works/runs its course. 🙏
 

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