Stopped using the litterbox?

[fuzz]

So Oreo is usually pretty good with using the litterbox(except for a stint in a multi-cat house) but has not used the pan for the past couple of days. I am going to buy another feliway bottle tomorrow(worked fine the first time) and see if it helps but would also like other options because feliway is kind of expensive.

I was using the Arm and Hammer oder alert litter but the store was out and ended up buying the Arm and Hammer ultra last instead. The box was dumped and cleaned before the new litter was put in and he seemed to be doing good for a few days, then just stopped using it. I am also booking him an appointment asap to check for any urinary problems. I was actually worried he may have had a blockage but I found where he has been going to the past while.

Are there any alternatives to feliway? Or is there anything like it just made under a diffrent name that may be more affordable? A diffuser refill at the vet is around 40 plus tax, not sure on the bottles but think it may be around 20.

 

[vball91]

I don't know about any alternatives, but it's much cheaper on Amazon than at a vet's.

 

[fuzz]

Didn't think of looking online for it. Will pick one up at the vet when booking an appointment tomorrow for immediate use and will order one for future use online =)

Are there any diffrent behaviours/symptoms that are common for uti's? Other than avoiding using the pan?

Just moved out with a couple of roomates and don't know much about this stuff yet. Had Oreo for years but shared the care with parents and didn't go  along on vet trips due to school.

 

[the_food_lady]

Google "Feline Urinary Tract Infection" or "Feline Cystitis" or "Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease" (aka Feline FLUTD).

Make sure that you buy a proper enzymatic cleaner specifically for cat/pet urine to clean thoroughly, the areas where Oreo has peed for if you don't, he'll continue to go back and pee in these areas.  It has to be an ENZYMATIC cleaner specially designed for pet urine in order to totally remove the urine scent to a cat.   A good one is Nature's Miracle.  Can buy it at most pet supply stores, like Petsmart, etc.   If the area he's peed is carpet, you have to SATURATE the area, going right down to the underlay.

A vet check is a very good idea.

Did you recently move you said?  Sometimes stress can trigger a UTI or inappropriate elimination issues.

Sometimes constipation will cause this too, if cat is constipated and begins to associate litterbox with pain of trying to poop.
 

 

[fuzz]

Yes we moved about a month and a half ago. The area that was pee'd on was concrete floor in the basement, does the enzyme cleaner have to be any special type for that?

 

[fuzz]

Just called a couple of clinics, one was booked solid until friday but we have an appointment at the Torbay Road Clinic in approximately two and a half hours! Hoping it goes well, first vet trip alone.

 

[fuzz]

Back from the vet! Oreo was not pleased about two car rides in one day, poor guy

I know Oreo is a big cat, that's why he's on a diet, but the vet could't feel his bladder so x-rays were taken instead. Nothing showed up on the x-rays(yay!) and he was cleared of any stones or crystals. His pee is a bit stronger smelling than normal so they gave him an anti-bacterial shot. They said to keep an eye on him the next few days to make sure he doesn't get blocked(there were a couple of days recently where he did not pee at all) and gave some medicine called Amitriptyline to rub onto his ears to help with the litter pan useage. Enough for 20 days.

Happy to see he doesn't actually have anything growing in his bladder =D

 

[vball91]

Did the vet do a urinalysis?

 

[fuzz]

No, he didn't actually. He wanted to, but said where he couldn't feel the bladder that they were not completely sure where to insert a needle to draw anything out. When viewing the x-ray, he said the bladder looked to be empty(he had peed an hour before the appointment and hadn't drank anything since.)
 

 

[vball91]

I see. It's just that an actual infection is rare (about 2%) in cases of FLUTD, but vets like to throw broad-spectrum antibiotics at it "just in case" even though it's most likely unnecessary. And honestly I wouldn't be giving my cat a strong anti-depressant like Amitriptyline right now. Here's a link with some more info on it. http://www.vetinfo.com/side-effects-amitriptyline-cats.html  I would definitely try Feliway and Bach's Rescue Remedy or similar to try and address the stress issues before trying Amitriptyline, but that's just my two cents.

I would first look at pain medication like buprenex and possibly an anti-inflammatory. A urinalysis is very helpful because it helps pinpoint what the problem is. Without it, you're just throwing random medications hoping something works. Since the x-ray showed no stones or crystals, it's mostly likely cystitis (bladder inflammation), possibly with a bacterial infection but statistically most likely not. Given that his urine was strong smelling, it's probably concentrated and he needs more fluids to get his urine more dilute and flush out his system.

I just think your very conventional vet threw the strongest medications he could at this problem, and while I understand the concern about blocking, I think there are other things to try first/as well. I know you are trying to transition him to an all wet diet which I think is crucial for him. I would cut out all dry food and all fish ingredients as well. Fish can be an inflammation trigger for many FLUTD cats.

 

[fuzz]

Now that I think about it, he started to not use the box shortly after eating the Authority Chicken Recipie. Fish is the fourth ingredient and it was being limited to one can a week. No more Chicken flavour for puss it seems.

I gave one dose of the medication today as instructed, but will hold off on anymore until I try the feliway. It worked for him once before when living with multiple cats so it may work again. Was going to pick up a bottle during our visit but didn't after he was prescribed the amitriptyline.

He is currently eating all wet, except for a few kibble for overnight and when I'm at work. Oreo also always gets a bowl of fresh water in the morning, before work or the afternoon, and again before bed but he doesn't drink much of it anymore because of the wet food I'm guessing.

Going to petsmart to pick up some Feliway and enzyme cleaner tomorrow. Will change the can of chicken that's left for turkey, or lamb if they finally have it in.

 

[fuzz]

Back from the store with cleaner and feliway. Going to clean the basement and spray around, hopefully it works!

Tried to make a barrier to the place where he was peeing. The litterbox is in the basement on one side, but he was going to the wall opposite of the box behind some boxes to pee/poop. The barrier is made of a few broken chairs that need fixing and a rubbermaidtub, not sure if he will find a way through it but hoping it will convince him to go to the pan. Sprayed the feliway in the spot where he was going just in case he gets over there.

 

[fuzz]

After coming back from cleaning the basement, Oreo has gained a limp in his front paw. He was fine before I went down and there is nothing stuck in his foot, nor is he yanking it away or giving complaints when it was looked at. There are no really dangerous insects around here(trust me, if there was a bug in the room it would be quickly found) and nothing was on the floor to walk on. Maybe he jumped off the bed strangely? It's not stopping him from walking the few feet to the water dish though.

Seems to be walking it off =)

 

[tulosai]

After coming back from cleaning the basement, Oreo has gained a limp in his front paw. He was fine before I went down and there is nothing stuck in his foot, nor is he yanking it away or giving complaints when it was looked at. There are no really dangerous insects around here(trust me, if there was a bug in the room it would be quickly found) and nothing was on the floor to walk on. Maybe he jumped off the bed strangely? It's not stopping him from walking the few feet to the water dish though.

Seems to be walking it off =)

Yeah, one of mine had an really awkward fall off the windowsill the other day (which I witnessed) and didn't put ANY weight on one of his paws for a few minutes.  I was totally freaking out and then he pretty much started to prance around like nothing had happened.  Cats can be really resilient. 

 

[fuzz]

I've seen Oreo roll over off the edge of the bed before, call him the cat world's only klutz =p

Poop in the pan today! Still peed on the floor thismorning but at least he's starting to use it again =)

 

[fuzz]

Pee in the box today! =D

 

[fuzz]

Ok a few days went well and he only went outside once. Finally managed to catch him on the way to the litter today and followed just to make sure that he wasnt straining or in pain while using it. Oreo was about to go to the other spot(despite using the natures miracle cleaner multiple times) he pees in, but looked back and saw me standing there and went and peed in the box. All was normal, no straining or pain, and he got a good rub and treat after for using the box.

Hope he keeps it up for the day. Have to go spray the feliway when I get home from work again.

 

[magdalena]

I know you've cleaned with enzymatic cleaner, but have you checked around with a black light?  You can pick one up for not much money at a pet store.  It's an easy way to make sure that all the pee is gone from the wrong places.  Just grab the spray and some paper towels, turn on the black light and flip out the lights.  It's also a cool way to see how well the cleaner works.  The last time I cleaned cat pee I was shocked at how many little spots I had missed.

Also, if he consistently goes in the same wrong place, I would suggest putting another litter box there.  Can't hurt.

 

[fuzz]

Yeah, keep meaning to get a light when I buy food and keep forgetting it

The second litterbox would probally help, but the area he gets into is a little narrow to fit a box in. I use a rubbermaid tub for the box because the other ones are too short for him, and when i tried out of curiosity the other night to move it it wouldn't go in =(

 

[fuzz]

Went and bought some Cat Attract litter today. He does fine with using the box for pooping now but every few days will pee outside. The roomates want me to put him down but that is NOT happening. I would never do that unless the cat was suffering and in alot of pain and it needed to be done.

He is a very loving happy cat who has no other medical issues and I believe we will be moving as soon as I can find a place. Until then I am tempted to bring the litter into my room and close the door while I am at work. Not trusting these people at all at the moment =(