Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: tigertail on March 07, 2008, 22:47:08 PM
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Hi, Mushroom is about ten years old and a fluffy part persian. I recently added some kittens to our lives and she responded to the stress by refusing to wee. She was clearly tense and her anxiety showed by not being able to use the litter tray. So she got cystitis, and I regularly took her to the vet over the last 8 months in fear of her getting cystitis again. She was given a little amytriptiline for stress. A couple of weeks ago she had cystitis and a little blood and I took her to the vet, who accused me of having a stressful household. Well I don't. The kittens love her and never show aggression. She is being very relaxed and has played a couple of times. Also I have a feliway diffuser. Phoebe the other older cat has never been her best friend but has been very chilled recently. Today, she is having cystitis symptoms again. A little blood too. The vet said 5 per cent of cystitis cases are behavioural. What should I do? Last time he injected her with an antibiotic and a painkiller but said it was probably behvioural. I am not happy. Any ideas?
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What does she eat? Dry food can be a contributor in cystitis. Do the kittens stop her using the tray? Do you have more than one tray?
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Hope Mushroom is feeling better today. Mushroom is a wonderful name by the way, just love it
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The way I see it its stress related if the anti biotics dont work and not if they do.....maybe it started out as stress but has furthered to this with time? Cystitis is awful...very painful... :(
Id still take her back to the vets now there is blood in her wee! ;)
Yes love the name too....very original! :Luv:
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only about 2% of cystitis is bacterial related, the bulk of cases are either idiopathic or stress related.
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Smartie had this when i had him about 2 years -the vet blamed the biscuits ( Royal Canine 30 for persians) He put him on Hills s/d , now he is on c/d -this was around 6 years ago and touch wood he hasn''t had it since .
He gave him an injection and also antibiotics ,then told me to change his diet- he also eats more wet food now too.
I have had 2 more cats since i got him .
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If your vet is not going to be helpful, then I would suggest looking around for a better one.
There are many posts on here about cystitus and if you stick this in the search near top you will find them.
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Might be an idea to put Mushroom on Royal Canin Vet Diet Urinary food - my Vesti has been fine since being on it - very strictly - once off it he falres up again.
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Thank you I will certainly try that urinary fod. No, sh is mostly on wet food - felix as good as it looks and yes she has access to the tray. There is moe than one tray and the main tray is huge. Could she have crystals in her urine? She is no better today but I was at work today.
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i dont rate Hills C/D. Does she get mainly fishy or mainly meaty flavours? Fish is a known contributor to cystitis due to the magnesium content.
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I'll back Desley's statement. My cat suffers from this, and eventually had bladder stones removed (surgically) in November. It can be stress related but also food can be a contributor to it. Mine loves fish, and that's pretty much what she ate. Now she's on the RC Urinary S/O wet and dry food, and gets the odd chicken food, complete and complementary so that she gets some variety.
Definitely get a second opinion if you're not happy with your vet.
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RC Urinary has definately made a difference to my Vesti
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Maybe RC is better than Hills then, the dry C/D didnt stop my foster suffering, mainly wet food and Cystaid worked wonders though (his was stress related due to being in a multicat household, when he was rehomed it stopped completely)
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Vesti was suffering terribley and it was becoming more and more frequent to the point of monthly, since putting him on a strict RC Urinary diet there has been no recurrences at all.
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Thank you everyone - where can I get the rc urinary food from? Would my vet sell it or could a pet shop obtain it?
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Vet or VetUK - classed as a prescription item, so pet shops can't sell them.
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You should consult your vet before changing to a prescription diet, although you dont need a prescription to buy they are to be used under veterinary guidance ;D
If you havent had already, a urine sample should be analysed because yes she could have crystals.
Wet food is really important for bladder cats.
Also see this thread: http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,11904.0.html (http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,11904.0.html)
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Hope Mushroom is feeling better today.
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Sorry to hear about Mushroom,
We have exactly the same problems with our boy Jess, he is a very stressy cat, so we know its stress related, we have 3 feliways plugged in. we rehomed a kitten in Jan and it was also suggested to us that his hasn't helped but they get on fine and Jess was suffering before Milo arrived.
Do take mushroom to the vets especally if there is blood, try cutting out biscuits (we've done this with Jess) and adding a tablespoon of water to the wet food.
Its very hard to deal with and you need an understanding vet,
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A friend of mine has a persian who recently got cystitis. Turned out it was stress-related and not bacterial, and he is back on the mend now.
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How's Mushroom doing?
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Thank you for all your lovely replies everyone. Not only was I very worries about Mushroom, I was very upset with the vet practice. Touch wood, she is fine now and she is living off Applaws for the moment. I have also found some Catsoup, with probiotics in which I hope will help. But I need to get her on a urinary diet. She also seems fine in herself, relaxed and happy. I just hope it lasts!!
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So pleased she is feeling better.
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Please keep in mind that applaws is not a complete diet and also that fish varieties are not good for a cat with bladder problems ;D