Jack has started weeing on the floor

[Guineapiggle]

Hi. Thanks everyone, we got one from zooplus and they are quite interested in it. Isobel wants to play with it, Jack keeps sniffing it and Sasha just isn't sure. They have all now had a drink from it and Izzy clearly prefers it to the old dishes. Jack had a wee in a tray today so hopefully he is getting better

[Rosella moggy]

I've just gone and ordered a platinum Drinkwell water fountain Mark coz Fred has started to drink from strange places (going for 2nd blood test next month).

Thought I'd got a cheaper deal than from VetUK, who I'm afraid I am still out of love with, as it only cost £36 with free delivery.  Just noticed though that it's 168 rather than 178 fl oz but hope it'll keep Freddie happy in any event.... anyway I found this little fella whilst googling  (just like a short haired baby Fred  )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzrHfBLc7c4

[Mark]

Over time our does get scaly - last week I filled it up with hot water and tablets you use to descale kettles. I was so scared of not rinsing it properly, I ended up having an OCD episode for about 1/2 hour  - it is nice and "unchalky" now 

[snarf]

Re the Drinkwell - Last week, I was in the kitchen and Kylie kept looking up at the sink. I wondered what she was looking at then realised she wanted to get up there (she hasn't jumped onto counters for a few years now)  I lifted her up and turned the tap on and she had a long drink. I thought it was odd as she hasn't had a drink fdfom a tap for about a year. I went into the dining room and her fountain was off  - I grilled OH who said that it was making a noise as the water was low - I said next time put some water in it!!!! 

 
i used to do that occasionally and if i forgot about it, spare cat would remind me by slapping the top off and drinking out of the resevoir then chasing the lid around the living room like a loony.  i now keep a bottle of fresh water close by for top ups like a good slave 

[Millys Mum]

Jack had a wee sample checked by the vet and it was a bit concentrated and there were some crystals in it. She recomended getting a water fountain bowl for him cuz he likes running water. Does anyone have one of these? If so where did you get it and is it any good? Thanks

Remember the phrase you can lead a horse to water but cant make him drink, it applies to cats too! 
The best attack is to ban dry food, feed a good quality wet (the meatiest your budget can afford) and some cystaid. If the crystals persist then you have 2 options, feed a boring not too tasty prescription diet or speak to your vets about adding a supplement to normal food, these are for acidifying the urine so only useful if he has struvite crystals.

[Pinball]

I have got a Lucky Kitty fountain and it is silent. Never had such a silent pump. Also only two bits to wash, looks neat and isn't that big. My cats love it.

Guineapiggle, did the vet say what crystals are in the urine?

PS: Hello all by the way!

[Mark]

I don't even bother with filters. I just clean it out once a week (or so  )

At one time I used to use mineral water in ours but we have a filter in our tap now that you change once a year.

This ceramic one looks good but the effect is different. It's probaly harder wearing (as long as it doesn't get dropped  ) and probably a lot easier to clean. I am tempted to get one. http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_bowls_feeders/cat_fountains/146304

Re the Drinkwell - Last week, I was in the kitchen and Kylie kept looking up at the sink. I wondered what she was looking at then realised she wanted to get up there (she hasn't jumped onto counters for a few years now)  I lifted her up and turned the tap on and she had a long drink. I thought it was odd as she hasn't had a drink fdfom a tap for about a year. I went into the dining room and her fountain was off  - I grilled OH who said that it was making a noise as the water was low - I said next time put some water in it!!!! 

[snarf]

ive got a drink well and the cats use it several times a day. they get quite grumpy if it gets turned off or allowed to go empty. ive got the normal (not platinum) and you can hear the motor but i dont find i can hear it over other things if that makes sense? but mines only a few years old. when the water level gets too low it does get quite noisy and i genenerally end up topping mine up every other day. it has charcoal filters that are advised to be changed 3monthly i think but theyre cheap and easy to buy (and to be honest last longer than 3 months) and you might find that your cat is attracted enough to the running water to not object to the slight tap water taste- the agitation of the water will remove alot of the chemicals quickly anyway

[Mark]

Most cats seem to prefer the Drinkwell ones as the water comes out like a tap running slowly. They do a standard one and a Platinum one which has a bigger reservoir. We have 2 platinums. I used to have a standard one but the Platinum is a lot quieter. All you can hear is the water trickling, not the motor. Ours are on 24/7 and one has been runnig for about 3 years now - only goes off for cleaning. You can buy spare parts although I have never needed to.

VetUK is the cheapest place to order. If you order through a link on one of the rescues, they also get 5% commission 

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=drinkwell

Wet food is always best for cats with urinary or kidney issues. I always add a little slosh of water to pouches and mix it in to give them a bit extra 

[Guineapiggle]

Jack had a wee sample checked by the vet and it was a bit concentrated and there were some crystals in it. She recomended getting a water fountain bowl for him cuz he likes running water. Does anyone have one of these? If so where did you get it and is it any good? Thanks

[Lotzy]

My cat had a week or so of suddenly weeing in the house, before developing cystitis.  I guess her bladder was beginning to feel sensitive.  If there are no obvious reasons why he would be doing this, do bear cystitis in mind.  If he suddenly starts going more than usual, does very small amounts or passes blood, he needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible as it's painful for them and if they can't relax and wee, obviously that's going to cause problems in a few hours. 

[Guineapiggle]

Ok thanks

[Desley (booktigger)]

I had three cats one year who all had cystitis, and only one had classic symptoms - one was picked up just cos of strong smelling wee (that was interesting to find the culprit as there were 3 in the house!!), and one sprayed (his was stress related).

[Millys Mum]

The area he has chosen may indicate behaviourial but you need to rule out any physical problems first, a vet check and sample test is quick and simple  he may not have the typical cystitis but he could have crystals, these are painful and can cause litter tray aversion

[Guineapiggle]

Do you really think that could be the case? I have done some reading up on cystitis and he has none of the other symptoms. He is doing large, clear/yellowy wees with no fuss no more frequently than normal.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Vet visit in case of cystitis

[Guineapiggle]

Jack, who is 18 months old, has started going to the loo outside in the last few months and in the last few weeks has almost totally stopped using the trays and has been weeing on the floor. At first it was just once or twice, then every other morning. This week it was every day and twice today and yesterday. It is always in the same place right in front of the door in the hall.

When Jack and his sisters were kittens they would go to the loo in the wrong places but we cleaned the floor really well and put trays where they wanted to wee and it stopped. We had one or two wees outside the trays when the trays started to get yukky and fresh trays put a stop to it then.

We replaced the trays again when it started this time but it has continued to get worse. The laminate floor has got so wet from wees and mopping that it has started to lift up. Can anyone suggest why he is doing this and how to stop it.

A week after it started Jack was locked overnight by accident in the neighbors garage, could this have made it get worse?

Two trays are right near where he wees, one on each side of the door, they are in the same places that they have always been with the same type of litter and they are almost always clean when we find the puddles.