Blocked bladder

[Roz]

How many cats do you have Michelle?  In Jet's case just about everything stressed him out.  He was even frightened by two little four week old kittens who were in the pen next to him earlier this year when he was in for Xrays and an endoscopy and other tests for feline asthma...(he's over that now thank goodness,  I'd changed the brand of his litter??? and Jet being Jet he had to have an enormous reaction to it!

Re the FLUTD,  one of the vets who used to treat him told me that even a simple trip to the surgery can trigger enough stress to cause the PH balance within their urinary tract to change.  It is that sensitive. 

So, if you have other cats, these may be worrying him.  I'm sure this was the main problem for Jet.  He has always been a scaredy cat but he came to us as a stray and had behavioural problems as well as being an all black cat...so his chances of being rehomed were very slim.  Hence the reason I decided against trying to find another home for him...and I really do believe he is now a very contented little Jet.  The operation to shorten his urethra was a huge success.  He's never even had a flare up since and eats what he likes. 

Try to think of anything that might be different.  It was Christmas a couple of weeks ago.  Did you have boxes about or move furniture or have lots of guests to stay/visit?  All of these things could have triggered a stress reaction.

Just make sure that he has plenty of filtered water on tap and I always used to put extra water in with his food.  If you live in a hard water area, try to introduce mineral water into his diet rather than relying on tap water.  I'm sure hard water exacerbates the problem.

Hope that helps.

Lots of love to little Freddy for a speedy recovery.

Roz

[blackcat]

Cats are very sensitive to the mood of their people. You guys have been going through seven kinds of hell lately and he will be picking up on this. If it is stress-related, my money is on that as the cause.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Hi Roz,

Thank you for that. Hopefully it is cystitis rather than a blocked bladder but i am keeping a very close an on him and because i am not 100% happy with him i will be taking him back tomorrow
What i am concerned about is that cystitis is norm caused by stress, which my vet kept reminding my yesterday.
I cannot for the life of me think what could be stressing Freddy out ! I came away feeling like a bad Mummy, almost like i had failed Freddy and it was my fault.
My Cats are my world, I look after them properly - They are all vacinnated, wormed, flead and dont eat crap food.
They lead the life a riley so what would be upsetting him to cause this ?

[Roz]

Hi Michelle,

I've only just seen this thread but I still remember loads about blocked bladders as does Teresa.  If you have any real worries and need another person's thoughts who has been through an extreme case of this, please do not hesitate to pm me.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things.  Blocked bladders are one of the most painful afflictions a male cat can experience.

Good luck to the little guy and hope he feels better very soon.

Love

Roz

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Sorry for delay in update.

He managed to do a wee late afternoon yesterday but i'm not 100% happy with him so i am going to pop him back to the vets in the morning xxx

[Teresa Pawcats]

Any news on Freddy?

[blackcat]

definitely not something to mess around with Michelle - off to the vet tonight - they may need to insert a catheter ...

[Teresa Pawcats]

Agree with Dawn, this is serious and needs urgent attention.

[Dawn F]

I'd phone now

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

I was at Vets with Freddy by 9am this morning.

He still has not had a wee - he keeps going to the litter trays and a drip will come out and thats it ! I have even tried running the kitchen taps ( ) but still nothing

Vet said injections should kick in with in a few hours
How long do i leave it before taking him back ?

[Gillian Harvey]

Also iff an actual blockage occurs he may cry out out - I know my Ben did when he blocked, he did that a couple of times, and I knew I had to act fast (3 a.m trip to the vets!) Hope Freddy feels better soon.

[Dawn F]

bluto used to suffer with crystals he had three attacks and always hid under the furniture a presciption diet sorted him out though

[Teresa Pawcats]

Generally you will see him make several trips to his tray without success,often instead of squatting normally he will stand higher almost as if in the pooing position.He will also be in pain and possible bad tempered, I know Buster was. I would not advise you to feel his bladder unless your vet has shown you how to do it as it can do a lot of damage.
Hope Freddy soon recovers

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Noticed this morning that Freddy couldnt do a wee -
So i took him straight to vets.

Vet says his bladder is a tight little knot, He gave Freddy an antibiotic injection and an antinflamatry one.
He said he couldnt feel a blockage but to keep a close eye on him and bring him straight back if he gets worse.

How will i know if he gets a blockage ? It can be fatal so quickly in a boy