Topic: Worrying litter tray deposits? (Read 10971 times)

kp76 · « **Reply #60 on:** February 15, 2009, 18:24:52 PM »

Well guys, it looks like Storm has stopped using her litter tray again. I haven't heard her use the tray at all it the last 24hrs & her bladder feels full. She's not going anywhere else in the house, she's an indoor cat. Any ideas how i can encourage her to go before i call the vet in the morning?

kp76 · « **Reply #59 on:** January 29, 2009, 14:35:19 PM »

Yeah fingers crossed she continues to improve. I'm so glad i took her to the vets last thurs. She must have been in great discomfort by the time they sedated her on fri, apparently when they did she flooded the place poor thing. Lol. Thank you everyone for your support & advice. All sorts of things were running through my head when i found out she was poorly, talking about it helped calm me down.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #58 on:** January 29, 2009, 14:06:19 PM »

Quote from: kp76 on January 29, 2009, 14:05:25 PM

MM i don't think it's that i've only put it on in the last couple of days, she was holding on long before i covered it up. If anything she's using it more now the hood is back on it.

Thats good

kp76 · « **Reply #57 on:** January 29, 2009, 14:05:25 PM »

MM i don't think it's that i've only put it on in the last couple of days, she was holding on long before i covered it up. If anything she's using it more now the hood is back on it.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #56 on:** January 29, 2009, 14:01:47 PM »

It could be the lid making her hang on, not all cats like a hooded tray!

kp76 · « **Reply #55 on:** January 29, 2009, 13:59:09 PM »

She seems much happier now. They use wood based litter from pets at home, which doesn't make the wee smell & i've just put the lid back on the litter tray after storm had a collar on for a month & couldn't negotiate her way into it with it on. Lol. Fingers crossed things continue to improve.

Leanne · « **Reply #54 on:** January 29, 2009, 13:33:08 PM »

This was Jess's problem he would hold it until the last possible moment.

The behavourist we saw recommended taking out the liner and newspapers from the tray as cats don't usually like them and to try a different softer litter. We were using normal Catsan but this can be tough on the paws (strangely enough Jess would never walk on our stony path so it makes sense)

We now use Catsan Clumping in the trays (one open and one closed in) with nothing use and close the utility cupboard door a bit so they have privacy.

Jess now wees 2/3 times a day.

kp76 · « **Reply #53 on:** January 29, 2009, 12:41:28 PM »

She's much better today. The vet was very impressed with her. The dark urine has gone. She's eating & drinking. I've put it down to the litter tray liner being shredded by Alfie & him covering the litter with it so she couldn't find a big enough space to go. The litter is now the only thing in the tray, no liners being used. I'm putting the withdrawn behaviour down to the antibiotics she did exactly the same the last time she had an antibiotic injection for her shoulder injury. The vets given her some more cystaid enough for the next month so we'll see how things go. I've ordered a feliway plug in just in case it is stress related. It'll also come in handy when i take them to my parents when i go on hol.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #52 on:** January 29, 2009, 12:00:35 PM »

Sorry to hear shes still having problems

have you given her an extra tray? Its reccomended by behaviourists that all essentials are at a ratio of 1 per cat plus 1, litter trays, food areas, beds, scratch areas and hidey holes, as most bladder probs are caused by behavioural issues this would be a very good place to start. A very fine grain clumping clay litter would be worth trying too, its as close to sand that you can find

kp76 · « **Reply #51 on:** January 28, 2009, 21:18:26 PM »

We're off to the vets again tomorrow morning. Storm hasn't really been to the loo in the past day. She seems to be holding on any idea's what could be going on, she seems withdrawn but is still eating altho i haven't seen her drinking. Fortunatly i already had the appointment booked.

kp76 · « **Reply #50 on:** January 26, 2009, 21:23:33 PM »

The helpful nurse i spoke to this morning wasn't concerned that one tablet had gone missing. If it had been lots then she'd have been worried tho. They are treating her for bad cystitis but giving the peds just incase there's something else going on. Just covering all bases i think. It seems normal practice at this vets. Storm is grumpy again today but i'm putting that down to having to force the tablets into her after refusal of the dairylea technique. She's done a stonker of a wee in the tray today but it's still dark coloured.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #49 on:** January 26, 2009, 20:03:03 PM »

If you asked for 20 replacements then they may get annoyed but 1 should be fine

kp76 · « **Reply #48 on:** January 25, 2009, 22:04:51 PM »

Lol it's not a hassle to go to my vets i can see it from the living room window along with a grooming parlour & pet food shop. All animal needs catered for within a 1 min stroll. I've been considering giving her one by force. I think i'll have to bite the bullet & give it a go. I wasn't sure if i could go & ask the vet for extra tablets or not. Then i thought surely i'm not the only one with a pet that refuses to take a tablet the easy way then have it rendered useless/too mushy to give by force. They must get asked for replacement tablets from time to time.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #47 on:** January 25, 2009, 21:37:09 PM »

Hmmn, this is just what I'd do so not saying it's the right thing... I'd give her one by force and then see about getting an extra one from the vets. I'm not saying it would harm her missing one tablet but if you can get to the vets to pick up another tablet with no hassle then that sounds like the best bet.

kp76 · « **Reply #46 on:** January 25, 2009, 21:03:29 PM »

Are you sick of answering my questions yet because here comes another one. Lol. She won't take the clava tonight. I've tried dairylea, ham & now it's mushed up in the middle of a chunk of felix pouch, which she's eaten around about & left the offending lump of meat, arrgh contrary madam! What should i do, get her to take another one by popping it down her neck, if i can, & ask the nurse for a replacement pill tomorrow or leave it, try again in the morning? I'm worried that she won't have had the full course if she doesn't take this one tonight.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #45 on:** January 25, 2009, 19:40:17 PM »

Well done on your sly methods!

Clavaseptin is an antibiotic, prednisolone is a steroid and cystaid is a glucosamine based supplement that is used with the thinking that the bladder lining has GAGs in it so an aggrevated bladder may be helped by supplementing with more GAGs eg cystaid
http://www.applaws.co.uk/?in_section=health&page=flutd this explains it better than i do

The interesting thing is that very few cats actually have an infection causing their problem, most are idiopathic yet most vets will prescribe antibiotic treatment without blinking

The link above is one of the best pages i found when Taz started having problems, very easy to read and understand

kp76 · « **Reply #44 on:** January 24, 2009, 20:40:30 PM »

The clava & the preds go down well with dairylea so i think i'll stick with that until i speak to the vets nurse on mon about the preds. It's so handy having the vets just across the road. The cystaid i mixed in with half a felix pouch again tonight & she's eaten it all again. That obviously works. Lol
Can you tell me what all these med are surely they can't all be antibiotics?

Millys Mum · « **Reply #43 on:** January 24, 2009, 20:05:29 PM »

With humans if its soluble it needs to be dissolved but cant say iv ever had this with cats! Always just plain preds for swallowing and they can be crushed into food, id ask your vet on that one, if they didnt mention it then it may turn out not to matter but you never know

Fingers crossed shes eats the cystaid in her tea

kp76 · « **Reply #42 on:** January 24, 2009, 19:44:31 PM »

I'm not expecting her to improve over night the vet said there was a lot of infection. I mustn't have caught it that quickly but having only had her a month i think i did quite well noticing something was wrong. I'm going to try mixing the cystaid in with a felix pouch tonight for her see if she takes it that way. Can i crush the preds? I got the felix pouches this morning to see if both cats liked them, she wolfed her share down & went back for Alfie's once he'd licked the jelly off. Lol

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #41 on:** January 24, 2009, 19:35:18 PM »

Sounds promising

She's lucky that you took her before it got really bad for her, you're a very good cat Mum to take her when you noticed the change in colour rather than wait til she's not weeing at all

Riley does that thing with the carpet too, annoying but cute

Millys Mum · « **Reply #40 on:** January 24, 2009, 19:30:29 PM »

Cystaid can be opened and mixed into dairylea or into her normal wet food, its tasteless, same goes for the preds, very easily hidden

I hope your good run continues

kp76 · « **Reply #39 on:** January 24, 2009, 18:58:21 PM »

She's still producing dark coloured urine but more than in the previous 24/48 hrs, thats got to be a positive. Much more chatty & receptive to me stroking her today. She clawed her way across the living room floor on her tummy just so she could get me to stroke her before. It would have been quicker to get up & walk but nevermind, my poor battle scared carpet. Lol

MrsR · « **Reply #38 on:** January 24, 2009, 12:11:40 PM »

Good news hunnie x

kp76 · « **Reply #37 on:** January 24, 2009, 10:49:26 AM »

So far so good. I think i've managed to get all but a little of her capsule into her with a combination of dairylea & defurrum treats. Fingers crossed it continues. She's like a different cat today.

kp76 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 23, 2009, 21:06:17 PM »

Thanks for the pic. I have to go to pets at home tomorrow so i'll look out for them. Millys mum i forgot to say thanks so much for the fab cats link. It may come to the towel wrapping if i can't disguise them enough. I love this site everyones so helpful with advice. I really panic'd today when i thought there was something seriously wrong but having someone to talk to helps loads.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #35 on:** January 23, 2009, 20:31:12 PM »

Pets at Home, Jollyes - most pet shops I guess, I've never seen then in supermarkets. Here's what they look like:

kp76 · « **Reply #34 on:** January 23, 2009, 20:29:15 PM »

Thanks Helen. Where do you get defurrum treats? I'm going to try dairylea & ham i know she likes both but the treats may be a good standby.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #33 on:** January 23, 2009, 20:23:40 PM »

Having given thousands (yes, literally!) of tablets to my last cat my tried and trusted methods would have to be - in order of ease and cleanliness:

1) De-furrum treats - these are very palatable and when snapped in half a tablet can be poked in and is held in place by the 'goo' inside. These are then munched unsuspectingly.

2) Primula/Dairylea - messy but effective, poke a tablet in a blob of Primula / Dairylea. I found that if it was licked of the finger the success rate with the tablet getting eaten was higher than from a plate, no idea why!

3) Wafer thin ham - Bernad Matthews used to be the best, wrap the tablet in a small parcel of the ham - has to be the wafer thin stuff as normal ham doesn't fold. The BM wafer thin ham is very moist and sticks to itself when you wrap the parcel.

kp76 · « **Reply #32 on:** January 23, 2009, 19:59:27 PM »

She's not timid, just incredibly strong & wriggly. It took 2 of us to get her in her box at the vets. She doesn't bite/claw either. Well not really. She's on cystaid 1 tab twice daily, prednisolone soluble 1 tab once daily, there's no instructions to dissolve these in anything so i guess i just pop it down her in thie usual manner & clavaseptin 1 tab twice daily.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #31 on:** January 23, 2009, 19:48:34 PM »

http://www.fabcats.org/owners/medicating/pill.html

if shes timid then a towel may hinder things, it would freak my nervous ones out

Millys Mum · « **Reply #30 on:** January 23, 2009, 19:44:34 PM »

Im glad shes back home now

Whats she on?

Is she a good eater? You can wrap tablets in cheddar or primula or chewy treats such as webbox sticks if not then you need to just be firm and get on with it.
Im right handed so with my left hand i raise the head and that naturally drops the lower jaw. The little finger on my right hand pushes it down further whilst the pill is poked right down with my index finger/flicked if they bite. Rub throat to encourage swallow or a small squirt of water will wash it down.

Will find a good picture guide for you

kp76 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 23, 2009, 17:39:59 PM »

Ok guys she's back. It was a urine infection causing the problem. I'm suprised by how undrowsy she is. My next problem is how on earth does a person on their own get 5, yes 5, tablets a day into a very strong cat?
Any advice gratefully recieved.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #28 on:** January 23, 2009, 17:26:25 PM »

I hope Storm is ok

Quote from: kp76 on January 22, 2009, 23:04:24 PM

I've got 'special' litter for her to use. That way i can collect her sample, no stalking needed. I can always tell when she's been cos she scratches the kitchen cupboard doors when she's finished.

Many cats wont use katkor, i would need about 10 packets to convince my lot to try it as they have to dig alot before peeing and theres barely anything in one bag

The quick method is for the vet to take a sample directly from the bladder, its over and done with very quickly and the urine isnt contaminated in anyway.

Den · « **Reply #27 on:** January 23, 2009, 16:14:55 PM »

Eeeeep, fingers crossed for you both. Having just gone through something similar I really feel for you

Leanne · « **Reply #26 on:** January 23, 2009, 16:12:04 PM »

Oh no poor Storm, I hope everything is okay

kp76 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 23, 2009, 15:35:10 PM »

Well they've taken her in as an emergency to sedate her, try & get some urine & do some tests on it. I'm just waiting for a phone call now.

Leanne · « **Reply #24 on:** January 23, 2009, 08:56:15 AM »

Katkor is the special litter to collect a urine sample.

I've only ever had one successful urine sample collection with it.

kp76 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 22, 2009, 23:04:24 PM »

Whats katkor? How would they cure it straight away? I've got 'special' litter for her to use. That way i can collect her sample, no stalking needed. I can always tell when she's been cos she scratches the kitchen cupboard doors when she's finished. I've just got home & her bladder still feels full.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #22 on:** January 22, 2009, 18:43:14 PM »

She could be holding it in if she doesnt like sharing a tray.

Why do vets faff around with katkor when it can be sorted out then and there?

If a cat has a stress problem being stalked by an intent human when it wants the toilet isnt going to help

kp76 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 22, 2009, 16:46:27 PM »

It could be, bless her she's been wearing a collar since before Xmas, i've been taking it off during the day but i'm wondering if all the taking it off & putting it on could be causing the problem.

Author Topic: Worrying litter tray deposits? (Read 10971 times)