Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Lagslayer]

I have ta cat with bladder stones/crystals. A few weeks ago, he was taken to the vet and they removed a urinary tract blockage (expensive, over $500). He had lost a lot of weight in the days he had to spend at the vet. Since then he has come back home and been fine, but still pretty sedentary and preferring to stay inside most of the time. Until a couple days ago. He's been crying in and around the cat box again and I fear the problem may be showing itself again.

Having to put him through and pay for the surgery every few weeks could be very problematic, so I need a solution that avoids this if at all possible. I've done some reading, and I'm going to try giving my cats new food. Currently they are eating 9 Lives canned food with friskies/meow mix dry food for breakfast, and for dinner they have the dry food and friskies pouch food. Is there another brand that would help clear up the problem? I'm assuming whatever the vet gave him was not very palatable, considering how he lost so much weight (no way is was all waste products).

Please, help me. I don't want to lose my cat  .

[Telgin]

Huh... I would have thought the vet would have given you some pointers on things you could do to help prevent this from recurring.  You might still want to try that, you could give them a call and see if they have any ideas.  Couldn't hurt.

In any case, I wish you better luck than my parents have had with their cat.  She's had urinary tract infections off and on for years, despite once staying at the vet for a week getting antibiotics.  It always seems to come back.  Slightly different cause, so maybe you won't have the same trouble.

[Lagslayer]

They tried to sell us their special diet care plan after the visit. It's ludicrously expensive, and the food included would seem to be something the cats would hate.

Hope it isn't just his genetics.

Ty for the support .

[Frumple]

... try another vet, or emphasize to the one you're going to that you can't afford to pay that kind of money for a diet plan and any suggestions would be really helpful. Most vets I've gone to have sympathized with the 'I really want to help my pet, but I also must eat, myself' angle.

Seriously though, the answer here is to talk to someone that actually knows what they're talking about, i.e. a vet. Someone trained and/or experienced in treating animals will know better than, well, probably anyone else.

Also, vet's going to know whether the cat will hate the food or not. You're giving them money for a (hopefully good) reason.

As a general note, when an animal won't eat a particular type of food to your preference, the proper answer is to keep giving th'animal that food until they do. Cats, dogs, they're not actually that picky, they just get used to certain things (especially if they can manipulate you into giving it!). They get hungry enough, they'll eat what you give them. Animal won't starve itself when there's food available, though they may not eat to the degree the owner prefers. They know their body better than you do, most of the time.

Or spoil the animal and waste your money, either way

[DJ]

Yup, I wouldn't worry too much about the cat's preferences, just go with what the vet recommended. Well, maybe get a second opinion, and an alternative diet plan that won't bankrupt you.

[Lagslayer]

Took him to the vet again. It turned out he does not have bladder stones again. Instead, he had this huge infected fuss-filled balloon of a wound on the back of his neck (no doubt concealed by his fat and thick fur). Apparently something has punctured the skin back there and it got infected. We have no idea what did it, however, which concerns me somewhat. He has an operation to cut small holes in the infected area and some temporary drainage tubes sewn into it. This operation cost $400, but luckily looks like it won't be an ongoing thing. We are trying some new food to help prevent the kidney stones just in case. He will also be taking some penicillin to help fight the infection.

Since the fur around the wound is now moist, the fur lays down and I can properly see how big it is. Good god, it is huge! Like 2 inches across and half an inch thick, at least! He's going to be stuck inside for a while, but he should get over it.

Also, that special bag of cat food was $38. Maybe a gallon size. Yeah...

[DJ]

Also, that special bag of cat food was $38. Maybe a gallon size. Yeah...

Might as well feed him caviar

[Mushroo]

Find out what brand the cat food is and then do a search online. You can probably get it for half the cost if you don't buy it through the vet.

[userpay]

I've got a dog on a special diet from the vet because she has urinary tract issues as well. Usually you can't find these types of food elsewhere because often times there is some sort of medicine/mixture of some concern in the food itself hence why it is so expensive and why where you can get it is so limited. Thankfully in my case the Petsmart where I work is going to be getting its vet added in soon which was the only reason we didn't have those special foods already since you have to go through a vet to get them. Cheaper food ahoy!

[Tellemurius]

So is it pointless for me to give advice for natural foods ie. im cooking for my animals?

[Akroma]

actually, a common source for kidney-stones is NOT the food.


it's the water. I for example live in berlin, and we have very hard water. Loads and loads of calcium, magnesium, sulfates, etc.


my advice would be to get softer water, and prevent further kidney-stones

[Lagslayer]

This area has soft water, but I bought a gallon of distilled water anyways ($0.83 or something) to start giving them. I need to get a better water dispenser, though to keep the dust and stuff out.

Also, that food is only available from the vet. At least that's what they said. I have not seen it elsewhere.