My turn for a mini-vent

4 years ago

As Elliott's Aunties and Uncles, you know he came to my home with some health issues. I initially took him to the vet after being here a week because I saw blood in his urine.

And of course the diagnosing of tartar, gingivitis, gum inflammation etc prompted the dental surgery.

I got his urine tested while he was having his surgery and there are no crystals or infection or blockage, not peeing outside the litter box; but he has FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease). The blood in the urine is what suggests this.

But also FIC which they think he has, is a common cause of FLUTD, and it is caused by stress.

That makes complete sense to me.......he is not an alpha cat at all, he lived in a home with 4 other cats and a dog/ the house was undergoing renovations, and the family was separating. So a lot of upheaval. Add into that him coming into my home; a complete stranger.

So to cut to the chase they recommended some treatments......one is a weekly injection of some sort which would strengthen the bladder lining (no). To use a Feliway diffuser which is an unscented calming spray. (again no). So we decided on a urinary dry cat food with a calming additive (he refused to eat it, didn't like it, so I took it back). I also have a couple of cans of urinary cat food. He will eat it if it's mixed with his Fancy Feast beef. Chicken is the main ingredient of both of these and he doesn't like chicken......any feathers....chicken, turkey or duck.

So yesterday I picked up a box of calming powder supplement. 30 envelopes; 1 envelope/day sprinkled on his food. The absolutely thrilling news is he really likes the taste. Whew! But it's also 60 bucks. And on the box it says it may take 8 weeks to notice a difference.

Now don't forget, and I keep stressing to the vet and technician, that he's completely laid back here. He sleeps most the day, sleeps with me at night, loves watching tv with me, loves being with me, sleeping on his cushion while I'm working at night. He has a great life. No noise, fighting with anyone, he's even getting more comfortable on the balcony when the traffic goes by. And he's come out to meet 2 people who had come to visit me.

When I mention how laid-back he is, they said that cats may not show stress, so I wouldn't know that he's stressed. I 100% believe that the blood in his urine is caused from his previous home environment and the initial move here and that it will clear up on its own.

So I'll use this one month's worth of powder and see how he is, and I'll watch for blood as usual. But the $60 on top of the vet food I'm balking at long term.

Am I over-reacting, being stubborn?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

Elizabeth
4 years ago
I think you have a good hand!e on this. His stress level will improve. He has a pretty cushy life!
Bluebell66
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Edited to say: I re-read your post after writing below. I think what you have in mind is a good approach. If it doesn't work, THEN try some of the other options. But I do definitely agree with your vet that a cat can be stressed and not show it. Hopefully that's not the case for E.

Why not try the Feliway? We use it at our house and it helps keep everyone fairly calm and peaceful. It is pricey, but it works. (I usually buy it by the 6-pack and the cost comes down a little, and I can usually buy a couple of packs on Black Friday at a lower cost. Unfortunately, there wasn't a sale on it for Prime Day.) A rescue I have worked with puts all their rescue kitties in a calming collar.

One thing I could suggest is trying - or ask your vet about - D-Mannose (powder) and Corn Silk Extract (liquid). I bought both on the A site for a former foster with FLUTD. They seemed to help. If you are on Facebook, there is a group called "Feline Lower Urinary Tract" that discusses all things related to this condition and using both those supplements. If you are not on FB, let me know and I'll see if I can download some of the files and share them with you.
Related Discussions
Video: As food prices rise, homeowners turn yards into mini-farms
Q
Comments (32)
Didn't get back to this thread for awhile... Darthtrader, have you used the "3 sisters" method? It will produce a lot... but it is meant for field corn, not sweet corn (sweet corn won't support the beans), dry beans not snap beans (you might trample the squash while picking the snaps) and winter squash, not summer squash (ditto on trampling). Essentially, it was a "plant it & forget it" arrangement; the heavy growth did not enable frequent entry for the harvest of immature crops. I have used several variations of it with sweet corn, substituting cowpeas or soybeans for beans, and using indeterminate tomatoes as ground cover in place of squash. I heartily endorse the use of cowpeas within sweet corn, as they are mostly weak climbers, and won't overload the shorter, weaker stalks of the sweet corn. Regardless of the method & varieties used, the corn & squash require a lot of space... which is what I was referring to when I mentioned that it might not be cost effective for those with smaller urban lots. CynthiaH, I once lived & gardened in the Bay area, also on borrowed land. My garden was on a utility easement near the NASA/Ames facility, and was limited in size only by how much time I chose to invest in it. In exchange, I agreed to clean up trash left by a BMX organization (bike racing) on other parts of the property, and to keep the weeds down. Except in the inner cities, there is always empty land somewhere. I gave more detailed advice on OPP gardening (other people's property) here.
...See More
turning 18 hole mini golf course into 18 individual gardens
Q
Comments (3)
Urban_Allison, I agree that this is a wonderful idea! If it were a full-sized golf course, it would also be enormous. However, jkirby mentioned that it is a miniature golf course. I don't know the precise dimensions of a miniature golf course, but the ones I've seen just driving by 'em haven't seemed that overwhelming for a Girl Scout troop (and I know: I was one back in the Dark Ages...). Maybe they can get a landscape professional to help with the layout?
...See More
Studor mini-vent relocation?
Q
Comments (7)
What problems will I have if I change the configuration to something like this? Is this even possible? Note 1: I know I should get a high loop on the Dishwasher return to the garbage disposal. I plan on doing that when I replace the dishwasher. Note 2: Currently, Studor Mini-Vent is in an upright position. The pipe slant, then go up vertically. I figured someone might make a comment on this. Note 3: This does not appear to be a vent stack system. It is a single story house, and looking under all other plumbing, it appears it is the only place with a Studor Mini-Vent. The rest of the house appears to be on a standard vent to the roof (I have two on the roof, presumably for the two bathrooms). Note 4: This is in Tennessee in case anyone is curious for coding purposes.
...See More
My turn to vent
Q
Comments (14)
Mariend, yes, we are covered as far as them being licensed and insured. At least they have that going for them. LOL I don't know of any exterminators in this part of the country that do the tent thing. I've heard of it though. Your offer of tea sounds mighty good! Heather, I had to laugh. Right after mentioning your ants you asked if I liked cheesecake. I thought you'd found a new way to kill ants with cheesecake! LOL Oh I sure do like it and wish I could have some with my tea from Mariend. Teresa, you are so right. Look on the bright side and pray for tomorrow! LOL Sure wish I could rock that cranky toddler of yours and give you a break. Foggy, we have a basement and I guess it's around there that they will drill the holes. A friend of mine just told me that the stuff they use is only good for a few years. Oh brother!! Kathi, bless those poor people's hearts. They lost their home but still had a sense of humor. I'm working on mine. LOL I don't remember if I mentioned it in my post, but of course, my (lucky) husband is out of town. Did you ever see it fail? Never here for the fireworks. LOL
...See More
Alisande
4 years ago
Aw . . . he's such a beauty. And you're such a good cat mama.

I've been going the calming route with my cat Rocky, who has very noticeable anxiety and is on antibiotics for what the vet termed a "raging UTI" that could have been caused by stress. I recently bought this hemp oil recommended by one of my stepdaughters, who has had great results using it to help one of her cats. She's using six drops a day on his food for the 10-lb. kitty.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RDJ3L6M

I noticed that some of the reviews state that CBD oil can also be very helpful for stressed cats (and possibly dogs--I don't recall, as I was researching anxious cats). That's next on my list if the help oil doesn't do anything.

I rejected Feliway because I don't want to be breathing it. Thanks to my genetic makeup, some things that don't bother most people are toxic to me, plus I'm dealing with breathing issues this summer.

Bluebell, I'll look into your other suggestions--thanks!

Jasdip, best of luck to you and Elliott!
wildchild2x2
4 years ago
No you are not over reaching. You seem to have tuned in to his needs. You are being both sensitive to his needs and pragmatic. He is telling you how he feels and you are listening. Follow your gut.
chloebud
4 years ago
Jasdip, I just wanted to say you sound like a really great cat mom. Honestly, that face in your second pic would make me forget the $60. Adorable!
Jasdip
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
The $60 caught me by surprise. No doubt. Reading the helpful ideas on the info they gave me......quiet home, enough litterboxes, play with him and engage him, let him have free reign in the home. This is all a given, and he loves being brushed.

What amazes me is that he's never tried to bite me. Trimming his nails or anything.

When he grooms himself he sometimes pulls hair and tries to swallow it. I immediately call him by name and I go to him and open his mouth to pick it out. He doesn't run and hide.

It's the stressed environment that I have an issue with.

Just now as I'm typing this
Bluebell66
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
That face! So handsome. Please don't worry about the stressed environment part. It sounds like you've thought of everything and are doing it all just right. The vets cover the environment, though, because some cats, just like some people, tend to have lower thresholds for stress. Those cats can SEEM laid back but actually aren't. They hide the fact they're stressed just like many cats hide pain.

I would say keep doing what you're doing, see how things go, and then take additional steps if needed.
maifleur03
4 years ago
It probably took him a while to develop his urinary tract problems from stress or not so it will take some time for him to heal. One thing you might watch for when you are cleaning his litter boxes is how frequently he uses them in a day. Some cats will only urinate a couple of times a day but he may be retaining urine because in his old environment he was afraid that he would be attacked. He may need a low walled enclosure around at least one litter box to provide extra security.
schoolhouse_gwagain
4 years ago
What an adoring look he is giving you.

All the vet visits and administering of meds could be adding to his stress level too. I would try to let things settle down as others mentioned.
patriciae_gw
4 years ago
I think you are doing very well. Trust yourself. You can tell if he is stressed. He suffered from inflammation due to his living situation with his dental issues. It is going to cure itself because with you life is sweet. I would not over think the whole thing. Trust yourself. He looks so happy.

My turn for a mini-vent

Comments (10)

Elizabeth

Bluebell66

Related Discussions

Alisande

wildchild2x2

chloebud

Jasdip
Original Author

Bluebell66

maifleur03

schoolhouse_gwagain

patriciae_gw

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

My turn for a mini-vent

Comments (10)

Related Discussions

JasdipOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Jasdip
Original Author