One of my cats, I am unsure of her age because I adopted her from the pound 4 years ago, is ill. I found her squatting down as though to urinate only instead she left a small pool of blood. She is not in any distress that I can tell. She is still eating, running after the other cats etc. Our vet, here in the valley, is only in her office two days a week and because of the holiday, it will probably be Saturday before she can see Moth. I have never seen this before. Does anyone have any ideas. Yes, she is spayed.

-- Cheryl (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), November 19, 2000

Answers

Needs to be looked by vet, but my guess is a urinary infection or blockage. My old female cat several years ago started doing this. Put her on low ash "urinary health" cat food and no problem since.

Way back when had male with this problem. Had to give him a pill every day. Luckily if I sprinkled a little nutritional yeast on it he ate it right up as a treat. Vet couldnt believe it. Would have been hell to catch him and poke it down his throat every day for years. That was back when only low ash cat food was expensive stuff vet sold. Now Friskies, Purina, and other usual brands have a low ash version that is no more expensive.

Again need to have vet look at your cat if possible.

-- Hermit John (hermit@hilltop_homestead.zzn.com), November 19, 2000.

I agree with Hermit John, urinary problems. If you feel her stomach, she is probably bloated too. See vet as soon as possible. They run a catheter to her bladder so it can drain and give antibiotics. This is followed by a low ash diet. Cat foods with fish or feeding regular tuna has the highest ash.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), November 19, 2000.

Cheryl, your cat has FUS, feline urological syndrome, she most likely has mineral crystals building up in her bladder, and possibly a bladder infection in addition. I have two ancient housecats, 20 and 21 years old who I have "doctored" extensively for this condition, so I have tons of experience, from the vet also, on this condition.

First of all, see the vet when he/she is in. Ampicillin is very helpful at treating the spasming bladder walls at this point, relieves much of the discomfort within three days of treatment, easiest to administer in the pill form, not the liquid. The pills are tiny, and easy to get down, if you are quick. Get methigel at the vet's also, administer as directed on the label at least twice a day, more often if the cat is having an acute attack, constantly trying to urinate, obivious discomfort, etc.

Second, get future methigel, and a product called "Gold Vet", a potassium citrate urinary acidifier, it's a powder that you mix with their food, canned food works the best, twice a day, 1/4 teaspoon a dose, from KV Vet Supply, 1-800-423-8211. Order this now, they ship fast, and their prices are better than from the vet. It is not necessary to have to use medicated food if you use methigel, and the "Gold Vet", my old cats refused the low ash food, they only eat canned, and they are very fussy.

I have found that if you use bottled spring water as the sole water for the cat, that it helps also. Sounds weird, but some water has high levels of minerals in it, so the bottled water really helps prevent future attacks.

Do not give her any people food anymore, most has way too much salt/minerals in it for cats, she should get cat food only, and the canned variety is best for FUS, less ash, and more moisture.

This is a highly treatable, and managable condition, just takes diligence at medicating her often, and providing the proper food and water.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions at all, good luck with your kitty, Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 19, 2000.

Thanks everyone for your advice. The problem with controlling Moth's diet is that she will eat anything. She chews thru plastic to get to people food especially baked goods. She has always been this way. The other cats do not really seem to care. Is this contagious? I really cannot afford special food for all three cats. And I don't know how I will feed Moth special food. She is the gentlest cat and will let the other's have their way. Her field of expertice is civil disobedience. I usually just but the cheapest cat food at the feed store. I really love this cat. She is very gentle with everyone, including the grandkids and loves to sit on the piano and oversee when I teach music lessons. I just cannot break her of eating all food left unprotected. By that I mean in the oven or fridge. She was like this when I adopted her.

-- Cheryl (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), November 19, 2000.

Cheryl, just put Moth in the bathroom with her food and shut the door. Then the others can't get it. Sounds like you have special kittys. Hope she gets better soon.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), November 19, 2000.

The most common cause of bloody urine in the cat is a bladder infection +/- stones. It is very unusual for a female cat to obstruct and need to be catherized . (have only seen one in 16 years of practice) Usually a two to three week course of antibiotics (amoxicillin, baytril or clavamox) does the trick but acidifying the diet does help. Almost every major producer of cat food now has an acidifying diet. That includes Walmart as well as Purina, 9 lives and Friskies. It shouldn't cost you that much more and all of your other cats can be on it also. (except really old cats where the acidity can make kidney disease worse). The bottled water is also a great idea except use distilled water since some of the spring water on the market has more minerals than your well. There are some very rare causes of bloody urine such as bladder cancer but don't worry about them until you've done a course of antibiotics. Good luck. These usually clear up right away and if you use the diet it may not recur ever. Just had a thought. You may be able to just bring in a urine sample instead of needing a visit. If you have a good rapport with your vet the sample and a description of the problem may be enough to get you the antibiotics. Worth a try.

-- teresa (teresam@ascent.net), November 19, 2000.

I don't know if it would help but I give vinegar in all animal water both outside and inside. My cats to well eat through the plastic to get to baked goods all 6 of them. I have one that loves coleslaw and throws a fit when I have it if he doesn't get some. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), November 19, 2000.

I agree with a lot of the advice given here, and I realize that you might not be able to get Moth to ANY vet before Saturday. But if there is any way you can, I urge you to do so.

I had an elderly cat who had similar problems, possibly LESS blood in the urine, since the urine was only pinkish. She was VERY ill within a day, and I believe would have died if not seen by my vet ASAP. She did recover and lived several years beyond that.

Just this summer, my male cat (only ten years) developed blood in his urine, and was acting as if he had a bladder infection. I took him in right away to the local vet (we were away from home), then did an emergency run for home and his regular vets when he didn't improve. He ultimately ended up in the vet school ICU. No one could discover what was wrong with him, and I had to have him euthanized because his heart failed and then his kidneys. If I had waited, I would have never been able to live with the guilt I would have felt.

Again, I realize that you may have no choice, but if there is any way you can get her to a vet, I urge you to do so.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), November 20, 2000.

Cheryl, Dad's make an inexpensive dry cat food that is low ash, you could just feed that to all the kitties, it's called Dad's Gourmet Blend. Give Moth the methigel up to three times daily, that will acidify her urine, and prevent future attacks. You just smear it on her face so she has to lick it off, it's paste like, you don't have to put it in food. She will need the Amoxicillin, not Ampicillin, that I mentioned previously, that will get rid of infection, and calm her bladder down, so it stops spasming. Lots of good advice in this thread!!! Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 20, 2000.

I would think that at least one local vet would have an emergency number for after hours or holidays. My vet gave me his home phone number in case of emergencies. And I would think your cat's problem is an emergency.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), November 20, 2000.

Moth is on her way to the vet Wed afternoon. Thank all of you. It was a relief for the vet to tell me that if she had been male, it would have a been an emergency but as she is female, it can wait until then. Moth sends her thanks.

-- Cheryl (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), November 20, 2000.

Cheryl, my male pursian had the same problem, FUS I believe. Fortunately, we have a holistic vet. He is much farther away than other vets, but so much better! Anyway, the first time our boy got sick, he was in a lot of pain, had an expensive 2 week stay there. I assume because he is male it was so much worse. Anyway, he got better, but the vet said no more comercial food, even though we were feeding the best! He gave me recipes, from Dr. Pitcairn's book, which I had but hadn't refered to. Well, he still had bad bouts, which we treated with holistic remadies. It was to the point my husband was wishing he would die, sometimes this poor cat hurt so bad! Finally, the WellPet-List helped. I put him on an all raw diet, no grains or veggies. When he had problems flair up, organ meats got him back on track, especially lungs! We butcher all our own meats, so the source was clean, and he responded. I learned to package lungs, and other 'offerings' in small freezer packages. On occasion, I would buy meat for him from the store. Unless it was turkey, he right away got sick again! We came to realize he is a berometer of the quality of meats, and it turns out the only store bought meat he can eat is turkey! I believe that may be because turkeys don't thrive on medicated feeds or in unclean conditions! Anyway, this cat is now extremely healthy, and several years have now gone by without a reoccurance! His personality is more outgoing, coat far nicer, and on and on. These extremely flat faced guys supposedly have very poor immune systems, which he used to, but this natural diet has changed that. We were impressed enough that we took all our dogs and cats off comercial pet foods, including the ferret. (He was the hardest to switch! Hated to give up the fun shapes of the former food!) We had never before had such health in them all! We now look to what that type of animal would be eating if it were in a wild state. Hope this helps! Fran

-- Fran Ogren (trumpkinland@plix.com), November 20, 2000.

Many thanks for your most interesting information Fran, if I didn't have soooo many cats, yes, they're all neutered/spayed, I would be very tempted to try this also! Would be a lot of turkey to buy, as we don't eat meat much at all, and I can't bring myself to butcher my laying hens, I really prefer my food to not have had a face! Thanks again, Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 21, 2000.

Cheryl: How is the cat? Were you able to get her to the vet? Hope things are going better. Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), November 24, 2000.

Cheryl: Sounds like bladder/crystal stones. My bichon-frise dog is now 4 years old, has re-occuring blood in her urine. She is on special vet diet, and I also give her potassium citrate supplement in her food, to neutralize her urine. 125 mg. amoxicillan tablets given for a two week span does clear up the problem. But it keeps re-occuring, so I must keep a very close watch on her urine!!

Sarhon,

-- Sharon (Sharon.L.Goodroad@syntegra.com), December 26, 2000.

I have a cream pursian,who is a very fussy eater,he now has a eurin infection,he will be 3yrs. old this fall and he has had a urin infection every yr. I don't know what to feed him so he won't get these infections. Some one mentioned giving him distilled water,I will do that,but as far as food I don't know what to give him. He loves Meow Mix & Kitten kaboodles but the vet said don't give him that,besides he eats so much of it he throws it up. He don't like Imas but if that's all I put down he will eat it. I love my cat, but I don't want him to be miserable,I want a happy cat. He sure is high maintance. I want something to work so I can enjoy my cay Muffin. I appreciate any advice. thank you

-- janet benson (jbenson@nmu.edu), January 09, 2001.

I have a cream pursian,who is a very fussy eater,he now has a urin infection,he will be 3yrs. old this fall and he has had a urin infection every yr. I don't know what to feed him so he won't get these infections. Some one mentioned giving him distilled water,I will do that,but as far as food I don't know what to give him. He loves Meow Mix & Kitten kaboodles but the vet said don't give him that,besides he eats so much of it he throws it up. He don't like Imas but if that's all I put down he will eat it. I love my cat, but I don't want him to be miserable,I want a happy cat. He sure is high maintance. I want something to work so I can enjoy my cat Muffin. I appreciate any advice. thank you

-- janet benson (jbenson@nmu.edu), January 09, 2001.