I followed up a week later at the vet and got another anti-inflamatory injection and was instructed to get a urine sample. I managed to get one last iThurs was told of the sulvrite crystals and got the same recommendations (gel medicine to break down the crystals and wet only scrip diet). I don’t have the food yet, but have been giving him the gel and he hates it. I have to confine him and force it down. I feel so sorry for him. The anti-inflamatory injections are only temporary. The first round, lasted less than 10 days. The second, hasn’t seemed to help at all. He growls after urinating and hisses every day with the exception of yesterday (at least while I was home). He still excessively cleans the area, which tells me the discomfort is not subsiding.

On that note, If you’re trying to get a urine sample, the only thing that worked for me (asside from having the vet keep him a night) was buying a new box and filling it with aquarium stones and to be honest, I think it was a bit of miracle that it happened at all. I just happended to sense he had to go and I picked him up and coaxed him to the new box and he went. The vet said to place saran wrap in his box, which didn’t work at all, as I suspected since he’s far too picky. I actually got the aqaurium pebble tip from the receptionist.

H’s still not going in any of his boxes (he has 3) at all and I have to keep him confied in a room that he’s already destroyed while I’m at work all day. Even when I’m home, he’s going on the living room floor, practically right in front of me. He’s also urinated on my bed (which forced me to close that room off as well and this is where he likes to sleep). I’ve switched him to wet food only twice per day and since he’s not used to just eating wet food especially at fixed times, he’s eating very little and not drinking much water. I have a bowl of water in every room (which I change daily). I even purchased a fountain, which he won’t use. I tried to get him interested, but he won’t have it.

It just seems like the humane thing to do is to put him down. It breaks my heart to think about this, but his quality of life is diminishing and after 3 weeks of treatment, changing things around, nothing appears to be helping. More than all that, he’s still in pain and discomfort every time he urinates and I would feel HORRIBLE if he were to go through the pain of becoming blocked (especially if I’m at work) because I was too selfish trying to keep him around.

Lastly, my asst spoke to a friend over the wknd, who happens to work in a vet clinic and she was a little more “real” about the situation. Her intial reaction: “oooh, that’s not good.” I’m hoping to speak to her today and get her experience and opinion about how this will liklely end. Although, like I said, reading these posts have pretty much answered that already. I think the vet is trying to be optimistic for my sake, as most of them (not in Richards case) never want to have to make the final decision.

The sad part of it all, is that he still has the same personality (adorable, crazy, naughty, lovable all wrapped into one), it’s so hard to let him go. I’m just getting to the point where I have to accept this and do the right thing for him. It seems like all I think about is what I want, meanwhile, his quality of life lessens each day. He won’t suffer, be in pain and confused about why I’m changing everything any longer. I know it will be a peaceful transition. As difficult is that is to write and think, I’m feeling more and more it’s the right thing to do.

I think my 17 year old cat has this problem although he has urine tests 2 days ago which were normal ph.
He is in and out of the litter tray but not doing much, when he does pee he howls at the end of it. It’s now the weekend so we are just sitting it out til the vet opens. I would not put him through the surgery at his age to be honest anyway. He had anaesthetic a month ago for xrays and did not recover very well.

Has anyone had a normal ph urine test on a cat with a urinary infection or blockage.