431 Comments

Robin
November 23, 2022

I love my tipper found out he needs ur food rest of his life he was 10 years old when we found out his problem he would struggle right in front of me took me awhile to realized he was trying to tell meim so glad for ur food,but can't they get meds another way he only likes salmon

Michael
November 16, 2022

My Heart goes out to all those that had to put their cats down due to this horrible problem. My wife and I were lucky enough to have been in the vet field when we had one of our cats block due to a deformity. We lost one of his litter mates 4 years later to blockage from deformity and crystals and that was heart breaking but on top of that we had another one of his litter mates this week have to have PU surgery because he had the same problem. If you do have a male cat deffinatley talk to your vet about surgery possibility and get a quote for the surgery. I know that is more expensive than unblocking but due to being in the Vet field in the emergency capacity we have seen serveral block cats just keep returning and having to have the surgery anyways no mater what the parents try. I hope this post helps someone save thier cat/baby in the future so they don't have to go through the pain and loss many people have gone through.

Sad Cat Owner
November 9, 2022

I just lost the best pet I've ever had to this disease, smartest cat I've ever met. He was only 2 and a half with a personality like no other, followed me everywhere and was my best friend, I tried in vain to save him but he died in my arms while waiting for the vet to open, it came on so fast when I figured out something was wrong it was on the weekend and I had no where to take him until Monday morning, the Sunday he started being very lethargic and I called everywhere and my only option was waiting for the vet to open, this absolutely sucks, I'll never forgive myself for not noticing sooner, I had no idea what was wrong till it was too late, the void that he left is one that can never be filled.. rest in peace little buddy, your not in pain anymore

Maiken051
November 9, 2022

Hi im back:( my baby brother, best friend, sunshine, bringer of happiness Loki just died on 5 november 2022. Im still trying my best to get through this heartbreak. It really is not easy I love him very much everytime i hve thoughts of how dear he was I'll always breakdown into tears. It's the worst sadness i've ever felt. Im glad i get to let it all out here. Im happy now that he's no longer in pain �� After my previous comment on sept he's been having recurring of it until it records for 7 times catheterisation which in total cost 10K. Imagine how painful it is to get stitches at the same place until the 6th and 7th , the catheter fall out by itself the day after stitch. He died when i was wearing my shoe to take him go to the vet then suddenly he sounds out of breath in his carriage  next to my foot. The second I opened the carriage door.. he's gone with eyes open wide�� The way my heart sunken... it's the worst day of my life i could not help thinking what if i've gone earlier he could hve been safe. I abused my self with guilt tripping thoughts but now im starting to accept the fact that he's been in pain for 3 months and maybe it's time to let him go �� but ofc thats just all talk. I miss you so much baby �� ... i can't do this

Dave
October 31, 2022

Sadly we had to put down our cat of 8 years.  He was a feral kitten my daughter tamed.  2 years ago he had a blockage.  Took him to the vet where he stayed for a week, came home and 1 week later blocked again.  Took him to the vet again, week later came home and a week later blocked.  Decided to put him down but the head vet took him back without charge where he stayed for almost 2 weeks.  Came home and had no troubles until yesterday.  We decided to put him down which was a very difficult decision. He was such a friendly lap cat. So sad about it...

Kris
October 28, 2022

I so wish I knew this 48 hrs ago. �� My baby is gone now and my heart is broken.

Judy
October 18, 2022

I’m a wreck We are going through the same issues with are baby. It seems like 2 steps forward 3 steps back. I don’t want him in pain and having to keep going through all these Vet emergency visits. He was blocked catheter placed antibiotics and several other meds less than 2 weeks and now he is back. They are hoping they don’t have to catheter him again.  He refuses to eat any prescription foods so that has been a nightmare especially when the vet keeps suggesting different brands and I tried all of them. Not sure how long we should keep putting him through this. Love him so much and he is such a loving baby.

Theresa
October 10, 2022

I noticed him straining this morning. He was crying out. I knew something was wrong. I call vet. He is at the hospital right now. He is 6 years old. I will comply with all treatments the vet tells me, but if this happens again, I sadly will have to put him down. I am retired and this is way too much for him as it is for me. I feel guilty and I wish this did not happen. I just can’t believe this is happening…..

Maiken051
September 14, 2022

please keep my cat in your prayers to be his old healthy self again forever :') his tube just got opened last weekend after getting the 2nd time stitches which costs a Lot, but then again today, he's suddenly struggles to pee yet again and after reading every single comments I just can't imagine my life without him�� im having a breakdown while typing this. Im planning to take him to the vet tomorrow again 15/09/22 he was his old self these past 5 days and today suddenly he seems fatigue and hiding himself. i've hug him and he's a snuggly boy but now he doesn't return the love by smooching me back like he always do, and that's how i know he's in so much pain again rn :')

Krista
Septermber 12, 2022

I just had to make the difficult decision to say goodbye to my beautiful boy.  He blocked less than a week ago, took him in, had the surgery. He was eating and urinating fine at the vet. As soon as I got him home he stopped eating, drinking and no urinating. I tried everything from forcing the muscle relaxers and pain meds down him to feeding him water with a syringe. Nothing helped. He just wanted to cuddle in my lap and sleep.  Took him back a day and a half later and he was fully blocked again.  I couldn’t afford another surgery, and the vet said he’d most likely block again. He was 4. My fiancé was over the road for work and I had to make this decision by myself.  The vets were wonderful, and gave me as much time as I needed.  I still have his brother, who most likely was the cause of his stress as they had been fighting the last year or so. We contemplated rehoming his brother, but we just hadn’t made the decision.  If I would’ve known it would have come this route I never would have hesitated.  I’m glad I got to snuggle my boy all the way to then end.  I will never have more than one cat in the house again. Stress caused this and now I’m 2k in debt and don’t have my boy with me.  But, he’s no longer in pain and it could’ve gone much worse had I not caught it.

Ktown
August 29, 2022

I hate this. My cat has this problem as well. The first time we went the catheter route, antibiotics and other meds, and he was okay after that for a while, half a year or so. Then it came back so quickly, we opted for expensive (5k) surgery; that surgery and all the other vet bills totaling over 10k. After the surgery he was good for almost a year, back to himself. About 2 weeks ago it happened again, another 2k for catheter and overnight care. He came back home, got better but not fully better… today I saw him staining and in pain, peeing everywhere, little spots, some with blood. I’m taking him in tomorrow to confirm he is indeed blocked again and am facing the decision to get him another surgery, or put him down. I don’t know how I can bring myself to put him down but we just had our 3rd kid, and we don’t have the kind of money to be throwing around like this. My wife is very against the surgery and I completely understand that…. I never wanted a cat. He followed me home one day when he was a kitten and wouldn’t leave! He just walked right up to me and I couldn’t turn him away. I didn’t even know pet insurance was a thing until all this kicked off and by then it was too late… I have to make a decision tomorrow…

Carole Lewis
August 28, 2022

This is the very reason, I  have bountiful and plentiful supplies of water around for my kitties. I use bottled water as a great enticement for them to drink as well as fountains. Many cats and kittens love the fountains where the water flows down a slide or the water just peers overall an edge like a waterfall! And they all just absolutely love it! My results have been fantastic as they all drink lots and lots of water! One other thing that promotes optimum kidney and ureteral health, is providing wet food for your cat or kitten, as well as dry food. Think of it this way, if they just eat dry food they’re going to need a large amount of water just to break the dry food down for metabolism. However, if they eat wet food and dry food the wet food provides a good source of hydration and the dry food is very necessary to keep the teeth clean and in good health.

Harrison's mom
August 27, 2022

This happened to my 6 year old (Just turned 6 on 8/21!!) on the evening of 8/23. He was agitated immediately after using the litter box in the morning and as the day went on things got worse. We rushed him to the ER vet immediately and he was diagnosed with urinary blockage. Catheter, IV's, meds, x-rays, the works, and a 3 night hospital stay for monitoring. They removed Harrison's catheter yesterday (8/26) morning and he was able to expel urine on his own after multi hour monitoring post catheter removal. We picked him up with pain and muscle relaxer meds as well as special urinary health wet food that I'm also adding additional water to. $5,500 later, here we are. 24 hours post hospital release today, he is eating well, returning to some of his normal behavior with the other two cats in the house. He is still straining to pee but is expelling small amounts of urine. I was told this was to be expected as the inflammation is still in the process of resolving. I have an appointment lined up for him with our regular vet to re check everything and make sure he's on the right track. This was such a horrifying experience. My heart goes out to any cat parent going through this.

Erin
August 19, 2022

I’m glad I came across everyone’s stories here. After a second relapse of urinary blockage within a month, I made the incredibly difficult decision to put my beautiful, blue eyed baby down today. I did everything I could in the last month; prescription urinary food, soft food mixed with water, multiple drinking stations around the house with a water fountain. Unfortunately he blocked again, despite the first emergency hospitalization and catheter, medication, ans change in diet. He went downhill so so fast in 24 hours. He was in agonizing pain this morning, and after reading everything here, I realized I couldn’t spend thousands every month just for him to have to keep going through the pain on a recurrent basis. He was 4 years old. He inexplicably lost 1.5 pounds in a month. He’s now an angel that won’t have to suffer any longer. He was the most cuddly, affectionate furball. My heart breaks for every person and kitty that has had to go through this god awful disease.

Meg
August 11, 2022

My heart breaks for everyone who has experienced this. My male bengal cat, Benny, is 4 years old. He started showing signs by peeing all around the house and eventually howling with no urine. Took him to the vet and they said he isn’t blocked, so here’s gabapentin and acepromazine. A few days later, fully blocked. Had the 3 night stay catheter drain and he came home. A few days to a week later he was himself again. But then he’d have random cries of pain. Id Medicate him to get ahead of the blockage. It worked. Until it didn’t. He’s currently in the hospital with his second blockage in 5 weeks. He has “FIC” and they say it’s likely due to stress. Also suggested my other household cat could be the culprit. I am struggling with the same thing I am hearing a lot of your struggling with. Where’d we draw the line with  vet bills and trying again only to no avail? It seems like such a fixable thing. But the reoccurrence of it is what is killing me. There’s no guaranteed solution and no certain way to prevent it. I feel a decision will be coming eventually, and I fear that day.

Shan
August 8, 2022

I've just been reading many sad stories from cat owners and I just want to say that this happened to my boy Lenny 21/2 years ago now. I was very lucky because by fluke I was working from home the morning he became blocked (pre-covid days when I never used to wfh). My friend had warned me this happened to her boy years before (male castrated cats are prone I believe) I was in the kitchen working and he let me know of the problem by trying to urinate in his food bowl. That was so weird I immediately called the vet and they told me to bring him straight in. They put in a catheter and overnight stay and he pulled it out the first night and did a big wee so I picked him up. Since then I put him immediately onto royal canine urinary (no this isn't an ad!) plus I give him some wet food as well. He has been fine ever since in fact he wee's a lot!! I think the reason why he did so well was that I was warned about it so I acted quickly when I saw him struggle (he also figured out a way to communicate to me that i would notice) sadly so many cat parents don't know - so if it happens to you make sure you share it with everyone you know as you can save others. Looking back before it happened he did sometimes struggle in the litter tray that he hasn't done since. I hope this story gives some hope to this illness, yes it can come back but not necessarily. My friends cat never had problems again and lived to a very old age. If you have lost one through this, do not feel bad as it is very complex and many different reasons they block, they are not suffering now, sending love xx

Kelly
August 2, 2022

I lost my boy Enzo on Sunday to this disease.  He was only 15 months old.  Saw him straining and got him to the vet.  His bladder felt soft and didn't exhibit any discomfort.  Did x-ray that showed small hard stool in rectum and assumed he was constipated.  Very little urine in his bladder and no obvious stones or crystals.  Received Lax-Aire for constipation which he happily took when we got home.  He was active and playful until later that day when he wasn't acting himself.  He was just laying around all day Thursday and called the vet back and was asked to bring him back Friday morning.  He was extremely weak at that point with occasional cries.  Vet saw him and said his bladder was enlarged and he cried when she squeezed a bit.  Had to go to emergency hospital because of no coverage at vet's office for the weekend.  He was catheterized for bloody urine.  His labs were off the chart.  He improved Saturday.  Was called Sunday that he had peed on his own after catheter was removed and his labs had pretty much returned to normal. BUT he had had a seizure which was attributed to possibly the lab numbers shifting so quickly. I brought him home with pain med, antispasmodic and Keppra for 1 week for the seizure. I had him in the carrier in the back of the car and was talking to him and checking on him at red lights.  He wasn't responding or acknowledging me but I attributed it to pain meds he was given.  When I got home I opened the carrier and saw he had his eyes very wide open, not blinking, slightly darting from side to side, slight head movement side to side and found a bunch of drool.  I called and was told to bring him right back.  I knew at that point he would never be the same and asked to have him euthanized while on the phone.  When the vet saw him, she was shocked at his condition and agreed with my decision.  He passed away peacefully as the tech held him and I petted and kissed him telling him how much I loved him and that I would see him again.  I'm devastated.  In a matter of days he went from a sweet mommy's boy getting in trouble to a precious memory.  His litter mate sister wonders where he went.  Last Monday I would have never thought he wouldn't be with me this week. He was my little tiger boy and mommy's big sack of potatoes.  I miss him.  I tried to do all the right things and what I have now is a $4500 credit card bill and only ashes being returning to me.

Lily
July 23, 2022

Reading everyone’s story’s has really helped me feel like I wasn’t alone with what happen to my buddy. Four days ago, I made the hardest decision I had to make, to let go of my best friend of 6 years. It all happened to fast, when I noticed my cat was walking slow, not eating or drinking, hiding away from my family and occasionally meowing in pain. I waited to take him to my vet till the next day, because I wasn’t sure what was going on and wanted to see how he was over night. I woke up and he was worse, took him to an emergency vet hospital and they told me he was blocked. We agreed to do the surgery, and they informed me of the risks but he would have died without this surgery. About an hour and half later I get a call that I will never forget, his bladder had ruptured during surgery and we he would have to go through another surgery to fix his bladder and clean the abdomen. They informed me he had severe kidney damage and he was in a lot of pain and not doing well at all. I would have given all my life saving to help and do whatever I could to save him, but I believe putting him through a bigger surgery and in and out of vet appointment after that and all the pain he would go through wasn’t right for him. I keep running it through my head over and over it if I made the wrong choice, but I couldn’t put my baby through pain like that, it’s just not right. I know he’s not in pain now, and he’s playing with all the other kitties and getting lots of treats and love. I don’t wish this pain on my worst enemy, and my heart goes out to anyone who has to go through this. He was my best friend, and i believe I still haven’t full processed that he’s gone.

Zena
July 22, 2012

I had to say goodbye to my first cat, Zulu today. On the 19th he started crying at night; I’ve never heard him like that before. The next day he was worse. He vomited his breakfast up and didn’t pee or poop. He had blood coming from his anus too. I looked up his symptoms and FLUTD popped up. I didn’t think he could have this serious of an issue, after all, the internet is usually wrong when it comes to looking up symptoms. I was in denial, but that afternoon we called our 24 hr ER clinic. It was heartbreaking to see him that night. I could see streaks of blood on the floor because he was crawling. He was stumbling when walking and leaning against the walls. He tried to kneel down to drink from his bowl but was shaking and gave up. Poor thing smelled bad too. He let his head rest on my hand but soon went and hid. It was horrible having to see him in pain. They got him in that morning, on the 21st. I was hopeful because when we tried to put him in his crate he struggled a lot, so I thought that it was good he still had that energy to fight. We couldn’t afford 4000, or a chance of it happening again, so we had to put him down. It was crazy how fast it had all escalated. The day before everything he was cuddling and being affectionate like normal. Before he passed he was given pain meds; I really hope they helped him. I wished we had gotten him in sooner so he wouldn’t have to pass in so much pain and suffer. And what makes it harder is that in a week it would’ve been the 5th anniversary of when we adopted him. He’s the reason why I love cats so much. This website helped a lot. I felt bad that we had to put him down and that maybe he would be ok if we had done the procedure but after reading many, it helped me to understand this is an ongoing problem throughout their life that needs to be watched very cautiously and is likely to happen again. I wished I knew about this condition before so I could maybe prevent it.

Jenny
July 13, 2022

Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories, it really helps as my husband and I begin to heal from what has been a devestating month for our family. Our sweet, amazing boy Kaz had a FLUTD episode in 2019. We took him to the ER, he was not blocked and seemed to recover on his own and we didn't think much more about it. Then our nightmare started on June 12th. We saw him go in and out of the litterbox and noticed he had been peeing on our guest bed. We took him straight to the ER. $500 to tell us he was only partially blocked and get prescriptions for gabapentin and antispasmodic. Two days later we found vomit on the carpet in the morning and he got up on our bed and peed a tiny dripple right in front of us, as if pleading for our help. We called our regular vet who told us to come in right away. They said he was blocked and we gave permission for the $1500 to place a catheter. However, they didn't have overnight care. We weighed the decision to transfer him the emergency facility, but that would have been more money and we felt he might feel less stress at a quiet office with fewer sick animals coming and going. To this day, I wonder if this decision led to his death and try not to let the guilt weigh on me. We thought we were doing right by him. Of course, we get an update in the morning that he pulled out his catheter. We approved the next $500 to replace it. This time, with a miracle stitch, we were told he couldn't pull out. One night of success, but then again night 3 he pulled it out again and now was fully blocked and not peeing on his own. We had to pick him up in agony and transfer him to the critical care facility. The car ride was torture -- he was facing the back of his crate with a cone and couldn't turn around, shaking with fear. As he heard our voices trying to offer comfort through sobs, he tried to turn around. I opened the top of the crate so he could sniff us. He rubbed my hand and purred and my heart broke. Little did we know our painful journey was just beginning. They were able to replace the catheter and now Kaz had also a UTI from his third catheterization in 6 days. After two nights and another 2,000 they asked us if we wanted to come visit him in the hospital. We immediately came to comfort our baby and within 5 minutes of being in the room with us he peed the tiniest bit. He peed 3 times, everytime a tiny drop before the techs came back. We decided with our vet that the best thing was to bring him home to continue his recovery where he could be comfortable and loved. We tried every brand of urinary food trying to find one he was willing to eat. Giving him meds was a daily struggle. At times my husband hand fed him from his fingers just to get the gabapentin's into him so he could be more comfortable while he hid under a couch or bed in the midst of an episode. One day we saw him have an episode for almost 8 hours only to see him pass a blood clot in the front hall in his spot out of the litterbox. For hours after you could just see how tired it had made him. For weeks we watched him go in and out of his litter box 20 or 30 times or 50 times a day everytime leaving tiny drops of pee; a grape, a prune, once an apricot. We called the vet daily and they kept telling us that he should be getting better... He wasn't. We went back 2 weeks later to make sure his UTI had cleared. At least if he still had an infection, that would explain his continued symptoms. Another $500 for a urine culture. More antiinflamatory drugs. He passed another blood clot at the vet as they did the centisis. Got a call 2 days later, no bacteria, an infection wasn't causing his continued suffering. We gave him another week. Some days were better than others, but we never got the sign we were praying for, a nice big chunk of pee and a day with fewer litterbox trips. This weekend he started to go down hill. He was using the litterbox just as frequently only now he was licking himself compulsively in-between, every 10 or 15 minutes. We noticed he started to drip urine as he licked. His energy levels fell and while he still did his best to pur for us when we pet him and ate what he could (food was always his major motivator) you could tell his time was fading. We called the vet who had no specific ideas for what could still be wrong. The only option would be another $1,000 of testing and we didn't even really know what we were testing for. The night before bringing him in for tests he made it clear to us that he wasn't getting better. He was under the couch on our 3-season, which he had never done before, and tried to escape outside as well. At 5am we cried together and decided we had to do the hardest thing and say goodbye to him in the morning. Our fight was futile and we had to accept that there was no more we could all do. We held him in our arms as they administered the final solution. We wept bitterly and apologized that there wasn't more we could do to save him. This month has been absolute hell. After 4.5 weeks or so, over $6,500, and so much emotional turmoil we still knew we had to accept he wasn't getting better and had to say goodbye. I'm 7 months pregnant and can't believe my baby Kaz will never get to meet the baby coming soon. My heart is with all of you who have suffered and agonized as we have. We take solace in your solidarity. Thank you again for sharing your stories. Message from husband: for all those struggling with guilt, blaming yourself, wishing you could have done more - just remind yourself of the courage it takes to accept something greater than yourself that you cannot change. We can all do our best within our means but sometimes it will not be enough. It is not our fault. It is beyond our control. We tried all we could and were privileged to be able to spend what we did. But it did not matter in the end. The disease does not discriminate and even if we had made it through this round of the FLUTD battle, it would inevitably return. It was a losing battle. We were just trying to literally buy time.

Taylor Schaefer
June 22, 2022

My precious baby boy Kushy is currently in an animal hospital after suffering from this. He was meowing in pain one night and limping so we thought he hurt his leg. The next morning he started throwing up and not eating so we figured he was just in pain and he will eat eventually…. He just layed around and drunk little water and was hiding a lot. The next day I got home late around 10pm to find him with his face covered in puke and he couldn’t stand or walk. He was out of it basically… so rushed him to the emergency vet and was told he had a urinary blockage. We payed almost $2000 to get the blockage removed and catheter put in, fluids, heart meds because his potassium was too high, pain meds and more. Got a call at 1:30am they got the blockage out but he is in really rough shape. Got a call at 7:30am that he made it through the night but is in really rough shape still. Got a call at 9:30am asking what we want to do keep trying or put him down…. I was so distraught the vet said let me call you back around lunch time and see how he’s doing…. So currently waiting for a call. Hoping the best but fearing the worst. My heart goes out to all my cat parents who lost their precious babies. I have a feeling that’s the way it’s going to be for me too. I hate seeing my baby boy in so much pain. They vet doesn’t know if his kidneys are going to be okay at all after this and said he might have neurological damage because how he is acting. This is so awful to go through and happens so fast. He was just cuddling me and meowing happily for treats a few days ago now he’s so close to death. I love you Kushy forever and always baby boy.

Jenn
Julne 20, 2022

I just want to say I’m so thankful for this article and all the input from other cat owners who have dealt with the same situation. I’m having severe regret today, after torturing myself by reading up on blockages only after we had to put our 5-6 year old male domestic longhair down yesterday. The vet said it could reoccur and that the catheter and diet change did not guarantee he would never reblock. The quote was $2800-3600 as my regular VMD stated it would have to be done by emergency center. Although I had the funds, we decided since the procedure was not a sure thing and this was his second urinary issue in an 8 month period, it was too much to gamble his health/quality of life and the money on. I feel so guilty though, and I know it’s the grief, but he was the sweetest boy and it happened so fast I can’t believe it. We would’ve done the procedure and fed him Hills for life if we knew it wouldn’t reoccur. My heart is broken and I hope we made the right choice…

Christine
June 12, 2012

I’m so glad I found this article, I see many have gone through what I have gone through and it gives me comfort. Recently I had to make the heart-shattering decision to put my beloved baby, Salem down. More than a month ago, I came home from work and found Salem peeing on the walls. I was a little upset at him, until further inspection, where there was blood mixed into his urine. The next day I took him to the ER and they gave me medicine and some c/d urinary cat food. Two weeks later, I took him to his regular vet because the symptoms kept on coming back. They gave me some medicine and gave him an antibiotic shot. This solution worked up until two weeks later. I went back with him again and the vet gave him four different types of medicine. It was difficult because the medicine before should have worked, but he became resistant to it. Everything seemed to end in happily ever after…up until two weeks was up. I noticed he spent a long time in the litter box with nothing to show for it. But it was late at night and I thought it might be that his symptoms were flaring up. The next day, I tried to give him his medicine, but he refused to take a bite of it. He hid away from me. He spent 30 minutes in the litter box with nothing to show for it, and eventually he just…laid there. He would occasionally cry out the loudest and most desperate cry of help I had ever heard from him. He was distraught. My regular vet clinic was full of other patients. I had to go back to the ER. He was partially blocked. The doctor had given me three options, including putting him to sleep. I had to call my parents, I couldn’t make the decision alone. They both seemed a little upset that I went to the ER alone, but at the time it felt like I had no other choice. My mother came by my side to help me with the decision. We didn’t have 1,700 for treatment, and we knew that even if we coughed up 5k for surgery, he could get blocked again. His cries of pain could be heard through the entire ER. We made the choice to put him down. I will never forget the way he placed his paw on my hand, as if he knew what was going to happen next. He was only 4 years old. He was taken too soon from me. Fate has been cruel. The disease is torturous for both the cat and the owner, because not only does the smell of cat urine stay on carpets for eternity, but the disaster of knowing that even if you fail something once, wether it be not giving them the special cat food, forgetting to clean out the litter or not being able to give the cat medicine, it could mean the end of their life. Other times it is simply unknown because of how subtle the mistake can be. My slip-up only took two days to kill. I had tried to stay vigilant for over a month, but my efforts led up to my worst nightmare come to life. It’s such a hard balancing act and it truly an inhumane disease to not only treat but to experience firsthand.

Sarah Leigh
June 10, 2022

I am so grateful to find this page tonight but also very scared for my sweet beloved domestic black cat Salem. Back story~We found him and his sisters as babies in our yard . A neighborhood stray we occasionally fed (even though my husband and I  have only ever had dogs our entire lives together , we felt compelled to help as animal lovers) had the kittens and brought them into our back porch for safety. We kept an eye for weeks , then the mom disappeared so naturally we started feeding the kittens. We decided we would get them fixed with shots and microchips and re-release them. That was a fail lol. Loooong story short i give them a room in my house , kept looking for homes for them then very slowly integrated them with our dogs (a pit bull and a hound mix) . 4.5 years later I have 4 cats and 2 dogs that are all amazing together and bring us such joy and my pit bull thinks they are her babies, they even bathe her! Salem was the reason for all of that effort , he is the sweetest most loving boy. Anyway 8 days ago I was home sick with a fever. He stayed by my side Thursday and even growled a bit when the sisters came to join. New behavior for sure but I was sick. Hours later he starts crying in pain. First thing Friday I bring him to vet, they say he is blocked and his bladder is FULL. They extract urine , run some tests & transfer us to ER vet. He stayed until Monday morning. He has been pretty great all week but today I noticed him going to his box a lot and only a little urine coming out so now I’m up again worried and found this page. Today was his last day of meds so I’m going to call vet tomorrow and hopefully discuss some options. It’s already cost me $2,800 on CareCredit (what a blessing in an emergency) that I’ll be working quadruple time to pay off but he’s worth every penny of course. I’m not sure if I’m being paranoid or realistic at this point that he could have a big problem. I am so sorry for all of you that have been through this and praying to whatever cat god exists now because he’s my baby and I’m hoping he’s with us for a looooong time. While writing this he just perked up and ate a bowl of food and is seeming very normal but I really need him to drink and pee normal too. Also worried that my worrying may cause stress for him and the others and am very curious if this vet has any input on that aspect of all this. I have worked in the supplement/ natural health field for over 20 years and wonder if things like D-mannose and apple cider vinegar may help prevent future blockages used with the prescriptive foods? I started him on a pet ‘UT Vibrance’ formula in the meal he just ate and will continue and will report back how it goes in hopes all of you finding this page can find some kind of answer. FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED ! Thank you everyone for the information because these vets have failed me majorly in explaining anything. They just seem rushed and overworked and that’s a shame.

Kaylee
June 10, 2022

Today. My sweet boy got his second blockage, the first was much less severe than this one. It came out of nowhere. The bill was going l be close to 3,000. After much deliberation and being told this would be life long for him, we made the decision to allow him to cross the rainbow bridge. There is no more pain, and his brother will strictly eat wet food from here in our.

Harry
May 18, 2022

Our cat Chester was one year old, and he was the sweetest little black cat. He had a partial blockage a few weeks ago, which he told us about by peeing right in front of us and meowing loudly. We called our vet, who said it sounded like a blockage, and we should take him to a local 24-hour hospital nearby. The hospital thought it didn't seem too serious and gave us pain meds and anti-spasmodic tablets. They also recommended a Hills c/d prescription diet, which could only be purchased out of vet clinics. This was our first cat, and it didn't seem too serious, so we tried that, and we switched to a wet food. He seemed like he was getting better, he was playing and was cuddly, but he suddenly had a full blockage 2 weeks later… The vet had to put in a catheter, but they kept telling us Chester seemed okay and cuddly. We quickly got him back after 24 hours and that we should monitor him for another block over the next week. He was peeing blood which we could not tell if it was an “expected” amount or not and the vet told us multiple times it should be normal. He was also dripping pee, and it was still taking him a lot of time to urinate, even if it wasn't fully blocked. Chester blocked again less than a day later, and we took him to the same hospital again to get the catheter in. We were told once again he seemed fine, but that we should consider PU surgery. We decided overnight to get the surgery, but we got a call a couple of hours later telling us that Chester's heart had stopped after the anaesthesia and that he had passed away… We went to the vet to say our goodbyes, and she said we had caught him more than early enough and that his potassium levels were low, so there should not have been any kidney or heart damage. She suspected that he had a reaction to the anaesthetic because everything seemed normal, and they were finishing the catheter, and he wasn't showing any pain or discomfort but just that his heart had suddenly stopped… This is a terrible disease, which hopefully you can learn from our struggle. Even general anaesthesia carries its own risks. Make sure your vet monitors for a while, because your cat can hide their struggles quite well. And if you can afford it, get a urinalysis test done within a week again to ensure they're back to normal pH.

Vanessa
May 14, 2022

We have decided to euthanize our cat, Artemis. He has been in the hospital for 3 days now and he's just getting worse. This is such a terrible disease, I do not wish this upon any cats. My cat was okay one day, then the next he's slowly deteriorating. I am devastated.

Amber
May 9, 2022

What a great post. My boy, Mo, (6 years old) had this happen on Christmas of 2020. A week or so prior I noticed his excessive locking and at one point he was hiding and growling. I was going to take him to the vet, but things seemed to resolve and I went about my business. Then a few days before Christmas I noticed him acting strange again. The licking came back, but he was acting normal. Then Christmas Eve he was super off. He threw up all of his food and was hanging out in the basement all day, which is where his box was. I had never heard of this before, so I wasn’t sure what was happening. I was concerned, but it was Christmas eve and we had places we had to be, so we left and tried not to worry about it, hoping he’d be fine by morning. Then Christmas Day…. He was barely able to walk. Wouldn’t eat. Felt like he had a baseball in his tummy. We took him to the emergency vet. He has a bladder blockage and needed immediate attention. They originally said they could express his bladder for $600 or catheter him for $1400. I said to go ahead and catheter. Needless to say Christmas was awful that year. Just a few days earlier he was playing with wrapping paper and ribbon and now he was on his death bed. He was in the ER for 4 days with costs racking up before I called my regular vet and they said he could be transferred there. I picked him up and took him to my vet where they monitored him. He was doing well so the day before New Year’s Eve they had me come pick him up. He was on meds for 2 weeks, which was not easy to administer! He had tiny pees for a few days but they said that was normal. I got him Hills C/D for urinary care and he was switched to a 90/10 wet food diet. (That boy LOVES dry food, so he still gets 1/6 cup of dry at night). He gets a can a day of wet as well. It’s a year and a half later and he’s back to his old self. I still worry nearly every day he’s going to block again. We’re leaving for a long trip for the first time since his blockage and I’m terrified it’s going to happen again while we’re gone. This morning I turned his hooded box around to scoop and he was in it! I scared the lights out of him (and him me). Now I’m worried that this scare will cause him to block. It’s a never ending cycle but I’m glad he’s okay for now. I cherish each day with him. In the end I took out a card for his ordeal and was $5000 in the hole. A decision most of my friends thought was insane. But it was worth it. I wish the best for all of you going through the same thing. I know a lot of times there’s no choice but to euthanize and that’s the hardest decision to make. We all love our pets and would do anything for them so I hope my story gives some hope!.

Tony M
April 29, 2022

My orange 11 year old tabby had a complete blockage one week ago. Since i did not have 3 thousand + dollars,they ran one test and flushed him for 2 hours with a catheter and saline. I spent over a grand and they sent him home still partially blocked. They gave him medicine which ran out and they didn't refill. I have called all vets in my area and they say he needs urgent care asap. I don't have thousands of dollars to help him. He has not peed a full stream once since he was discharged. Just reddish pee droplets in the Litter box and all over my apt. This is one of the worst levels of hell a pet owner can go through. I am devastated from all this. Keep your feline fur babies away from dried cat food and temptations treats. Time and not having thousands of dollars is your enemy if this has happenens to your Fur baby.

Jennifer
April 12, 2022

my wonderful rescue cat, that was double rescued from a pet hoarder neighbor. is now in vet care, after many partial blockages is fully so. I got him in in time minus a HUGE bill thousands of dollars. I am hoping a strict diet, and it will work out. he was labeled as a free barn cat by the SPCA, and it turned out he had no issues and is wonderfully behaved. his issue is idiopathic and incurable. I just pray that he can live his next few years happy I had a decent emergency fund, he is not ready to go, but if it recurs I will have to say goodbye.

Paige Diamond
April 11, 2022

Hello all, I am currently going through this as well with my furbaby, Bow! He is an 8 year old domestic male kitty. I noticed he had a blockage last Wednesday..I took him to the vet to have him drained Thursday (900 dollars) and than took him back on Friday for a checkup (58 dollars) again today, Monday, he is not peeing again for almost 24 hours. He will eat, drink water, snuggle me.. but he's moving very slowly - he is on medication but just still not producing any amounts of pee. I have no idea what to do in this situation? Do I keep him alive and drown in vet bills? Do I let him go and have this guilt cloud over me.. I am very confused and what it seems like to be living in hell. If anyone can offer any clarity it would  be great.

Phil Trokanski
April 9, 2022

Neutered cats have a higher rate of blockage. See WebMD https://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2011/nov/blocked_urethra_in_male_cat-11896 We just went through this ordeal with our long time friend muffins. I never knew that neutering cats caused problems. Here in the states of course they have always pushed to neuter out of concern for population? So this is probably key to solving the issue. Can neutering be done differently?

AngMarie
April 3, 2022

I found this site on Monday, which began my week of personal hell. You see my cat Vincent came into my life unexpectedly 2 1/2 years ago. He was a runt and had other issues. We went to pick up a kitten for my daughter that she would take with her when she left for college. They couldn't find a home for this little guy because of his issues. This little man used all his might to uncoordinatedly crawl up me all the way to my neck and snuggle in. He chose me. We left with both kittens that day. Over the next couple of years, we overcame all of the preexisting conditions with love, play and work. That is until Monday. While I was getting ready for work, I found him in his little box straining and whimpering. I immediately called his Vet and was able to bring him in. Urinary obstruction! By Tuesday they said he had responded well, and I could pick him up. Upon bring him home he was again in his litter box straining. I again called the vet. They informed that they had placed the catheter and flushed his urinary track but he had not gone bathroom on his own. Yes, they released him knowing he was probably still obstructed. I had to return to them in the am since I could not find an overnight emergency vet with out funding up front. Again they placed a catheter. I continued to look for resources and help. 9am Thursday I got a call. He had removed his catheter overnight and I either needed to euthanize him or transfer him. I immediately left work and called the last vet I had spoken too that had agreed to help. I called my Vet and asked to prepare him for transfer and where to send his records. In route of 45 minutes to get him the vet tech called me back telling me I better hurry it was life or death and he would more than likely die in route to transfer destination (2 hours away)that his bladder was hard and he was in pain. When asking about his catheter she informed me that I didn't request nor give permission to replace it. I was so rustrated and worried and told her that they had not called me until 9am and never said they needed permission to do so. She told me not her problem and I should hurry and hung up. When I got there I had to pay over $1000 in full to get him and the whole time she kept blaming me for his condition and telling me I was rude to them. When she finally handed him to me she said she was glad to see him go because he had growl and hissed at her. WTF?? he is in pain and they had not managed his pain not=r used a cone, which allowed him to pull the catheter out and they continued to put health a side to fill prescriptions and whatever else. I was so dumbfounded and shocked and concerned that I don't remember the drive to the transfer animal hospital, just him crying in pain, but I made the 2 hour drive in 1.5 hours. I gave them the immediate $3100+ that I had rearranged finances and begged and borrowed what I did not have. They took him and sent me on my way. That evening I received a phone call update. He had a large blood clot in his bladder from the inflammation and the not being able to relieve his bladder. They were optimistic they could save him! Two hours later I recieved a text update with photo. He was doing well and eating again. the next morning I received a call that his blood clot was breaking up and they were continuing to flush his system and his urine was now only pinkish and not as bloody. Later in the evening i received another update. He was doing well! Eating and pain was being managed. Urine looked good. Kidneys were improving. BUT... due to the damage he received at the other vet, he was still unable to go bathroom on his own. He could produce small streams with the help of a vet. His urethra was collapsing. I would have to make a choice by morning if I could afford PU surgery ($5000) or prepare to euthanize him. They had done all they could but could not reverse the damage. So, on Saturday I made the long endless drive to the animal hospital. I held my baby and said my goodbyes why apologizing for failing him. As I did this, they gave him medicine to put him under, then gave him the lethal dose to end his life. And life he was so full of, right up to the last moment. They told me had the first vet followed procedure and protocol, he would have survived giving me time to prepare for PU and he would have been a a good candidate and survived. I suffer from PTSD, anxiety and depression. I had no faith in mankind and trusted very few until he came into my life. With him, my anxiety subsided, my PTSD was silent, and I was anti-depressant medication free. He taught me to live again. And now Ias I write this, I have lost all faith in humanity as I question why this happened the way it did, how someone could be so cruel to a helpless living soul. And I search for answers how to cope, not just for myself, but for his sibling Delilah, a recue we brough home almost a year ago because it was the only way to sooth his broken heart when my daughter and his sister from birth moved out on their own. The first vet killed him and left the loaded gun in my hand. I am so sorry to anyone who has to go through UO and doe not have an endless bank account. What happen to vets that were there to care and heal animals? Is it all for profit now? What causes this awful "disease"? Why are there not more programs to help these animals? So many questions and yet, I know my purpose in from here to the end of my life is not only to find answers but find a way to help all cats with UO whose owners can not afford the thousands of dollars required to help. Pets for the rich are just that, while pets for the poor, are so much more!!

Eliza
March 28, 2022

It's been 6 months since we had to put our boy,Raymond,down. Like others,this seemed to come out of nowhere. One night I caught him trying to pee on clothes. I was upset at him for not using the litter box and took him to the vet in the morning thinking it was a behavioral issue. (Our female cat used to do this) Later that day, we had to make the devastating decision to put him down. It all happened so fast! I questioned my decision every day until finding this page. Thank you to everyone for sharing your stories. I hope that we all find peace in knowing that whatever choice was made for our pet,that it was made from the heart.

Hannah Mbiah
March 27, 2022

For 4 out of the 5 years that we’ve had our precious British shorthair boy Franc, he has suffered from this nightmare that is FLUTD.  On 1/30/22 I came back from a long day at work and my boy was face down and unresponsive.  I rushed him to the emergency vet where he endured 5 days of treatments because he was so badly sickened by a blockage.  Because the bill racked up to more than $8k, I opted to take him home and work on him there, with pain reliever, Prazosin and sub cutaneous fluids.   He has refused to take to any new food that is allowable for his condition, and has lost so much weight.  Now unfortunately, 2 months after that prolonged hospitalization, he has not responded to any treatments and his health is quickly deteriorating.  The cherry on the cake is he has re-blocked, and I’m going to have to put him down tomorrow morning.  For right now, I gave him more pain medicine and I’m cherishing him for the night.  This disease does not play fairly with no permanent remedy and the inevitability of the most sudden turn of events. This fur momma is heartbroken. 

Kristen Thibodeaux
March 26, 2022

Oh my gosh this page has helped me so much. We just euthanized our boy Bandit yesterday. He started hiding under the bed and hissing, so we made an appointment for the next day thinking he might’ve gotten hurt. Before his appointment the next day, he was straining to pee and crying everywhere in the house. He’d try to pee in a box and on a bag, then cry and lick his parts and run away. We took him to his appointment that day and explained the symptoms. They said it sounded like an emergency and quickly felt his bladder. They said it was definitely full and that he might be blocked. I told them to go ahead and do whatever they need to do for him and that I’m not worried about the cost. They took him back and sedated him, did a epidural, and inserted a catheter and flushed out his bladder. They said debris came out so they thought he was alright but they would keep him to make sure he can pee on his own. Every time they checked him within 24 hours he was blocked over and over again. They said as soon as they’d insert a catheter he’d block it. They sedated and flushed one more time and more debris came out. Even after that second run he was still blocking his catheter nonstop. It was coming upon closing time for the weekend at this vet, so they called and let me know that we had to make a decision right now. The options were, if he stayed at that vet overnight with no one there to check his catheter, hed stay blocked and every time they block it damages their kidneys. Our other option was to bring him to a 24/7 care vet in another city. We would have happily done this, but she let me know that they’re cost was around 3,000 to 4,000 for this 24/7 monitoring, and that the PU surgery would be an additional few thousand after that. We were already 2,000 in with our current vet for that first 24 hours. I counted out all of the cash and credit me and my husband had together, but we would still be short for both the emergency care and the surgery. I asked the vet what to do, and they said the only other option is euthanasia. After talking with my husband, and it was an awful talk, we decided that euthanasia felt like our only option. It felt like we couldn’t just go over to the emergency vet knowing we’d be short on money. It felt like the only option we had, or else he’d stay stuck in the vet overnight and alone and still unable to pee. We would’ve poured every cent into helping our Bandit if it would’ve been enough but it wasn’t enough money. We’re devastated, but that’s what we chose and we petted and loved him while the vet put him to sleep. We felt like we’d gave up too easy, like we failed him. I didn’t even think to try for a grant or a loan until we’d already buried him. It happened so suddenly, he only showed signs of distress for one night and morning. We had no idea that by the next day, it would be life or death. I even applied for care credit after his death to see what we would’ve been approved for and it still would be a tad short. Where if anything else would go wrong, we would definitely be short. Reading these stories has helped so much, to know that we aren’t alone and that other people understand how fast and aggressive this was.

Cheryl
March 25, 2022

I just had to put my Tommy down. He was screaming in pain all night. the next day I started call vets and they wouldn't see him they said they are not taking new patients. I found a vet who took him in. It went from clearing the blockage and two day stay, to still no urine output even with a catheter in. They said he was septic and his kidneys were failing and they saw a bladder tear with the ultrasound. I said yes to the surgery to repair the tear. There was no bladder tear but the tear was in the ureter. the the catheter had been put in the tear not the bladder. so the bladder had no blood flow all this time from the missed placed catheter. his bladder was all black and dead. I had to put him down this afternoon and I am devastated and heart broken. he was almost three years old. He was so loving and would follow all the time and always had to be against me when we were sleeping. I don't know how to go on without him.

Julia B.
March 25, 2022

I lost my baby yesterday due to a blockage. Died in my arms 15 minutes from the ER. I’ll never forget the look on his face. I hope he forgives me.

A. D. Watson
March 11, 2022

My male fur babies use to get cystitis and stopped up urine track with plugs. Happened a few times until am old country vet from S.C. told us to give our male cats only distilled water. Regular tap water had to many minerals and chemicals. No problems at all for next 7 yrs until they passed away from old age.

Michele
March 8, 2022

Unfortunately our kitty Diesel has crossed the rainbow bridge also because of this condition. It happened so quickly. I am in complete denial that he’s gone.  He was having trouble going to the bathroom so I brought him to the vet, they sent me home with an antibiotic but the next day he was struggling really bad still so we went back the following morning.  I was told that we would need to stay in the hospital for three days costing $3500, they would have to  empty his bladder, assess if it worked and if not go through it again,  and then possibly get surgery; all together costing well over $7000. Because I have been down this road with two other cats in my past, spent the money and unfortunately neither one had a good outcome  this devastating decision will probably last with me my whole lifetime. My little diesel, he had the best personality, was always cuddling, had the furriest belly, and the softest paws. My heart goes out to everyone who has to deal with this situation. Vet bills are an extraordinary expense and unfortunately the result isn’t always a good one.  It breaks my heart that these decisions have to made based on finances.  Reading these other stories at least helped me feel that I am not alone. I’m completely heartbroken

Robyn
March 6, 2022

I’m reading all your comments and tearfully watching my beautiful boy quietly sleeping on his .15ml Buprenorphine, 25mg tab of Gabapentin and 1mg tab of Prazosin, KNOWING that he’s becoming blocked again with what Dr. Tony Johnson  called “matrix” (mucus). I’ve tried expressing Simba four times today. Epic fail. Both of us are so discouraged. He tries to let me do it - he’s such a gentle soul - but it just won’t come out. Tomorrow morning I’ll be back at the vet. Third time this week. Last Sunday he was discharged from the hospital after a 10 day emergency stay to bring him back from the brink: creatinine 600, BUN 100 (SDMA: 26). How can I euthanize him over something that just seems like it should be fixable? My word! We can shut down a pandemic with a couple little jabs but we can’t stop goop from forming a blockage in a urethra? I’m scared and my heart is aching.

Jessyca Kean
March 2, 2022

Thank you to everyone who has shared their painful stories with this horrific disease. My family is currently hurting so badly at the devestating loss of our 18month old cat Solar. Saturday he threw up liquid and I didn’t think anything of it. Sunday he was playing, eating, drinking and not acting hurt or anything. So we just thought because  he ate a bird he got hair balls or something. Sunday night he didn’t come home, Monday morning I yelled for him and we found him behind our house hiding in some hay. He would walk but he sat up licking himself like normal. I took him in the house and he slept and laid on the bed like normal. Towards the end of the night he started to vomit food up so again I didn’t think too much of it. At 2 am he was walking up the stairs so I assumed he was getting food or water at 6am when we woke up we found him laying on the tile floor face down couldn’t walk, barley lift his head I immediately thought he would die right there. We called the vet and they couldn’t get us in until 145pm as an emergency �� when we got to the vet my poor baby’s body temp was so low and they had told us his kidneys where almost shot but they were gonna catheter him and try to revive his kidneys with fluid, if he responded well he would come home in 3-5 days. The vet called us at 5:08pm to inform us our little buddy crossed the rainbow �� bridge to heaven. I am fighting the guilt of I should have known, if jneiild have gotten him to the vet sooner they could have saved him, I never should have gotten him neutered etc.. it brings me some comfort reading the other stories but it also frightened me to know so many poor cats suffer from this. I hope and pray they can find a cure or preventative treatment for this. I had no idea this was even a thing and now our family is devestated over the loss of our beloved Solar. He was 16lbs 18 months old overall healthy boy he should have never had this happen. Prayers to anyone else going through this I hope the day comes where we can fight this disease and save more kitties and their families heartbreak �� RiH Solar we miss you fat cat

Jamilla
February 17, 2022

We lost our beautiful boy on Tuesday to this condition and the grief is agonising. Ultimately the decision to euthanise was made for us purely due the financial aspect of living with this illness. It hurts so much to know we couldn't afford another $2000 vet bill. We knew due to multiple reoccurrences that bill would only be one of many more. We had already spent close to $6000. If only we had the means, he would still be here. Its hard to feel like it was the right decision when he could have kept on going if we were to keep spending. It is impossible to know what the right choice was, where the line is.. I empathise so strongly with everyone in this position. My heart aches. Surgery was going to cost $5000, the vet warned of infection risk and complications following this. What is worse, aside from the painful grief and euthanasia guilt, is that this issue comes on so quickly. He was perfectly happy Sunday night, now, here we are on Thursday and he is gone. We were absolutely blessed to know him, and like losing any member of the family, we will never ever forget him.

Ann Blakeslee
February 11, 2022

I'm going through hell rite now. I can't imagine what my Max is going through. He had a complete blockage. I knew something was wrong but had no idea until it was almost to late.It is completely HEART breaking. He was in the Hospital almost 3 days. He's still so weak. We went back to the Vet and got I.V fluids to give him daily for 5 day's... And Yes it is EXPENSIVE But how can you NOT fix your Friend your Family if it's possible.. I found Max when he was 1 day old.I took him to the vet and got milk replacer and we just went from there... He weighed a whopping 3.2 oz..I remember when he got up to 8 oz how proud I was of US... He's almost 16 lbs now and almost 3 years old..He's Never been overly Loving in fact he walks by me when I'm calling his name he don't look up and doesn't miss a stride...Since this has happened he let's me hold him... Crying writing this... We still don't know what what future hold's for us But I can bare witness to the Hell a cat and it's owner go through when this happen's,

Devon
February 10, 2022

I am going through this nightmare right now. Last Thursday, I am so grateful that I happened to be home when my 17-month-old boy meowed very loudly, which he had never done before. He was in the litter box, straining to urinate, and nothing would come out. Then he furiously licked his genitals and then hissed at me, which he had never done. He is a very sweet boy. I rushed him to the vet and they catheterized him, saying that he had tons of crystals in his urine and also a very small penis, which is a problem. As of today, a week later, he is still at the vet's, about to get his third catheterization. If this doesn't work, he will have to get the PU surgery. I feel so grateful that I got insurance for him when he was a kitten, which will pay 80%. If I didn't have insurance, I wouldn't be able to do this. If he needs surgery, the cost could be close to $15,000 for everything.

Julie Craddock
February 9, 2022

I just lost my cat as his bladder was blocked and he was bringing up yellow bile, i was told 3 weeks previously that he had a uti and was treated, i tried to get more advice over the next few weeks from vets saying i thought he was now constipated constipated in and out of littertray, i wish i had read this as i would of known it could of been a blockage, i feel so guilty as i realise how quickly he declined, i took him straight to an emergency vet who after scans sedated him but he died instantly couldn't handle the sedation as he was so weak. I'm so sorry I let you down my precious fur baby. RIP Sir Sooty, now you are at peace x

Lisa Woodley
January 25, 2022

Like others, reading this forum somehow brought my husband and I a small amount of solace in that at least we are not alone. Our cat, Bear, was a previously healthy, playful, smart and affectionate indoor-only 5 year old cat. Each day, he would remind us when our dog wanted in the house, followed us around, showered us with love, and was truly an extraordinary member of our family. A week ago, I noticed him straining to urinate on our dog's bed (very uncharacteristic for him, as he always used the litter box). We called our vet immediately, thinking it was a UTI, and they informed us they had no openings. We took him to the ER for pets, where they diagnosed him as not blocked but with crystals and blood in his urine. They sent us home that same day with a presription for urinary cat food and some pain meds. Just 24 hours later, Bear had declined to having a greatly altered neurological status, was lethargic, and looked miserable. We returned to the ED where they inserted a catheter, gave him IV fluids, and administered anti-inflammatories and pain meds. After 48 hours and $3000 later, we were able to take him home. The first three days, he was even more affectionate than usual, as if to thank us for getting him feeling better and grateful to be home. He played and snuggled and was a sweetheart. Day four, he again was straining to urinate and was producing only drops of bloody urine. Of course, the ED said to bring him back immediately, and they advised a tremendously expensive PU surgery where they would reroute his urethra. Looking up the statistics, it seemed to us that this treatment course was high risk in itself, and recurring blockages often occurred. It was also not financially feasible for us. It was an incredibly painful and heartbreaking decision, but we elected to have a vet who made house calls come, and Friday afternoon (1/21), Bear was euthanized in my arms. The vet who came said he was undoubtedly going to experience acute renal failure again over the weekend, and that we were sparing him that agony.  My heart felt like it was breaking, and that we had somehow let Bear down. We are grief stricken and so sad. It seems surreal that in the space of 9 days, Bear went from seemingly healthy and happy to gone. We would not let him be alone in the end though, and we felt little choice in our final decision. My heart goes out to all families who have to deal with this wretched disease. I echo Caitlyn's hope that all of our kitties are playing without pain up there together. We love you Bear and miss you tremendously.

Loretta
January 17, 2022

My 6 year old rescue is suffering his 2nd blockage after a surgery to remove the narrow part of his urethra. Normally cats urethra widen as it gets closer the the bladder and usually prevents blockages after the surgery. My cat, Sammy, was not blessed with this widened area. Surgery was for nothing. I sit here with him after having a catheter in over the weekend. We go today to have it removed, but his vet is not optimistic that he won’t block again soon. I have been sick with worry, stress and no sleep wracking my brain and praying for a decision that I can live with. He has another issue working against him. He was a feral kitty and is one that does not like to be touched, I can’t even make eye contact without him racing away to hide. So you can imagine how giving meds are going. I have to make the decision whether to give a wet food only a try and risk him blocking again or putting him down. I have spent well over $3000 so far and no improvement and vet says the only thing that will work is yet another surgery that creates an opening from his bladder to just above his belly button to bypass his urethra all together. But with this surgery his looking at continued UTI’s, and like I said it is not an easy task to even get him in a carrier to get to the vet let alone give medication. WHAT DO I DO? He has suffered so much and is it cruel to put him through this extensive surgery? He has already been through one.

Konrad
January 4, 2022

The guilt as an owner and speed this happens, was what happened with Trev our 7 yr old male Cat. A week ago you wouldn't have had a clue. He was healthy, eating & drinking. If this helps, he was starting to 'spray', before the classic symptoms. After a couple of days of being off of food, water, becoming weaker and seeking a cold place to lie (bathroom tiles), we had to take him to the vets. Yes the classic symptoms of a blocked bladder and needed immediate surgeonary. The cost of $2k with probable ongoing issues gave us no choice but to put him down. Is terrible but we had to ease his suffering. May you rest in peace Trev, my good friend. 

Caitlyn Lewis
December 30, 2021

Reading this forum has really helped me to deal with losing my 22 month old cat over Christmas because of this disease. It comes out of nowhere and I can totally relate to the feelings of “I wish I could’ve done something sooner.” My cat, Nima, on Christmas Eve started wailing in and out of the litter box and I took him right into the ER. They unblocked him and he came home and did okay on Christmas. Then on the 26th it happened again. This time we were going to have him stay at the ER vet for 48 hours but they called us 2 hours in and said his bladder had burst. After much deliberation with the doctor and the likelihood of good quality of life being low, my husband and I put him down. He was the shining jewel of our family and loved everyone so much. His brother who we adopted as well is also incredibly sad. It’s such a sad sad disease. The only thing that gave me solace reading these comments is I’m not alone in the pain I feel. Thank you to everyone for sharing your story. It’s so hard to put such a young cat down and seeing him go still haunts me but we couldn’t let him be alone in the end. Love to all and may all our kitties play up there together peacefully and no pain.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
December 29, 2021

Hi George.  Unfortunately, it's hard to say exactly what the sequence of events was in your cat's problem.  It's certainly possible that the trauma of being hit by the car could have caused your cat's bladder to not empty properly.  It also could be an independent issue that was brewing anyway and cropped up due to the stress of the car incident.  Your veterinarian is going to have a better idea than any of us here about your cat's prognosis and treatment since they've seen and been treating your cat.  Hoping it all resolves well!

George
December 27, 2021

My cat got this after hit by car. why? Then he got  rectal collapse because he was trying all the day to pee. Now he is recovering from the surgery  and i have to keep him inside the house and again i see him trying to pee all the time and i run to the vet again. He clean his bladder and found inside some white things called protein. A week after and i see him again trying to pee multiple times the one behind the other in a short time. Your animals got a disease. Mine that the urinal problem came after a car accident? Can it be healed? Is it different or the same thing?

Heather
December 22, 2021

Thank you for all your stories.  My advice to others after this experience with my cat having total obstruction is 1) GOOGLE WHATS CATS LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY PEE.  once I knew what to look for, there is a noticeably difference between relaxed “Lamaze” peeing and strained “hunched” peeing 2) Try giving a diluted mix of apple cider vinegar and wate.  There is a great YouTube video by a farmer on this topic- about 10 min long.  It is NOT a substitution for a vet.  But it’s one thing of many you can and should try if you think your cat is approaching obstruction. 3) there is urinary wet can food - prescription and over the counter.  I’m trying otc stuff but too soon to say if will help. 4) add water to their food. I just got my little man home- he’s straining to pre in small amounts. So that’s something.  I’m more worried  about constipation- the vet doesn’t seem concerned but his abdomen is bloated and large and I’m worried (since he ate plastic during this whole adventure).

John
December 22, 2021

our young boy (Bagheera) is only 1 year old. he is at the hospital now (second blockage) and i cannot stop crying reading what you folks wrote. please pray for him  

Nicky
December 20, 2021

Both my (9y) boys have had Flutd. Fluff had his first blockage at 2 years, and then again November when he blocked 3 times in two weeks. Then his brother decided to get a stress/dietary cystitis.  Fluffy ended up costing about $4000 and Wobbles about $500. Lucky I love them. Both are on urinary food, extra exercise and strict monitoring. Both are recovering and I'm just hoping neither will need PU surgery.

Meghan
December 19, 2021

I had to put my baby Benjamin to sleep around 2-3am this morning. He was only a year and seven months old. He seemed okay up until a couple days ago, then he was vomiting to the point of bile, couldn't hold water down, and was very lethargic. I came home from work yesterday and found him laying in his own urine on the bathroom floor. I called the urgent care bit they said they were over capacity and under staffed, so my mom and I tried to keep him comfortable. Around midnight his urine was bloody and he was almost fully limp. Called the urgent care, brought him in. They said he had a urinary blockage and it would've been 2500 to 3000 dollars with 1500 up front to fix him. I only had $200 in my account so I had to make the absolute hardest decision to put him to sleep. They gave him meds so he wasnt hurting and my mom and I got to snuggle him for a while. We told our Benana how much we loved him and then the vet came and put him to sleep in my arms. We hadn't ever had something like this happen with any of our pets so we weren't expecting the possibility that he wasnt coming home with us. His little sister has been wandering around the house, and my dog who was like his mama hasn't left my side. My heart absolutely breaks for everyone here but it gives me some kind of solace to know we're not alone in this.

David D Erskine
December 18, 2021

We had the same blockage 3 or 4 times with our Boy. Vet cleared it up (temporarily) with catheterization,then two Antibiotics. Only way we finally got rid of it was feeding only bottled purified water, and 9 Lives plus care dry.

Daniela
December 17, 2021

My baby got sick,i couldn't afford his surgery so we talked about putting him down,i was so selfish that i took my baby to another vet and they admitted him,i was told to leave and that they would keep me updated,my baby passed away at the vet that same day,all alone,maybe even thought i abandoned him,i cannot wait to,i didn't listen to my baby,he was forced to die by his own illness,if you have the time to put your pet down when they are suffering and you absolutely don't have the money for the treatment put them down don't make my mistakes,i will NEVER forgive myself.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
December 29, 2021

Hi Jaz, Sorry for the delayed reply.  It's that time of year!  I'm sure your veterinarian did what they believed your cat needed at the time.  One of the tricky things about medicine is that it isn't a "one size fits all" deal.  Even patients with the same diagnosis may differ in severity of disease or response to treatment.  Think of when you and a family member have both had a cold but you recover at different rates or the cold hits one of you harder than the other.  Or how some people pass kidney stones on their own just fine but others need procedures done to break up the stones or even surgery.  Similar things happen with animals. What works for one patient may not be enough for another.  Generally most veterinarians like to start with the least invasive procedure first and then do more if needed.  But it all depends on how the patient presents and how healthy they are.  I hope that makes sense and gives you some peace of mind.

Jaz
December 17, 2021

My vet did catheterization on my cat but I'm afraid if I'm scammed by the vet cause my friend's cat experience the same thing but he was given a tube. But for my cat, the vet helped to unclogged his bladder and thats it. Is there any reason why both of them differ?

Jennifer
December 10, 2021

I hate this disease so much. My poor boy has been blocked 3 times within the last 2 months. The first time I had to bring him to our emergency vet and was given an anticipated bill of $4,800, there was no way I could afford that, nor was I approved for near that amount by care credit.I ended up leaving him there for a nights worth of care and he reblocked within 2 days, luckily I work at a shelter and my clinic took him in.He was great for a month and a half, back to his normal self and then all of a sudden 2 days ago he reblocked again. I knew I couldn't keep doing this and I had to relinquish him back to the shelter. I feel like such a failure, I have never given up any of my animals before. They will either perform surgery or euthanize since it unfortunately is a chronic condition with him.  I HATE THIS DISEASE.

Jim
December 7, 2021

This is a terrible situation to be in with a blocked cat. It happens so fast. Our guy was fine and then awful.  We took him to local vet and they said this is an emergency.  Due to the pandemic most vets couldn’t take him because they were short staffed. We finally found a vet to accept him. $6800 on the credit card as a deposit. OK that was fine and he was supposed to have surgery the next day. The surgeon called me and said that he needed an additional surgery and several more days in the hospital. The additional surgery would have been an extra $1800. They could not guarantee that this would not come back again. He would go home with a cone on for two weeks and have to be locked into a room. He would need to return to the Vetrinarian office and to check his kidney levels. He hated going into the crate more than anything. When I talked to my husband and we decided to let him go to the rainbow bridge the surgeon gave me a guilt trip. At this point we were close to $10,000 with no guarantee that it will not happen again. I told the surgeon if he would have broken his leg and then they did surgery and it was repaired and he would be fine then I would pay the $10,000 but there were no guarantees. It has been a very sad situation and our dog, his best,  friend misses him terribly. My advice would be keep an eye on your litter box and if you notice that your cat is not urinating take him in as soon as possible. My cat Joey is the fifth cat that I have had and this is never happened before. May he Rest In Peace.

Ashley
November 27, 2021

The day before Thanksgiving this year, I had to put my sweet baby boy, Ozzy, down. He was only one year and six months. It was such a traumatic day for my boyfriend and I. He was the first member to our small family, and best friends with our other cat, Tuna. This disease happened so suddenly, with little to no warning signs and his health declined overnight. I’m in nursing school right now, so just my boyfriend is working and we couldn’t afford the $2200 a night vet bill. I still feel very guilty. The timing was awful. He was in so much pain though, I know our little Tuxedo man is resting peacefully and still following us in our shadows.

Shante
November 23, 2021

I am going through this painful process with my almost 7 month old kitten. Thank God I caught it on time but it’s a possibility if he doesn’t urinate on his own within a couple days  I’ll have to put him down. He will be catheterized for the next couple days, so I am just trying to be positive. I continue to look up this horrible diagnosis and this website really helped me understand what it is and what my baby is going through. This is the worse thing I ever had to go through, and I’m just praying for the best outcome

Christina Hoeger
November 17, 2021

We lost our amazing 6 year old boy Chase to this on Monday. I’m devastated. Had to rush him to the emergency vet, felt rushed to make a decision about surgery to flush out the bladder and stretch his urethra, very painful recovery the vet told us. And with zero guarantee it would work. Hindsight told us he’d been suffering for a few weeks but only got bad on Monday. We made the choice to euthanize him so he wouldn’t suffer anymore. At times I regret that choice so much and other times I know we made the humane choice. Miss him so much it hurts.

Felicity
November 14, 2021

Thankfully to this form, my partner and I were able to identify the signs rapidly and address our cats obstruction issue by taking him to emergency. He is only a few days post op and is back to peeing normally, however he is now showing signs of constipation as he is coming up on 48 hours without pooping. He was prescribed pain killers and antibiotics to combat the illness, we believe that side effects may be the cause of this but are not sure. Is it common for cats to experience slowed bowel movements post op?

Nay
November 14, 2021

I am truly heartbroken my cat Gucci died on me last night. It started a week ago when I smelled pee on my bath rug. I brushed it off thinking maybe it was time to change my litter being as though its so close to my bathroom. Then the next day I notice my Gucci running in and of the litter box quite often. Next I noticed he started to trying to pee in the strangest places. He would try to pee on plastic bags, piles of clothes and outside of his litter box. So I immediately made an appointment with a vet. When I took him to the vet the next  day I told the veterinarian all of Gucc's issues. So squeezed his bladder and made him pee and then he took a urine sample. He sent me home with a bunch of meds and basically diagnosed him with UTI. Im so upset because I believe that was the start of him getting blocked because when I took him home he just wasn't the same. He wasn't eating, he was laying around and he was crying and groaning. So I immediately to him to the emergency room. Once I got there they told me my poor Gucci was blocked and I would need to pay $1800 for them to flush him out and to keep him several days to monitor. I told them I couldn't afford that and asked can I get on a payment plan. They explained that they dont allow payment plans I had to apply for care credit. Due to personal circumstances care credit wasn't an option. So they told me for $500 they can sedate him and flush him out and I can take him home but I have to monitor him and put him on a special diet. So I agreed to that just to save my Gucci because I wasnt ready to let him go just yet. After the quick flushing and I took him home, he was peeing every 5 minutes. He still wasnt eating and he was very lethargic. I took him back to the emergceny room the next day and they said he wasnt blocked and they prescribed him pills to make him have an appetite. When Gucci got home he ate a little bit and still was peeing every 5minutes and he reeked of urine. I tried washing him, giving him his prescribed medication and pain meds. Still to no avail he wasnt getting any better. His health started declining, he was smelling awful and he was so weak. I took him back to the vet for the fourth time. Now I'm $800 in  with all the visits and medications I'm just extremely devastated.. The vet gave him new pain meds and told me to lower the dosage of one of the meds the emergency room prescribed. 2 days later gucci still wasnt eating, my apt started smelling like a dead body and he was peeing less frequently. Fearing he was dying and was time put him down I was planning on taking him back to the hospital the next morning. But he didn't make it. He died right on my bathroom floor. I found him when I got home from work. Im so sad and heartbroken. I feel like I failed my Gucci. I tried to do everything in my power to keep him alive and comfortable. I feel like the veterinarian failed me during my first initial trip to the clinic. He diagnosed my Gucci with a UTI instead of knowing he was blocked. If I would have known sooner. I'm so mad at myself and the vet I took him to. If I would have gotten him flushed sooner just maybe he wouldn't have started dying internally!!! 

Sonnie
November 14, 2021

My cat Tugg was rushed to the ER WITH VERY BAD Ecoli uti and bladder infection. He was inflamed. After a day and a half of catheterization I brought him home. Two days later he was back in the hospital with a large blood clot in his bladder. Catheter again. Passing blood and clear urine. When they went to do surgery the vet said his blood was watery. His blood count a few days before was good. Should be between 24-50. His was now 8. He would need multiple blood transfusion if they could find a donar cat. He probably would not make it because I would need to find a clinic who could do it. Costing approx $10,000. He might even need a kidney transplant. I had to let my poor darling go. He lost too much blood. They don’t know why.

Pandita Concetta Weiler
October 24, 2021

Well I see I am not alone in this �� we lost our boy last night to this desease, his bladder was the size of a grapefruit it happened so fast.. had no idea about this and have never been in this position in my life and I am so heartbroken, confused and generally in shock... I'm trying to figure out if I killed my Kittie but now I see this is something so many have gone through, what a sad situation. Our boy Dale was only 3 years old and the sweetest thing, so cuddly, so vocal the best cat ever.

Tonya
October 22, 2021

We just had to put our kitten (a year and 5 months) down on the 13th because of this terrible terrible disease…$3K later.  I cry daily.  He was the best little thing.  (I have two other cats and have had others throughout my life.)  It’s the hardest thing to have to go through.  I like Scot (posted on the 14th), find it difficult to be in my house.  He was our kitty with white paws…so full of life.  I call for the cats when it’s treat time and I always looked for those little feet.  I feel for you, Scott.  Praying you’re doing better.  Im better, but the waves of grief strike me at the most random times.

Laura Hartel3
October 15, 2021

You're right what a horrible thing to happen. I had to have him put to sleep because he was completely blocked and obese after discussing it over. I would have done anything for him and am beating myself up for not recognizing sooner. Loved him so much. Hope there is a better way in future for this unfair disease.

Scott
October 14, 2021

I had to put my boy Frank down last night. I held him in his arms as he drifted away. It was the saddest experience I ever went through. He was my first cat I got when I moved out on my own when I was 19. I'm 24 now and Frank was only 5 when I noticed he couldn't pee in the litter box four months ago. 4000 dollars and 3 days in the hospital later, he was sent home. He was peeing normally and acted like his usual self again. I had him on the Purina UR vet diet, but it was 60 dollars a month. I opted for the cheaper stuff. Fast forward 4 months later, he is no longer eating or going to the litter box. I took him into the ER and they said he was pretty much on the brink of death. His potassium levels were off the chart, and they said he probably wouldn't make it through the surgery. I did it anyways because I couldn't just let him go. I got the call that his penis was too swollen and they couldn't get the catheter in him. I had no other choice but to put him down. He went through hell and its all my fault. I spent 5k on vet bills and for what? I could have saved him if I had just kept buying that vet diet. I don't think I will ever forgive myself. He was the best cat I could've asked for. I can't even be in my apartment anymore without breaking down.

Kara DiCecco
October 14, 2021

This is so well-explained, written  on a very basic connecting-to-people understanding, and while honest, not alarmist. It’s written with a touch of relatable vulnerability while providing excellent information. Thank you.

Ella M. Holtzman
October 13, 2021

I just lost my three and a half year old boy from this awful vicious disease. His bladder ruptured and I felt like the only Humane thing to do was to let him go.  I hated making that decision.

Jessica Blenis
October 11, 2021

It is because of information resources such as this one, as well as a bit of personal experience, that I can say I'm one of very few comments here that has a happy ending. My 4.5 year old cat, Finnegan, started showing signs of discomfort by pawing at his bottom (which he can't reach to bathe as he's a fairly round little guy) and growling. His attitude, behavior and habits were otherwise normal- no hiding, no lethargy- so for a few minutes, I considered just doing the 'wait it out overnight' thing. It was after 9pm and all vet clinics were closed but emergency. However, I know two people whose cats have had blockages, and learned througb their experiences just how important it is to take action as soon as possible. It literally makes the difference between life or death. So if you ever find yourself wondering if maybe your cat has an obstruction, it's already time to go in and get them checked. Hours left to pass just put pressure on a bladder that is already potentially full, a urethra that is already potentially blocked and painful and allows those toxins to start wreaking havoc. So I caught Finnegan's early signs and we went in. Couple nights in the ER are not cheap- nor is the food be will be on for the rest of his life- but we caught it early, and for now, no urethrostomy was needed. A couple things which have helped in these early days of his recovery: -"Good Soup." Every meal he gets of his C/D food gets watered down with warm water and made into kind of a stew. This way there's less guesswork about how much water he's drinking every day. Diluted urine leaves a smaller likelihood of him developing more crystals. -Scoop the litter box a couple times a day to monitor how much urine there is, and how often he's going. Also, competely emptying the box and scrubbing it down once a week. -More water sources scattered around the house, tempting him to stay hydrated. He now has a little fountain, but his favourite place to drink is still from the bathtub tap. Go with whatever they like! -Do medical treatments exactly as the vet instructs. If they say to dose the. every 8 hours, set alarms. Don't just let that slide. Your cat will likely hide signs of discomfort or mask their pain- best to keep their meds well organized and dosed as prescribed to maintain your cat's comfort and recovery. I'm doing everything I can think of for my little man. If the next step is a urethrostomy, then so be it. This is something that could pop up as an emergency later on in life, but my job is just to make it as unlikely as possible by learning more about this disease, and doing everything I can to keep it from happening from him again.

Marlana Bernheisel
October 7, 2021

My beloved Dobie was diagnosed in January 2021 with the beginning stages of renal failure. In late August, I started him on subcutaneous fluids; I never imagined I would be in this position and though the procedure is relatively painless -- similar to a diabetic person pricking themselves daily with a needle -- the procedure at this point is every other day. For a few months, I had been pretty sure he had a UTI or something else going on downtown because he was digging ferociously in the litter box, repeatedly, and going from litter box to litter box (there are 6 for two cats). Ultimately, a week and a half ago, I had a friend take him to the vet while I was working (a 12 hour day) and I just didn't want him to go untreated for the UTI any longer. Well..... he has lost enough weight now that the vet COULD feel a mass in his abdomen. She called me right away and I gave the go ahead for an X-ray and ultrasound. These showed a tumor in his bladder. I have a date schedule for him to be euthanized, as well as my friend Homer, who is the same age and is suffering from advanced thyroid disease. I am just devastated by this entire situation. Admittedly, they are slowing down, though sometimes eagerly excited to eat, they aren't so much anymore. They still snuggle me and want attention, though I think it may be comfort they are seeking more than anything. Loving pets is such a joy. Losing pets is so tragic. I feel for everyone on this site commenting. Peace to all of you.....

Caroline
October 3, 2021

My cat had this awful condition a long time ago. As i noticed him leaking bloody pee onto my bed. Luckily i hadnt left for work. Immediately took him to vets where he proceeded to work on poor moz. 5 minutes later sheepish looking vet enters waiting room to inform me he has accidentally burst his bladder. He asks if I want him fixed or put out of his misery. I chose fix him please. After a few hours in theatre i got a call regsrding dangerout potassium levels. And asked if they should complete surgery. I said yes, he nade it and had a special diet. His photos were up in waiting room and i had discount on treatment. Moz had a good life after that until last year I caught him with some spring onions, at 14 you cant always remember whats good for you. My fault for not covering them adequately. Back to vets, a different one as i had moved 7 years previously. They did what they could and made him comfy. He looked brighter at least for a few days. Until he died peacefully on my bed during one night. But he woukd have gone on longer if he wasn't quite so peckish

Joe F
September 27, 2021

Lost my sweet boy Garfunkel to this horrible disease today. I hope all of those visiting this page for information can have a better outcome than my boy, but if not read some of these other comments. It made me feel better knowing I'm far from alone in dealing with this grief.

Kathy
September 17, 2021

The vet said my son's cat had a blockage and that he may need surgery. They said to apply for care credit and one other but he was denied credit. We asked if we could make monthly payments but they said no we're going to have to euthen8xe if you can't pay. This broke my heart. They said he was in pain. They let my son say his goodbyes to his best friend.  I can't understand why they would put the cat down instead of letting him make payments. It's all about the money I guess. They gave his cats body back 8n a box. While saying his goodbyes the cat was purring and if you didn't know he had a blockage was acting normal. Even walked around a bit. My son is 25 and I've never seen him cry so hard. He has his own apartment but guess for credit he didn't make enough money. I'm really upset and my son is more than upset.

Courtney Kenyon
August 20, 2021

I had to make the horrible decision to euthanize my 6 year old cat Meowbert on August 13th because I couldn't afford the PU surgery. It had never once crossed my mind to euthanize an animal because I couldn't afford its care. I always judged people who did that. I always wondered why they didn't just surrender it to the vet or a rescue. It seemed like a cruel, selfish thing to put an animal down purely for financial reasons. I didn't understand it until I was in the same situation. My cat Meowbert was on his 3rd blockage in 2 years and the emergency vet who had seen him all 3 times said the 3rd blockage would be the last strike and that he would require surgery. I tried everything over those 2 years. A million different types of food including expensive prescription diets, different litter, more litter boxes, water fountains, more exercise, even tried expensive anxiety medication because it was suspected to be stress induced inflammation, he never had any crystals show up in urinary tests. Nothing worked. He would go a full year with no problems, then have back to back flare ups for weeks until it resulted in a full blockage and a $2,000 48 hour stay at the ER. His most recent blockage was in May, totaling $2,200. We had only paid it down to $1,800 when he blocked again on Friday. We knew we couldn't afford another $2,000 bill (our care credit only went to 3k), much less the surgery, so we went in expecting to surrender him. The vet practically laughed in my face. "Who is going to adopt a 6 year old male cat with chronic health problems? The shelters are full enough as it is." Our only options were to pay the low end deposit of $2,200 with the expectation of doing surgery in 2 days, adding another $3,500. Or euthanize for $660. We had no money, except what was left on the care credit. Our credit cards were maxed. It was 9pm and every rescue was closed for the weekend. I balled my eyes out in the exam room. I never wanted it to come to this. It makes me sick that we value money over the lives of animals in this capitalist society. The vet was sad and sympathetic for us but still went through with the euthanasia, knowing full well that he was an otherwise healthy, beautiful, intelligent cat with so many years ahead of him. I'll never stop feeling guilty and angry about cutting his life short like this. I'm angry and sad for every pet owner who's ever been placed in this situation. I'm mad that we've known about this disease for decades and still don't have any answers. Of course the surgery isn't a guaranteed fix but Meowbert and every other cat suffering from this horrible disease deserved a fighting chance.

Nancy Slazyk
August 16, 2021

Today (8/16/2021) we had to put down my daughter’s 3 year old male cat. On Friday morning (8/13/2021) he was having spasms from stomach to back end, didn’t eat, picking at privates, trouble walking, hiding and vomited. Took him to vet who said he had a blockage. They did catheter flush and on Saturday said he needed urethrotomy which we agreed to. His kidney level at that point was 2.5.  The ne t morning vet called and said his kidney level went up to 6.1 nd if it didn’t come down we would have to talk about euthanasia. Vet let us see him last night. This morning vet called and his level was up to 7.8. It was time to put him down. He showed no signs of an issue. Thursday he was playing and a few days later he’s gone.

Lisa Smith
August 5, 2021

Today is 8/4/2021. And I had to bring our loving baby boy Harley to the Vet. Yesterday I noticed he was having trouble going pee but I thought it was a UTI and  was going to see how he did through the night and then bring him on over to the vet the next day. And today that’s exactly what I did. And the Dr told me he was blocked and needed to get a catheter and stay a few days. Well of course do what you have to do to make him better. Well it was about 2 and half hours later I get a call from the Dr , I thought it was the call that everything went well and he’s recovering, nope My WORST NIGHTMARE. He was still sedated because she was having trouble finding his penis to put the catheter in and that you can go to a specialist and see if they can do a special surgery on him but it’s not a promising one and it’s extremely expensive. I had her talk with my Husband as I was a mess now. Well with the Dr telling us that she’s been a Veterinarian for 30 yrs and seen a lot of stuff with blockages but this is a 1st and she tried over and over and she still couldn’t find it . And you absolutely need the catheter to be able to proceed with the process of unblocking him . Well  my Husband said at this point it is what it is with money just fix our kitty. But she advised us in her professional opinion that she did all she could for him and he’s not in pain right now as he was still sedated. And you wouldn’t want to put him through any more pain. So we make that Heart Wrenching decision to put him down. Oh my Heart hurts so bad right now…. I brought my little boy in for what I thought was a curable procedure and now he’s gone, just like that. I’m at a loss of words. He was the most playful boy at only 3 yrs old . Followed me everywhere, everyday all around our house and would play fetch with his little fuzzy ball . Gosh he carried that every where .. We buried him in the back yard with his fuzzy ball . I love and miss you tons Harley ��❤️��. And the Dr and whole Animal Hospital were so loving the whole way through this nightmare. Thanks for listening. I pray they find cure for it as it Sucks like Hell and don’t wish it on any cat  or furry parents.

Russell Evans
August 1, 2021

My 3 YO male Smudge had to be put to sleep yesterday after 7 very long months of multiple blockages and what I can only surmise as a failed PU surgery(they also called it a  sex change surgery basically) before his 1st blockage Smudge was a very active and loving cat and showed zero health issues and the only change in lifestyle if you can really call it that is that I had just stopped putting in a Soresto Flea Collar 2 1/2 months prior. He had one on him pretty much his whole life before that. Now to the surgery. From what I’ve read this PU surgery usually works great for relieving future blockages if preformed to a certain standard. Surgery was performed in February and not 4 weeks later Smudge was blocked again for his 3rd time now. So he went back to the Vet for a revision and he was home after a 5 day stay at the vet and he seemed to be doing better this time. Another 4-5 weeks he was blocked again 4th time in total. So he went back to the vet for for another revision and a catheter to get the blockage cleared. At this point I’m seriously worrying that this evil disease may be what takes my precious Smudge. But he was home after 3 days at the vet. July 4 weekend (fireworks weekend in everyone’s neighborhood near you) July 5th morning I wake up and he is blocked for the 5th time now and this time he didn’t show any straining or any signs that I know know how to look for in hindsight so I take him back to the Vet.  The vet recommends one last ditch effort by inserting a catheter and leaving it in for 14 days and hopefully let the Uretha heal around the catheter as apparently he was having issues with Stricture or scarring. So I opted to continue to max out my credit card and continue the good fight after the 14 days the Vet sent him home and wanted to see him back in 1 week to see the “progress”. So when we return for his 1 week checkup after surgery. he was ALREADY BLOCKED AGAIN!?!?!?! This time I knew he was blocked as he showed all the signs the night before and I stayed up all night with him and came to the saddest of realizations. This disease was going to take my precious Smudge, BUT WHY???? Why does it have to!?!?!?!?? Now my questions, 1) is this a typical case for a blocked cat who has a PU surgery like my Smudge did? 2) Most vets I speak to say this is a Generally a “rare case” but on this sites postings alone there are multiple posts a week with people crying out with the same issues. 3) Has the veterinary Medical community really not found a way to permanently find a “fix-all” so to speak with the best research institutions across this great planet. THIS CALLS FOR “THE BLOCKED CAT- VETERINARY SEMINAR” WHERE ALL VETS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TOGETHER AND FINALLY FIND A TRUE FIX FOR THIS AWFUL DISEASE!!!!! It didn’t save my smudge but it could save someone else’s loved one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This disease needs to be seriously investigated and the investigation will hopefully bring the answers we all have about this disease!!! 4)not a question) THANK YOU TO ALL VETS AROUND THE WORLD FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS WONDERFUL CAUSE AND HELPING OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, OUR FUR BABIES OUR PETS. ITS NOT AN EASY JOB BUT IT IS A VERY NECESSARY ONE. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t blame my local Vet as he was very nice and doing exactly what he was trained to do. So I want to thank Dr Mcelroy and everyone at Cherry Point for their hard work and I hope they learned something about this case that will help them save their next blocked cat if their has to be one and I’m sure there will!!

Tara
July 31, 2021

I just lost my big boy Momo to this. It was so sudden, he was acting irritable and lethargic but we did not realize he wasn't peeing right away, as he was going to the box and squatting. Late on 2 we realized no pee was coming out. On day 3, our vet drained his bladder and sent him home with medication. I stayed up with him all night and at 2 am we took him to ER, prepared to euthanize. But once we got there, the 3k treatment that we had decided was not an option became one and we said yes. We couldn't afford it but we were ready. The ER vet ran blood tests and advised us his toxin levels were so high that he likely wouldnt survive the treatment. She supported our decision to euthanize and end his agony. They also had him on anesthesia which brings me great comfort. Once we got home, we were absolutely wracked with guilt. What if we had brought him on day 1? How could we be so stupid as to not notice he wasn't peeing? But after reading all the experiences of others here, I feel a little bit better know that Momo probably would not have been in the clear even after the 3k. My only regret now is that we let him suffer for 6 hours between the two vet visits. RIP sweet Momo

Chris
July 30, 2021

It is so sad reading all these comments.  Two days ago my brother said his “Bandit” was sick.  He noticed he had not eaten or used the litter box.  We ran him to the animal hospital.  They told us he had a blockage and the numbers on his kidneys was at 18 and a normal number is 1-2.  The blockage was taken care of that evening.  But, his kidney numbers last night had only come down to 16.  He would have to stay a few more days.  The bill was already up to $2,250.   We reached out to our own personal vet.  He had been in touch with the hospital.  They told him there was kidney damage.  This poor cat  was fine and active the night before.  We went to visit him last evening his catheter bag was filled with urine and blood.  We questioned that and were told it was normal for that to happen after the blockage.  We were also told there was no guarantee if he would get better.  My brother made the decision to let him Cross over the Rainbow Bridge due to the fact it was going to cost another $1,000-2,000.  Bandit was only 2 years 5 months old.  Grateful, my brother has Bandits sister Princess same age.  I hope she lives a long healthy life.  I have a dog, but I am truly sad.

Wendy
July 30, 2021

This is the worst sickness ever ! It was a year ago on July 23rd for me and I still have guilt putting him down ! I had never heard of blockage before ,if I had known what I was looking for maybe my boy would still be here ! It happened so fast . Like In a day and a half I had to make the most heart wrenching decision ever!Why are so many sweet babies getting this awful sickness ? My boy was  only 21 months old! He was onl wet and dry food

Jennifer Paige Shackleford
July 20, 2021

Our sweet kitty chopper who is only 5 yrs old just came home 10 hours ago after a 5 day stay at the vet. Hes now spent the last 2 hrs trying to pee and im heart broken. I was really optimistic but after reading this Im now heart broken. Ive called the vet and in 4 hrs I will take him back. My children were so happy to have their boy back home. Im heart broken.

Missy Smith
July 16, 2021

I’m balling in tears right now. I don’t know what to do with my 5 year old cat. He is my everything as I am his and he is not himself. I just had surgery 2 weeks ago and so I am broke. Please My God please send a miracle my baby boys way.

Jessica Robertson
June 25, 2021

I just lost my heart kitty last night to this. Less then 2 weeks ago he couldn't pee but a drop and I rushed him to the vet and they said he isn't blocked buy he does have " SLUDGE" in his bladder. They prescribed him antibiotics and pain meds and sent us home with saying they weren't sure if this will fix the problem but it can. Well it seemed to have done the trick. He was peeing normal and he even started playing again. Yesterday he seemed fine even cuddled me and everything. However nightfall happened and my world turned upside down.  He was trying to pee on everything including me. All he could get out was a drop. Then he would lick himself vigorously. The surgery to would cost over 3000 dollars. And it's not saying it wouldn't come back. So.i made the decision to put down my sweet baby boy buka. He was only 2 years old. I just didn't have the money and I didn't want him to suffer

Kim
June 21, 2021

So glad that I found this article. My husband and I just this past Saturday made the agonizing decision to say goodbye to our sweet, lovable, kitty, Wren. This disease is devastating. In less than 24 hours Wren went from energetic and playful to a kitty that was vomiting, straining to pee and yowling in pain. We rushed him to an emergency clinic and after waiting about 3 hours saw a vet who delivered the grim news. He had experienced a uti before in 2018 and he had a stay in the hospital on intravenous. He came home and returned to his normal self. A couple of months ago I had scheduled him in to have his teeth cleaned and was surprised when the vet called and told me that the results of his blood work showed he had CKD. She did an SDMA test and said it was stage 2 and manageable. He would have another SDMA test in 3 months ,which I had scheduled for today ,when he went for his vaccinations. He seemed to be doing fine so I was devastated when the emergency vet explained that he had a severe blockage and that even if he had treatment and surgery that it would probably not end well especially with his CKD.  I simply couldn't believe that this could happen so quickly because a few hours ago he had been fine.We made the heart wrenching decision to say goodbye to our baby. I have been sick with guilt ever since thinking that maybe we made the wrong decision. It has helped immensely reading all of your experiences and knowing that others have had similar experiences and faced the unthinkable. It has made me feel more at ease with the decision that my gut was telling me was the right one. It has been a difficult couple of days. I keep thinking he'll jump up beside me any minute, snuggle in and purr.My condolences to all of you who are grieving the loss of your kitties and to those of you who are dealing with this terrible disease my thoughts are with you.

Laurie L. Thurber
June 13, 2021

I am just starting with this problem. Jerry is just 3 years old I took him to the vet the first time. I was told that he had a infection and a small bladder. He came home with medicine. Then he went to the vet to get his shots. Jerry gets so upset he pants and his crate rocks. We went home 3 or 4 hours later he couldn't pee. He stayed there 3 or 4 days.The vet flushed him out. He has been home but he hates the medication. Right after I give him the meds he goes and pees on my things. I just don't know what to do for him. And yes this sucks.

Anna
June 12, 2021

We lost our 6 year old boy yesterday to this awful disease, he was catheterised on Monday evening and kept at the vets for 2 days, came home Wednesday tired but happy, friday yesterday he had the exact same symptoms including collapsing, this time when he collapsed he literally urinated none stop. Rushed him to the vets and my lil boy lost all of his fight and just lay there, vet said it would be kinder to let him go as he was suffering too much. In less than a week this awful disease took my baby. Utterly heartbroken

John E. Janofski
June 8, 2021

I lost my boy this week to this terrible blockage, I can't help but blame myself for not seeing it early. I lost a great cat ( Pudge ) a big piece of my heart when we had to put him to sleep , watching the life go out of his body and losing him broke my heart, so please read and learn what you can so you don't have to go through what I did. Broken heart upper mi

Library Cat
June 5, 2021

Just lost our Prospero yesterday. Beautiful, sweet baby, only about 1 1/2 years old. He was my daughters’ cat, and my oldest (4 years) found him sick yesterday morning, tucked him in with her blanket, and sat with him until I woke up, After a scary UTI infection last month, he had seemed fine and back to normal. Then yesterday he was vomiting, yowling, in so much pain. We took him in and the vet said he was completely blocked, and that there was a surgery we could try, but there were no guarantee it would fix the problem and even if it worked, there was no guarantee that this wouldn’t happen again next week or even next month. I’ve done the expensive, iffy Hail Mary surgery for a cat before. It did not end well. Hindsight, our greatest regret with our previous cat was not allowing it to end sooner. My husband and I could not justify putting another cat through all of that when the odds were that he would end up back in the hospital in another month or so even if the surgery was a success. My oldest daughter is four and she is devastated. My youngest is three and she still doesn’t quite understand why her baby cat didn’t come home.

Karly Winfield
May 31, 2021

I need an opinion. How often should he be peeing? How much? When do I know I need to take him in again? My little boy is 7 years old and had a blockage yesterday. He had a catheter put in to drain bladder and IV and returned home same day with medication. I chose the outpatient vs inpatient route due to costs, proximity and his lack of cooperation at the vet. We got home about 8pm last night and he has peed less than a 1/2 measuring cup. Emergency vet suggested to bring him back in, as he hadn't peed but then said it could be okay as he peed while I was on the phone at 11am.

Kyla Lastowski
May 31, 2021

Just lost my sweet baby tabby to this horrible disease. He was only two years old. I noticed him straining to pee. He was squatting all over the house and nothing was coming out. He had this problem before a few months prior. I took him to the vet but after the doctor unblocked him, she told me it was no big deal and it happens quite frequently to orange cats. She gave me some medicine for him and told me it would be fine.  Flash forward a couple months later, and he’s showing symptoms again. I bring him to the vet and I get a different doctor this time who tells me about this terrible disease and how it’s lifelong. At this point, I’m shocked because the doctor last time said NOTHING about this disease and literally brushed it off. Then the doctor tells me they’re unable to unblock him and I have to bring him to a specialist. I drive an hour away to this speciality doctor and they tell me they’re going to try to unblock his bladder and if that doesn’t work they will perform surgery. A couple hours later, my mother gets a phone call that his bladder is completely blocked and that surgery wouldn’t even help. We were basically left with no choice. I’m happy he’s not in pain anymore, but he didn’t even get to live a long life. I can’t help but feel guilty, like that maybe there was something I could’ve done to prevent this. I’m so sorry to all of you people on the site. Losing a pet is truly heartbreaking.

Russ Dregne
May 29, 2021

Hi there, our beautiful 5 year old golden tabby boy just got home from a PU.. he has been straining and trickling bloody urine, which I hear is normal after this surgery.. when should the straining stop, and he be able to pee free again though? And has anyone tried herbal tinctures and had success? I saw some great reviews of curing this issue and ordered the tincture when we first noticed the straining, but I'm not sure if it's safe after the PU.. thanks for all of your involvement on this thread! I feel for you all and your furry loved ones!

Jennifer Aleman
May 21, 2021

Bless everyone reading this and anyone who has lost a pet due to this horrific disease. Its been 16 days since I had to let go of my bestfriend Spiderman, Tabby male 2 year old cat. He was a healthy beautiful boy with a lot of energy and love to offer. One morning literally over night he develops a UTI. This disease sucks truly. I know my cat is still by my side in spirit because he never left my side when he was living. I hope we all find peace from our losses and let our beautiful animals continue to make us smile and grow even if they are at the rainbow bridge. love you all xoxo

TJ
May 20, 2021

I have empathy and sympathy for every single one of you and your kitties.  My Frisky cat/best friend has battled this disease for many years now. She has also strictly been on Hills c/d wet and dry, purified water and no treats what so ever for many years. Even with everything I've tried to do to help her/keep her healthy, she still has episodes at least twice a year, sometimes more.  It's so painfully excruciating for her that every single time it happens and with every vet visit, I plan to let her go and then she recovers. It’s a vicious, awful cycle and I’m always torn as to what to do…I dont want to ask for her to be euthanized while I’m there in the clinic, when it ends up being treatable (albeit for a limited time) and she is doing better, but it's inhumane to know that it is a matter of time before she suffers again.   Such an miserable condition. =( A HUGE thank you to the author of this article.

Gizelle
May 18, 2021

Im a new pet parent, just adopted a 7 week old barn kitten on Sunday night (he hasnt been fixed or vaccinated yet). Hes super playful and sleepy, and is also very vocal, but ive read these are all normal things for kittens. He's been using the litter box to poop several times a day, but I have only noticed him pee once, about 24 hours ago. He has a water bowl with a refilling reservior right next to his food bowl and I havent noticed a change in his behavior since he first came home, hes still eating/drinking too. Earlier, he seemed to be squatting as if to pee last time he went in the litter box, then he meowed and hopped out, but there was nothing there. Is urinary blockage common in male kittens at all? Im having trouble finding information/cases in which the cat is younger than 6 months...but I'm concerned after reading these stories. Planning to take him to the vet tomorrow morning, but should I even wait that long?

Karina
May 14, 2021

Hello, sorry for my English, we are from Portugal. My story is sad. I have 4 sphynx cats with herpesvirus (all came from breeder already with herpesvirus) and one of them had urinary blockage, terrible UTI. It happen 2 months ago, but I still can't go over it. I am still crying. We decided to put down our boy with urinary blockage, because he also had a terrible herpesvirus over 7 months(constantly on antibiotics and different treatments and nothing never helped, just did worst...due to antibiotics during long term my boy start to have crystals in his urine why he had urinary blockage). We decided to put him down because could not afford his treatment anymore (we were already over 3 thousand euros) and seeing how he suffers was terrible, I could not stop crying seeing him like this...My veterinarian said it could repeat again, so we decided not to turture animal and just let him go. My boy is not suffering anymore.... but I am feeling so guilty until now, maybe he would be ok if I would just try more. I still have left 3 very sick cats, I don't think I will be able ever again to make such awful decision or even have more cats.  Thank You telling your stories.

Rebecca
May 2, 2021

I am going thru this right now he stayed at vet 3 days he came home he was acting him self then I rush him back to vet because he was bleeding and vet said he still imflammed so he is ok. Because they had to yank his catheter out first place because the er vet used a rubber one and it bent. Now he looks miserable and I’m going probaly have to put him down Monday and I am not ready for that he is 4 yrs old. He is good boy and I’m lost for words atm. But he giving up. He been on pain meds and meds for his urethra but he not getting better I have to force him to drink water. This diease sucks first time going thru this.

Serrena Ayton
April 19, 2021

I've had a couple of male cats over the years, indoors only and never came across this issue until now. Our beloved 2yr old Ragdoll, Oskar usually very playful and healthy ended up with this condition overnight. We rushed him to our local vets after he couldn't urinate and was yowling in pain. They put in a catheter, flushed out his bladder and kept him in for 2 nights under observation. We brought Oskar home with medication and a change of diet (Hills Science CD), closely monitoring him. He returned back to his happy self and seemed to be back to urinating in his litter box. Boy how wrong I was. On the 8th day I woke up to fund Oskar totally blocked again and in discomfort. We rushed him back to the vets, I expected them to do the same procedure as before and he would come home again. I was not expecting the phone call I received 2hrs later. They couldn't get a catheter in this time and I had to make a rough decision. The vet did mention to me that the Ragdoll breed, especially the males were known for blocked urethras and it would most likely continue to happen again. Oskar was already heavily sedated and being so yound, we decided the kindest and best thing for him was to put him to sleep. I didn't want to but I couldn't see him in pain anymore or go through possibly more pain. It has been one of the most devastating and emotionally hardest things I have ever had to do. A life so young and he was the most beautiful cat with so much love to give. Oskar didn't deserve this and I feel so very lost without him.

Debbie
April 2, 2021

I’m going through this right now. My Persian 1.5 year old is on his 2.5 block, I call it .5 bc I refuse to believe he was fully unblocked if within an hour of bringing him home he was straining and not peeing in the litter box. This is such a terrible terrible situation. This little guy is gorgeous, sweet, gently, funny and frankly the best cat I’ve had ever. And the cutest I’ve ever seen. The emotional pain is intense. And on top of that the financial toll is tremendous. I’m seeing people here claiming to have paid as little as 1200 for three days of hospital treatment and catheters. I’ve paid more than that for just one night. I wish vets would have some compassion and not charge so much. I own my own business and if I have a repeat customer I am SO not rigid with prices. I’m at my wits end. If I bring him home tonight and he blocks again, I don’t know what to do, people on here say the surgery didn’t work others say it does. Plus thousands more before I get there. AND even worse it’s Easter weekend. So vets are closing and only the traumatizing emergency rooms are open. Please God have mercy on these innocent small creatures, and they’re heartbroken owners.

Brenda
February 23, 2021

I went through this horrible ordeal about 4 years ago with one of my male cats that was about a year old. He had been straining to potty and when I felt his tummy, his bladder was hard as a rock. I rushed him to the vet for an emergency visit, they drained his bladder and gave him some fluids and antibiotics. Luckily he was able to recover. Fast forward three years later, I have another male that started exhibiting the same symptoms. I immediately knew what was wrong. I took him to a different vet, big mistake. Even though I knew what was wrong, they ran $400 worth of tests and then wanted an additional $400 to treat him for a 3 night stay, in which they didn't tell me initially that he wouldn't even be monitored overnight. They told my daughter different info than they did me about what to do. They treated me like a bad pet mom because I'm not made of money and they acted like they didn't believe me when I told them I couldn't afford an almost $1000 vet bill. They had absolutely no compassion. Unable to pay that, I chose to take him home. This morning, I'm taking him to my old vet who I should have stuck with to begin with. He wouldn't have raked me over the coals only concerned about money. He would have known what was wrong and would have been upfront with me that he needed to be put down. Both of these cats are indoor cats so they use a litter box. In all my years of being a cat owner, I never had this happen with an outside cat. Ever! They need to find some kind of treatment for this or find a way to prevent it. It's a horrible thing to go through.

Allen
February 12, 2021

Lost my boy Mittens to this terrible disease.  Had no idea about this and am still in shock he declined so fast.  I thought he would receive an anti-biotic and return home.  I felt I failed him when I had to make the decision to euthanize.  He was in so much pain.  Due to COVID the Vet Clinic had me wait outside in the parking lot then came out to advise that he had a Blocked Urinary Tract and was suffering.  I made the decision to euthanize based on the advice I was receiving and returned home without him and have been grieving since.  I just don't understand why this disease is not talked about or there aren't succesful treatment options.  Miss him so much as I search for answere.  Thank you to all who have contributed your experiences and I am so sorry for your loss and grief and can relate to each one of you.  Very sad and frustrated.

Tolstoy
February 8, 2021

His white blood cell count was very high from the blood work  so the doctor prescribed an antibiotic because he was suspicious he was harboring an infection. I finished the antibiotic but it only lasted less then a week I feel he should of taken it atleast 2-3 weeks but again learned this to late. I changed his diet followed all the signs and discharge notes and everything seemed like he was getting better, he was eating well and back to his old self and suddenly three weeks later we woke up one morning and he didn’t want to eat, I picked him up and he leaked urine, I immediately panicked after he threw up. I didn’t hesitate by taking him back to the vet fast, the doctor confirmed he wasn’t blocked but was not able to tell me what was causing the acute vomiting just gave me a refill on his medication. Brought him home and he didn’t seem any better, he couldn’t stop puking and he couldn’t move or walk, he was thrown in the floor howling in pain, we thought we were losing him so we rushed him to the ER and bloodwork confirmed he was at stage 3 Ckd. We couldn’t bare seeing our baby end in renal failure so fast we had to make the hardest decision of sleeping him. I still feel haunted and full of guilt he was only a baby and I know it is case by case and the outcomes can go in so many ways with this horrible disease. We had so much tough luck and so many small details that just turned for the worst. Seeing him In so much pain for a second time and so fast we thought he would deteriorate quickly in three weeks he lost 25% of his initial weight before the obstruction happened. Everyone tells me I did everything I could for him but I can’t live with myself and feel their was so much more I could of done. Biggest lesson was always trust your gut and don’t wait until it goes away. Hoping anyone reading this is able to take there fur baby to a ER right away as soon as you notice any discomfort in a male cat. A few hours can make a huge difference!

Tolstoy
February 8, 2021

My husband and I went through this horrific experience this past Christmas. We woke up to increased vocalization from our 2 year Russian blue baby boy. As the day went by he didn’t seem to rest easy and it being Christmas and all the vets were closed. Not knowing what was wrong with him and being fooled by thinking it was constipation I didn’t realize the medical emergency but anyways we found the Spca to be open so we took him in the vet tech took his vitals and told us he wasn’t blocked and said we would have to wait 3-4 hours to get really checked. Again not having knowledge on a blocked cat and after been assured he wasn’t blocked it made me feel it would be fine to wait until the morning to see if he got better. Biggest mistake ever- by morning he was unable to walk and his stomach was super hard. I called the vet panicked and described all his symptoms instead of telling me to rush him to the ER she gave me an appointment for 2 hours later. Instead of trusting my gut I trusted these 2 people that worked at vet thinking they must know better. By the time he got to the vet they immediately told me he was blocked and that they were unable to do the procedure there so I had to rush him to the ER. More time lost and by the time he got medical intervention he was nearly dead even doctor said if I didn’t have 5K for everything he needed and even then it wasn’t a guarantee it would be best to euthanize. I was horrified by the idea of putting my baby down over money so I scrambled to borrow and apply for CC. I told the doctor please save my baby and she was very cold saying I can’t save him for 2K, I told her please let’s take it as we go and she hung up on me saying he might die in the next 30 min and I’m going to go do the procedure on him.

Allison J Edwards
February 3, 2021

My sweet Caspurr has to be put down because of this. He is only 20 months old. He was blocked, catherized, came home but couldn't pee, so I brought him back and they expressed urine and said he wasn't blocked and sent him home again. He still couldn't pee, so I brought him back. They catherized him again. Then they diagnosed a UTI and there were liver problems. An ultrasound showed severe swelling of the lining of the bladder and crystals in the kidneys. I took him to another vet for a second opinion. They did all they could but now he has extreme anemia. They said the UTI could have been caused by the first catherization. (I read that a study showed 1/3rd of cats with a catherization for a blockage ended up with a UTI.) I've spent over $10,000 so far. I'm bringing him home today to spend the day with him before we put him down tomorrow. It's horrible. I signed up for pet insurance for my other cats today.

Wendy Spies
January 21, 2021

Yes this bladder blockage is the worst !! It’s been 26 weeks ago today for me since I had to say goodbye to my sweet 21 month old baby boy out of the blue ! He was fine Sunday playing and running around and pestering the dogs and by Tuesday he just changed , took him to vet drained his bladder and changed his diet , but he got worse the next day ! I will never forget him laying on the vets table wrapped in a towel looking at me like he was saying “mommy aren’t you going to help me feel better “? Us mommy’s are supposed to help our babies . This sickness is the most heart wrenching thing ever, I grew up on a farm had lots of animals but I never heard of bladder blockage ! There’s gotta be something to stop if it’s in the food then stop recommending the garbage . That night ruined me big time , I couldn’t even put up my tree  , or decorate be cause my buddy bent the branches last Christmas and we just put it away like that not knowing that it would be his first and last Christmas with us! Im I’m just so broken This sickness leaves us all devastated and depressed and full of anxiety and guilt !

Smokey's human mum
January 9, 2021

I am so sorry you went through that with warrior. I feel your pain. This is the most awful condition. You did everything you possibly could to make Warrior’s life better. It is heartbreaking to go through this. My cat had this condition for the first time at 8 years old during lockdown in 2020. He was hospitalised and catheterised. He got better and came home. He was home for a week and it happened again. They didn’t think it was stones but stress induced. I have never felt so frightened for him and it took months for him to really recover. I was at the vets all the time as he had cystitis for weeks after the second blockage. I got used to existing on a few hours sleep and frequent trips to the emergency vets at midnight or later. I am now a little obsessed with his urine output and afraid that it will happen again. The vet said once it happens there is a risk that it will recur. As a caring cat owner which I see you are too, I understand how it affects us. We feel helpless and can’t control what happens. With this condition it seems that no matter how often you take your little fur baby to the vets and what treatment they prescribe, the outcome is in the lap of the gods. I am sending you hugs and hope you feel better in the future. Please be assured, you did everything humanly possible to help Warrior. Xx

Rest in Peace Warrior
January 3, 2021

My cat Warrior was only two and a half and we just had to put him down this morning and I am in shock and devastated. He started struggling with UTI's and blockages back in November 2019, and they'd clear him and give him medicine and switch his diet and send him home, but it kept happening. So in January, 2020 he had the PU surgery and a cystonomy and he had complications after his surgery and had to have two procedures for his bladder. All seemed well till July, 2020 when he couldn't pee again and had to be seen. Then it happened again in December and then again, yesterday. He wasn't responding to the pain medicine or inflammation medicine and seemed even worse, so we brought him back and they said they couldn't manually expel the urine as they did the other day, and that they didn't see anything in his x-ray but said given his history and the fact that he's still having issues a year later after his PU surgery that they'd need to keep him on a catheter for 48 hours and do another operation, or put him down. The price would be $2,000 to $3,000 just for him to stay there three days with a catheter, etc and then there'd be the price of the surgery he'd need to remove the stricture keeping him from peeing. They'd only let me put $1,500 down and said they couldn't do a payment plan for the rest, and I barely had enough with borrowing money. And I'm already in debt $7,000 from his previous surgeries and treatments....I called other places and other people tried to apply for care credit but to no avail....my only option left was to put him down.....I didn't want to,I wanted to keep him alive and just keep getting him operations, e.t.c when need be, but I don't have the money and I felt like me wanting to keep him alive if his quality of life was always painful and stressful and back and forth to the vet/ animal hospital wasn't fair to him.... but honestly if I had the money I would have tried to keep him alive still, because this is the worst feeling in the world, and I miss him so much, and I feel like I failed him and like I killed him because I couldn't afford his life saving surgery....I was bawling on the phone with the vet in the animal hospital parking lot, asking if he could just have the catheter put in and go home, have different pain pills, if another place could take him on a payment plan, if I could pay what I could and call the manager to work out a payment plan, etc.......it haunts me now thinking, if he just had the catheter and an antibiotic would he of been okay? If I had lied and said I could pay the other half of the bill would he at least be alive? Was the few months of non-prescription food i fed him when i lost my job to covid what caused this? Should I of tried a different urinary supplement for cats? Different litter again? Etc etc etc.... I've had him since he was two weeks old, and he was my everything and my little shadow.....I've been unable to sleep, eat or stop crying since.... and I need to bury him soon.....I just wasn't expecting to bring him home in a box.....I told him he'd be okay and that they'd help him feel better and that mommy would bring him home just like last night.... instead I was on the animal hospital floor sobbing uncontrollably for my baby who i just watched take his last breath..... this isn't fair... he was so young and he was supposed to get better after the surgery.... they told me he would have just continued to have complications and it'd be a constant battle and that I had already gone above and beyond for him... but it still doesn't feel right....it feels so wrong and I miss him so much and I keep thinking maybe he could have lived a bit longer without another flare up....he was always so happy and affectionate and loved life....I felt so pressured and distraught and didn't know what to do....it was either catheter him but have his bladder fill up again the next day because of his stricture and be in the same situation, or put him down....I just cried and cried and held him and told him mommy loves you so much... sorry for the long post, I'm in shock and grieving and just unable to process that he was fine one day and gone the next, and feeling horrible for not being able to afford his operation....

Maddy
January 2, 2021

Thank you for this article and to all those who have shared their stories. I can’t say it has made me feel better about my current situation, given the incredibly sad outcomes so many of you have had, but it has made me feel less alone. My two year old, Cricket, became ill very suddenly on Boxing Day. He was diagnosed with a blockage and catheterised immediately. He responded well to the treatment and was passing good amounts of urine at the vet, but at home he has been needing to go to the tray frequently, only peeing in small quantities at a time. While I feel lucky that, so far, he’s using the tray, eating his new foods without complaint and still finding the energy to play with me and my other cat, I am so worried about what the future holds. My family have always had cats and I had no idea this condition existed. The potential financial burden terrifies me. Thank you again for giving me a more personal insight into how this has affected others, and thank you to commenters like Cort who have taken the time to give a hopeful story as it was exactly what I needed right now.

Erika
January 2, 2021

Yesterday I had to put my 3 year old Jack to sleep. I like many others had no idea about this disease. The immense feeling of guilt and I could have done more, is something I can't let go of. I was looking at a bill towards 4100. My husband is the only one working, we have a child and a mortgage to be also financially stable for. The realistic version is what I chose,To put my baby to sleep. The unrealistic version was to spend every last dime we had, even don't have to help him. Even if after all that money was spent to have it possibly come back... it would be ok we'd try again! The day after I still struggle to agree this was the logical choice. There is no guarantee that he'd be able to pee normally. The stress it would give both of us. The financial debt the family would endure. For what.. would I be extending his life for my own pleasure? I'm sorry my little one, that momma couldn't help the way I really really wanted to.I love you Jacks. My condolences to all of the pet owners who had to make such an awful decision. My heart hurts right along side with yours.

Casey Lee
December 23, 2020

I've been sitting here reading all these comments and I am just devastated. Our 18 month old male tuxedo cat Oreo came down with the UTI in the beginning of November. We took him to the vet and he got a round of antibiotics and it seemed to clear it up and he's been fine till Monday. Monday I noticed he had no pee in his box. He seemed fine that morning but after his morning nap he got up and went to the box and just stayed there. Where before he would go in and out. I had to run to the store so I got dressed and left , knowing that I was going to have to contact the vet and get him back in. But when we got home I noticed he had not ate any of his breakfast. I found the throw up.He woke up and went straight to the box and stayed there until I went and got him out. He was trying to pee but nothing is coming out. I took him outside because he loves to lay in the Sun. I had him out laying in the Sun and went and woke my husband up. By the time we got back outside Oreo had took a turn for the worst. His legs were Steph his pink nose had turned white and his mouth was hanging open. Call the vet and immediately rushed him there . The vet said he had a very bad UTI and sludge build-up . Not a full blockage but the start of one. He was completely backed up with your urine and she had to empty his bladder. She wanted to put him in the hospital overnight and hook him up to an IV. Unfortunately I have a cost restriction issue .  I know the saying you should not have a pet unless you are financially able to provide. But unfortunately this year has turned everyone upside down not being able to work etc has my finances in a very bad bind . The vet gave him a shot of antibiotics empties his bladder and gave him some anti-nausea medicine. She also gave me prescription  hills CD wet food. With instructions that that is all he was allowed to eat. And try to make sure he drinks plenty of water. Tuesday he woke up and definitely was feeling much better, he ate he drank and had two large pea pods in the Box. However this morning he is not wanting to eat the food. Begging for his other food which I'm not allowed to give him. And is in and out of the box. He's walking around trickling pee everywhere. I'm just so upset because I just don't have the money to put him in the vet hospital or have a procedure done to clear him out. And after reading all of these stories I'm afraid that even if I did go through all of that it may not work. And through all of this he is hurting and he is in pain. What kind of quality life of life is that for him ? Is bad as it hurts me to think about putting him down it hurts us even more to think about him living in constant pain being backed up with urine. I myself as a human have dealt with urinary issues and I know how painful it is and how sick it makes you. It's just so hard we love him so very much. Our 9 year old daughter is completely devastated as are we . But we are adults. I've been looking online for some holistic or home remedies. And I have come across a few. I never knew that this was a thing ...and  male cats especially are prone to this. But boy do I now. My heart is broken . I am beyond stressed out it kills me to see him in such pain. My house smells like a giant litter box there is urine everywhere. I just want him to have good quality of life. And this doesn't seem like a good quality of life.

Rob
December 21, 2020

I lost the most gentile friend ever Crushy I adopted him almost 4 years ago from FOWA in NJ he was a cat from a horder home he was recovering from Bartonella and had his eye saved . He was the funniest gentle cat I had my other two cats are precious in there own way . He started on the 10th of dec peeing in weird places and couldn't pee. My son and I took him to the er and they said he wasn't blocked and gave me meds . That was Thursday night by Saturday morning he wasn't eating so I brought him to another vet that said he is blocked and immediately started the cath and iv 3days later I took him home but the same thing happened so I brought him back . The vet did another cath and for 6 more days he was there on the seventh day 21 of dec 2020 I went to visit him like always but this time he had lost blood so he was on a drip again with oxygen he was sorta alert and I sang him songs and rubbed his ears he likes that . I left after an hour or so as I had to go-to work . I got a call from the vet at 430 pm and he told me my Crushy passed. I was devastated I was doing iv on patients at the oncology place I work . I had to call my girlfriend that lives and is kinna stuck in Copenhagen DK that the cats she loves so much and wanted to take back to Denmark died. It's been a miserable year but this was the final blow before Christmast I promised Crushy maybe he would be home for Christmas.

Joe
December 17, 2020

I’ve been to this article and reading these comments for about 7-8 months now. We just had to put down our 9 year old cat after a long battle with this condition. I’m sad, angry, and just feel like a failure I couldn’t get him past it. We worked with an amazing vet who did everything he could. We even did the PU surgery as a last resort. He was fine afterwards for about a month, and then it all of a sudden came back. Partial blockage and the vet couldn’t get a catheter in. It was either going in through the abdomen or putting him down. I’m glad he’s not in pain anymore but I just awful we couldn’t do anything more.

Rabiha
December 15, 2020

I lost my cat on Sunday. It's the worst feeling ever. I take him to an vet and he had a blockage. They decide to unblock him and the same night I had to rush him to the er because he was not eating. They could not promise me my cat will be ok. I hope they find a cure for this. My heart is broken

Cort
December 14, 2020

Hi everyone. I first found this page from excessive and paranoid Googling during the three-week nightmare that my cat and I endured a few months ago. I know many have come here to share horror stories and find support with each other, but I wanted to share my experience—with a happy ending—because it's what I needed so badly to read at the time. But first, I'm so incredibly sorry for everyone whose cats have been taken by this awful disease. There should absolutely be more awareness and education on it when adopting a male cat. My heart is with all of you! Over the course of three weeks in October my 4-year-old cat was in and out of the emergency vet's for a urinary blockage, catheterized twice, and stayed six nights there in all. Each time I would take him home he was constantly in and out of the litter box, getting out only a few droplets each time. I was an absolutely devastated and anxious wreck, hardly eating or sleeping and monitoring him constantly. The situation seemed so hopeless and confounding—he was a young, healthy, playful and active cat. I couldn't fathom how this had happened. The vets said if he blocked up one more time I would have to consider a urethral opening surgery, a complicated and expensive endeavor that I couldn't begin to wrap my head around. But somehow, the last time I brought him home, hopeless and expecting the worse, he slowly got better. I started him on Hill's Science Diet C/D, both wet and dry, and I think it has made A WORLD of difference. Two months later and he is completely back to his old self and peeing with no issues at all. I know this is a chronic condition and there is always a chance it could come back, but the food dissolves the crystals in the urine, effectively getting rid of what blocks them in the first place. If you are going through this hell right now, I just want to reassure you that THERE IS HOPE for your kitty! This disease is not a death sentence and can be properly managed—please don't forget that more than 2/3 of cats do not re-block again and can live normal, happy lives. I hope this brings some calm to those who have found this page trying to seek some!

David Moore
December 12, 2020

This is no joke. Our baby boy Maxx of 3 years had a blockage and after 4 days in the Vets and spending every dime we had $2600 to have it fix they told us they couldn't remove the blockage. Vet said the surgery was going to cost an additional $5000+ which we didn't have and couldn't get. We had to put Maxx to sleep 2 weeks ago and it's still really hard. He was the best cat ever and I miss him so much my heart hurts.

Daiz Dumont
December 1, 2020

I had never heard about this issue in cats unfortunately until today. My previous seemingly healthy two-year-old little Ezra just out of nowhere couldn't pee. I thought he might have a UTI which isnt anything too serious so I called my vet to book an appointment. To my surprise, she told me to rush him to the emergency clinic because it was "life or death". Ezra is a little asshole and is always picking fights with his sister and knocking things over, but when I heard he was near death I completely broke down, I love this little asshole with all my heart. We rushed him to the emergency clinic and were told it would be $2000 to save him. Now I know the saying, "dont get the pet if you cant afford the vet", I never imagined I would have to cough up $2000 or allow my cat to die. I called everyone I knew that could help me and no one could. I had no options, the vet said we can put him down and I had to agree, there was nothing left to do but bring him home and watch him suffer, he is an asshole but doesnt deserve that. Just as I was going in to say my goodbyes (sobbing more than I had ever in my life) my roomates sister called saying she would pay for his medical bills if I would let her adopt him. I would much rather him be alive and not mine then dead so I agreed. Now I am awake at 2am waiting until 7am to go pick him up. His procedure was succesful and hes doing ok. He's no longer my little asshole but he's an alive asshole and I am so greatful for his new mom. I was told about pet insurance, which I didnt even know was a thing, so I am in the process of setting that up for my other cat. I feel like a terrible cat mom and I am now making changes to do the best I can with the cat baby I still have. Give you babies a kiss, you never know what could happen tomorrow, and get pet insurance, dont learn the hard way like me.

Chanel B.
November 28, 2020

Wow! I wish everyone commenting on this thread would join a forum so we can all try to figure this out together. Our Cat Roy had crystals in his urine Mid-October. He is a 6 month old Manx. After the whole episode, which was one of the most terrifying and stress indicted experiences I’ve ever had with a pet, he now leaks urine in his sleep. It’s been about a month and a half of this. I don’t know what to do. He was just neutered on Tuesday and after finally getting through to a vet and expressing my concern, she immediately put him on UTI meds. But, it’s been four days and he’s still wet. Unfortunately, since he just had a surgery, I cannot bathe him like I have in the past. So I’ve just been using pet wipes. It’s totally awful. What is the longest anyone has had this happen for? Is it possible that the prescription food is causing him to unknowingly urinate?

Jennifer Louise McIntosh
November 19, 2020

This Psychology prof link is very good and supportive. Traumatic pet grievancies- blocked cat impacts and for many of us traumatic  loss adds more impacts and nightmare of blocked cat impacts and watching our pet endure and against so many impacts it effects us ten fold and beyond https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/animal-attachment/201702/tragic-sudden-unexpected-grieving-traumatic-pet-loss

Jennifer Louise McIntosh
November 19, 2020

Susan, May I acknowledge your experiences , I am deeply saddened for your over 3 months journey and your precious cat and feel your dilemmas and confusion what to do against so many issues and yet like the rest of us , you absolutely love your cat and trying to in a huge jig saw and shock and all these impacts finding what you  may need to do or cannot do against so many issues. What an amazing pet lover you are too your cat ! May I suggest keeping in a smaller access area even on tile - wood floor- making it more comfortable for kitty and some safe box or special safe hiding  area this may help less with stress- calming music for you both - this does not in anyway undermine or unvalidate the depth you are both enduring it helps to alieviate the over stimulations for both - and whatever you and your pet need in sincere connection. I have posted a bit and hope some of them can bring you comfort. Its complex and many stories, we all have and are enduring  , you are not alone and I sincerly validate and send you comforts, and the love between you and your pet I feel is strong and you do deeply love your pet - so many things out of ones control and there are many things in life we cannot control and grievancies pass us as humans each day when these traumatic and repeticious ones go on and on no one wants to endure both you or your pet stress- contacting your vet for supports too and what to do or find answers

Jennifer Louise McIntosh
November 19, 2020

Jessica, May I sincerly in lived exp and loss reach out to yourself in direct compassioin and understandings . I have posted quite alot of links so if you are able to read some of these, most of all my heart and soul feels your pain , and traumatic loss in my loss too - you are also dealing with traumatic impacts too and I would recommend professional support and other links to help you in sincere traumatic grief and loss. I miss my Zymba still every day and trying to like all you explained - losses, please consider Danielle Mckinnon too and Pet Bereavement links Be kind to yourself , and do whatever you need , and honour your loved on as the angel on the other side- do you have some special photos, can you plant a special rememberance,their are rock pet bereavement photos you can get too and place  in garden or some kind of choice to be close in other ways and never forget -- even in rental can get cheaply plant lasting and  pot - a treasure box of memories, friends, prof support to help you adjust and still never forget and link with your angel in other ways , less we ever forget never my heart , my soul refused ever Art , Music, creativties, I am art therapist too and trauma lived - can you create photos , memory area or anything to honour you and self love as you feel , and grieve deep loss and still never forget what your beautiful boy did for you in 8 years never let anyone or anything take that away those precious gifts of memories I am being reminded in therapy for myself in this too -  to focus on the postive memories and all I had to do against all the odds and my pet I gave the most amazing life good care and still was trying everything and yes alot things out of my control and could not change the fact he was dying - and traumas , however we must remember in kindness all we have done against the odds and how our pets know we loved them and gave them the best life.

Jessica
November 15, 2020

My beautiful baby boy Alfie passed away on Monday after dealing with this terrible problem. My heart is absolutely shattered and I haven't managed to put it back together yet. He was only 8 years old and the sweetest, most angelic boy I've ever laid my eyes on. He wouldn't hurt a fly. His last days are haunting me and I keep telling myself I could have done more to help him. All the what ifs are replaying in my head like a nightmare. He was diagnosed with crystals in his urine back in April after peeing blood around the house. The vet said he needed to get his weight down and I feel like I didn't try hard enough because he was such a food lover. I should have taken it more seriously. He was taken into the vet last Friday after straining to pee. They released him to me after he ended up peeing but I knew something was wrong. His pupils were huge. He was lethargic and disorientated. He wouldn't eat or drink. He didn't want anyone near him, not even his brother who he loved so much. He had excessive drool coming from his mouth and I later learned that one of his teeth had fallen out. Maybe from stress? I have no idea. He howled any time I touched him. I left it for two days hoping the medicine they had given to me would help but by Monday I couldn't stand it for another second. I brought him back to the vet and watched his terrified little face be taken away from me. I never even said a proper goodbye. I got a phone call later that evening to say he had gone into cardiac arrest after they flushed his bladder. They tried to get him back and they did but they lost him again. I don't know how to get over this. I will miss my angel forever.

Susan
November 14, 2020

I posted exactly 3 months ago. After spending so much money on the vet to save the cat, this is what I've gone through. He never peed normally after 2 catheters and a UTI, only in little drops, some days are worse and he cries when he pees. Sometimes he pees on the couches, bed and floor, on pillows, and I have covered everything in plastic and I"m always doing laundry after finding more pee spots. This never happened before the blockage and the vet. I"m feeding him prescription food but its not helping. This is the price for saving the cat's life. I still don't know if I should euthanize him, or what is the right time to do that. I may advertise for a person who lives in a house who can keep him as an outside cat and feed him since he loves to be outside. I live in an apartment so he can't just come and go. I can't deal with all the peeing on the furniture, but I love the  cat and I want to help him live a good life. Today he is hiding under the bed so he may be in pain and this may end sooner than I think. I wanted to let you know what to expect when you don't put the cat to sleep.

Jennifer Louise McIntosh
November 13, 2020

Hello Therese, My heart and soul goes out to you and your family and your beloved boy , and gobsmacking he was only two years old. I understand in my own traumatic loss and all I endured with my russian blue and all the sincere stories and impacts to each and every one on this posting is really in my heart and soul acknowledged, I miss terribly every day my boy and gobsmacked myself so I get it , and sincerly so grateful for these postings and so many I have done as I am on my own and had to get things out express and reach out too ----every up and down and guilt questions and going over things , should I do this that and getting counseling myself from a psychologist. Grief and loss and traumatic ways such as what alot of us have endured, have all these impacts and may I sincerly even as a social worker,and endure CPTSD before this myself in my own disabilities-- validate you in every way as parent, mother, cat lover , carer for your pet and your children  . I read and validate you an your family so  loved your pets so much and of course all this grief is real and feelings, and impacts, and we cannot bear they are gone, may I sincerly acknowledge your financial impacts and boy do I get this all too , and how we go over after passing what I should of or could of done and guilts and its through my own counseling I realise , against so many factors we have done the best we can against so many factors.No one wants to loose anyone or pets especially this way , and grief and loss is complicated and one is in shock bereavement for a long time . I believe immensly you gave your cat the greatest kindest gift and time with son to hold him and help him pass over with vet support in peaceful soul journey to rest in peace remembering this gift you gave him is priceless even though human we cannot bear the deep loss and gone forever in this life , please know I get it and sincerly going through deep grief myself and love and miss my Zymba EVERY DAY  expecially at am and evening and night , feed times and still talk with him and call his name and acknowlegdge love and comfort other kitties which has helped us . In my own healing and would like to post this I found accredited animal communicator and healer ,( Danielle McKinnon who is academic and pet counselor too- her own journey and loss for years in heart trauma for her own deep loss and bond with her own dog , pulled at her heart and soul for years and now she supports and helps so many in pet loss in understanding the soul and heart tug and deep grief i have found such support with listening to her utubes and links and well known on tv and counselor , and this has helped comfort myself and many others as well as their are great links to cat bereavement books ,utubes and if needed please reach out to a psychologist or social worker for you and your family supports. I have myself. Pet bereavement is absolutely real as it is a human connection whom passes away , this is traumatic from nightmare of blocked cat and focusing on like myself what can be done in advocating , spreading the word, educating others, and other cats care, most of all this has taught myself , deeply how precious life is and every moment in mindfulness with pets or each other is important we slow down and connect as each moment in life is precious and we only really have the now in life and why in health wellbeing , my studies,and holistic care is important for pets too and post covid we find time to be with them too more and connect for our own wellness, walking , gardening in garden- back yards magics family gatherings community connections and supports-- music soft- cats love this too if its the right tones and music soft mine sit and wait for meditations at night the other two too and did this for my own cat with dim lights and pallative comforts at end of his life all happening so fast and yet he was more peaceful in final moments--I sadly could not get him or find anyone to get to vet and get him support to pass like you have and this is my guilts I had to process with psychologist , and what I state for you is lived support expereince too I get it all -- is important any ways for all especially at end of day  in mindfulness gets us all more grounded and calmer with our autonomic nervous systems, and cats and pets too and we sleep better, helps all family too to find stillness and connection times especially in grief and loss. May you honor your pets life and find your peace, comfort and each other in your sincere loss of you boy of two years old and the financial strains, let the feelings come and process them and most of all be supported. You are not alone , I personally am still grieving and understand everything you have expressed .

Therese
November 11, 2020

I put my sweet baby boy to sleep two days ago. His name was Oscar & he was only two years old. Late last Friday night he became sick with vomiting & lethargy. I took him to the vet early Saturday morning where he was diagnosed with a urinary blockage. I’m a lifelong cat lover & owner but I’d never heard of this before. The first vet I spoke to made it seem like it was a relatively simple treatment & a matter of the correct food at home & he would be fine. We had to transfer him to an emergency clinic as our regular vet was closing early for the weekend. They admitted him at the clinic & started the catheter procedure. They kept in touch all over the weekend & said I should be able to get him home Monday evening. On Monday morning they removed the catheter but he never peed & by the late afternoon he was straining with another blockage. The vet offered to do another 36 hour catheter for him & we also discussed a PU surgery but she couldn’t give me a guarantee that either would work for him. It all felt like a big gamble & my head was spinning with the cost. By then we were already $4000 in with another catheter adding a further $3000 & a surgery up to $5000. We’re a single income family with two young kids & I just lost it with the prospect of more debt. I decided to discontinue the treatment & put him to sleep. At least the clinic allowed us to come in to see him & my 14 year old son held him as he passed. Two days later I’m heartbroken. I’ve put pets to sleep before but they were old with a life well lived but this is different. Oscar was only two & happy & healthy right up to this. I wish I’d known about this illness & how to prevent it. I’m struggling with feelings that I didn’t do enough for him & that I put money ahead of my baby’s life. If I could go back to Monday I’d go into debt in order to save him. We would manage. A pointless thought now. It won’t bring him back. The only good to come out of this is I have knowledge now. I have two more neutered male cats here so I’m doing research on preventions. A week ago I knew nothing about it & now my little boy is gone. I thought I’d have him for years & did not see this coming. Thanks for your patience if you read all this.

Jennifer Louise McIntosh
November 11, 2020

Hannah Brittany and Gina It is with the most sincere compassion and Lived exp previously posting, and with my deepest heart and soul. I cannot advise specific, however I can validate in every way each one of your postings and validate you all in every level. It is such a complex issue and the roller coaster and many issues I am a counselor too and will offer this , you are doing the best you can against so many impacts -most of all the traumatic shock and impacts between both yourself and your beloved pet. Whom we share such deep bonds quite often parts of our true deep raw selves we don;t usually show other human beings. They know us so well and the mutual love and care between both , may this be the deepest gift in this most hardest times, with faith , supports and every moment loving them and providing comforts in whatever limits or ways you can knowing your pet , even soft music and whatever it takes in simple things to make them comfortable, I can feel it and read it , and I am so saddened to read your personal journeys, and financial, and most important how much you all love your precious cat, and don't want them to suffer, against so many adversities. May each and every moment and directions that you need with pray , love and support and may you all have comforts and your pets, spend every moment in the best way possible and comforts and my prayers for you all is to be comforted and surrounded by guidance , love and the precious moments of connection with your precious loved pet. I am still in grief and shock myself and got all you all are saying . You are all doing the best you can against so many aspects

Gina
November 5, 2020

My 3 year old male cat is still at the emergency vet. I admitted him this past Saturday, as we was not acting like himself and was in distress. They did the procedure to unblock him and were ready to discharge him on Monday. Later that day, he spiked a fever and was unable to urinate on his own. He has now been back on a catheter for 2 days and there is still debris in his urine. This has been an emotional roller-coaster ride. I don't know when he is coming off of the catheter and if he will be able to pee on his own. I agree that we should have all been informed that this is a male cat issue so we could have been more prepared for this. I was not prepared at all. Please pray for him.

Brittany Miller
November 3, 2020

Hi my cat Maxwell is a little over 1 year old and he is currently suffering from a blockage. I took him to emergency after noticing he was straining and growling if I tried to pick him up. Emergency quoted me 5k!!! I could not afford that and took him somewhere cheaper for 1200! Only thing is he couldn't stay overnight. He is home with me now on meds but is struggling to pee. I just look at him and start crying, I feel so bad for him and dont want him to be in pain but I dont want to lose him. I have no money. Used the money I had and im broke now so I have no more options. I started a go fund me page and thats it. My poor boy means the world to me and he has helped me through so much and I dont want to lose him.

Hannah
November 3, 2020

I’m currently dealing with these horrible urinary blockages my car has. He’s only 6-7 years old. He was worse than I’ve ever seen him yesterday, he was laying down crying and flexing hard trying to pee. We only had about $200 dollars in our bank account. This pandemic has been hard for us. Regardless we took him to an emergency vet and they did testing and kept him on fluids over night. They wanted me to take him to my normal vet today but I took him home instead because they said he may just pee any blockage out because he peed last night. So I’ve been watching him and giving him fluids through syringe. I’m just devastated, we are beyond broke and we still are worrying that our relatively young cat may be dancing with death. He’s my best friend. I’m just distraught. I’m hoping if I take him back they just go ahead and do an unblocking procedure rather than just waiting. Any advice?

Claire Smith UK
October 21, 2020

On the 15th October I lost my beautiful 8 yr old ginger cat Marley to this terrible condition. He was a very healthy cat until this all started in June of this year, after 3 unblockages between June and August we opt’d for the surgery to widen his urinal passage. He recovered from the surgery well and was getting back to health. Over the past month I noticed more frequent trips to the litter tray but urine was passing okay and any worries I had were short lived as he would pass the urine (and probably crystals) after a few attempts. However only 8 short weeks later I woke that morning to a very poorly Marley. This was the worst I had seen him, empty litter tray, struggling to move, vomiting and hiding away. I swiftly took him to the vets and was told what I already knew.... he was blocked again. The vet explained that they could preform another unblock but that he would need many additional checks also, in my heart I knew it wasn’t fair to keep putting him through this for my own want of not having to lose him. I was forced to make the hardest decision of my life... to put my boy to sleep :( the vet reassured me that I was not a bad owner and I had done all I could for him. The worst thing about this condition is that there is no treatment, nothing to stop or even dissolve these crystals, just the suggestion of diet changes and making sure they drink enough. None of these changes helped my Marley and the build up was just too much too often for him. I am grateful for all of the lovely years we had with him, I still feel so so sad but am at peace knowing he is no longer in pain and struggling <3

Jennifer Louise McIntosh
October 20, 2020

Hello Sylvia, Thanks for posting and sharing and supporting us all - especially those who have lost our loved precious pets. I wanted to say good on you for standing in your values , beliefs and for the rights of your pets life and trying one step at a time , and getting to another second opinion . They are our babies, our precious mates and of course  we will try and do whatever it is we can ,against so many diversities and financial too - it also is for both pet owner and vets who care alot a complex issue- however I have pondered for my own pet lost , and knew he was overweight ,and aware of imbalances with immunity -eating too much and was trying to get that in order , I agree knowing now what we all do we can advocate and let others know , diet is critical for all living things getting it right , even birds health -specific diets for those too - however urinary tract diet - and limited funds, however wellbeing levels like humans acquire diet balances , and outdoor exercise I believe not we have gone too far in dry foods, keepign them indoors, yes they must be controlled on leash outdoors walking a cat if one trains it , can be done I have trained many cats , mt cat got so depressed with all of this and once he got outside just even to sniff air and lay in sun with his arthritis he tried to walk but not well ---think its time we consider holistic pet health like humans too inclusive wellbeing. I have two other younger cats and now they are on urinary tract food completely , and beginning to get them on leash outdoors for wellbeing and controlled garden strolling- and really now honouring my pet lost and and learning and reflecting in gratitude and life lessons- life reality and really learning what I can do better now for these kitties-. One step at a time and no matter what , you will do the best with your loved kitty in all levels and treasure every moment now more than ever lots of love and attention and anything that can calm kitty , soft music , being outdoors with you even if on a chair , give each other the gifts of life in the moment that is all we all have anyways.Dont let anyone or anything rob you from these precious moments no matter what life is precious. I will keep kindness and good thoughts for you both , take care. Jennfer

Silvia
October 17, 2020

I think this thread needs some good stories so here it is: My cat Tobi had a blockage but we caught it pretty early and had a catheter put in after going to a 24hr clinic. We chose the cheapest option (1k) in and out vs the premium 36hr hold for (4k!!!). We came home and he still has trouble urinating for the entire day so we call again and the technician has the audacity to suggest putting him down so soon.. He was in the early stages, still vibrant, still ate well, so no, that wasn’t going to happen. We called around and went to another emergency clinic and they quoted a 36hr hospitalization for 2k!!! Basically half of what the other clinic offered and we were met with more compassion. I’m very hopeful my boy will recover soon after, otherwise I guess we’ll have to do the surgery. I hate that this isn’t taught when adopting a cat... it would’ve helped if I knew of this VERY common condition and started preventative action early. My heart is with everyone who has lost a loved one. You did what you could, please believe that. I’ll continue hoping for the well-being of my cat and everyone who stumbles upon this thread.

Pamela Burget
October 9, 2020

My 7 year old very timid rescue has had difficulty urinating starting back at the beginning of the pandemic. We contributed it to a very busy household because now all of us are home and my poor kitty had lost his quiet time to use his litter box in peace. So back and forth to the vet- they were able to express his bladder and the second time it turns out he had to have a BM. The third time to the vet he was blocked and 1700$ later after spending 2 days in kitty ICU with a urinary catheter and IV- blood work and antibiotics. Luckily we were able to bring him home. He dribbled for about a week and seemed to be fine. Now once a week for the past 5 weeks he retains urine. I can feel his huge bladder. I have contemplated having him put down because he cries and strains in the litter box passing only teaspoons of urine. But each time he eventually passes his urine along with a very large bowel movement. We are all exhausted from these episodes!! After he pees and poos he is his lovey playful self again. He never stops eating or drinking. He is on special Hills urinary food and I supplement his food with pumpkin puree. I also give him an herbal treat for kitty anxiety. Anyone have any suggestions?? He does have crystals in his urine but no stones. I have thought maybe he has a tumor in his urethra or is having really bad spasm in his urethra brought on by having to have a bowel movement! Thanks for reading and I would appreciate any input!

Vicky
October 7, 2020

Our old cat Bones, 15 years old, recently was straining in his litter box. We took him to the vet and he had a blockage in his bladder. He had a catheter inserted and was flushed over 2 days. He’s now home, but is leaking urine. I called the vet and they said it was normal but to call back in a couple of days if it’s no better. Has anyone else had this with their cat and how long did it go on for? He is so much better, eating and drinking normally. He’s a bit wobbly from the meds, but I’m hoping this is a one off issue. It’s never happened before. We flew him from Canada to the U.K. and this happened a few days later. We think it was caused by him holding his pee in while in the crate. He’s also got kidney disease and that was most likely acerbated by less water than he normally drinks (despite there being water in the crate).

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
October 5, 2020

Hi Kelly, I'm so sorry to hear about your troubles with Mac.  I'd recommend giving your veterinarian a call and letting them know about Mac's current urinary behavior.  Hope he improves quickly for you!

Kelly Olsen
October 4, 2020

We just had our 6 1/2 yr old Mac at the vet for 3 days for a blockage. He was very sick and seems to be doing better. He is now urinating on himself just laying in his own urine. Has anyone else had the same experience? Can we expect that he will start to use his litter box or will he continue like this?

Jennifer Louise McIntosh
October 3, 2020

I am posting one more link as I too - even as Therapist , read over several of your postings and with my own CPTSD realise we all have gone through deep traumatic loss stories from our pet/s. I too am having guilt feelings- goign over what i could or couldnt have done better , whilst this is part of grief , I believe we did all the best we could against many circumstances, and as life is -very complex and the miracle of life in itself- what we can learn from this and advocate and be mindfully in gratitude in every connection and being in life in every moment is a gift --and what life lessons we have learnt together with our precious pets and how they came to us and honour their memories, life and those gifts--  and all that accompanies deep grief as such we are all in this together - I believe this is a very good link and it goes over all the stages of deep grief and it allows us all a space to know its real, validate and can deep griefcan bring other losses too from life and memories from what we shared and endured with our pets life with us too, We grieve alot I hope this  link can be copied and pasted when download https://www.theralphsite.com/index.php?idPage=90 I am now reflecting on what life lessons in these exp I have done in changes before pet gone and what I can do into future and that is remembering with gratitude the gifts we had together far greater to have loved than to have never loved and lost.

Christine
October 3, 2020

I'm going throw this right now ...my cat fanger male age 6 was. I took him to the ER last sunday Sept26? Because he had been puking and had diarrhea but then he stoped peeing I thought it was fic I was right the bill way 2,178$ I brought him home tuesday for him to go back in thursday he no longer has blood or Crystal's in his urine but he isnt peeing on his own this current bill is at 800$ idk what to do or why he wont pee on his own

Marie
October 3, 2020

I am so sorry to hear of so many of you going through this awful nightmare. it is the cruelest disease. I have a lovely boy of 8 years old. He has been healthy the whole time I have had him with no urinary issues. He became blocked in May and had a night in the vet hospital, catheter etc. Caused possibly by stress. Came home with lots of meds etc. He was much better for about a week then it all kicked of again. Back to the vets and meds etc. Over the next two weeks he was peeing but still in pain and and off. Throughout that time I was back and forth to the vets getting more meds trying more combinations of hypovase and pain meds. He got eye infections, ear infection and diarrhoea over the next few months, but slowly the urinary issues got better. I was so relieved. They told me that it would come back again. I have followed all of the advice they gave apart from the urinary diet as he doesn’t like it at all. Tried a few brands. Anyway the last few days he is showing signs of stress again and won’t use his tray,  although is peeing good amounts on the bathroom floor. This could be cystitis and I am giving him Cystophan twice daily and will see. The minute he stops peeing I will be back at the vets. This is such a cruel disease. Sending lots of warm thoughts to you all and for those that had to decide to put their fur babies to sleep I totally understand how hard that was, but also how it was right for you. As it is so heartbreaking seeing them suffer even with vet care and medication. And to know it will come back. Love to all, Marie

Jennifer McIntosh
September 29, 2020

Just posted - and read parent requesting any advice on how to assist a child in pet grief if it occurs, I have a social work and psychology back ground , Thank you kindly for bring this to attention and request and this link is accredited and would help other families, parents, grand parents, adults too to understand how important child in personality , develoment stages and strategies in grief and loss its not easy for any of us in pet loss and grief, however here is a good link https://tgn.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/petloss.pdf

Jennifer McIntosh
September 29, 2020

I just lost my 7 1/2 year old best freind my handsome Russian Blue Male from this confusing , unpredicatable , and socio economics , covid influences alot now to many needing to surrender pets or cannot afford vet costs to get  our pets to care or help from neighbour/s to get my Zymba to emergency vet again . He had symptoms and concerned and got him in 4 months ago with a neighbour help to vet who took payment plan however neighbour decided to pay it all over $1400 - I was so impacted and  the fears and concerns of his suffering and how I could pay overloads yet did not want ot loose him The wonderful vet welfare clinic was so awsome and worked with us and did awsome care, and did inform all levels , and that it can occur and its unpredictable again . Reading several of your own stories, and losses in such compasson and some even less time or not any time much even to get to some of the time and success of saving him before and diet changes and then now this and he went down quicker this time, however I tried to get neighbours and help to get me there , and this was the issues , gobsmacking the outcomes, to get help being and impacts, and not get him there and all this in 48 hours and  anger, forgiveness letting go and naking his last moments the best I knew it was too late and against all these dilemmas I have lost precious other cat before however hers was more lymphoma cancer and my vet then would not even help me as no funds that was a serious issues. I got rid of that vet...not even work out payment plan . This time neigbhour and finding welfare league vet was awsome its just this I got get him fast, as 4 months ago he had to be emergency flushed , bacterial infection - medications - and 4 days in overnight care - he was good and home and doign well , I did notice a few weeks before he was depressed a bit too much and sleeping alot so I got him back outside on leash and he was so much more context, and eating cat grass - I was ordering all the great urinary foods as vet said , I even went to getting rid of any cat litter and goign real sterile with cloths and washing sanitations ways and that was much better and easier and smelled so good as COVID and cat litter is too heavy for my back issues and socio economics I save that money for the special cloths - chux - rags and washed all accordingly each aday and with 3 cats this was much better and cleaner did all this to prevent any risk for hime to get anymore. Of course in all our statments we try everything and want to know I agree we need to know as cat owners more information to be told on getting a cat - vets and also as human health in nursing I get it  , complex stuff - vets costs , we have more access and services with human and medical and holistic access and care broader and epigenetics plays a part in many factors just look at COVID for  us all - reading some of your other stories its a reminder that some never got a chance like I did to have it corrected , and even if some did , the duration was not as long as I got with 4 months then you hear and read some have it ok for weeks , or years and then ends or reoccruance Financially you may have a better outcome however I am not sure by some stories, that saves your loved one either no matter what I am so glad we have these posts to know we all have done the best against alot of circumstances, and of course each and every one of us loved , connected , and never wanted our pets to suffer, endure - pass with this god dam journey and issues. He died more peacefully that I can say after I did holistic care reiki , mediation music , pallative care and comforts he slept with me and had passed - had him in garden later that day all in two days of trying to get neighbours some one with no car, no funds , misplaced my own calling card,  wallet and not much there left in financial - I know I did everythign I could and against all the odds I knew I had to let go and spent the time to focus on his best care and final moments. I could not bury or do anything till today - he remained as cool in home - on his chair in morning ways and lovign him still till I was ready to take next step and prepare his special farewell today this afternoone I dug and out him to rest - you got it all how gob smacking this all is , and how one grieves and baffled . I am also now grateful I had 4 months with him after the first one that had signs and went on for two weeks on off till he got back enough then and got him to vet then just in time..its the frustration and knowing I could and he woudl still be alive in emergency surgery however how long would that of lasted in reading some of your onw stories, Would we ever trade a purchse or getting a cat for this reason - I doubt it - we are to be bought to each other for reasons connections and life lessons yes I agree we need more knowledge however with socio economics  and not beign able to afford or get the right products in life care , that is hard for folks families and now covid impacts too. Life - is complex and it reminds us like humans how precious life is the cycle of life and even i pallative care with humans you can loose a loved one at any age and its gobsmacking - been there too. You all have been amazing pet owners and lovers of cats - unfortunately our pets dont have the opportunities or in age years and also to let us really know whats going on in communications cats are more silent about it till more symptoms show they are strong and courages buggers.

Sophie Coates
September 29, 2020

We just lost our beloved family cat. This has been a year long journey, a year ago he was rushed to the vets as he was peeing blood, the vets did a variety of tests on him- 3 rounds of blood, pee sampling, ultrasound, relieved his bladder and much more. He got released and lived a happy life for the next year with a few odd spouses of discomfort which we treated with the meds the vet gave us. Then 3 days ago he started liking his privates profusely, then yesterday he stared being sick and dribbling pee everywhere, he was in great discomfort and meowing at every slight move, then last night he was basically paralysed with the pain, he could hardly move, he was laying on his side with his leg up in the air, and found a quiet spot to sleep, we rushed him to the vets, they offered us surgery but the vet said that the blockage will definitely come back and we’re just prolonging his pain as he’s going to suffer from this forever, we looked into his eyes and could see he was in so much pain and was giving up so we made the heartbreak decision to put him to sleep. We couldn’t say our final goodbye as the vets were strict due to COVID, so we said our goodbyes over FaceTime to him. He’s now pain free in heaven.

Kat
September 27, 2020

My 2 year old Charlie just came home from the emergency vet this afternoon. I could only afford the $1,000 it cost for them to keep him for 24 hours of continuous flushing of his bladder and medication. We’ve been home for 5 hours, right now he’s sleeping but from 12p to now he’s been unable to pee. I have no choice but to euthanize him tomorrow. I cannot see him in pain and I cannot wait and hope he gets better. The level of inflammation cannot be predicted. I feel really guilty because, one I still haven’t found full-time employment and because I always gave in and fed Charlie dry food because he refused to eat ANY kind of wet food I gave him. I have 5 other boys and I’m big on wet food ONLY. I still have him today and I intend to hold and love on him until I have to say goodbye. I love you Charlie

Oreo, my best friend
September 22, 2020

I just lost my cat of 7 years, my best friend and the one who understood me the most. I will miss him so much. We noticed on Friday night his litter box was empty and excessively licking his genitals. Also, he would hiss angrily at the litterbox. We took him to the vet on Saturday morning, they told us he was blocked and proceeded to empty his bladder. They gave us special food, antibiotics, painkillers, and other meds to try to get him to pee by himself since they were unable to put the catheter as the blockage was so bad. Sunday morning he looked a little bit better but he was still in pain and meowing through the night, I barely slept keeping an eye on him. Sunday night he stopped moving, he either hid in the closet or under the bed. He looked so miserable... I talked with him and his eyes just begged me, he has had enough, he was in real pain and there was nothing I could do. I sang him a song whenever he meowed and that seemed to calm him down a bit. Monday I rushed him to the vet as soon as they opened and they told me he was in a lot of pain and wouldn't be able to undergo surgery as he was really weak and most likely would not make it. I had to make the hardest decision of my life. I did not want to watch him suffer anymore. They administered painkillers but he was still meowing loudly. I asked the vet to see him one last time and say my goodbyes. As soon as I hugged him he stopped meowing. I told him he was my best friend, that I loved him so much and I was so grateful for spending those wonderful 7 years by his side. He just stayed silent, I think he understood, and the vet took him for a quick, painless death. I know he is no longer in pain and he is in a better place. I love you Oreo, thanks for everything furrbaby. I will miss you so much.

Diana Caldwell
September 18, 2020

We just lost our 3 year old male cat Meow-Meow to this unknown disease! So unexpected and hear breaking for my little family. Every symptom is spot on with what our cat went thru.

Tracy
September 17, 2020

We lost our boy Leggo of 8 years old to this ugly disease last night. It happened so quickly. We also tried unblocking with a catheter but unfortunately the next day was still blocked and he strained so hard to pee that he pushed his rectum out of his body. He was so beautiful and loving and we couldn’t watch him suffer anymore . Most difficult decision is putting your baby to sleep knowing you will never hear him purr or meow  or rub his face on yours.  We have the guilt of what if we brought him to the vet sooner, did I do everything to help him and it is killing us. We buried him in the backyard so he is with us always. 

Caroline
September 14, 2020

I just lost my Valentino to blocked bladder on September 12 2020 he was almost 6 this disease sucks I am heartbroken and devastated

Lally Os
September 13, 2020

I am going thru it with my 7 yrs old boy Austin. We call him out Therapy cat because he was such a sweetheart. He would always sit by you if you weren't feeling well. My daughter and husband have such an amazing relationship, he is so happy when they are with him and giving him attention. This cat has brought so much peace and love to our home along with his sister and a week ago he was not himself. He was hiding, distant, lethargic, vomiting and not drinking or eating. Of course we got him into the ER Vet and of course the bill was 2900. We ever have money let alone that much laying around. He got lucky and manage to get 1330 dollars for his treatment. They let him stay for about two days and sent him home with a ton of meds.He wasn't himself for two days and slowly started eating and moving around more. We started to thinks the worse was behind us(we were aware that the urinary obstrion surgery wasn't a guarantee to fix the issue) this morning he started to bleed urine, would constantly go to the restroom, he wasn't drinking much aside from the water with his canned food.Its been 8 days and it seems like we might getting blocked again. I honestly this we might lose him. Anyways any advice for my 13 yrs old daughters that's probably going to have a hard time if we loose him ?

Kris
September 12, 2020

My 9yo boy has been through about 6 blockages over as many years. He is a highly stressed cat and doesn't like change or other pets, which we have, or other people much. The first was pretty bad as we didn't know what was going on and he was blocked and very full. The attending vet did a stupid thing and tried to express him by squeezing him hard which resulted in his bladder tearing. Needless to say I was passed as this caused more issues and she could have killed him by doing this. He ended up at a specialist cat clinic where they fixed him up and felt he was all good and didn't require the PU surgery. Over the years each blockage in between (about a year apart) was fairly minor as I knew what to look out for, we got to it quick enough and it was usually a short vet trip for a catheter and relaxant meds. The last two were only days apart and were really bad this time as his kidneys were starting to shut down. The vets finally agreed it was necessary to get the PU surgery which we did at the specialist just 2 weeks ago. My poor boy has been through so much and the surgery recovery has been so hard. But my boy is here today with us and hopefully for many years to come. I did my research on this and we felt this surgery was the best course of action for him and his infections were never going away. Yes it was expensive! The first time cost about $3000, each unblockage in-between was around $1000, and the last 2 unblockages and the PU surgery cost us a whopping $2000 plus $3000. So all up this 7.5kg cat is worth his weight in gold and then some. We are not rich by any means but we made do and found the money. I understand not everyone can afford this, but if you can, its worth it.

Kiko the Cat
September 10, 2020

Hello everyone. I have a 2 year old male cat. Unfortunately, we have been fighting urinary blockages for 2 months now. He carried the catheter too many times. Today for the first time that the blockage was so strong that the catheter could not be placed. He is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. Since we don't give up on him because he is the cat who brought joy to my family's life when it was hardest for us, we will not give up on him either. What to feed a cat other than urinary food? What meat is he allowed to eat? I am writing to you from Europe (that is why my English is not great) with us the costs are not the same as with you. With us, catheter placement is $ 20, and surgery is $ 60.

Deanne
September 10, 2020

My sweet cat is in the hospital now and I am very worried!!!  To be honest, I am even more worried now than I was, after reading these comments

Heather Basagoita
September 9, 2020

Hello, I just lost my 18 month old Loki bear to this disease today. I adopted him 8 months ago at 9 months old. Within a month of adoption I was at the vet treating him for what we thought was a UTI. He was great for a couple of months...until it came back. I fought for my kitty for 2 months. When I say I tried EVERYTHING I tried everything. I was working with 2 different vets. We did a laser treatment, round if antibiotics, reduced any stressful situations in the home, gabapentin 3x a day,prazosin 2x a day(urethra relaxer)and another anti-inflammatory I can't think of name right now, a special  medicated diet with wet and dry food, a natural urinary tract supplement daily, ect. For those 2 months I thought we were getting closer to finding the right cocktail to keep him healthy. He would have great days and sprinkled in some bad days. This past Saturday he was back to the kitty I knew. I was relieved. By Tuesday he was no longer eating or urinating. Took him immediately to vet Wednesday morning. FULL blockage! During surgery to remove blockage his urethra was torn..he was supposed to be going for the PU surgery 2 days later. However, because of torn uretha they could not get catheter to stay in..his kidney levels were climbing and they told me he would need that catheter up to 8 days after surgery. So, 10 days in a hospital and 10K. He was still under anesthesia for blockage removal and I decided to let him be free and euthanize him. I am guilt ridden. It didn't matter what I tried for my precious boy, it wasn't enough. He was happy and playing 2 days ago. I'm devastated. I desperately jumped online to find something to make me feel better...that I wasn't the only one going through this. I cant thank you enough to all you previous posters...your posts have helped me tremendously. This is very real and is extremely devastating. I would give anything to have Loki here with me but I ran out of straws....he is no longer in pain. Thats the only thing comforting me right now. Hugs to all of you.

Holly
August 21, 2020

No one told me either I’ve always had girls. I knew  dry was bad for cats.  I caught mine early he didn’t block but came damn close. Then the ER vet didn’t  give pain meds so my vet got the report next day and she was livid so we got pain meds and then he could finally go. It’s so scary  he’s starting licking again his gentials two weeks later so back on pain meds. Even though his urine was fine in the litter box.

Wendy
August 16, 2020

I think that when people adopt a male cat especially, the vet should warn you about this blockage when you go for yearly checkups , and if dry food is bad for them tell us that, cause that’s what  they recommend when we adopt a cat .if I would have known what I was even looking for we all would have a better understanding about it , most of us had never heard about it before until we had to deal with it with our babies and by then it was too late cause it had already progressed into Bad blockage ! Need  a surgery that’s more guaranteed to work longer then a few years or weeks or days ,and not so pricey, cause this is the most heartbreaking thing to be going through ! I miss him so much and I don’t know if my heart can handle getting another cat .

Susan
August 13, 2020

The comments here were so helpful. My 3 year old boy cat suddenly got blocked- dripping on the floor, squatting in the litter box and nothing came out. I took him to the vet and she did a catheter and sent him home with some medication- a muscle relaxant, 2 other meds and a prescription food script. I also got  drops called Tinkle Tonic and Homeo-pet and gave him all these. He seemed better for a day, I saw some sledge pass and what looked like a mucous plug in drops of pee I was wiping off the floor. 2 days later he blocked again and seemed in pain. In tears I took him to the animal hospital emergency care thinking he would have to be put down. The vet suggested trying the catheter again since he is such a young cat. So, it's a few days later and he is peeing normal amounts and is back to himself. I have continued with the meds, drops, special food, and I put the meds in the expensive broths which he loves(fancy feast) in order to get him to take the meds. I spent over $1000 in a week but thank G-d, he is back to normal. I believe the muscle relaxer may be the thing that really helped. Another idea - She told me about an operation to take the penis out of the urethra to widen the opening so that sometimes helps a cat not to get blocked.

Emily
August 11, 2020

I lost my 5 year old male cat to this awful disease yesterday. He first blocked 2 years ago and was able to go home after a trip to Emergency for a catheter. After a couple months of a wet food/urinary diet he seemed back to normal for a year and a half before starting to show signs (straining/meowing/missing the litter box) again. I took him to the vet to get checked for a UTI/bladder check. At this point his bladder felt normal, and there was no sign of infection so the vet sent him home with pain/anti-spasm meds. He seemed somewhat normal while on the pain meds for a week or 2, but sadly he took a turn for the worse this last week so I took him back to the Emergency vet. We decided to try another catheter to try to flush him out since it worked the last time. Unfortunately during the procedure I got a call that they were unable to pass the catheter due to too much blockage/possible scar tissue from the previous catheters. I decided against PU surgery as I didn't want to risk putting him through more pain for it not to work, or to not have a good quality of life. I chose to euthanize while he was already sedated. I never expected to lose him so young, I feel for anyone going through this.

Kim
August 11, 2020

Thankyou to all who shared their stories and to Keeley who helped with the dreadful guilt and self blame I have felt tortured by. I lost my beautiful chocolate Burmese boy on the weekend - just 3 years 8 months old, in the best of health, and in an instant he was blocked and rushed to Emergency Care After Hours Centre (which is always double the cost)....  I had been through this journey in the 1980s with a previous cat (Persian) and the whole repeat blockages, operation, and within a week of operation he blocked, went into renal failure and died. So facing this with my present day cat, being told repeatedly by the Vet there are no guarantees, facing a $2500 bill just for the 48 hours they wanted to keep him in hospital, run blood and urine tests, medications, sedate to stitch a catheter in place, I applied for ZipPay but was only offered $400 “because I was a housewife without my own income”..... the bills were going to expand by thousands factoring in ongoing care, probable repeat episodes, “the operation”.... and statistics were telling me I would only be postponing the inevitable outcome, along with going into a huge debt that wouldn’t bring salvation. So I had to make the heartbreaking choice of euthanasia and I am so heartbroken losing such a beautiful young cat to such a cruel disease - Because he refused to eat any kind of meat, I keep wondering if it’s my fault for feeding him the nutritional balanced Hills Science Diet Biscuits and I feel so guilty that in doing so I may have cost my cat his life. My dog is depressed, moping and off his food coz he misses his best friend - they grew up together and constantly played with each other. We are all so grief stricken and I still wonder if I should have tried harder to see if he could have been saved. But with the COVID dilemma, money is very tight.... and as I kept being told - there are no guarantees. I am grateful to everyone who has posted here because it has helped me accept that I have done the right thing, as the Vet also told me at the end. And so sorry for all of us that have lost our beloved cats by way of this very cruel disease.

Shanna Batey
August 9, 2020

My 4 month old cat is blocked and At the vet for two days. This is so horrible and scary.

Wendy
August 8, 2020

What I find weird is a lot of the cats the blockage is happening to are all a bit older . so why is this blockage so bad all of a sudden that cats are just getting it now? And didn’t get it years ago when they were younger? I never heard about it before until my 21 month old got  it and had to be put to sleep 2 weeks ago! It’s so devastating that I couldn’t protect him and save him but he was in so much pain, he just laid there and didn’t  move and when my boy don’t  move you know something is not right cause he never stops going , even after getting him neutered as soon as we got home he was ready to run and torment dogs . So sad and frustrating that we have to pay so much money for the surgery to not be a guarantee to work  the first tine and not have our baby not survive long after the surgery or have side effects for life . It’s just a nasty sickness and it’s devastating to watch your baby suffer and you can’t help them !

Daniel
August 4, 2020

I adopted my cat when he still was a feral kitten jumping through dumpsters 2 years ago. I had him spayed and I recently read somewhere that this increases the risk of his urinary tract getting blocked. He was fine on Saturday Lethargic on Sunday took him to the Vet Monday morning, they unblocked him but sadly did not keep it unblocked I had to put him to sleep this morning as he was too weak and in too much pain he was just of 2 years old. I do blame myself for buying cheap food I recently tried spoiling him with cooked chicken drum sticks that I bought from the store and rinsed all the sauce off under the tape he didn't even eat much of it. Anyways I miss him already and he was my best friend.

Anonymous
August 4, 2020

I had my beloved, precious 20 year old Maine Coon put to sleep three days ago. Four months ago I took him to a vet because of blood in his urine. I asked if they could put him to sleep. They said no. They had to treat him because he didn't have crystals. It cost me $350. They gave him a big shot that lasted for several days. When the shot wore off he slowly went back to being uncomfortable and unhappy. He slowly became even worse than before. Three mornings ago he strained and strained and finally sent out mostly blood in his urine. I took him to a different vet and this time she told me I could try antibiotics but she thought it was bladder cancer and he would go back to being in horrible pain. I had him euthanized. It is heartbreaking, but I am relieved he is out of pain. He did suffer. Now that I look back, I can see it much more clearly. With a twenty year old cat, I think they should have questioned me more like the other vet did. I am completely heart broken he suffered so much. And I miss him all the time. My mommy instincts were right the first time. They should have put him to sleep.

Linzy Metzger
August 3, 2020

My little one year old kitty passed from this disease too...he was unblocked once and kept on the catheter for 24 hours, after we got him home he wouldn't come out of the litter box and started howling in pain. I took him back to the vet and they said he was indeed blocked again. We didn't have the money to get another procedure and didn't want to put him through more pain, so we decided to put him down. He was so peaceful at the end, I think we made the right decision. Such a terrible disease

Ann
August 3, 2020

We rescued a stray kitty who ended up having this disease too. We weren't sure of his age but he looked to be about 4-5 years old. He got sick Friday and we had to put him down today. It was really hard to accept because he seemed so happy and healthy just a few days ago. I feel like I am to blame for not being able to help him. I just hope we made the right decision and that he is at peace now.

Amanda Johnson
August 3, 2020

My cat was just in the er last night for a blocked bladder the vet said it was pretty bad and that his bladder was fully extended and full of blood but the catheter worked and the vet said he had a strong flow when he pulled it.  I wasn’t able to leave him there as I couldn’t afford it so I brought him home but he isn’t drinking much and hasn’t at at all today!!  I noticed he wasn’t peeing and I went to pick him up and he leaked all over me.  Now anytime I go to pick him up it just comes out he’s covered in pee but he’s not able to do it on his own.  Im calling the vet ASAP in the morning my cat isn’t ok and I don’t want him to be living in pain .

Wendy
August 2, 2020

Reading these comments is heart wrenching to see how many of us cat moms have gone through the same thing with this blockage ! My baby was only 21 months old and he was fine 2 days before he got sick and fast . Its so Unfair that we have to spend a lot of money on a surgery that’s not even a very high survival rate or guaranteed to even work, or put our baby down !!! They really need to find a cure for it that’s guaranteed to work cause this was the most heart wrenching thing I have ever had to do . Don’t know if any of you guys feel guilty for not trying harder but he was in so much pain I couldn’t  handle it . If the surgery was a success the first rime I would have gotten it but how many times do we put our babies through this pain and for it not to be a very highly successful survival rare and recovery rate ? Man I miss him . I just feel like I let my baby down cause we were supposed to protect them and keep them healthy .

Wendy
July 29, 2020

This is the worst sickness out there . I have never heard of it before and I grew up on a farm surrounded by cats ! Last Monday my 21 month old baby boy was fine playing and running around and picking on dogs , Wednesday he was so grumpy and wouldn’t eat or drink and keep going to litter box but nothing happens . We had  to put him down Thursday night and I have such guilt for not trying harder and  not trying different things for my baby ! I miss him so much everything from making bed to making supper to folding laundry he had to be a part of  it  listening to birds really upsets me cause he loved to watch birds and chase bugs

Wendy Spies
July 27, 2020

We just lost our baby boy on Thur July 23rd ! This is a horrible horrible disease .On Monday he was fine playing and running around by Wednesday he was in so much pain and by Thursday we had to put him down . It was so horrible to watch him suffer so quickly.

Leslie Liu
June 30, 2020

My cat blocked again yesterday. He has been with me five years. I’m very scared I can’t lose him. He is my everything in this country. I have spent $5000 on emergency. The vet just called me he can’t pee after catheter, I really scared. It’s all my fault, I feed him fish can, DO NOT FEED urinary issue cat fish flavor food! I hope he will be fine, he is my only love here.

Shanny
June 26, 2020

My beautiful 1 year 4 month old tabby had this illness and we had to give him up to rescue. The costs associated with an unsure procedure mixed with us having to move to a new house with military and covid was too much. We had him unblocked for 723.00 then he re blocked immediately. He was in such misery and the yowls of pain were just too much. Apparently they will try to fix him and he will go to a sanctuary but not really knowing is the upsetting part.

Kelsie
June 25, 2020

My baby boy Thumper got fully obstructed at the beginning of the month. Rushed him to the ER and he was successful unblocked even though he still had a narrow urine stream. The day I got him home from the hospital I immediately started him on Royal Canin Urinary SO as his regular diet. Poor thing got super sick (vomited all day) from the antibiotics after 10 days of taking it so we stopped the Clavamox 4 days early. Not even a week later he’s hardly peeing again, strained posture, and had an episode of going to the box 20 times within an hour with little urine coming out then tried to pee on the dogs bed. I took him to the vet on Tuesday after he’s been peeing so little, the dr suggested since he was just unblocked 3 weeks ago he will need a PU. I just got him home from his surgery yesterday and the poor thing is hardly peeing again. I am absolutely freaking out. He’s my best friend in the entire world and I would be completely devastated to lose him. We’ve spent thousands trying to get him back to normal and he’s been through so much the last few weeks. He’s extremely terrified of the vet and is a fighter. I would hate myself if all this trauma he’s undergone was for nothing. I’m praying since everything is really sore, he’s sort of holding it and he’ll be normal again??? He’ll pee a few times within a couple hours and then won’t go for 10 hours or more. This is an absolute nightmare. I have no idea what would have caused this. If it’s genetic, the food I fed him, or just moving a few months ago. He’s fairly easy going with changes or so I thought. I love this cat more than anything. I envisioned him living until 20 and he’s only 7. I pray that this surgery works out and he’ll be with me for many more years. My heart aches for those of you who lost your beloved friends to this torturous disease. 

Keely
June 22, 2020

I lost my wonderful rescue cat from this horrible disease. I paid £2000 to get him "unblocked" but within a few days I had to take him back. It was not successful. I read up on all the causes as to why, they say change in diet, change in furniture, just changes really. I went from being upstairs to having to be a key worker, so I had to take my whole pc system downstairs. I Blame myself for EVERYTHING and torture myself daily,that I might have added to his condidtion. But I know I need to stop it, as I'll never know, and even if I did, how will that help, now that he is already gone. I loved him sooo much. If I knew that change did it. Id have even quit work. But we will never know, and even if we did, would that help us. Us even thinking this way, means we cared in the first place. Id give anything to go back in time, but who knows, if we did, we could keep end up in this boat, endlessly trying to find a reason why. It is not our faults, its just a horrible HORRIBLE POINTLESS disease :(  So take it from someone that knows, let go of any guilt, it was NOT your fault x

Alisa Murphy-Smith
June 22, 2020

We lost our kitty to this horrible disease yesterday. I wish I known about this before so that we could have noticed signs and tried to prevent it. He was just over a year old. He was sweetest cat our family has ever had. They offered the surgery but the vet said that his temperature had dropped a lot and would probably die under anesthesia. He told us that he could do the surgery but that because he was so young, if he made it out alive, that it would probably come back and cause him a lot of issues. He was really suffering so the vet strongly suggested euthanasia. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I miss him so much. I wish we were forewarned of things to do to prevent it like mix wet food with dry food. It's a very sad day in our house.

Unknown 87373
June 18, 2020

My mum has a 7 year old male Scottish fold. We recently moved homes because of our landlord, in honesty I wish we would have stayed so our cat wouldn’t have this problem due to stress. He was peeing and pooping just fine a little too much thought, we thought that was due to stress and him not knowing where he is, yesterday we saw him in his litter box in his urinating position but only bloody urine droplets where coming out we thought he was just doing it because he didn’t like his litter but then he started coming out of his box and walking around every corner of the house, every carpet trying to pee. LUCKILY he went into the bathroom and there were giant pee droplets which was a good sign that he was intact peeing a bit but again the pee drops didn’t look right the colour was like a darky kind of yellow and my mum took him to the vets ASAP. Me being a 15 year old already loosing my great granddad last year  was already enough stress but loosing my beloved cat that I watched grow up for 7 years would completely break my heart. My mum took him to the vets, she explained he was under stress, unfortunately she couldn’t go into the vet clinic because of covid but he came out they said he had a blockage I’m not completely sure but I think he had a bit of blood in his urine I can’t exactly remember, they told my mum they took 10mm of pee out of him. The vet gave my mum 3 options but 1 wasn’t available where they would put a catheter in believe but they were short out of staff and this would cost 700 pounds. Our other too options that were available were taking him to the hospital which my mum didn’t have to money for or put him into deep sleep and injecting medicine. So my mum chose to inject medicine and come home. He came home and was a under the medicine and was a bit sleepy etc he was going into corners trying to sleep but never slept and tried to pee in his cage when we came back but nothing. A few hours later he was coming back to himself eating normally, drinking a lot but still trouble peeing. We were kind of confused to why this was because he literally had medicine. So my mum stayed up with him all night trying to see if anything would happen but nothing happened. Today we checked everywhere and he was still in a urinating position everywhere and no pee. My mum has brought these plugins that reduce stress so we are gonna try and see if that will help. Any help of what we can do for him or what we can attests TRY.

Kaitlyn
June 8, 2020

Hi all, So so sorry to hear about so many kittys losing their lives to this. My Milo(5y, M) was fully blocked last week and needed a sistotomy(cleaning of the bladder) and PU surgery(moving urethra and urine flow to new female like hole) to save his life. After an initial $4000 at the ER, I couldn’t afford the $6-8k surgery and as he was in critical condition and couldn’t be moved to a lower cost vet. The ER vets (VCA) were able to secure $5000 in grants for his surgery and matched another $2000. I was also able to get a $1500 grant from Pets In Need. Please ask your vet and research these options before making any final decisions about your pet!! I had NO IDEA so much funding was available and am shocked that VCA and Pets In Need were able to accomplish this. Here are some websites to research for grant funding: https://www.petsinneed.org/assistance https://lowincomerelief.com/looking-for-free-or-low-cost-veterinary-care/ f you’re wondering, Milo is back at home and on day 3 of his recovery. We are eternally grateful for how far these organizations went to save his life.

Fliss Vernon
June 8, 2020

My 17 year old cat got blocked 2 weeks ago with no history of this having happened before - the vet put it down to the fact that there has been a heatwave and him being black and he was severely dehydrated.  He was successfully cathereterised (the vet stated there was lots of grit and crystals that came out) he stayed in for 24 hours and was released.  He came home and did a wee as soon as he came home which was a great sign but then over the next few days was just straining and trying to go to the toilet all the time.  I took him back the next day and they expressed his  bladder, gave him a stronger painkiller and and gave me some muscle relaxants to give him along with this pain relief and anti-imflammatories.  Over the next few days he continued to strain and eat only small amounts and struggle to sleep for long as he kept going to the litter tray. I was told this was common with cystitis and to make sure that he was passing urine when he went, which he was but in drips and spurts.  After 3/4 days of this he started to perk up and stopped going to the toilet as often, ate more food, drank water and was able to sleep for long periods of time so all looked positive.  8 days after he initially blocked, I noticed he couldn't wee again so took him back to be told he had blocked up again, we agreed to try the catheter one more time to give him a chance which he got through and I was told there was lots more crystals in his bladder (struvite) and that he was very inflammed and had blocked the catheter but they would leave it in over night.
A call the next day said that he had pulled out is catheter and when the vet expressed his bladder, pure blood was coming out. It seemed to get better the next day but he still wasn't weeing independantly and a day later, I was told that he was totally miserable, not eating and his bladder was not emptying on his own and that they thought he had bladder damage.  I had to make the heart-breaking decision to put him to sleep because they said there was nothing else that could be done.  I feel so guilty about this, I feel like I should have given him a day or two more in the vets to see if his bladder would cope or that I should have insisted on putting him on prescription food after he first block (the vets didn't think this was necessary as he had no history of blocking and they thought it was a one off) I also wish I'd tried apple cyder vinegar (which can apparently balance the PH of the bladder and dissolve struvite crystals).  It's so sad because other than hyperthyroidism he had no other health conditions and when they checked his blood work his kidney and liver functions were great.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing.  My heart goes out to anybody dealing with this horrible issue and I really hope you get a better outcome than my poor baby.

Fliss Vernon
June 7, 2020

I wanted to post as this article and thread really helped me over the last couple of weeks in knowing that I'm not alone in this awful situation and I read Lisa's post which is similar to mine. My cat was 17 and was healthy (other than hyperthyroidism) and had never blocked before.  On bank holiday, we noticed that he couldn't wee so we took him to the emergency vets, his kidney function and liver results came back fine and he was dehydrated so they gave him a catheter and flushed him out and he seemed to respond well to this and I was able to bring him home the next evening.  As soon as we got home, he did a big wee but after that he kept trying to go really frequently and appeared to be straining with just a few drops coming out.  I took him back the next day where they gave him a stronger painkiller and a muscle relaxant.  I was with him constantly for the next four days giving him his various medications, hand feeding him and watching every time he went to the litter tray (which was often).  By the fourth day, he appeared to be getting better and eating more, still straining but doing little spurts of wee and he was sleeping for longer and not constantly trying to go.  After a couple of days of improving, I noticed he wasn't able to wee again so I took him back and was told he's reblocked.  They re-catheriterised him and reported getting out lots more grit etc and that he was very inflammed and confirmed he had struvite crystals.  I did lots of research and found that Apple Cyder Vinegar can be really helpful with this condition. Unfortunately, after two days his bladder was still having to be expressed and the vets stated that there was nothing more that could be done and he was miserable so I made the devastating decision to let him go.  I am still beside myself and keep going over everything I could/should have done and I still don't understand why he reblocked, particularly because I was syringing him water and only giving him vet food with extra water in...it all seems so unfair.  My heart goes out to anyone dealing with this condition, it is horrible and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Lara
June 3, 2020

My cat Felix of five years all of a sudden had a blockage today and I didn’t realize it was a life threatening thing I mistakenly thought he was constipated because when I saw him in the litter box he was hunching which he normally does when he has a bowel movement well I was very wrong and didn’t realize the severity of his situation he’s been my cat for  4 almost 5 years and the longest one I’ve ever had I have other animals as well but I love him so much that I’m so scared because I don’t want to lose him we took him to the vet and she unblocked him well when we were driving there he unblocked himself and peed all over me but not like how you think it would be it was like he couldn’t control it and was just letting it out anyways we got there she told me that he has a urethra blockage and a fever that was concerning he was Vomiting and crying and straining this morning and when I saw red tinted liquid we had to go to the vet and I’m so glad I did because I’m reading all this stuff how if you don’t get your cat unblocked they can die 24-48 hours but the more concerning thing is that he tried to got pee when we got home and nothing came out and he’s drank a lot of water I gave him the medicine the vet gave me which was a antibiotic, urethra spasm thing, pain reliever and I’m just worried he’s gonna die if I fall asleep I think it was stress induced because a few years ago when I was younger I fell on him on accident and I just feel he’s hated me ever since and then when we took in a stray cat with a broken paw I think he felt like we didn’t care about him anymore and then after we got our dogs and our other cat he feels like he’s been pushed to the back but that’s not true and I realize that now I just don’t want him to die and I’m scared

Joanne
June 3, 2020

Monday June 1 I lost my boy to this ugliness. He was euthanized. Only 4 yrs old. His sister really misses him, and is fretting. I miss his meows, purrs and everything else about him. I had no idea when I got him to vet that this was going to happen. It really knocked me around. They only gave me a 30% chance that he would recover at all during surgery. Please dont make the mistake of thinking its constipation.this started on Sunday night, and that's exactly what I thought it was. I will never forget him.

Lisa Past
June 3, 2020

My beloved cat Max was 17 and had never been blocked before. I noticed on Saturday morning the weekend of memorial day that he had vomited his dinner and there was no urine in his litter box. I immediately called my vet and they told me to take him to the emergency. As people mentioned because of covid I wasn't able to go in and communion was by phone. They told me he had to stay 48 hours at least and catheterize him. He also had a heart murmur that made things more complicated, also the whole thing would cost almost $5000. The decision had to be made immediately because of this type of emergency. I decided to unblock him and hope he could have a happy life for a year or two more. We believe the blockage was due to inflammation because of cystitis which is brought on by stress. He first had cystitis when my neighbors did excavation for 2 months 5 years ago. We managed it well with felaway defusers and treating the resulting infection. Unfortunately last year his kitty life companion died at 19 years old. 2 months after she passed he started peeing outside of the box,(which get never done. 16 years of his life) and he was dealing with anxiety. Our last resort was to put him on Prozac. I have to say it did wonders for him and he seemed happier and even started playing and sleeping with me again, but some of his behaviors didn't change like he didn't really want to come downstairs he just stay in "his room". So I think the cystitis canme back and resulted in the blockage. The vets had never seen a cat this age get blocked for the first time, that being said it was probably the cystitis and when he was younger his body could recover better. I got him back in memorial day and the first night he was doing well and he had pain killers, antibiotics and a med so his urethra wouldn't spasm. Unfortunately he got blocked again the very next day. I took him to my primary vet and he told me this time he'd have to stay 3 days plus there was more damage to his kidneys and since he was 17 he might not leave the hospital. He thought his body was just not able to recover anymore. Just like all of you it was the hardest decision I ever had to make. He was already stressed and this was not the life for him to spend his golden years in the hospital and having to take meds with no guarantee plus this might not happen again and again. We spent a nice night together the night before so I decided to let him go. It was awful. If you're here reading these like me then you are going through one of the toughest situations and I know your pain. I've had 5 cats in my life and they all lived a long life and I didn't even know about this horrible disease. I miss him everyday. He seemed completely normal and overnight everything changed and now he's gone. I appreciate everyone sharing their stores it helps me feel like I'm not alone in this.

Taylor Kinnersley
May 28, 2020

I thought that my cat Kenai was stressed due to the fact that everyone has been at home 24/7 because of covid. I could tell that he was irritated, he was plucking the hair out above his tail to the point where he looked bald. Again, I thought he was just stressed, I let him outside because he loves to adventure. It got to the point where he chose to stay inside rather than out, which isn’t normal. He started hiding in weird spots, and when I watched him in the litter box he could not pee at all. Thinking it was “just a uti” I called the vet asking for antibiotics. This is when it all started. I was told I needed to bring Kenai in to the vet for an emergency check up ASAP. I put him in his crate and went to the closest vet. His bladder was the size of a grapefruit and it is supposed to be the size of a lime. He is obstructed and this is fatal. Do I want to flush his bladder and save his life or euthanize him? He is my first baby and only five years old, halfway through his life, I have to save him that’s the only option right? I rush him to the emergency vet where they can watch over him 24/7, I barely see him because I’m rushing and again, because of covid you can’t go in anywhere. They do the procedure and it goes well, the catheter stays in for days and he is underwatch. There’s no stones so that’s good, but now there’s a tear in his bladder, with free floating fluid that’s not supposed to be there. Did the vet do this during the procedure? My cat isn’t reacting well to the medication, did they give him to much? They take the catheter out and he reobstructs instantly. I didn’t even know that there was a risk of him doing so. I thought that this procedure would save him. So far I’ve spent $1700, he is still suffering, and the only option is to do the same procedure, with no guarantee that he won’t reblock instantly again. My baby is a free spirit, he loves to be outside, he climbs the roof of my apartment, and I know that he would now want to be drugged, and in pain like he was. The next step after flushing would be to cut off the tip of his penis. Which would take lots of time to heal, with antibiotics, and being inside, hopefully without any complications, which again there are no guarantees. By now I’m thinking that I should o cared more, I should of cared enough to have pet insurance to save myself from the financial aspect.  I should of been more observant to my baby, to notice the discomfort and the different behaviors he was expressing. I should of cared enough to know what I was feeding him. Everything that I did for him was too late and it resulted in my baby losing his life.

Angela Frammarino
May 21, 2020

My 7 year old car recently had a blockage, and was critical when taken in to the animal hospital. Luckily they were able to stabilize him n remove the blockage. He has since been home for going on three days with an antibiotic n a medicine to relax his urethra. I have him confined to my room, n no matter how many times I’ve bathed him, he keeps peeing on himself n all over my bed. Now don’t get me wrong I’m thrilled he’s peeing, n even using the litter box, so it’s not being spiteful, more of lack of control. The vet said his bladder is spasming. He just finally started eating yesterday and not much, but little by little I see him getting stronger. But how long will it take him to control his bladder? he wants to be free to roam the house, n tries to sneak by when I go check on him, but he’s filthy yet again, n I have a two year old daughter with her toys all around, n need it to be clean for her. Any ideas on how to help him or how long this will take??

Janine
May 20, 2020

Hard to read everyone's comments and wish you all and your kitties peace, whether here or over the rainbow bridge.  Most comments seem to discuss male cats.  Our male cat was put down 8 yrs ago with kidney issues.  His sister is now 16.  Tiny 5-lb tuxedo cat.  UTI last month - bad at pills, liquid meds so got a one-time shot.  Seemed better for a few weeks but she's squatting everywhere again and leaving small puddles, some with blood and mucousy remnants.  She'll squat on my husband's lap and "leak."  She doesn't seem to be in pain but I understand from the docs here that cats are good at being stoic.  It's exhausting - we don't know what to do for her anymore.

Brittany Robusky
May 20, 2020

First of all I just want to say that my 7 year old Simba did not deserve to die the way that he did. This is a HORRIBLE disease and someone needs to find a cure for it and make it affordable if it’s so common in male cats. It all started this past weekend on Friday May 15th, we came home to him licking his genital area until it was bright red and inflamed... I just thought he was overly grooming himself, so I didn’t think much of it. But something told me to follow him to the litter box and see if he was having any issues urinating. After I saw him sitting in there for a while, I noticed blood droplets outside of his litter box so I immediately googled both of those symptoms and sure enough.. urethra obstruction came up and it scared me because it said I need to take him to the ER ASAP... so after calling the ER to get their opinion they said to only bring him in if he’s not urinating at all so I waited until morning because he was still passing urine but it wasn’t a lot. The next morning I noticed he was still having a lot of trouble so I took him into the ER because I didn’t want to take any chances.. they said they had to run a bunch of tests and X-rays but I couldn’t really afford it at the time so they just sent me home with medication to help with his pain and spasms... they also said he wasn’t fully obstructed yet by feeling on his bladder so it made me feel a little better by bringing him back home. Oh and I still paid $300 that day for just an exam and medications. The next day he still wasn’t peeing, and I started to freak out at this point so I rushed him back into the ER, and they said he was fully obstructed at this point between yesterday and today and that they had to run a catheter and IV fluids and x-rays and all types of test to see what was blocking him. I agreed because I wasn’t just going to let my cat die and I applied for a care credit card, thank god I was approved. I had to atleast try even though the percentage that he would reblock was 50% . After 2 days of him being in the hospital and $2600 later, they had unblocked him temporarily but as soon as the catheter came out he immediately blocked while in the hospital. The doctor told me that he still hadn’t urinated on his own yet and she wasn’t comfortable sending him home yet until he could pee. At that point I couldn’t afford another half day in the ER... so they discharged him and I was going to just monitor him at home. After he got home, he was so lethargic, wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t drink, kept making grumbling noises and sounded like he was so miserable. All he did was sleep all day, and he still couldn’t go to the bathroom. The ER did say after I took him home that if he still didn’t urinate within 12-24 hours after bringing him home to bring him back. I knew deep down in my heart I wasn’t prepared to go another round of unblocking him and paying another 1,000-2500 more than I already spent. I made the hardest decision of my life.. I decided to put him down because I didn’t want him to suffer anymore. He seemed like he was so miserable, he seemed so weak and all of this happened within a 4 day span... I am sick to my stomach right now that I just lost my best friend, my side kick, my son! It’s going to take me forever to get over this loss and the emptiness I feel inside. I don’t get how if this illness is so common why haven’t they found a way to fix it ? I’m beyond frustrated.. I’m not going to pay $4000 for a surgery when it’s not even a 100% fix and the likely hood for it to come back is high. I had to save him the agony of going thru all of that. After reading all of these stories on here, it makes me a feel a little better that I’m not alone. I miss simba so much.

Lucy
May 20, 2020

My cat is back home after two visits to emergency and has to have a catheter in for 7 days. I am now on day 5 of caring for him and I noticed today that if I lightly stroke his stomach he is in pain, wondering if anyone has insight if this is because of the catheter or could there be a complication?

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
May 19, 2020

Hi Michelle,  If your cat is losing weight, your best approach is to take him to your veterinarian.  There are a number of reasons an older cat can lose weight, and he may need treatment beyond just a calorie supplement.

Michelle
May 14, 2020

Our 15 year old cat was blocked twice about 10 years ago. He’s done great on Royal Canin SO wet and dry. Now that he is 15 he has lost a ton of weight and is like to start giving him a weight-gain supplement like nutri-cal. But is that safe for a formerly blocked cat? At 15 he won’t make it thru that again so I really want to avoid another blockage.

Joanne
May 9, 2020

My 6yr.old lovely Logan showed signs of discomfort and went to hide in several places .Following day I took him to Vets as found him lying in kitty litter .The quote for recovery of obstructed urinary tract was $1,300 to $1,900,with no guarantee it will return. my poor baby was suffering then -I sadly let him go without further pain treatment and in future. 

Kitty
May 9, 2020

I was crying reading all the comments here and whole heartily feel for the pain for all pet lovers.  Thought I would share my story here about possible help with UTI for cats.  My Birman cat is 17 years old and she was diagnosed CKD stage 2 (kidney problem) 3 years ago, at that time, I thought she was going, but luckily she got back to health.  Since then, she was on medication daily and back to normal.  Until 3 weeks ago or so, she started dropping urine here and there and crying, I saw her only had a few drops in the box and a bit of blood, so I took her to the vet on emergency the first time, she was given pain killer and Crytophan.  But a day after she seemed to get back to the problem of urine drops.  3 days after, I took her back to emergency at 9pm at night.  This time a different vet explained to me she wasn't fully blockage and she gave her anti biotic injection and pain killer, and said if she didn't get better in 2 days time, I need to go back to have a little talk.  She got better after and urnine ok when she was under medication.  But a week after after she was off the medication, two days after she was starting back to the same problem.  This time I emailed my usual vet (as it was lockdown my usual vet didn't open for emergency and referred to  another clinic) I was panicking and did my research on internet then found some mixed reviews on using apple cider vinegar.  I had booked my appointment anyway with my usual vet on Monday, it was on Saturday, so I thought I would give it a try gently and closely monitor her, if she got worst I would take her to emergency.  Then magic happened... I fed her with just 2 drops of apple cider vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon of honey in a big bowl of water.  She first didn't like it but then start to drink a bit, and I put back a bowl of fresh water.  Then that night around 4 hours later, she stopped going in and out the box and pee a bit.  No crying that night.  Then next morning a big patch of urine next to litter tray, and I kept giving her the apple cider vinegar mixed water daily, and she is getting much better and going to normal pee and no more crying on this 7th day.  I hope she will get better and this will help.  I am only here to share a bit of my experience and hope it might help some cat/dog lovers.  Blessings!

Amelia Jane
May 9, 2020

Hi Lori, I’m sorry to hear this has happened to your cat again!  It’s so distressing isn’t it. I’ve had to take time off from work this week due to the whole situations. My cat first blocked off on Monday he was out by the evening but again Tuesday when I came back from work I noticed the same thing all over again, I took him back to the vets and they told me to take him to animal hospital, he stayed there for two nights and came out Thursday evening, he was very sleep yesterday but passing urine fine, today he is passing little amounts of urine and good back and forth to the litter tray, he isn’t crying like he was before but it’s very sad to see that he needs to use it so much. I presume this is the cystitis post catheter but I’m not sure, I have called the vet and awaiting a call back. He’s on catease, minipres and loxicom and I have changed his diet to royal canin urinary SO although I have had to give a tiny amount of Sheba to get his to have the catease as you have to sprinkle over the food and he doesn’t seem so impressed with his new food. I pray it doesn’t happen again, for my cat to go through all of that again, and for my own finances. I hope your cat is better? And I really feel for anyone going on though this situations, it’s so stressful and upsetting.

Trooper dooper
April 29, 2020

Binxie boy, what was the final result on your cat that’s as leaking.  Mine is doing the exact same.  Had crystals form and was blocked.  Went in to vet and 4 days later after catheter and a very large bill, he was doing great.  Came home two days ago and seemed great.  Trickle pee here and there and finally to a flow.  Now when he lays down or sleeps he has accidents.  Still using litter box when he makes it there, but is leaking here and there.  Does this go away?  They said he needed to be an inside cat now and we have to figure something out because I cannot have everything we own covered in cat urine. What do we do????

Lori Savoth
April 23, 2020

We are waiting outside the vet now as our 4 year old cat is having a 2nd catheter put in because he did not pee after 24 hours with the 1 st one which was yesterday!  So distraught at making this decision and having to make financial decisions during this Covid19 situation which has financially affected us. Please anyone out there flags your cat had success after a second catheter?

Binxie Boy
April 17, 2020

Hi everyone, My 3 year old male cat went in to the vet on Sunday with a urinary blockage. He had to be catheterized twice for 48 hours, and the vet said it a tricky case, but they got him feeling better. He's back home now, on pain meds and meds to relax his urethra. The first 24 hours he was home he peed in his litter box, but now he's started leaking urine. Not going outside the litterbox, but just sort of always leaking a little. I phoned the vet and they said it's not ideal, but as long as he's still urinating, it's now a watch and wait situation. Anyone else been in this situation? Any advice? I know that humans can have incontinence after being catheterized, too. How long can I expect this to last before he starts to heal up?

Dr Tony Johnson
April 14, 2020

Hi Nicole; I know what you mean - this is often a hard thing to decipher. The best way (not necessarily the easiest - especially these days) is to have a vet or tech palpate the bladder by gently squeezing it. You can also be shown how to do this.  When I was working at a clinic in Indiana, we would often have owners bring in recently blocked cats for a "bladder check" at no cost. If the frequency of trips to the litter box is declining and your cat is eating and not seeming painful, these are good signs. If they seem painful, lethargic, not eating, etc, this could be a sign that the bladder is blocked again. But you hit on a very important point - many cats who go home after being unblocked will continue to strain at home for a few days as the inflammation dies down.  Good luck and thanks for reading our blog!

Nicole Rataj
April 13, 2020

Hi! I was wondering if there is a way to tell if your cat is blocked vs if their bladder is simply inflamed. I have had both cases with my cat and I do not know how to tell the difference. Is there a way to feel if the bladder is full?

Lynn
April 5, 2020

Hello cat lovers, yesterday I lost my 8 yr old male cat Gabe due to a blockage. I had to make the difficult decision to have him euthanized. I couldn’t bare the thought of everything he would have to go through to “fix” the blockage and still not know if it was going to be forever fixed. I didn’t want daily meds to force him to take, or constant vet trips for him. It was one of the hardest decisions to make. I am at a loss. With puffy eyes this morning, I’m walking around this house looking at all his favorite spots to nap, his food dish my whole morning routine is off without Gabe here. I wish I would of known more about blockages and prevention. I will hold his sister Sophie a little tighter and remember him in her as they have the same eyes.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
April 2, 2020

Hi all!  I'm just catching up with comment postings; things got busy around here with the COVID-19 mess.  First off, I'm sorry so many of you are struggling with blocked kitties; it's such a frustrating condition.  I'd like to throw out a couple of important points as blanket statements on this thread.  First, no one but your veterinarian (who knows your cat) can give you adequate and accurate medical advice about your cat remotely.  Unfortunately, that includes the veterinarians here at VetzInsight.  As much as we'd love to give the magical answers, we don't have them for you, and most of the time the best advice we can give is "call your vet."  Second, please don't try to formulate homemade diets for your cat unless you have an advanced degree in feline nutrition.  That isn't snark; I mean it quite literally.  Cats have extraordinarily particular nutritional requirements and their bodies aren't nearly as forgiving of unbalanced diets as dogs or humans. I know big companies get a bad rap for lots of reasons, but when it comes to feline nutrition, they're often the ones who have done the most thorough research.

Margaret
April 2, 2020

Methionine 500mgram. Above is what my clever vet prescribed for my boy Spooky whom we nearly lost 5 times due to being blocked. I blame all, even expensive pet shop dry KIBBLE.. Cats are not supposed to eat this at all. They are adding in terrible things to get the weight of the kibble up, ie, like bits of plastic. supermarket packet rubbish is also bad. I now only buy Aldi beef stir fry, chicken mince(which I lightly cook first) lamb pieces etc. Any fresh meat. I do feed Spooky Royal Canin Instinctive( which has small amounts ofMethionine in it, for brekky, and I try add jug boiled water to make sure he is drinking more.I am Always on edge worrying it will return, but it has now been 9 months clear.

Danny
April 1, 2020

Hello ! A bit clueless here. We’ve just rescued a 2 yo sterilized girl from the shelter - they advised she had some sediments and was on urinary diet (dry - she hates wets) 3 days home and we had to run her to the vet. She was blocked and stayed 10 days there. She was released under strict supervision back home: pills 2 a day; monitor urine; monitor poop; monitor vomiting and mood. New diet 3 days in - we had to take her back for check up. Seemed more less - did IV; but  she wasn’t pooping. I never thought I’d be so happy for having a peeing cat. Then she stopped pooping... gave her medicine for pooping as vet asked by phone. She exploded in diarreia - very liquid and drips all over the place. Back to the vet! She ended up being committed again as went under surgery - poop blockage They can’t give us a diagnosis. The vets are saying they’re researching Could all these things be related ? All these blockages ? She seems a normal cat apart from having her tail cut off (don’t know why - no one does). She’s always in a great mood and if it wasn’t for the constant in and out of the litter box - you wouldn’t tell she’s in pain...!

Donna Gould
March 31, 2020

Has anybody found a home remedy to prevent UTI's ? Or an acidify diet ?

Sulaiman Roshan
March 30, 2020

So I just got a cat about two weeks ago, his name is Simba. It turns out that Simba had tapeworms so I took him to the ER and had them check him out and when I went I also told them about his frequent urinating habits that he had acquired over the past few days. He was peeing up to 6 times a day and the doctor said that scenario was more important than the worms so I took him to the vet the next day (today) and the vet did a urinalysis exam and emptied his bladder with a catheter. When he got home he urinated and al seemed well until a few hours ago when he squatted in the litter box and surprisingly kept out of the box due to (what seemed to be) pain, and began licking his genitals to make it feel better. This squatting and jumping scenario has happened about 6 or 7 times now until he finally started looking for other places to urinate. He finally squatted in his day bed for a while and when he got out, there was a massive amount of urine that had seeped out onto the floor. Should I be concerned? Because he did urinate but honestly the times that he squatted to urinate, and then kept out of the box have me thinking the worst! Is this just inflammation due to the catheter? Or does it sound like an underlying issue? Thank you!

Brandon Everett
March 27, 2020

Hello, i have a 2 year old male cat that was just unblocked. I got to bring him home today but i noticed that he trys to use the litterbox gives up lays down and pees on himself  or just sitting there should i contact the vet and take him back or wait a bit for the medication to work?

Marla Green
March 26, 2020

My cat had PU surgery 1 yr ago with no complications, he has been healthy and energetic. The last few days since I'm now stuck st home I've noticed he is licking more and when I checked this urinary site looks red and inflamed could this be a UTI? What should my next step be... he doesn't seem to be in any pain or distress

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
March 24, 2020

Hi Janelle,  Hopefully your cat is back to himself and urinating normally by now.  If not, I'd definitely suggest calling your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Janelle
March 23, 2020

I just brought my cat home from the vet last night after getting him unblocked.  Can anyone advise me of the normal behaviours to expect once home? My cat seems to want to pee but hasn’t fully gone yet, or can’t go yet.  He’s on a few medications and seems a little out of it, is this normal? Or should I be rushing him back there?

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
March 19, 2020

Hi Julie, I'm so sorry to hear of the struggles you're having with your cat.  I have anxiety as well, and I know how hard it makes it when things go wrong with any loved ones.  Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell you over the internet what you should do in this case.  It's true that many cats with urinary tract issues continue to have problems for life.  So, I think there's no wrong choice.  I'd just recommend having an honest discussion with your veterinarian about your concerns and financial limitations.

Julie Howell
March 19, 2020

I think,being kind....you have to remember that there are people out there that have severe anxiety issues, and after I read all of that, (my cat has been doing, exactly), but, it's the 2nd time. The cat comes home and you see all this pee and get so happy that your little baby isn't hurting anymore, when it's probably just going to happen again, right? They just want our money? Now after another Bill, we TOTALLY couldn't afford, we had to pay for 3 medicines, new litter and litter box, food, water, etc.... and that's great, if it keeps my cat, Healthy and well, because my cat is Mentally Very SPecial. Mute, Deaf, knees on side ways, and other organs not connected, and he just stares at things. What do I do? Do you think this is going to happen multiple times, so they get money, and he stays in pain, before I pay them to put him to sleep? I have severe anxiety and my cat has every single thing you mentioned and they just said my cat has another UTI.

Toni Phillips
March 14, 2020

I have a 2 1/2 yr old male flame point. I noticed a hard “length” about quarter inch running up his abdomen from his penis last night, assumed it was his penis. He was limping and I thought he had hurt his paw, which was why I had him on his back. No other strange behavior or change in eating habits, or signs of pain. Then this morning my son picked him up and in that spot there is now a a whole bigger than a quarter and what looks like a vein that is missing. I can see a small piece at the bottom (down toward his penis) and a piece up towards his belly. I’m now beginning to think maybe he had “crystals”. He goes outside to potty as he’s over 22lbs and will not go into a litter box so I have no idea if he’s straining. But, he’s not dripping, which concerns me because if he chewed through his urethra I’m thinking it would be dripping urine if he’s not blocked further up. He’s still not acting “strange”. I had a female yrs ago who had crystals and she showed all the typical signs. Bad thing is we are completely snowed in and I can’t get him to the vet.

Marie
March 10, 2020

My 3 y/o male cat was blocked a few years ago - in the ER the vet did a full work up with ultrasound, sedation, IV, catheter and he was unblocked.  It was a very expensive few days in the vet hospital but he was only 3 - I couldn't bear putting him down. They recommended prescription wet diet for him (which I could not afford with my other cat).  I did switch him to wet food but after a few years transitioned back to non-rx dry food and he had no signs of urinary problems. Three days ago he started straining - brought him into ER.  No blockage and was sent home with meds.  The next day he was eating, drinking, completely being his normal self.  Yesterday, however, he would not move, eat or drink.  He could hardly lift his head. At first I thought maybe he was just lethargic from his medications but this was beyond lethargic. I brought him into my vet immediately and with one quick touch they told me he was blocked.  I couldn't afford the surgery again and had to say goodbye to my 6 year old cat.  Please DO not make my same mistake.  If your vet tells you they need a certain type of food - listen to them as it may save their life. I don't think I will ever forgive myself.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
March 3, 2020

Hi Rita, I'm so sorry for what you're going through.  Since we don't know your cat or how he normally behaves, it's next to impossible for anyone here to be able to tell you if his current condition is to be expected.  I know it's hard, but your best approach would be to call your veterinarians office and ask to speak with the veterinarian or a nurse about your cat and your concerns.  They will have the most complete knowledge to be able to help you.

Rita
March 3, 2020

Hello, I'm from Portugal and my cat is currently with a catheter on and I feel hopeless. He became I'll overnight. Stopped peeing out of nowhere and not knowing who to see, we saw a veterinarian in the evening who didn't have any equipment to do the procedure and so my cat was sent home with some medication. The next morning he was in real pain so we had to seek another and after a huge amount of money we can't afford to spend nor within our reach, he is now home - because staying at the hospital is expensive as well - and he's been quiet, I'm guessing due to the anesthesia. I guess he's a bit sore as well because we won't move.. I hope that's normal. Will he start eating soon? Will he be okay? I'm so overwhelmed.

Katie
February 19, 2020

My sphynx started acting funny on sunday morning, screaming like i have never heard! He wouldnt eat or drink, hes not even 3 yet. I called our vet first thing monday morning and they took him in immediately and he had to have emergency "surgery" because he was blocked. We caught it immediately so THANKFULLY he has no kidney damage. He was in the hospital for 2 nights and we brought him home today. He is still acting a bit out of it and not eating a whole lot. He has gone to the bathroom but not as much as i had hoped. Im so glad I found this page! I think he is stressed about the eventful 2 days he has had and all he wants to do is be wrapped up in his big fuzzy blanket and sleep right now. Im checking on him every 5 mins and trying to get him to eat his new food. Im praying since we caught it so fast it doesnt happen again. But I just want to say, when your pet acts off and you notice... get them help ASAP!! We know our pets, dont mistake it for "just" being sick. They cant talk so when they arent okay they are trying to tell you with meows/barks/whines anything, just listen.

Hayley
February 18, 2020

Hi everyone. First of all im sorry for all of your losses, i know how it feels. I had to put my nearly 7 year old cat lucky down today. He has had this problem twice before and this time when i took him to the vets on Friday evening they performed the op and sent him home the next day. I got to spend one more night with my baby boy and then on monday he was crying at the litterbox and unable to pee again. I had to take him back and after another op last night i was called today and advised it would be the most humane thing to do as the problem kept occuring and my poor boy was in so much pain. It was very hard but i know it was the best thing to do. Before having lucky i had a cat called cheeky and he was unable to miaow so could not give the signs that he was in pain so obviously. He was 4 when he died and we never knew the reason why, however i am now sure he too had this issue but i didnt recognise it in time. Its such a horrible disease. Both of my cats were male and were housecats as i live on the third floor. I have been told male house cats get it the most. It has honestly made me not want a pet cat ever again as i get so attached to them and they become family. I miss him so much already. The house is so quiet. I get some comfort knowing he is no longer in pain.

Jeannette
February 13, 2020

I happened to stumble upon this page when I found myself scrambling for answers on why my cat developed urinary blockage. I had never heard of such a thing. My cat Cozmo  was 2 months short of turning 4 years old. He was a beautiful gray and white Calico that was the son of a rescue cat. We found his mom on our front lawn five years prior and decided to adopt her. Little did we know that she was expecting. She had five beautiful kittens in our basement just two short months later. Cozmo was one of the cats we kept. He was a special little angel. He had a little bit of a wobble and a dented little nose for the small little hole above his upper lip. We were always afraid that if we put him up for adoption that no one would love him the way we would because he wasn't perfect. But he wasn't authorized. Especially in the eyes of our son who loved him more than any other pet because he was special, different. Unfortunately we didn't really see the signs or at least it didn't signal to us that we should be concerned. Unfortunately just a couple of days ago we noticed his lack of desire to eat and drink. This came said only because he was fine just the night before but that morning, my husband went to clean his litter box and saw that there was diarrhea everywhere. We also notice that his demeanor had changed significantly but we've had pets before that have gotten sick so we thought he's probably a little under the weather and will get better soon. Unfortunately he got progressively worse within that day and the next day we took him to the vet. We have been going to this vet for many years and she was very honest with us that surgery could probably only temporarily fix the situation and he was in such bad shape that it was best to put him down. Are 11 year old son is devastated. We have three other cats at home and they are all loved but Cozmo was special. It has been very difficult for all of us. Losing a pet is heartbreaking for the family. He was a part of us. We loved him dearly and he will be missed forever. He was a sweet boy. We would say that he made bubbles out of the sweet little hole above his upper lip and we'd sing "Get 'em Cozzi, get the bubbles it's your power. Yay" That was a song that my son and I made up and I will forever remember it. Rest in peace Cozmo.

Tori
February 5, 2020

Milo was 8 years old this month, the coolest gentlest cat I've ever had. He was there for me when I was going through some serious mental health issues. I loved him so much. A few hours ago, I had to put him down after suffering through two urinary blockages in two weeks. There was no warning and no explanation for why he kept blocking up.  His tests showed no crystals and no stones, nor any infection. Our options were to keep going with more invasive procedures, with no hope of success, or let him go.  By the end, he was in so much pain and I couldn't put him through any more. This is such a cruel disease and my thoughts and sympathies with all who have lost their pals.

Jessica
February 3, 2020

I had my beloved and adored most lovable little friend I've ever known euthinised on February 1st. His name was Theo beautiful fluffy white and ginger maine coon. He suffered urinary blockage.. that lead to renail failure of the kidneys I believe I've never witnessed something so harrowing as putting him to sleep. He wasn't himself he was weak, lethargic, wasn't eating forced to pee he went in on Friday but we suspected on Thursday I'm going mad thinking if we had taken him in earlier would it have made a difference could he have survived... He went in Friday at 9:30am the vet said that it isn't looking good and we kept him in over night IV drip, anastetic urinary blockage gone and you name it I wanted my baby well again... By Saturday night he deteriorated and slowly got worse... We had to make the most painful and yet kindest decision to put him to sleep I'm on day 2 of constant crying and pain... We were shocked it bought we would take him in he'd have some anti biotics and he'll be back to his normal self within the space of 48 hours we were faced with the most painful decision I've ever had to through. You will be missed Theo you darling little fluffy boy.

Anne
January 12, 2020

Just recently, I had to put down my beautiful and sweet 13 year old orange and white tabby Jake because of repeat urinary blockage. My grief and guilt are difficult to manage. But I wanted to add a few comments that may help others. I was away for a week and my trusted pet sitter was taking care of my kitty and our two dogs. When I returned, I noticed only that Jake was intermittently unable to jump up - but he did have a little to eat. I kept him inside overnight and noticed he hadn't peed or pooped. I took him to the vet and he was blocked with large bladder. They anesthetized him, catheterized him, gave him pain meds, antibiotics an IV fluids for over 24 hrs. THere were struvite crystals, but kidney function test results were not so concerning, so I was hopeful. I picked him up and gave him lots of love, cuddles, and monitored him closely. He slept a lot and then did eat a little and peed in his litter box over a few days- an I thought he was out of the woods. The third day home, I was anxious as he hadn't peed overnight and he didn't want to eat. Plus I was noticing more pronounced hind leg weakness. I brought him back to the vet. He was blocked again. Options were taking him to specialist for PU surgery or euthanasia - but I was so shocked/ not ready to lose him and uncertain of what had happened to begin with and the causes- so I asked for another catheterization with IV fluids/ wash out and asked them also to give an enema because Jake had been constipated as well. I picked him up over 24 hours later and had a conversation with the vet. It was more clear that Jake had some kind of nerve damage - spine /disc - possibly traumatic (he may have had a fall while I was away or an old injury became worse) = and this also meant he could not express his own urine- nor likely could poop on his own. We had a conversation bout euthanasia options - and timing- as I was very aware he would block again within a day or two nd I wanted to be sure I could relieve his suffering quickly. I had him home and made sure to give the pain meds on schedule and even early to ensure he was comfortable. He did take a little food and we cuddled and he purred a lot. What was shocking however was now both his hind legs were completely limp/ he couldn't use them. He had urges to poop from the enema - and I brought him back and forth to litter box every few hours for that- and tried to help him/ manually express the bladder- but it didn't work. I had planned to euthanize him on a Friday morning - made an appointment with my vet. BUt Thursday late night he was so uncomfortable - crying - and trying to get up - the urgency to urinate- but unable to do so- that I took him to the emergency vet at 3 in the morning to have him put to sleep. What I learned from this is that urinary blockage causes can be difficult to determine- and to know what is the root cause. In my cat's case, the nerve damage affecting his hind legs also had earlier affecting his bladder- inability to express urine- and led to the distension/ blockage and also spread to further disable him. Probably part of that was him fighting and slipping around in the kennel at the vet when he awoke from anesthesia with soft plastic cone on his head and catheter in. But the key thing is Jake couldn't have survived either with the urinary blockage or with the nerve damage rendering his hind legs useless. And PU surgery wouldn't have been a fix for his issue. He also did have crystals - and that may have contributed to blockage. So urinary diet (special prescription wet cat food) would have been part of long term management. But my kitty couldn't have survived this and I was broken hearted to tell him that it was the end and to put him to sleep. The hardest things for me- that I suffer with guilt about- is why I didn't take my cat to the emergency vet immediately the night I got home. And also I was struggling with why my pet sitter hadn't noticed something was wrong and called me - I could have come home earlier and taken my cat even earlier to the vet. I already did feed my cat wet food mixed with water in a porridge. Separately for treats, I give him a little bit of dry kibble. I think maybe the pet sitter had given him more kibble than was good for him- but I don't think that was the cause. I also beat myself up because I should have realized the counter/with stool to jump up to food was no longer working for my cat- he occasionally had to be lifted up- and why didn't I make another place for feeding (so dogs wouldn't eat his food) - and thereby eliminate the possibility that he fell and injured his neck/spine in jumping up or down from food? I also torture myself because the litter box was in a location (in the tub) where kitty had to jump up slightly and down- into it- maybe he couldn't do that if he was hurting? When I get so upset thinking about how I could have prevented this, I try to realize that the spinal injury and nerve damage were likely the root cause of his urinary blockage. And though I wish I could have prevented that- he could have fallen while outside. I try to comfort myself with the fact that I loved my Jake so much, he had a great life, he enjoyed his indoor-outdoor life - and brought us so much joy and comfort. I hope you who have suffered this tragedy and may blame yourselves also try to realize that you did the best you could for your kitty- with the information you had available at the time- and your ability to perceive the threat/danger/causes. And as a good friend told me too, please try not to blame yourself and spend too much time feeling guilty and wondering what else you could have done, because your beautiful kitty wouldn't want you to live like that, he would want you to be happy and know that sweet kitty is out of pain and suffering.

Candy
January 8, 2020

I ubruptly lost my beloved 5 year old Charcoal Cat (his name) and have been crying for 2 days. I found him in a puddle after a heavy rain as an infant and he became a wonderful playful active companion. There were signs, having relocated to another home. He had been urinating in the wrong places, but otherwise seemed alert. When he stopped eating and drinking completely for 2 days we went to the vet. I thought it would be a simple visit, but it turned into a nightmare scenario and we decided to euthanize in lieu of spending $3K+ for starters on what sounded like a long and involved medical journey. I am heart-broken. Prior to my loss I had never heard of feline urinary blockage or any of its preventions, causes or treatments.

Paula Williams
January 7, 2020

Reading all these comments is heartbreaking.  I too have a male cat that was unblocked May 2018.  Now all the signs are coming back that he is blocking again.  I have spent tens of thousands of $$$ on this kitty over the past 8 years.  I adopted him from a pet rescue and from day one have had problems.  He has been to multiple vets and never could pin down if it was stress related or urinary which have come to realize they go hand in hand.  My vet told me that he would get blocked again so have been only been giving him prescription food for the most part and distilled water. Sometimes we can only do the best we can to help them.  There isn't anything I haven't tried, bought every product available, as well as vet prescribed Prozac to help with the stress.  Also purchased all the pads, beds, sprays, litter boxes and constant washing to get rid of the urine smell.  He should have never been adopted to a family with an existing cat to begin with but we kept him since I instantly fell in love with him and was afraid no one else would ever keep him.  It is a real drain on my bank account to the point I can't even afford my own place to live.  Luckily I live with a good man that doesn't complain. But I have come to the realization that I have done all I can do.  I appreciate all the feedback on this site since you have had similar experiences and insight into this problem.  If you have never had a cat with these problems, it is hard to find someone to talk to about it that understands.

Raquel
January 1, 2020

Our year and a half old baby suddenly developed straining with urinating and was going in unusual places for two days. He was otherwise happy - playing and eating and jumping. We kept an eye on him with plans to take him to the vet after the holiday and bought special supplements... but Sunday night he became lethargic and was in pain. Took him to ER and they said his exam was normal, urine was normal except for elevated pH and crystals, XR was normal. They said he had FLUTD or crystals causing this. Sent us home with prazosin. That night he seemed fine but next day he stopped moving except to get up to try to urinate and he could not at all, only drops of blood. Did not eat or drink. He was in rough shape so we took him back to the vet and they said he had a firm bladder and a huge urethral plug...our options were 1) 3800 for cath and a few days of hospitalization, 2) 1300 for an in and out cath which they did not recommend because they said there was a huge chance it would not work and 3) euthanasia. The vet said this is a life long disease and could very well recur days to weeks later... because of that we opted for euthanasia and it was gut wrenching but now I can’t stop reading articles online in which vets say it’s a “shame” when people euthanize their pets for something that’s so easily fixable. I am wracked with guilt. I am so sad.

Michael
December 29, 2019

I just lost my 10yo tabby "Eric" to this horrible, horrible disease. It all started about 1 week ago when he started moaning and unable to urinate. Took him to the local vet who diagnosed him with a partial blockage....gave him some sedatives and pain relief, advised to see if he urinates within the next 3hrs and if he didnt to rush him to the Emergency vet as he would be at risk of his bladder exploding. Needless to say, he didnt urinate in those 3hrs....so we took him to the Emergency vet and they kept him there for 3 days at a cost of $3000aud. In those 3 days, he reblocked again requiring his bladder to be expressed and catherized. On the 4th day, they asked me if I wanted to continue treatment (which basically involved just repeating the unblock/catheter process on the hope that he would free up) at a further cost of $5000aud...the other alternative was euthenasia or surgery (which would blow out the costs exponentially). I wasn't ready to let him go at that point, I paid for the treatment and hoped for the best. After 6 days in ER, they allowed me to bring him home for monitoring (He reblocked a further 2x and he was now up to this 4th catheter). After 1 day at home, he went to our local vet to get his bladder express and catheter removed and due to it being on a weekend...they made the follow up appointment for 2 days time but advised if he blocks again to rush him back to ER. For a couple of hours after coming home from the vet he was back to his normal self..but this was only temporary as unfortunately he reblocked again over the next few hours. I rushed him back to ER and I made the painful decision to euthenize him (the vet explained the only way forward from that point would be expensive surgery which would have no guarantee of success. I am now ridden with guilt that I put him through additional treatment after those initial 3 days. I don't think I can forgive myself for it and I never want to own another pet again as it is too painful when I think about Eric and what he went through. At no point was euthensia ever recommended to me (at least until the very end)...possibly they are not allowed to, but I think if it was early on....I may not have did what I did trying to save him. I hope one day a cure is found for this terrible disease and cat owners don't have to go through this.

Michael
December 24, 2019

I just lost my favorite boy a couple days ago due to this disease.  I didn't identify or treat the warnings appropriately.  Noticed my 6.5 year old boy was running around sort of hyper, looked like he was trying to poop everywhere but nothing happened.  He never cried in pain, 100% silent.  I thought he was constipated to was researching that.  The next day he was no longer hyper, but found him hiding under the couch.  He periodically would go to the litter box and accomplish nothing.  Still thought he was constipated.  Following morning he was laying in the middle of the floor unwilling to move. Then I took him to an emergency vet.  The vet provided me a printed copy of this very article, some price quotes ranging upwards of $5000, and waited around impatiently as I stared off overwhelmed, not knowing what to do.  He left me alone to think it over, at which point I had him give pain meds and then proceed with unblocking.  I get notified shortly thereafter that his toxin levels are extremely high and he's in a critical state.  I felt there were too many uncertainties and that I already waited too long, I couldn't bear the thought of him experiencing anymore pain.  Didn't want to string him along for a traumatic road, I opted to be there with him to have him euthanized.  Hardest thing I have ever done, been crying for days.  I miss him so much, he was active and playful just days ago... My heart is so broken.  He's no doubt doing better than I am right now.  I keep wondering if I gave up too soon, but also him dieing during treatment would have been so much worse.  If only I knew about this earlier...

Sam
December 21, 2019

My beautiful 13 year old tabby passed away at 1am on the 21st December 2019 from this illness. I am devastated as it was so sudden. 3.5 years ago he had this, we are insured and they covered half the costs for the 3 days in etc and we scraped the rest. This time, our insurer wouldn’t help again and we were being quoted £3,000 for something that may not work. We had to make the horrid decision to put my baby to sleep. I am heartbroken and in turmoil over the fact if I had all the money, he could be with me again right now. I don’t know if I made the right choice. It hurts. 

Bea Sinka
November 28, 2019

Claw was my first cat and my only support. He's been with me for 6 years and was dying 2 days ago because of bladder blockage.  I blame myself. 6 months ago the first signs appeared. He peed outside the litterbox in random places of the house. I thought he was just stressed or a bad habit he picked up from spending too much time with our puppy. Then I noticed he was crying and howling while he was in the litterbox or just in general. He spent a lot of time near his litterbox. I never took his condition seriously. And I will never forgive myself. Then one day he couldn't pee or anything and he was trying. I thought maybe he has constipation and probably just a stomach ache. I am so Blind. He started to act sluggish and he refused to eat anything. He just laid down and every hour, he looked weaker. Then next day when I picked him up slightly, i realised my cat has ZERO strength in his body. and when I put him back, he just fell like a piece of cloth.That's when I really started panicking and calling the emergency vet hospital, late at night. I took him to the hospital and I was praying and hoping they could help. Then they called me into the room and told me they have bad news. The cat is living his final moments  and best way he gets euthanized. I will never forgive myself. And please if you notice any signs like this from a cat, trust me. It is worth the money to take him to the vet and even if they say he is stressed, push your point and tell them clearly what the cat is going through. Often a blocked bladder is not recognised by vets until too late. This is the only chance for the cat's survival.

Lisa
November 27, 2019

As we are going through this ordeal, can someone comment on how long the recovery Can take? Our unblocking at the vet was 6 days ago, and Kino is peeing small amounts near areas where he sleeps. We have a lot of puppy pads around, forget the use of the litter box. Just wondering if this improves, or will we expect this for more weeks on end?

Nel
November 11, 2019

We have a 5 year old black male cat. He recently was peeing on different thugs and outside the boxes. (We have three cuz we have 4 cats including him that use the litter boxes). Then he peed on things right in front of me like my comforter when I was going back to sleep. So I thought that was a sign he was telling me something. At first I didn’t think it was a uti a couple weeks ago because he could have been stressed and I had bought a diffuser and was working but ran out and never got a refil coz it seemed to work. So I talked to my mother in law and she and my father in law agreed to help because I was going to do a couple errands last Thursday so I called our vet and got our cat in. (My in laws help sometimes cuz I don’t have my license and can’t drive or have a car cuz of disabilities and $. My father In law came a long to help carry our cat cuz he is hefty-not fat but heavy-muscly) At the vet they said he had some urine in his bladder(he was straining also at home) and she expressed his bladder and did a test and saw some blood in his urine and said he has uti and gave antibiotic shot. She also send out a urinalysis and that came back the next morning as positive for crystals. I also got take home antibiotic for 7 days orally(liquid). The vet said I can get RX good C/D and that would get rid of the crystals. I talked to my husband about this but he wasn’t sure he had enough $ yet so we’d have to wait til he got paid this thursday. (My mother in law helped pay fir vet visit with care credit but doesn’t have any more to help) So bring our cat has been on the antiobiotics since Friday and seemed like he was getting better cuz we got him urinary tract wet food at the pet store Saturday and he was drinking water a little here and there but then the past couple days he hadn’t drank or ate at all and is straining Togo pee and no poo obviously cuz he has t eaten.  It did manage to order the RX food but won’t be here till wednesday/Thursday??? And Thursday is his last antiobiotic day. So should we wait it out and see if he eats the RX food? Not sure if we can go back to the vet. Cuz we have no $ for invasive tests like catheter and ultrasounds.

Patty
November 7, 2019

I lost my Duke one year ago to kidney failure. He was only 5 years old. I blame myself because I didn't expect him to die, and I would do things differently if I had the chance. My Duke gave me plenty of warnings the first time he was sick. He layed by his bowl. Hung out in the kitty litter but he still seems still happy and purred etc. I thought he was being greedy with the water bowl and food..But he got worse and started getting lethargic. I had never heard of the bladder blockage. He ate both dry and wet food but he was a big eater. I started looking up the symptoms and they matched perfectly with bladder blockage. I got him in right away and the vet kept him for 2 days and did unblock him there. I was told to feed him this particular food which Duke wouldn't eat so I got a really high quality grass feed wet cat food. He was ok for a year then got an infection of the bladder. He never seemed 100% but did seem somewhat better after getting an antibiotic  recovered a bit and then he dropped weight really fast till he was almost a skeleton. It was fast!! He wasn't as frisky as usually but no signs this time like before. I didn't notice the weight drop at first because my cat was really furry...thick really long fluffy hair. I was petting him and I felt bones. At the time I was caring for a litter of kittens and since it happened so fast I missed it. He was beautiful..full of personality and then I lost him. ..anyways he died within a week of the diagnosis of kidney failure. I was putting fluids under his skin but it wasn't enough. I ordered some supplement that could have bought him some time and there was a mix up and they never shipped them. I was told not to feel bad by the vet because some male cats get this over and over. I was never given the option to have the surgery to open that area. We are still all heartbroken. We always had healthy cats who lived a long time. We weren't prepared for this. I wish I did many thing differently. He died in my arms naturally. He kissed me four times before he died. I am on a fixed income and it is heartbreaking to think If I had more money they would have presented me with more options. I think the vet treated the situation different because I didn't have money and didn't provide other options.

Cassandra
October 21, 2019

Today my cat passed after getting reblocked yesterday (Sunday) the vet said to bring him in this morning but when I woke up at 3:45 I noticed he was struggling to breath. Took him into the emergency room and they were unable to stabilize him. He passed because his potassium levels were so elevated. It happened within a few hours. This disease sucks and I wish it on no cat owner, now I have to spend my first night with Onyx in 3 years! I’m warning all my friends and family with male cats to switch to wet food and to check for the signs.

Terry
October 16, 2019

My 21 year old cat was diagnosed after abdominal ultrasound with a growth in her bladder, near her urethra. Not clear whether it's cancer. Also growths on pancreas and liver, enlarged lymph nodes. Strains to urinate and defecate. I'm not seeing any blood. She doesn't seem to be in pain, but she is senile and blind. She doesn't sleep much, walks around a lot, eats and drinks. She does smell bad. Is it time to euthanize her? I'm struggling with this. Her vet thinks that at her age it doesn't pay to try to treat her, just keep her comfortable until I make the decision.

Penny
October 14, 2019

I had to put down my beautiful  cat Alfie today after having a blocked bladder on the 19th of August.  Was unlocked by emergency vets and after 4 days came home . Lots of problems followed and numerous  trips to the vets and different drugs ,he finally  lost his will to live stopped eating and drinking and vet said his kidneys  were failing . I am writing this in tears ,just wanted to share this with cat lovers who understand.

Bryce
October 7, 2019

My cat Trucks (5 years old) recently got blocked up. Last weekend actually. I didn't really know what it was but he took little tiny pees on all my stuff and wasn't producing much. He's a quiet cat and he really didn't show any signs of sickness but I also knew he wouldn't pee on my things unless he suffered a massive head trauma or something was wrong. I took him to the emergency vet because they were the only ones open. His bladder was firm like a rock and when i squeezed it he yelled in my face so I knew something was up. The vet said he was blocked and needed a catheter right away to drain his bladder. 1000$ bucks later and we were back home later that day. By the next morning I noticed that he still hadn't peed so I did more research into this dilemma and realized that this is no simple problem. I took him back to the vet and they said that it would be another 3000$ to keep in the hospital for 3 days with a catheter and 24/7 monitoring. We're pretty poor so we decided to euthanize him but then my heart was being wrenched into a million pieces and when we were saying goodbye we got a phone call that someone would lend us the money. We ran into the back and stopped the euthanasia less than a minute before they administered it. Told them to treat him. 3000$ later and they called us 3 days later to tell us that he was still blocked up. We called a family member who works at a vet clinic about 3 hours away and told her that we needed them to take Trucks. I drove him to the clinic and he spent another 4 days there. Within 5 minutes the vet there saw a bladder stone on the x-ray that was taken at the first clinic we went to. She dislodged the stone and kept him around until he started peeing again. She gave him medication to dissolve the stone and he started peeing on his own again. It's been a week since he's been home and he's peeing on his own, good solid streams with no straining. He's still pretty dopey and he just pissed on my couch but he seems to be feeling better. Here's my advice. Don't get them unblocked and then sent home, go for the full treatment. We're almost 5000$ into something that the final vet fixed for 1200$. We spent 3800$ on vet bills that were essentially just pissing in the wind, throwing mud at the wall and seeing what would stick. Get a good vet before you have an emergency. Feed your cat wet food and keep a moving water drinking fountain around for them. If your cat isn't peeing then feel their bladder, if it's hard or full then go to whatever vet you can right away. The initial visit is what? 85$? The sooner you know the better your odds are. Just don't ignore the signs and act asap.

Jenia
October 7, 2019

I am going through this nightmare now with my sweet orange tabby George. He’s a stray that adopted me a year ago and got blocked last week. He spent 48 hours in hospital and came home. Today he blocked again. I have made the difficult decision to euthanize him and it breaks my heart.

Lo
October 1, 2019

Many years ago my 8 year old male cat was treated for blockage.  We were told diet is a major reason for this disease as dry cat food is junkfood.  Cats need protein and so a wet-food only diet was prescribed.  Our cat lived another 8 years with no issues.  We now have kittens and have learned form this experience and only feed them wet food.  Never dry.

Misty
September 28, 2019

We just had our 2 yr old cat unblocked about 3 weeks ago and he has his check up on Monday he spent two nights in the vet and they sent him home we gave him all his meds and now tonight I’m seeing light blood spots now but every since he’s been home he has constantly went to the litter box or towels I have and just been tiny spots I feel they didn’t do something right or something it’s cost me already 800 for one visit all his labs were good they said so why is this happening I’m so frustrated now

Yasmine
September 26, 2019

My cat was blocked but he seems to have recovered after much treatment. However he has begun leaking pee everywhere he goes. We are wondering what the cause is and how to fix it. Thanks

Dana
September 23, 2019

We just went through this experience with my cat, Colt (6 years old).  About a month and a half ago, we came home to throw-up everywhere and he was nowhere to be found.  We finally found him under the bed and rushed him up to the vet.  5 days and $5000 later, we took him home.  His urine stream never returned to normal - It was always just a drip. We did everything recommended to try to manage this disease, but nothing was working.  We took him to our vet for an ultrasound, which stressed him out terribly. Sure enough, he blocked again that night.  The vet was able to unblock him this time around, and we made the decision to do the PU surgery. We never got the chance.  Colt's catheter came loose, and the vet went to adjust it, and his bladder ruptured.  The vet said that even if they did repair it, his bladder was in such rough shape that he couldn't guarantee Colt would have any type of life that didn't include immense pain.  We made the impossible decision to let him go, but the decision was heart breaking, and it still is.  The amount of guilt and second-guessing is unbearable - he was my first pet.  How quickly things escalated is rather traumatizing, and I was definitely not mentally prepared for this outcome. The constant, "what if I would have done this instead" is exhausting, and I have been searching the internet for answers, but this article makes me feel as though I'm not alone.

Kylee
September 7, 2019

My Rebel Had this, He sadly Passed away last week on 30th August here in New Zealand. I really Wish I had of known about this Sooner. He was 10 and Half Years old. Much Loved Fluffy Male Cat. He became in Huge amount of Pain, Wish I had of Acted Sooner. Tried to Unblock is Bladder, but his Bladder Rupted. The Kindest thing was to Prolong his Suffering. He was in Terrible Pain. He Passed away, before he could be put to Sleep. I believe he knew his time was Ending. Thanks for such a Very Important Issue. Will be Sharing. That People know of this Problem.

Danielle
August 29, 2019

I just lost my 7 year old cat Arlo on Monday. He was a super healthy boy and never once in his life had any health or medical issues. Sunday morning, I heard him vomiting a bit, but I had just been away on vacation for. week with my neighbour checking in on him two times a day, but I still think this stressed him out as we were extremely close. The vomiting continued off and on throughout the day and he was crying a weird howl. By Sunday night he was very weak. I wasn't sure what to think as he has never been sick like this before and I thought he may have just eaten something bad. I rushed him to the vet first thing Monday morning and the vet said she was hopeful she could unblock him and save him. Four hours later she called me and said she is so sorry but he must have been blocked for days and just not shown symptoms until Sunday as his kidneys and heart were now compromised. He developed clots in his lungs and there was no other option but to euthanize him. I was hysterical. Arlo was my best friend and I would have done anything (above and beyond the $1,500 I spent trying to save his life). I can't help but blame myself for not taking his vomiting more serious and rush him to the emergency vet sooner. I'm completely devastated and full of regret and loss.

Cindy
August 28, 2019

I am devastated. The sweetest little soul to come into my life is gone, by my decision because of this awful disease. I noticed he was constantly licking himself, I emptied his litter box and there was no pee clumps. This went on a coupe of days, The I called my vet and was told he was blocked, rushed him to emergency clinic. $2000 dollars later I bring him home. He never peed in 4 days. They told me they’d repeat the procedure ( another $2000. No guarantees this wouldn’t reblock. Then there would be surgery, $4000. I had to put the first one on a line of credit. Between his suffering and the tremendous cost, we made the decision to put him to rest. My heart is aching. I feel on one hand it was the only thing we could have done, but the void, and the guilt is eating at me. I loved my “Littles” so much. I tried to get insurance to help with the cost. They told me “pre-existing” condition” so No luck there. I wish someone would warn about this and maybe how to prevent it. I’ve never heard of this horrible thing until it happened to Littles. I hope people read this forum, and that it will help another precious kitty down the road.

Hannah
August 27, 2019

I’m dealing with this all right now too. My 3 year old Ra is completely blocked. He had an infection earlier this month and seemed to be all better after the anti biotics they had him on but all of a sudden yesterday he was exhibiting all of the symptoms of a blockage. Vet confirmed yesterday afternoon. I can’t afford surgery or even half of it since they won’t allow me to make payments on the bill otherwise I would do whatever it took. I don’t really know what I’m suppose to do as my only realistic option would be euthanasia. I’m so broken up about it. I feel like I should figure out a way to help him get better but what would I do if it came back? I never even knew this could be a issue.

David
August 26, 2019

I lost my Toby to a urinary blockage on August 24. He was an orange tabby that I adopted 14 months ago at an estimated age of 13. My previous cat lived to be 19 and I always fed her canned food. I was quite shocked when Toby wouldn't eat it, only the dry food I'd left out for her as a snack. I figured he was too old to change his ways, so I let it go. Had I known about this terrible possibility, I would certainly have done my best to make him eat canned food. As luck would have it, I noticed the blockage on a Saturday evening and had to take him to a 24-hour emergency vet. They presented me with two options: remove the blockage for $1,000 or perform surgery for $4,000. The vet was no help at all, standing stone-faced while I stared at the numbers in shock. He did not sound optimistic about the prognosis for either option, reminding me of Toby's age and the high probability of a recurrence. He did not mention euthanasia until I asked if I should consider it. He said he would certainly understand if I chose that course. His demeanor softened a bit as he said that, and I took it as a signal that it was what he would have suggested if there weren't some stupid reason preventing him from doing so. So, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life and chose to euthanize Mr. Tobes while he still had only good memories of our time together. I had a gut feeling that things were more likely to go wrong than right if I chose to try and save him at that age. I've learned the hard way over the years that I should trust my gut. My mind tells me I made the right decision for me and Toby, but I feel such tremendous guilt that I've been searching the net for the past two nights, seeking some sort of validation for my decision. I also feel a burning anger at myself for not knowing about this and not trying to change his diet. I'll miss being able to admire his ringed tail twitching contentedly while he sits on the arm of my lounger as we watch TV together. That and many other things. I sympathize with everyone who has posted here and hope and pray that there are many more happy outcomes than sad ones at the end of this road.

Christa
August 20, 2019

Kay, I know how you feel. I had the exact same story with my 6 year old indoor/outdoor boy. He only consistently ate dry food. If I had known, I would have insisted on the wet food. I can't believe I never heard about this. It's been 7 months and I still beat myself up over this.

Kay
August 15, 2019

My incredible 1 1/2 year old cat was indoor/outdoor.  I had tried feeding him wet food when he first came to me as a stray and he wouldn't eat it so he's always had dry food. He always had access to fresh water and he loved to play in the bowl and watch the bubbles so I don't think it was an issue with water. If I known the dry food could have been an issue I would have only offered wet food...He would have gotten hungry enough and eaten it I'm sure. Anyway, one night he seemed a little listless but not even enough to notice... Only in retrospect do I realize it. The next night he vomited but seemed fine after and I didn't think anything of it because he's coughed up hairballs before.  He seemed to come and go out of his litter box normally. 12 hours later he was hiding and wouldn't eat or drink and I got him to the vet that day. He never showed any of the other signs that are listed. Our vets could not unblock him and with what they saw on the ultrasound it seemed the best thing to do was to let him go.  Until this happened to me, I had never heard of anything like this. I can't believe that with this being such a common occurrence that veterinarians don't warn us of this when we take our vets in for their yearly check-ups. If I had had even the slightest idea that this could have happened I would have been on the watch out for it at all times and would not have shrugged off a vomiting episode as just a hairball and my baby might still be with me.  Feeling so guilty, angry, and sad.

Donna
July 25, 2019

Fred has a blockage Monday night, but fortunately let me know in no uncertain terms that he was in rough shape. Emergency vet catheterized him, and he stayed at my vet for 2 nights. He was peeing some, but wouldn’t eat for them. Got him home this afternoon, and he ate, but has thrown it up. Seems happy to be here, purring and loving, but dribbling everywhere, and licking himself a lot (penis showing). I can see he’s having some spasms. A few questions: how long will he keep dribbling? Is that a bad sign or is it common? Can he be given anything for spasms? Other than c/d type food, is there anything else I can give him to prevent future occurrences?

Mika
July 21, 2019

My cat Monarch is still healing from this issue, he was in the vet for 5 days.. he’s much happier,, but now he is peeing on me!! Wth? Not sure if this is a weird way of showing gratitude and marking... anyone else deal with this?

Christa
July 9, 2019

Julie, I'm sorry for what you're going through. It sounds very similar to my story with my Monkey, also a very special kitty to me. I feel you did the right thing under the circumstances, but I know how you feel about second guessing yourself. I still do this after having to euthanize Monkey the end of January, only 6 1/2 years old and the picture of health up to that point. Like you, I paid about the same and had to make some quick, difficult decisions at the end. But I still think about it every day and beat myself up over it.

Sabrina
July 6, 2019

Thank you for this article. It is the absolute worst. I am in the middle of this right now and have no idea what to do. My cat blocked completely Thursday which of course was a holiday. I got him into the vet yesterday and they kept him overnight. He came home late this morning with what they said was a medium bladder and was acting like his normal happy loving self. But he still hasn’t produced any urine, He has been going to the litter boxes and nothing. Tomorrow is Sunday but I can’t afford the cost of an emergency clinic. I filled up my CareCredit card between his visit to the cardiologist for heart murmur and high blood pressure and then the bill from the vet today. It is so frustrating. He is almost 14 years old but when I saw his happy grateful personality shine through briefly this morning I don’t think I can bear to euthanize him.

Teri Ann Oursler, DVM
July 6, 2019

Julie, You are NOT an uncaring monster!  Not at all!  You are a loving, grieving pet owner. Biggles had a horrible disease, you tried to treat, his body did not cooperate.  The vet was correct, he was likely to block again. I know how much making that decision hurt, but it was the right one for you and Biggles.  You did not let him go on suffering, and that is very important.  Biggles appreciates it; I appreciate it. It is so very difficult to lose our furry friends, whether they die a natural death, or we are forced to make the decision to euthanize. Please know, you did the right thing for your friend. Take care. And may each day help your heart to heal.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
July 6, 2019

Dear Julie, You made the best choice for your Biggles under the circumstances.  Urinary blockages can often be recurrent, are always painful, and frustrating and often futile to treat.  You sound like a loving owner who made a hard and caring choice.

Julie
July 6, 2019

I put my amazing Biggles to sleep this morning because of this awful, awful condition.  I feel so guilty.  He was only 8.  He didn't have any problems until earlier this week and we missed the signs because he didn't show strongly. The vet later said he was very stoic about it but his bladder was bigger than an orange and he would likely have passed in the next 12 hours or so if we hadn't rushed him in.  They catheterized him (took the vet two hours) and kept him for two days.  When he got home he was constantly dribbling.  I took him back in where they manually expressed him. The next day they couldn't manage it.  I explained that we weren't going to cath him again and at that point they said they were going to anesthetize him and try to express him when he was totally relaxed.  Long story short, that night I had to transfer him to a 24 hour vet hospital and the next day they confirmed that he was blocked again.  The vet told me I had two choices, to cath and re hospitalize him or euthanize him. The bill was already over $4000.  We were looking at another $2500-$3500 to do the process again. I know he was in so much pain.  But I keep asking myself if it was temporary and if I gave up on him too soon.  I've always thought it was cruel to prolong an animal's life when the treatment was painful, expensive, and the prognosis wasn't good.  But this...  I don't know if I made the right decision.  He was a special animal and I doubt I'll ever have another who is quite so amazing, loving, quirky.  It hurts to think about and I can't stop crying.  A cat that is likely to reblock again (the vet said if it happens twice it's likely to happen again), $7000 vet bill, watching my buddy hobble around in incontinent pain, constantly liking himself...  My head says I made the right choice but my heart says I'm an uncaring monster.    

Lynn McCarthy
June 30, 2019

My Ollie is an 81/2 year old cat. 18 months ago I took him to an emergency vet and he had urinary crystals which had blocked him. Since then he has been in and out of his vets being sedated and his bladder emptied. He's been in a special prescription diet but to get.gim to eat it I was mixing with normal food which I now know was useless as the symptoms came back. Over these last 6 weeks the situation has for worse. He has been in 7 times to be sedated and emptied and his vet who is great and willing to try all sorts of meds rather than surgery is still the end of his is tether. We think Ollie is now just holding it in which is more in his head than anything sinister. He's eating normally and acting normal just not peeing. He's in hypovase dantrolene cystophan and also amytriptiline as well as a pain killer vetergesic everyday which is costing me a fortune. So does his bill is at £4000 and no insurance. Tonight I'm sitting here in a Sunday night and he hasn't peed since Thursday night. I'm at my wit's end and I know I'll be back first thing in the morning. Surgery looks imminent as Nothing else is working. God bless all you cat lovers out there. What we do for our furbabies x

Sbrown
June 23, 2019

Our cat Charlie was blocked this past week and spent 48 hours at the vet.  The put in a catheter to remove the blockage but his potassium levels were through the roof which affected his heart.  They almost lost him that first night but thankfully he made it through.  Once we got him home he would/will not leave the basement close to his litter.  He has been leaking urine for the past 4 days and he is eating very little.  He is drinking and I have to force feed him with a syringe. He is still quite swollen in the stomach area, the vet said he had water weight.  I'm guessing he is bloated and that is why he isn't eating much?  He dies purr and his personality seems to be slowly coming back.   However he is a very nervous cat who was terrified at the vet and required sedation so I do not want to bring him back.  The clinic was amazing but way too expensive costing close to $7000 for 48hrs.   Hiw long do they normally leak urine after this type of ordeal?  I don't want him to suffer anymore and it breaks my heart to think of putting him down,  he is only 3yrs old.

Christa
June 20, 2019

Kimburr, I saw your post and thought it made sense. I will say that when I rescued my Monkey, he was about 6 months, I had him neutered at about 7 to 8 months. He had developed a blockage at 6 1/2 years old and had a catheter put in 3 times in a week.It wrecked his kidney and I had to put him to sleep, sadly. I found out too late that his dry food diet was to blame. My vet thought there was a connection between indoor cats and blockages, but again, my kitty was indoor/ outdoor. I think he just did not drink enough water. I've learned a lot about this condition in the past few months since I had to let him go.

kimburr
June 15, 2019

I have 4 neutered male cats, 1 with several episodes of blockage requiring catheterization, 2 with FUS tendencies which I control with 250 mg of Vitamin C everyday and 1 with urine muffins that are, delightfully, the size of a baseball.  The difference, I believe, between the 3 FUS kitties and the other one, is that the FUS’s were juvenile neuters from rescue groups, and the other one came to me intact at about 5 months old.  I had him neutered the same week his hormones kicked in (pee changed from little smell to “clear the room” in one day).  I’ve read that when a male cat is allowed to reach sexual maturity, the hormones cause the urethra to enlarge in order for him to go around spraying copious amounts of urine.  When he is neutered as a juvenile, those urethra-expanding hormones never get a chance to work. It would be VERY INTERESTING to see someone do a study on the frequency of FUS cases in juvenile neuters vs cats neutered at or near sexual maturity.  BTW, I feed a nutritionally complete raw food diet to all my cats, so you can rule out bad food as a culprit.

Antonio
May 29, 2019

Thank you for the first comprehensive article on the subject. I really think uou have properly described the whole ordeal. My cat had surgery, and a couple of years after, we still deal with the effects. It has improved, though. The diet is important, and the most important thing; it's physical, not behavioral, so I can deal with it better.

Azure
May 27, 2019

I came home from work Thursday to find my 5-year-old cat Robin crying and straining to urinate. I'm familiar with urinary blockages in cats as we have had two others suffer this. Rushed him to the vet where the estimate for treatment was between 1200 and 1900. He's been at the vet for 4 days. They removed the catheter last night but he has reblocked. He's refusing all food and if this doesn't work... I'll be forced to have him put down as I've already spent more than I can afford. The last time I took a male cat in with this condition it was $700 (5 years ago). The increase in cost is going to cost many cats lives as no one can afford treatment.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
May 28, 2019

Hi Sue, Unfortunately, it's not really possible for any of us to give you an opinion on your cat since we can't see her.  However, even constipation can be a serious issue in cats, so I'd strongly recommend you take her to your vet as soon as possible. Best, Christy

Sue
May 27, 2019

My cat seems to be constipated. Peeing but hasn't poo'd in 24h. I had her on a dry food diet but since have switched and have given her wet food and going to give her some mixed with miralax and pumpkin, and try to manually express her bladder after that. No lethargy or cries of distress, still has an appetite, growls a little when I examine her bladder. No blood in pee. No inflammation of genetalia. It really sounds and feels like constipation to me but I'd like a second opinion please.

Rebecca Dunn
May 27, 2019

Its with a heavy heart I took the decision to watch my little dude pass away in my arms yesterday. Had it’s just been the stage 2 kidney disease and liver issue we could have easily got another 2-3 years with the right care. However after 11 days in veterinary care for a urine infection even with being referred to a specialist there was still no answers. Medication was not working and there was no guarantee that a perineal operation would successfully solve the issue. He had some sort of blockage but a cafita could easily be placed. He had a blockage but they couldn’t find it. They believe he had some sort of spasm stopping him from being able to urinate. It wasn’t an easy decision but the vets agreed there was no guarantee the operation would work and chances where it wouldn’t. Such a short life at just 4 years old and sudden thing. He went in the vets with a urine infection, no blockage found sent home. Back home and then into emergency vets as still not urinating. Over night stays with a cafita, antibiotics and inflammatory medication. Back home back in vets back home referred to a specialist. They tried drugs to loosen his urethra but nothing During this whole time he was happy and not stressed which ultimately has made this worse for me. Whilst with the specialist they diagnosed stage 2 kidney disease. Possible liver issues and signs of amenia but believed all that could be managed if we could sort the urine issues. Sadly cafita came out as he was active and ran the risk of pulling it out. Still could not urinate so they put it back in. Discussions of perineal surgery however as they where still non the wiser ref where the blockage was they couldn’t guarantee the opp would work. Our bill was sat at £5,000 and the operation looked to take is to the £10,000 mark with still no guarantee it would work. They think it was a spasm somewhere stopping him but still could not be sure. Two vets one specialist all said the same this was a strange case with no answers. I feel gutted having been the one to weigh up all the options to decide his life. Worse by the feeling of money was no object we would have took the risk of the opp to try one last thing. How far do you go. When is enough is enough. This is killing me right now.

Robin
May 26, 2019

Get cat off dry food immed. Even reputed excellent. or good quality.Wet canned food is exc.Change varieties, chicken more often, fish beef etc.Cooked chicken if you're not time poor. Added water or meaty drinks. Watee is key. Cats just don't match drinking water needed for dry kibble consumption is the trouble. Re-introduce some kibble later, small    amounts occasionally. With water in or meaty drink to follow.Some cats don't like a lot of water in.

JKuykendoll
May 26, 2019

Bear is on month 5 of healing after his PU. His blockage initially was so severe my local vet was unable to clear him. Our next trip was to a surgeon and Bear underwent the surgery. I was apprehensive about his urinating habits once he returned home and we had a few hiccups at first but once the ecollar came off and he was back on his regular routine all was well. I have 4 cats and all are now eating the urinary diet. I have no desire to go through this again if I can avoid it. Bear was close to death when I realized something was not right and had I not caught it the morning that I did by the time I got home from work he would have died. It is a painful agonizing issue for cats with blockages. I highly recommend the surgery. Make sure you go to a surgeon with lots of experience and many PUs under his belt. There are rookie mistakes to be made with not amputating the penis back far enough to where the urethra has a wider opening so if your cat continues to make stones they have a greater chance to pass and not block urine flow. Just my experience and two cents worth...

Laurena
May 25, 2019

My daughters male cat just went thru this two days ago. The vet kept him overnight and sent him home with her the next day with a catheter still in and an IV plug in his front leg. He has a cone so that he can not lick the area and the catheter seems to be draining, but he is very uncomfortable and growling. I can understand the irritation as it is probably very painful to him. My concern is this normal for the vet to send him home like this? I'm worried that we may be making him worse. What things should I be watching out for? He wont be going back to the vet again until Tuesday.

Samantha
May 22, 2019

Hello,  I am experiencing this issue with my cat I've had for 3 years now. This is the worse thing I've ever seen. I'm wondering, after "unblock" and discharge how soon can they get blocked again? I took my cat in for unblock and rushed him to ER within 2 days later. Is this normal? :( It is now the second attempt and he has been hospitalized for 4 days. I'm really hoping he will be able to recover and that a PU isn't necessary! Any advice would be wonderful. Thank you!

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
May 20, 2019

Hi Linda, If you haven't already taken him in, it sounds like he needs to go back to your veterinarian right away.  They may need to discuss further options with you.

Linda
May 19, 2019

How often can the cat have a catheter put in had my car twice in 4 days 2 days and then one day flush peeing very little and swollen penis what can I do

Christa
May 17, 2019

Agnes K., how is Rio doing? Your comment struck a chord with me. Sounds like you went through similar things with your kitty. I am hoping your story has a happy ending, as mine didn't.

Kim
May 14, 2019

We just dealt with this with our boy, 2.  Monday night, he was eating fine, but we noticed him straining to use the litter box.  By Tuesday morning, he was lethargic, had zero interest in breakfast (which is a huge deal for him because he's so food driven), and wouldn't stop licking his bottom.  We took him to the emergency vet, and thankfully, we caught it super early.  No blood, no bacteria, no kidney damage.  They cathed and unblocked him, he came home the next day on c/d diet.  He doesn't really like this food - he tries to sneak away and steal his sisters, so at least I know he's hungry.  We're just keeping our fingers cross that we clear the first two weeks without any issues.

Jan
May 5, 2019

Max and Molly are rescued brother and sister at four months,.  At age five the stones and blockages started.  Molly had a large stone surgically removed from her bladder and at age 11 has not had a recurrence.  Max however is recurrent.  The last time he was not there in the morning to wake me and I knew why!  Found him hiding in the basement, in pain and eyes large with fright!  Two hours before vet was to open.  Dashed there with him first thing.  Was unblocked with catheter and was in intensive care for three days!  Vet told me he was two hours away from total kidney shutdown.  He was very caring and called me three times a day with updates.  They are both on wet and dry CD but thinking now I need to eliminate the dry?  Molly has gained a lot of weight!  Her operation cost $1300, and it was $1500 for Max.  The food is not cheap either. Max has recently had two instances of constipation with pain and vomiting.  Vet says urinary blockages and constipation often go hand in hand!  Maybe stopping the dry prescribed food will help stop this and help Molly lose weight.

Agnes K
April 26, 2019

The title of this article really nails my experience! Our 6 year old cat, Rio had PU surgery in February 2019. We are located in Ontario, Canada. The entire experience cost $7,000. It started a few months prior, two prior vet visit... the last of which confirmed bladder stones in the urine and antibiotics were given. We truly believed we were in the clear; however, in Feb 2019 at 4am Rio started howling. We took him to a 24 hour vet, who catheterized and unblocked him; after 3 times of being blocked and unblocked PU surgery was the only option. Writing this in April 2019, Rio is definitely unblocked, but he is still not 100% himself. Not sure if it's some sort of mental trauma from the 1 week stay at the vet, then ordeal with the surgery. (Rio is naturally a anxious/stressed cat) A week ago, we found a few drops of urine around the litter box, had urine/culture test come back with lots of blood, but no infection. Possible FLUTD is suspected (OR highly unlikely a stone/cancer); we have been told to simply monitor him and if the drops of blood continue an ultra sound is the next step, which will cost another 500$ or so. We are trying to create a stress free environment for now and we wait... this experience has been a complete nightmare for my family and I. Rio is traumatized and it might not even be the end of the road. Please send positive vibes. 

Heidi
April 17, 2019

My sweet Frack had a urinary blockage when he was 2, three years ago.  He threw up C/D so vet had him try I/D.  He half eats I/d and his brother and sister eat Fromm dry Fish which he steals regularly.  He had another blockage and doesn't want to eat C/D still.  2300 dollars and counting, we couldn't afford an extra 4000 for PU surgery right now.  Vet put him on relaxants and Prozac, no urinary crystals or bacteria found.  They think this might be stress.  Sigh. His brother is twice  his size and a fat macho but adorable ass, his adoptive sister is 14 years old and won't put up with his playfulness.  I think I can keep him calm if I don't get sleep half the night but I don't know what to feed him. All the cats are going on a wet diet as of today.  The vet knows only Prescription C/d and S/o too bad if they don't like it.

Ellen Mainwaring
April 15, 2019

I just put my senior cat down today with this.  My only regret is that he had to suffer with pain.  He had bathroom issues the entire time I had him (found outside in a rainstorm and rescued by my sister in law who I stole him from).  This piece gives me such peace of mind that I did the right thing for him...  He was well loved.  RIP my Kramer.  Mama loves you forever and a day.

Donnica Turner
April 7, 2019

My cat John who I call "Bubs" is in the hospital with a complete obstruction right now. We are low income but found a wonderful vet here in Orlando, DMy cat John who I call "Bubs" is in the hospital with a complete obstruction right now. We are low income bur.Shah who helped us to save his life. He was fine one day and the next im distress when I noticed him straining to urinate and nothing coming out. He is very Ill. I have had him since the day he was born and bottle fed him back to life for 8 weeks. He is truly one of my babies. I love him like I love my own two little human girls. A a Mom any condition this deadly terrifies me. I hope and pray that science can bring answers to this condition. Thank you for this article and I pray anyone who has this happening with their cat can find help to save their cat and prevent them from dying a terrible suffering death! Please keep Bubs and all cats currently blocked in your prayers. I'm terrified Bubs will get blocked again. However I will follow wll this tips and Bubs is now on a vet rx food. She will give us the food when we pick him up!

Elizabeth Gunter
April 4, 2019

My cat had this happen last week. He was totally blocked and he is only 2. I took him to the emergency vet and paid $1000 to have him unblocked. A couple of days later I followed up with my cat’s regular vet. She said if he starts to have issues again and she will preform the PU surgery which only costs $900 and permantly fixes the problem. They only drawback is that he may get urinary trade infections from time to time which are easily trateable with antibodies. She believes because he is so young and was already on urinary tract special food he problem has a problem with this urethra. She mentioned that the new thinking is that male cats get fixed to early so the urethra isn’t always fully formed thus making it easy to clog and not fully empty. Hope this is helpful to anyone going through the same thing.

Melissa Britton
March 30, 2019

My cat Alfie, an orange Tom, nearly died of this last year. I had no idea what was happening but noticed he was licking his groin a lot & was eating less. One afternoon I couldn't find him, then heard this horrific vocalizing from under the couch. I gently pulled him out and he was completely limp, no muscles at all. I put him in a carrier & flew to the vets... I swear he died on the way but I brought him back by begging & nuzzling. Anyway, they took him straight back and I found out they put a catheter in which produced "tons of urine." They said his block was crystals & mucus. They broke it up & he was stable so they sent me home because I was hysterical. They kept him 3 days, until he was drinking, eating & peeing on his own. They left me with an ominoud warning: this may be the only time this happens, but it could reblock right away & that means it will be chronic. Knock wood, so far no problems (except now he is pooping outside the 7 litterboxes-for 3 cats-for the first time ever.) I am paranoid now! His first treatment cost $1200.00, which I had to get through a crowdfunding site. So, I just pray he's one of the lucky ones that never gets it again. Thank you so much for this article, first I've ever seen on this extremely traumatic issue. Reading the responses, I don't feel so alone.

Joy
March 12, 2019

Urinary Blockage:Eliminate all dry food! Add a bit of water to the canned food,have clean water in several places around the house. I've read numerous articles about Dry Food causing blockages in cats.It's not natural for any animal. It was created for our convenience & they add a coating to it so animals get addicted! Many cats that eat dry food are over weight.Our animals were never meant to be FAT!It causes inflammation,it's hard on there joints & predisposes them to Diabetes & other disease There's a website for cats with diabetes. I've seen cats go into remission when they were taken off ALL dry food.No one wants to talk about their animals being overweight.Maybe because so many people are also? You are killing them with FOOD & the wrong kind!

Estelle dos Santos
March 11, 2019

Our beloved kitty just turned up at our door at approximately 2 years of age looking for a home. We found out that he had already been neutered, upon taking him to the vet for a first check-up. A few months after he arrived, he showed some of the symptoms described here, which resulted in him having to be surgically unblocked and he spent 2 days at the clinic. Our vet recommended a special diet and warned against feeding him commercial type pellets. Coincidentally or not, he only had to be unblocked a further 3 times during the following 16 years of his life and he died at the ripe old age of approximately 18. I still miss him terribly and I am so grateful he chose to come and live with us and in spite of his condition, I feel confident we were able to provide him with a caring and comfortable life. It is a pity though that this medical condition exists at all.

Robert
March 4, 2019

There is little that can compare to the horrific events you and your cat will endure from a urinary blocked cat. Taz was my very rare male calico, tab-a-co to be exact. Less than 3% of calicos are male and of them less than 1% are tab-a-cos, so I'm told. His symptoms of swollen bladder, constant crying, licking, no appetite, wouldn't drink, no energy can on so quickly. The first vet diagnosed him correctly. However, 3 temporary catheters later, $700+ bill, said he wasn't qualified to perform the $1,500 dollar surgery (ask upfront if your vet can before allowing treatment, wished I had known). After 5 days he advised to put him down or take him to a specialist, which I did after paying the bill I still feel was improper. I reserve further comment! I used all my credit , savings and robbed the piggy bank fo emergency surgery, that I don't regret. I was told due to the delay, his chances were less than 30%, note: don't delay prompt response and help from a vet specialist with feline blockage issues. I brought him home 3days post op, unfortunately too much damage to kidneys and toxic shock resulted in a trip back less than 24 hours. Without any additional charges, the ultimate choice was done. The specialist was by far the most professional I've ever dealt with, I won't comment about the first vet though, other than time is life critical along with financially too. I struggled hours for satisfaction I'd done my best with my best friends final place of rest. It's unknown the cause why some neutered males suffer from this problem, it's not anything you can prevent, even the best care won't guarantee favorable outcome. Don't hesitate to seek immediant evaluation. Be prepared for a difficult and expensive journey with unknown results.

Christa
February 28, 2019

Larry, I saw your comment and it reminds me of what I went through with my cat Monkey, also 6 1/2 like your Taz. This all started about the third week of January. Monkey seemed to be sleeping more, but other than that, nothing. He is also indoor/outdoor. One afternoon I went to let him in but he wasn't there like I expected. I checked again about half hour later and he came in and went straight upstairs and laid down. Very unusual that he didn't even eat anything. I went to check on him and he looked bad, in pain. I felt his stomach and felt a lump, when I touched it he yowled. I had to leave to work, and it was too late to call in sick, so I left him. I worried about him all night as I worked the overnight shift. When I got home in the morning, I rushed to find him, looking worse than ever and in obvious pain. I took him to my vet. They said it was urinary blockage. He had catheter put in, but his kidney function was bad, so he was on fluids. Long story short, he was there for a week. Took him home after a second catheter, and he still couldn't pee. Took him to ER vet on weekend, they put a third catheter in and the following Monday morning I took him to specialist to get the PU surgery. On Tuesday, they told me he had bigger problems because one of his ureters was blocked and his one kidney was failing. He would need a special SUB surgery that they could only do at a university hospital 2 hours away.  Vet said they could try to put a stent inc but less than 10% chance it would be successful. And if have to pay another $4,000 on top of the $4,000 I'd already paid for three different vets. On top of everything, he was struggling to breathe, sounded like he had an upper respiratory infection. There were no guarantees and lots of possible complications and no one was optimistic. So on Jan. 29th, I decided to put my sweet boy to sleep. I know this was all so stressful on him and I didn't think he would be able to handle much more. But it was a horrible decision to make and I feel like I let him down. Anyway, just wanted to let you and everyone else know, you're not alone. This is a horrible condition that I didn't think would be a big deal. I'm an RN , and people have catheters all the time, and I really thought it would be a quick easy fix. Little did I know... I hope everything is ok with Taz, if you could update if you see this, that would need great.

Tess
February 13, 2019

When my cat Sid was 3 years old, he had started peeing blood. I knew it must be something serious and took him to the vet. From an x-ray it was seen that he had 3 bladder stones, and they were lined up at the opening of his urethra. They recommended surgery to remove the stones, and I had it done. He recovered well, and was then put on a special diet to prevent him from building up struvite crystals in his urine. The stones never came back, and he lived another 12 years. This happened in 2001, so it was that long ago that the surgery was recommended. There may be other treatments now, but back then, this did work.

Larry
February 12, 2019

I'm currently going through this with my 6 1/2 year old Taz and I’m a wreck because I don't know what to do, or think. He started acting funny last week on Wednesday, when I awoke there was a little throw-up and wasn’t eating much, but nothing else. The next day morning he didn’t eat and was keeping to himself, but since he’s an indoor outdoor cat, I thought he ate something funny and just had an upset stomach. He didn’t come in that night and the next morning (Friday) I found him outside and he didn't perk up when I came to him and was just laying there, so I brought him in to monitor him. After watching him a few hours he got worse, like he was sedated. So I called the vet and he said it sounded like a blocked cat so I brought him in. After a brief exam, he said he was blocked and would do the procedure and get some fluids in him but he was 50/50 to make it because he was basically unconscious. The vet called me several hours later and told me he unblocked him and would know more in morning if he’ll make it. The next day (Saturday) he called and said he was doing well but they wanted to keep him another day to make sure he’s okay. On Sunday morning they called to say he was doing great and for me to come get him. Sent me home with him with antibiotics and pain meds, and said to come by the next day to make sure he wasn’t re-blocking and could pee. I got him home but he was very weak and loopy, could barely move and had that 3rd eyelid showing. He limped to his water bowl and even though he had trouble positioning himself, he was at least drinking water, but wouldn’t eat or move much. I was dabbing up his leakage as I expected, but then later noticed he fully urinated and didn’t get up to move out of it. I cleaned him up and moved him to a dry spot, but this continued throughout the night and he didn’t improve. So the next morning (Monday) I brought him back to the vet who said he was extremely dehydrated and still toxic, so they were going to try and hydrate him and get him right. The next day (Tuesday) (4 days since procedure) and he’s shown little to no improvement and the doctor said I may have to make decision soon if he doesn’t improve in the next two days. I just don't know what to do. I'm heartbroken. Is this something he can come back from?  I’m already feeling guilt for not taken him in when first started seeing signs. Any help or feedback would be appreciated.

Tana Taylor
January 9, 2019

Why doesn't your article include information about PU (perineal urethrostomy) surgery as an option to treat?!!! Many people do not know about this and (unfortunately) look to the internet for advice (often even more so in urgent and emergency situations). Very disappointed this was not mentioned rather than only talking about repeated trips to vet to "unblock." Even though PU surgery is not a guarantee, it typically is more successful than repeated "unblocking" catheterization and associated hospital stays. If I had a cat who had blocked back to back or on multiple occasions over a longer period of time, I would certainly opt for the PU surgery. It seems like it is often a more wise and informed decision of money spent regarding this condition ... and usually with a much better long term outcome.

Candice
January 2, 2019

My sweet boy, Gandalf, a maine coon he would have been 10 in March was diagnosed with a urethral blockage in November. After being at the vet for 3 days he came home, but still did not seem well. After 2 days at home on anantibiotic i took him back to the vet who confirmed another blockage. He was then hospitalized again for another four days and seemed to be getting better.when i went to fetch him the vet said he was blocked again and they had to put him back on a drip and catheter. We discussed a ureteroscopy and a procedure to remove the stones from hia bladder. This was scheduled for the following Monday. The next day i went to see him (two days before op) and he was grumpy with laboured breathing. The vet said i shouldnt worry. The following day he was struggling to breath and fluid was seeping from his mouth. The vet said it was caused by stress and fluid build up on his lungs but he will be fine and they would still do the surgery the next day. Needless to say, my sweet sweet boy didn't make it through the night and died scared and alone. This breaks my heart, because when i suggested ending his suffering the vet told me there was still hope.

Tylor Wendt
January 2, 2019

My 1.5 year cat recently had a blockage removed, and even though he seems strong and healthy is still dribbling urine everywhere. Can anyone shed light on this.Is it possible for his urethra to have stretched too much during surgery?

Brenda
January 2, 2019

Mike was only 1 year and half old. He was taken into an emergency hospital a week before Christmas. My son spent $2200 to unblock and hospitaize Mike. He reblocked and stopped eating. He seemed okay for a few days I think to make us feel better. On New Year's eve we took Mike to our vet and they said he was re-blocked and suffering from kidney failure and that his bladder would rupture and he couldn't handle anymore stress or pain to his body at his young age,  he was euthanized on New years eve and I miss him and feel overwhelmed with guilt for letting our vet end his life.

Amy
December 29, 2018

We just went through this over Christmas with our 1 year old male. Took him to the ER, and 4 days & $2400 later, have him home. BUT... he is constantly licking under his tail, and he is leaking urine. I don't know what to do. I cannot afford to take him back. He is on antibiotics, Valium, and another medication for another 5 days, and now we have to have him on the SO food. Any home remedy suggestions?

JJ
December 17, 2018

My enormous black-and-white has had his umpteenth blockage last night and had to take him to an new emergency vet clinic 40 minutes from our home. They wanted him to do  A $2000 3 day that stay in when I told them I can't afford that and needed a cheaper option she agreed to treat him while we were there. It was going to cost $350 we had to pay before we even left while he was being treated. We picked him up and hour and a 1/2 later and brought him home with a couple different medicines one for helping him P and 1 for pain. Tonight I  Get home from work and his backside is soaking wet and hes licking himself. It stinks really bad foo. has anybody else dealt with this??

Sherri Brawn
December 4, 2018

One of our 4 cats named "Chunkie" had to be rushed into surgery this morning for a complete blockage that the vet said was the size of a baseball! There was really no warning that this was happening as he was acting/eating normally when we went to bed last night. We woke up to some vomit on the floor, and he didn't want his breakfast... An hour later he started to meow very loud (almost screaming), and from there he went downhill very fast. By the time we got him to the vet an hour after that they only gave us time to decide whether or not to treat him, and ran to surgery with him. I just couldn't believe how close to death he was, and I am so grateful for our vet treating him as he is expected to make a full recovery. He will be in hospital for 3-4 days, and will have to be kept in one room in order to keep him "quiet" for 14 days....... Don't know what we would do without our Chunkie... :(

Vicki Patterson
November 3, 2018

Thank you for writing this. I really needed to read solid medical information that was delivered with a heart of empathy. I appriciate that so much now, as my darling sweet 3 year old orange boy is huddled in a corner, with what is likley another urinary blockage. This time we have seen blood. It is so hard to know what to do. Treatment is so expensive and stressful and no doubt painful, but I can not allow him to suffer. He is as much a member of our family as anyone, maybe even more so than some, and I've loved him and his brother since the first day he was born. I'm heartbroken!

Ann
October 14, 2018

My cat Chibby had a blockage.  He was severely dehydrated and also constipated, he was a butt scooter.He came out of the surgery fine, and came home.  Thats when the nightmare started.  He couldn't poop, I tried it ALL, fiber, stool softeners, and laxatives, and enemas.  He refused to drink water which made things worse.  I could get him to drink tuna water sometimes.  Thursday I took him back in, so constipated and uncomfortable, the dr had no answers or cure, so I had to let him go:(((  He was such a good boy that didn't deserve this awful condition.  The vet said it was a neurological disorder for which there isn't a cure.  Heart wrenching to say the least! I will always miss him, and will never understand why this had to happen to him

Lauren
October 18, 2018

My cat Brooklyn had bladder stones, the size of marbles, surgically removed 10-08-2018. She is on Clavomox, 2 times (every 12 hours). This is an antibiotic. The Vet also gave me pain medication to administer on an "As Needed" basis. Brooklyn was discharged 10-09-2018. She has been eating fine. She has been drinking water fine. She is urinating fine. Her urine is clean and looks great. However, Brooklyn has not had a bowel movement yet. When I spoke to the Vet 10-10-2018 regarding this issue, she indicated that the pain medication could be causing her to NOT have a bowel movement. She further explained that her system, to have a bowel movement, could take several days. She hasn't had a bowel movement in three days. I am very concerned. Therefore, I am calling the Vet, again, 10-11-2018, to ask her if I can give Brooklyn a tiny bit of Miralex to help Brooklyn have a bowel movement. I don't know if Brooklyn is truly constipated or if something else is brewing underneath that requires a Vet visit. Thank you

Teri Ann Oursler, DVM
September 25, 2018

Carol, Losing a pet is hard.  Very hard, regardless of the circumstances. Cats are very good at hiding their illnesses.  Bartolommeo obviously did it very well. Please forgive yourself for missing what can be subtle signs.  Bartolommeo would not want you to carry this forever.  Stuff happens to all of us.  All of us make mistakes we have to live with.  You are not alone in this! Sit back and remember the good times with your cat.  Remember how much love and happiness he brought into your life.  Focus on the good things, not the bad.  Let your good memories start to replace the guilt you are feeling now.  Carrying the guilt does not do anyone any good.  I know, I have been right where you are now. Please take care and know we are thinking of you as you travel this difficult road.

Carol
September 23, 2018

I am having such a difficult time over the loss of my 11 year old tuxedo cat Bartolommeo. He lived with his brother and Mother in my family room since he was born. He was never sick. When I got home from vacation on Saturday I noticed he was not his usual self in greeting me. Thought maybe he was mad that I i left for a week. Sunday he threw up. He was listless not drinking or eating. I took him to the vet first thing Monday morning. My vet said he a a blocked bladder. Took him to a specialty vet  one hour later. They inblockec him and I thought he would be okay. The vet said he not out of the woods yet. His possession level was high and his kidne’y were shutting down   He also was having heart arrhythmia. I am so devastated I keep blaming myself for not taking him on Sunday to the Emergecy room. My cat was my beloved cat. Why could they not save him. How could this happen so quickly. He showed no signs of a blocked bladder. Only when I held him he was in pain. Please help me to understand. This happen on Sept 14 and I can’t get over this. Please help. Thanks. Carol

Ramanda Evans
July 28, 2018

My cat Uh-Oh started having problems with being blocked May 8,2018.  It is now almost three months later.  My cat has been on antibiotics in the beginning,then he had a catheter in him for several days which totaled over $700.  I brought him home and three days later he was back in the hospital getting pu surgery.  That was on June 11, he has since had 2 more revsions because he keeps closing up.  Yesterday the vet decided to stretch him out and keep a big stint in him for two weeks instead of only 3-5 days.  My cat still has crystals and his infection has never really gone away.  I have spent over $2500 on my kitty, but i love him. Can anyone out there give me advice

Gigi
July 24, 2018

Hi Michelle, I'm really glad you asked me these questions! Please see my below responses and I hope this helps you out. Please note I am not vet just a regular person and all this information is what I have learned personally from my vet and educational resources available about Raw Fed Diets.  1. What raw food are you feeding? - I feed them a mix of raw muscle meat and organ meat. The muscle meats I choose between are : chicken breast, chicken thighs, ground chicken or turkey. The organ meats I use are chicken hearts and chicken liver. Technically because we are using Kitty Bloom as supplement livers and hearts are not required to be added to the muscle meat mixture as Kitty Bloom incorporates these in to their supplement. BUT my cats like variety so I will keep a side container of hearts and a livers on hand and add it on top of their raw food.  Note: You do have to add a calcium supplement to the Kitty Bloom other wise they will get calcium deficiencies. For calcium you can use a high grade bone meal, egg shells, or Kitty Bloom offers a calcium additive to for their products. There are also other raw food places like TCF that offer calcium. I keep the hearts whole and give them about one about every 2 days days in their raw food- They love the hearts. The nice thing about hearts is they are loaded with taurine  which is essential to a cats nutritional profile . Taurine is a water soluble vitamin so even if they are getting a little higher taurine levels due to the whole hearts their body will natural dissolve the the extra levels and just process it out through their pee. Livers however, I am more careful with and give them livers maybe twice during a week and bi-weekly. I am conservative on livers because 1. my cats do like them but they are messy. 2. To much liver in combination with the kitty bloom and hearts will give the cats to much vitamin A which can be toxic. So really I use the livers sparely and as special treat. Vitamin A is not broken down by the body or water soluble so high levels of vitamin A wont be processed out through your cats system like Taurine will be. One way you can tell if your cats are getting to much organ meat or vitamin A is that their poohs will look like tar and be kinda slimy ( I know that is gross, but hey its better than Vit A overload!) 2. Did your cats like wet food before?  - Yes, but one of my cats is a junk food addicted kitty and if given the choice would choose kibble over raw. In preparation for the transition to raw food, I mixed chicken broth or water in with their kibble and started giving them whole hearts as a treat. But over all my cats transitioned easily to the raw food. Steamed chicken mixed in with raw was also very helpful in getting them to eat what was in their dish during the transition.  3. I have 2 of mine that no matter what wet food I give them they don't like and interestingly enough, these 2 were on raw food as a kitten which was recently. - I have a cat that can be picky and a bit of food snob although he likes his raw food but he does know that if he acts standoffish enough he will be offered different options. One way I try to get him to eat the food he is offered is adding extra fish oil extra on top of his raw food,pouring a little bit chicken broth over the raw food. You can also mix in steamed unseasoned chicken breast or thigh meat, or throw a heart in there, seriously my cats are crazy for hearts.  Anyways I hope you found this helpful and good luck with your fur babies.

Robert Urban
July 4, 2018

I lost my closest companion in the whole world, Pikachu due to this yesterday. They could have done the surgery but it was going to cost $2000 and I applied for care credit but was declined. So I went with what I could afford and hoped it would work because they wouldnt do a payment plan. They drained his bladder. $200, pain meds and muscles relaxants / anti inflammatory pills. About 13 hours later he was gone. I have no information to help because it happend all so suddenly. All I can tell you is I am so heart broken right now. He was only 6 years old. My biggest issue is his twin brother won't stop calling and looking for him. They have never been Seperated since the day they were born. I'm afraid he is giving up on life now that Pikachu isnt around because he wont come out of their spot , eat or drink or use the box.

Michelle Mayer Haas
July 4, 2018

Gigi I am sorry to hear about your loss. I have 1 of my 5 cats with co stant urinary art issues. O recently got a kitten and he is actually on raw and kitty bloom with Avoderm mixed in.  What raw food are you feeding? Did your cats like wet food before? I have 2 of mine that no matter what wet food I give them they dont like and interestingly enough, these 2 were on raw food as a kitten which was recently. I think raw is the best way to go but I am just trying to figure out the best raw food. Glad to hear the kitty bloom is really great because I didn't find many reviews on that. Do you feed raw straight or mixed with other wet food? Any help would he greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Gigi
June 12, 2018

Hi everyone- I wanted to throw a suggestion out there to everyone who is dealing with a blocked cat or has lost a cat to this condition. After losing Darius I was mess but promised self I would do more to be a better pet owner. Darius is survived by his two brothers. I couldn't bare idea of loosing them too so I began to do we research on how I can be a better cat parent and provide them with the best nutrients and hydration as possible. So what did I do? Well in March I talked with my vet about switching my cats to a raw fed diet. The vet told me that was fine as long as I making sure their diet met the full nutritional profile and requirements needed for a healthy cat and that I should still included dry kibble as occasional feeding. Not mixed in with the raw but to keep kibble on hand for emergencies or a back up if i have run out of raw food. Its not necessary to keep kibble when a raw fed diet but my vet recommended it as they transitioned to raw feed. And sometimes the convenience of the dry kibble can be helpful. So I listened to the vet and decided that I would switch my cats to raw fed diet using Kitty Bloom as the premixed supplements to ensure they were getting everything they needed in their diet. Note the vet approved my supplement choice, I made sure i had the vet help me when choosing the supplement. Also the people at Kitty Bloom are amazing and so kind, they answered any & all of my questions even if i re asked the same question 10 times a different way they were patient and made me feel good about my choice. Honestly at first I was scared to switch their diet and second guessed my self on the decision every time I feed them. But now after a few months of watching and recording their health and taking them in for check ups I find that feeding them raw was and is the best thing I can do for them. Not only did I see an increase in their water consumption but they themselves felt better more alert and kitten like. Their coats got silky smooth an their shedding decreased by like 70 percent and I kid you not their turds were so much less smelly and a less amount of them. (This is because everything they are eating is being absorbed by their body and their diet contains no fillers like rice or corn that they cant digest easily or nutritionally do not need aka waste). Don't get me wrong they still poop daily and I still hate cleaning poop. But I am amazed at the benefits I have seen from the switch and am a true believer in you are what you eat but before the loss of Darius never had the foresight to apply that concept to my cats. Now I am not saying you have to switch your cat to raw food or that feeding them prescription or dry kibble is terrible and wrong. I just wanted to post my experience with something new that has produced wonderful results for me. Please do not judge me or hate on me for feeding raw I know its a conversational topic in the pet world, but when you watch your soul pet die you will are willing to explore any idea that will help prevent this from happening again. And with my Vets blessing to try the switch and his guidance through the process it was worth a shot to me. There are pre made made raw diets you can buy from Purina, or natural instinct and there are other supplements like TCF feline. But for me I found Kitty Bloom was the best, it met the nutritional profile needed for healthy cats and honestly cheaper and easier to prepare the other supplements and pre made raw pet food. If anyone would like to know more about my experience or has questions about the diet, how much it cost pros and cons literally anything you want to ask please respond to my post I will gladly share my experience with you and answer any questions I can. But most of all I will keep all your cats in my heart and send care that they will overcome their blockage and it will never return. Or if you have lost your pet already, I send you love and positive vibes your way as your heart heals. No one deserves to experience this situation and everyone's pet is special, sweet, and a blessing in this world. Pam- thank you so much for sharing your story and experience with me. It gives me peace of mind to know that in time my heart will heal and that like you it is okay to have bad days and just break down an cry for the loss of your soul pet. I wish you peace as your heart heals and send love your way for your loss.

Marine
May 27, 2018

Im so sorry to everyone who has lost a cat to this terrible, awful, horrendous condition. My baby boy, Typhoon is 4, not really a kitten but he is my youngest, he was born in my home,( i helped his mama, she had a long labor), he is very much like a dog in that he is usually never far from my side, fetches toys,catches them in midair, and comes when he is called. He was born at a very difficult time in my life, I had lost one of my oldest cats rk renal disease, and I was going through alcohol recovery. My Siamese, Tsunami, escaped just a week before her scheduled spay and was caught by a neighbor cat and while not ideal, I found loving homes for his brothers and just HAD to keep Typhoon. So he is a sleek dark brown/black half Siamese who likely bc of those genetics and raising is very “talkative”, sensitive, and is basically my fourth son. He has never been sick, and for MOST of his life, and for awhile before him when my older kitty developed renal disease, I have had a water fountain and fed high quality grain free wet food for one meal and a holistic grain free dry for another. I wanted to go wet only but they just will NOT allow me to eliminate the dang dry. Either way, a couple weeks ago my fountain broke so I have just been putting filtered water in water dishes. A week ago, I had sent my son to get food and the dry he got was purina and not what they normally eat but I gave it to them and of course it was like kitty drugs to them and they were not eating their wet food properly. Just a mess. So i intended to replace fountain and food this weekend but this past thursday Typhoon was acting odd. He always meows oddly and a lot so that wasnt a big deal but he would act painful when I picked him up, was sleeping a lot, and wasnt into eating. It happens sometimes so I just watched him, and by 8pm that night he was drooling a foamy saliva. I saw no urine signs, but decided to put the other cats in another room and stay up to monitor him and sure enough I caught him going into the litter box twice and didnt see any pee in it. I looked at his underside and saw that his penis was out a little which isnt normal and was very red. Once my littlest son left for school I rushed kitty to vet and sure enough he was blocked. I signed off and prepaid the 1100 for unblocking and everything else they estimated for 2 days care. He had a very significant soft plug they removed and have been keeping him on iv fluids with the cathether collecting still somewhat bloody urine, managing pain with bupe, and then told me he would need to stay till tues of he holiday. With todays update, the dr said he said spasms from stress likely caused this. I have not seen any visible stress in Typhoon, the only abormal thing was the bad food and lack of fountain but also he saw a raccoon through the window late one night and was a little obsessed about it. Typhoons urine still has blood and im terrified even after 4 hospital days of fluid and flushing, a new fountain and all wet food once home that he will have a repeat once home and I dont know what to do. The dr said to keep him calm with feliway and is trying to get me to use wet C/D by hills. Heres the thing, a good quality wet food is 70-80% moisture but Hills less than 30%. There is nothing in it that makes it truly superior. Same with the Royal Canin S/O. I used to be in veterninary pharma sales at a distributor and sold those rx foods and i know the pitches used to get vets to want to but that is not near enough moisture to keep everything flushed, plus pork fat is not good for cats either. The doctors dont major in food, they believe the reps who sell them the foods for convenience and revenue, so Im getting a decent grain free canned that has cranberry extract or other mild acidifier and quality protein sources. Still Im worried about this blockage coming back! I lost one of my cats Frankie in 2008 when he has blocked, was cathed for a couple nights and was sent home with it, he pulled it out in the night even with cone on and then he was reblocked and completely penniless at that point had to put him to sleep because his bladder was near bursting and the ER vet wouldnt do payment plans. I had spent all my other money at the regular vet who clearly bungled the job. Thankfully Typhoon is at a better hospital- so I know whats at stake and the fact its not struvites or stones makes it scarier bc the plugs are mysterious. Im just so scared. I cannot be certain what is freaking him out and causing spasms or if this was a one off event! I miss him so and dont want to lose him.

Crystal H.
May 25, 2018

And my fear was spot on. In regards to my previous comment, Bubba ended up blocking back up again in less than 24 hours. I had to put him down yesterday (May 24th, 2018). My vet said it was one of the worst cases he'd ever seen, especially on such a young cat. Unable to afford the $5k (roughly) it would have cost for multiple surgeries (cleaning the bladder out by opening him up and widening the urethra), I did the next best thing for him. He is no longer in pain. RIP Bubba... :'(

Crystal H
May 23, 2018

I just took my roughly 9-10 month old male kitten in for a blockage today. I'd never seen such a thing before and I've had MANY cats, most of them males. This lil' guy showed up in my tree one morning, I tried to get a shelter to take him, but the no-kill shelters were full and the county shelter didn't sound too optimistic about him being adopted out with how many cats they have. So, I kept him, named him Bubba and he's been the sweetest, best outdoor cat I've ever had. Shortly after, a second cat appeared (he is now dubbed Hauss) and they've been inseparable ever since. But back to Bubba. I had $40 on me this morning, managed to scrounge together $160 after borrowing from  someone, which I HATE to do, but my cat's totally worth it. Anyway, he's at the vet now after they quoted me over $700 to clear the blockage, flush his bladder out and send him home later today. I was heartbroken, thinking there was no way I could afford that. I have trouble keeping the bills paid as it is. Thankfully, my amazing, awesome, astounding and just superbly fantastic vet let me give them the $160 I had on me an arrange for 4 months of payments to pay off the rest (I was so happy I cried even harder, and I was already a snot ball). Now though, after reading all of these comments on this page, I am literally scared poop-less that this will happen again quickly. I won't be able to afford this a second time. Well, if he even makes it home today, that is. I think he will, the vet seemed optimistic about his future, and I noticed him having problems around 6am and got him into the vet by 11am (after finding some money) which I think is relatively quickly (because yesterday evening he was fine) but I'm still worried.

Ryan C
May 18, 2018

I lost my RonCat today (orange Tabby).  Exact same symptoms as everyone else describes.  Last week he was having difficulty urinating and peed outside the box.  I took him in to the vet and had him fixed up.  Yesterday he was straining to urinate again.  He was completely blocked.  Took him to the vet this afternoon and he was really lethargic and would shake severely when he stood up.  I had to make the tough decision to euthanize as to not put him through any more suffering as Vet said this would keep happening and surgery is no permanent fix either.

Jade
March 27, 2018

Don't know if this would work in every case, but try changing to a DUST FREE litter like Clump and Seal. Brand new clean box, clean litter. Warm towel applied to the urethral area. Fluid therapy or adding extra water to food as needed. This in addition to other measures like wet food and grain free diet. I also used urinary tract irritation meds from Petco. Had to see an affordable vet for catheterization before trying these lifestyle modifications. Still monitoring. I really hope this helps someone out there. I am sending love and prayers out to everyone going through this, it is very stressful.

Pam
March 25, 2018

Gigi, just have to tell you I had such a similar experience to yours, made me cry but I still cry almost daily over not only losing my Chewbacca last Jun, but the way I lost him, like your kitty, to struvite crystal blockage. He was catheterized twice, the first time the tube kinked, they were able to remove it short of surgery but he was internally traumatized on top of everything. I experienced literally everything you did, including lying peacefully in my arms. 6 days of trying to save him, the night before I knew I'd have to bring him in the next day to euthanize him, he was sitting on the bed next to me while I was lying down, turned to look at me and I knew he was saying I love you, but need to leave you soon. I also know exactly how it is to share an unwavering gaze and know with certainty he loved me unconditionally.  There are few humans that could be said of. I have 3 other much loved kitties, one is his litter sister, but he was so special and I miss him terribly. I thought 11 was too young, but reading some of these comments I seem blessed to have had him that long.  Gets easier with time to live with the hole in my heart.  Blessings.  

Gigi
March 5, 2018

I recently lost my sweet baby and best friend Darius to crystals and a blocked urinary tract. I lost him suddenly and without notice. Wednesday 2.28.18 I took my sweet Darius to our vet because I noticed him straining to urninate and only producing a few drops if any at all. The vet found crystals in his urine & “sludge” at the bottom of his bladder. The vet then expressed his bladder to see if there was a full blockage. After expressing his bladder they were able to determine his blockage was not complete and hoped that a treatment of antibiotics & fluid injection would flush his crystals out. We monitored Darius all night hoping he would be able to flush and relive his bladder on his own. But Darius only seemed to get worse and still only passed a few drops of urine if any at all. The next morning I called my vet and told him that there was no improvement and his condtion has stayed the same but at a more frequent rate and that poor Darius was unable to pass a significant amount of urine if any at all.The vet told me a catheter surgery would be the next step in releasing his bladder and preventing a full blockage from forming. Darius didn’t make it, he died on the table from the anesthesia almost instantly. My vet didn’t even get to the catheter portion of the surgery. My vet performed CPR for 20 min & even tried to shock his heart back to life but it wasn’t enough. The most heart breaking part about this experience is that I believe Darius knew he was in trouble. He didn’t cry or hide but he laid in arms and gazed lovingly at me for hours. I remember looking into his eyes and seeing nothing but pure admiration and love behind them. I remember thinking he’s looking at me like he will never see me again. I pushed my self to believe I was being parinoid and a worry wart and that his surgery would go well and he would be able to free the pee. Darius was just shy of 4 yrs old, I’ve thought about everything I could have done differently but there is nothing. I sought help and emergency services for him 2.28.18 and followed the vets advice to monitor and bring him back immediately 2.29.18 if he was still struggling. And now all I can do is hold true that Darius knew he was loved, that he knew he was my best friend and my baby and  thatI knew that he loved me with all his heart and soul. Loosing a cat to crystals and a blockage is unexpected and heartbreaking especially when you loose one who you loved so dearly and whom loved you back deeply and unconditionally. In time my heart will heal and Darius and I will never truly be gone from each other because love never dies.  It just sucks working through the hurt and physical lose of my sweet Darius.

Michelle
February 23, 2018

what if the cat shows none of those symptoms and still eats...........just can't stand on legs in order to pee/poop?

Etta Earlene Beck
February 17, 2018

I want to pass along a warning. While raising kittens to use the litter box I noticed a wee 3-4 week old that wouldn't leave the box. It had been asleep in the box (no big deal) but wouldn't come when the Mama called. He was digging like crazy, hole after hole. I picked him up to examine. The litter was the CLUMPING type. This little boy had dipped his entire penis area into the litter as he peed. It had formed a tight CLUMP which no urine could go through. A warm wash cloth and some gentle massage dislodged the tiny grains of litter. He gladly dug another hole and peed. They quickly grew longer legs so this didn't happen again. I checked them daily. Just thought you might want to use another type of litter till they are older.

Sarah
February 13, 2018

Can anyone help?  My tom cat 8 years old started with blocked bladder 6 months ago.  He has had it 4 times and been washed out at the vet etc.  He eats the right food but the last time he went in with a blockage they syringed his bladder and made a hole in it.  He was obviously very ill and emergency surgery ensued.  Thankfully he survived although a tad worse for wear.  It has been 2 months post surgery and he is weeing fine, in the litter or outside but he poops anywhere in the house.  Does anyone know if this could be because he can't hold it in after surgery?  I'm reluctant to tell him off as he has been through so much already. Maybe I am being too soft but has anyone any ideas?  Thanks.

Talin
February 12, 201

My male 2 year old cat blocked for the first time this weekend. He's had problems with crystals in the past but had been on Hills sd and cd since then and I was heartbroken when the vet told me he was blocked. I thought the prescription food was working all along. He's currently in the hospital and I keep reading and seeing owners sharing that their cat immediately blocked again as soon as they were discharged. I can't afford another ER visit and it's sooooo hard having to have the talk about whether I'd have to put him down if this happens again which can literally happen as soon as he's discharged. The emotional toll it's taken on me is unprecedented and I could barely look at him when I visited without breaking down in tears, it was such gut-wrenching. I emphasize with anyone whose had to go through this.

Briana
January 29, 2018

Well now I’m really concerned and confused about my cat. She’s 3 years old and we just adopted her in August. On Friday, her stools got softer and she was still peeing. On Saturday, her stools were still very soft (not quite diarrhea soft) and peed less. We assumed it was the new litter, so we switched back to her old litter. Sunday, she barely peed at all and made multiple trips to the litter box, but she still had small poops. Now she’s barely excreting anything. The thing is: she’s not showing any signs of pain, she hasn’t vomited, she still has a healthy appetite, and she’s still very playful and cuddly. We’re taking her to the ER this afternoon, but I have no idea what level of seriousness this is.

Lace
January 27, 2018

Reading all of your comments is devastating. I'm crying just reading them. I just want to give you all a big hug and tell those who've lost a baby that it isn't their fault and they did everything they could. My 6 y/o male Shenanigans recently had a blockage due to some kind of trauma (they think he may have been hit by a car or fallen from a high distance but I'll never know for sure which kills me). I have always given him wet food filled with extra water once per day (can't afford all wet food) so when they initially asked me about his diet and that he wasn't getting enough hydration, I knew that couldn't be the case. Upon further inspection, they realized he was all bruised on his underside and his tail was broken. Long story short (kind of) , he was catheterized and since I couldn't afford to keep him at the vet, sent home with IV fluids I had to give him with a three inch needle three times per day for a week, pain meds and an antispasmodic. He was constantly leaking urine after removing the catheter and I attributed it to the antispasmodic, prazosin. I stopped the prazosin and he wasn't leaking and trying to pee in his box with no success, so afraid he was blocked again, I took him back to the vet. They said he wasn't blocked and gave me more prazosin. More leaking. It's now been a month since he's last been to the vet and I've been having to express his bladder but cannot get much out. He is able to defacate on his own but still cannot pee. He doesn't seem to be in a lot of pain and still wants to run around and is constantly hungry. It has been about a month and a half since his catheter was removed and I'm wondering if he will ever be able to urinate on his own again. Any similar experiences /tips are welcome. Really need help here. Also, To everyone, PLEASE don't rely solely on dry food for your cat's main source of food and if you can afford it, give ONLY wet food, as a dry kibble diet does not contain enough water even if your cat drinks a lot of water and is the main cause of blockages.

Ross
January 27, 2018

This happened to my cat several years ago and it ruined him. His urinary system was effected as was his bowels. He has chronic constipation, he retains urine and feces until he has to just poop or pee wherever he is, usually on my bed. If I could go back intime I would have him euthanized instead of having the surgery to unblock his urethra. I LOVE this cat, but his life was essentially over the day he got blocked. I'm getting him put to sleep in a week because I just can't cope with seeing him in pain constantly and having to wash all the sheets and covers on my bed 5,6,7 times a week.

Diana Chesson
December 28, 2017

my daughter took her cat for a blockage on dec 20th to an animal hospital in houston, they charged her 600.00, catherized him and sent him home with a bag of prescription food and antibiotics, no pain meds.  he never got up, died on christmas day. always feed your cat wet food as dry food is the main culprit for this disease.[editor's note: the name of the animal hospital has been removed from this post]

Jen
December 26, 2017

We lost are best friend, Jasper, a few weeks ago from this. Jasper was a 3 year old cat and we brought him to the emergency vet after watching him trying to go to the bathroom unsuccessfully and lick himself and hide under the couch all day. We didn't have cat insurance and that was a HUGE mistake. We were given a range of $3800 to $6500 to un-obstruct our cat. We were also told that our cat had a 30%-50% chance of re-blocking and that we needed to start thinking about getting our cat the PU surgery (as there is a good chance he would reblock again). We agreed to the lower payment of $3800 to keep our cat at the vet for 2 two days. During those 2 days we learned that no pet insurance covers pre-existing conditions (there are some exceptions, but urinary blockage is not one of them). I also realized that our cat had a history of partial urinary blockage because I realized that I incorrectly thought my cat had an issue with constipation and was giving him a laxative for it- but once I understood the symptoms of a urinary blockage I understood that was his issue all along. Because we didn't like the "30%-50%" odds that our vet gave us for reblocking, we decided to get the PU surgery done so we would not have to worry about this problem in the future. Our vet quoted the surgery at $3000. My husband and I found an "affordable vet" who would do the surgery for $850. We took our cat to get the surgery two days about blocking and the vet told us the surgery went well. We brought our cat back to the vet to be watched over night. When I called in the morning to see if I could pick him up, the vet said he wasn't urinating and it cost $850 to run tests to find out that the problem was that he had a stricture the urethra was not correctly sown to his skin and he was leaking urine into his leg. I knew this is basically a "one shot surgery" and the cat was in so much pain not being able to urinate again and damaging his leg that we had to put him down. If I could do it all again I wouldve just taken him home and tried the prescription diet food and if I had to get the surgery I wouldve paid the money to have a board certified surgeon do his PU surgery. In the end I paid $5K to put down my best friend.

Michele
December 9 2017

Rush your cat to the vet or call the emergency vet on call if your cat is not able to urinate. My 7 year old cat was fine in the morning and by the evening was in pain, lethargic, hiding, and only two drips of urine. His breathing was rapid and tongue bright red. I rushed him to the vet at 8am the next morning after no improvement over the evening. They diagnosed him with a bladder blockage. A catheter was placed under sedation, along with iv fluids and hydromorphone. His entire urethra was blocked all the way to the bladder.  He was going to have blood work the next morning to check kidney function but got a call that he passed away before they got there the next day. Maybe things would have been different if I hadn’t waited over night to bring him in. Feeling sad and guilty. Wish he was still with us.

Jenny
November 13, 2017

I had to put my sweet Smokey kitty down two days ago and I can’t stop crying. He was 7 and had a complete blockage 3 years ago. He took along time recovering and we knew we never wanted to go through it again. After his first go ‘round with this, he became extremely stressed by vets and would even get aggressive and vomit and defecate in his carry kennel on the way. Long story short, I was in the process of switching vets and they wouldn’t renew his prescription diet. I read a lot about keeping cats well hydrated and feeding a quality diet. I researched all sorts of foods and even made him homemade chicken broth to be fed with his food to ensure that he drank at least 1/2 cup liquid a day. We closely monitored his liter box too. Well two days ago he was fine, but then I noticed he was licking himself a lot. Followed him to the liter box and nothing. Cleaned it out and watched again about an hour later and again nothing. Rushed him to the Emergency vet again, to which he basically yelled at me for not feeding the prescription diet and told me that he was so awful the last time, that it was going to be double what they charged the first time. We decided to not put him through this stress again, and I couldn’t afford it anyway. I feel okay with the idea that I didn’t put him through that suffering again, but I am wondering if the eight months off the prescription diet killed him. I am so torn up about all of it.

Zoe
September 24, 2017

Feel devastated as we lost our boy early yeasterday morning, he had two surgeries for cath insert, one lot of new drug treatment, then after being ok, came in saturday eve, when we found him hidden was listless, I knew that hed given up the fight, gave him some pain killer and made him comfortable and he drifted off a couple of hours later, no crying in pain, nothing! Even caught a mouse the day before, would have been unfair to transport him to vets and give him more stress, just beating myself up for not having him pts sooner, he went through so much for repeated blockages, RiP Monk aged 5 nnearly 6 :(

Candace
September 20, 2017

I am heart broken. I wish I was more knowledgeable about feline urinary obstruction prior to our devastating episode. Took my Male cat to the emergency vet because he was blocked, we put in a catheter and stayed at the vet hospital for 3 days. We were told he was fine and ready to go home, after getting him home, he did not urinate once. I assume he immediately re-blocked after his catheter was pulled,(or maybe it wasn't unblocked in the first place?). We chose to put him down the following day due to relapse and the state he was in. I do not know proper protocol that is acceptable but that is why I am here, hoping you can help me understand better. Question 1- Do vets usually give pain meds or steroids to help with pain/inflammation to take home? Do steroids help prevent reoccurrence? Question 2- Is peeing around the catheter normal? Vet said they knew he could pee on his own because he was peeing around it..sounds fishy to me. Question 3- Shouldn't they have checked to make sure he wasn't blocked before sending him home? I feel that if I was more of an advocate for my cat and knew what was acceptable practice, that he might still be here. I appreciate you time. Thank you!
.

Justine
August 29, 2017

My 2 year old male cat was hiding and straining to urinate we rushed him to the vet. He was diagnosed with complete urinary blockage.  His vet put a catheter in to clear the blockage and sent him home.  He was not eating so I brought him again and he had a partial blockage they gave him antinflammatory shot and hydrated him.  He still won't eat and we are on a limited budget.  This is so heartbreaking we recently put an ll year old cat to sleep becaue of liver issues. Thought I had a healthy cat he is young - and he was so energetic and playful..Not sure if holistic remedies would help.

Mark
August 1, 2017

My apologies for the long post, but I thought that the background and the facts would be important if you choose to address my questions below (mainly relating to the relationship, if any, between stress cystitis and the ingestion of foreign (non-food) matter). Shadow, my nine-year-old indoor male neutered cat, is now in the animal hospital. My veterinarian told me that Shadow's bladder was full and was blocked. He was hospitalized for the same problem in April, at which time I thought it was a "one off" issue, since he had never experienced anything similar in the past. Both times, he had vomited copiously, with little production other than water. Thereafter, he became listless and stopped eating. In neither case did he exhibit signs of trying unsuccessfully to urinate. In his current hospitalization, as in April, the vet said that the tests showed no infection (i.e., no UTI) and no struvite crystals. In both cases, she diagnosed his condition as "stress cystitis." I have always fed him a grain-free canned food, which I mix with plenty of bottled water. My point is that he has always been well hydrated. It is a bitter pill for me to swallow to think that he now has a urinary condition. As to "stress" being the root of his problem, I am scratching my head trying to find a cause. He has a companion who is the same age. They grew up together, get along famously, and play all the time. I just haven’t seen any instances of what I would call emotional or psychological stress. However, there is one fact pattern that is common to both the current episode and the one in April, and this is where it gets a bit strange. Shadow was always had this idiosyncrasy where he eats tissue paper, toilet paper and paper towels. Consequently, I do my best to keep these things out of his reach. In April, he came upon a paper napkin. Before I could stop him, he had swallowed it whole. Two days later, he was vomiting, and thereafter he was hospitalized with a diagnosis of stress cystitis. A week ago, he found another paper napkin I didn't notice, and he ran off with it as if it were a sparrow. I chased him to try to get it out of his mouth, but he ended up behind the sofa. When I pulled the sofa back, the napkin was gone. Two days later, he was vomiting and ended up in the hospital again for a urinary blockage. When, both in April and last week, I told my vet about ingestion of the napkins, she was inclined to dismiss any connection to a urinary blockage. I realize that I am clutching at straws, but I'm wondering whether swallowing the napkins caused him to suffer some sort of alimentary distress that, like emotional stress, could have brought on the "stress cystitis." Have the veterinarians who review these posts ever seen anything like that? The common set of facts behind these two instances, together with the timing – vomiting (and no bowel movements) two days later, followed by listlessness and a diagnosis of stress cystitis – just seems to be more than pure coincidence. My second question concerns the utility, if any, of a urinary diet and prevention of these "stress" blockages. My vet told me that Shadow should be on Hills c/d for the rest of his life. Because I believe that he has otherwise been doing well on the food he has eaten for the last nine years, I am reluctant to switch him to another diet – particularly one that is loaded with grains – if I don’t think it is likely to prevent future occurrences of his cystitis. Again, his tests showed no signs of UTI or crystals. What do these "prescription" diets contain that will prevent the buildup of the "matrix" plugs that you write about in your article above? Do you have any thoughts on my questions? Thank you

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
July 26, 2017

Hi Lindsay, Without having seen your cat and knowing the full details of his condition, we can't give you any medical advice, but I would recommend giving your veterinarian's office a call and letting them know what you're seeing with your kitty.

Lindsay
July 26, 2017

Hello! I just brought my male cat, Blitz home from the vet last night around 6:30pm. He was at the vet for four days being hospitalized for a blockage undergoing the catheter treatment/IV/Antibiotics ordeal. The sent me home with medications, and a new urinary diet for him. He has had one other issue with crystals in tha past, but this was the first time being blocked. Vet told us he still had a little sediment in his bladder yesterday but that he had been peeing, eating and drinking normally and that his pee had been clear so they let us take him home. on the 25 minute car ride home my cat peed himself in the carrier. I bathed him once we were home and then he peed on the floor right after and it was a small but brownish puddle, perhaps had some blood in it. He has been visiting the litter box very frequently but looks as though hes only peed a VERY tiny bit, and i think it was from last night. he has been pooping a good amount. He also keeps cleaning below his tail and is more sleepy than normal (although he could be worn out by everything at the vet). it has been about 16 hours since hes been home and has really only peed a good amount the one time in the car. Should i be worried? Thanks!

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
July 19, 2017

Dear Cindy, I'm so sorry for your stress and for what you and your cat are going through.  Your best bet is to wait for the conversation with your veterinarian and to go over all of the options and your concerns with them.  There isn't much clinical advice any of us here can give you since we haven't seen your kitty, but know our thoughts are with you.

Cindy
July 19, 2017

I'm waiting on the vet (where I used to work) to call me back. My cat is a 6 yr old male, neutered as a kitten. a couple of weeks ago was at the vet for just under $200. I wasn't even charged for an office call, but he had to be checked for everything to rule out. He's been straining to urinate, crying, not as playful as usual. When he did get pee out (not in box, unusual for him) it was brownish. He did have blood indicated in urinalysis, but no infection upon getting his CBC results. WBC was normal. In fact everything was normal, except eosinophils - high. Not diabetic, thyroid ok. He was given a round of antibiotics and 10 steroids. He acted better, used his litter box normally, was his old freaky normal weirdo self that we love, but after 4 days of no steroid is started to cry again. Just squatted to pee (on my purse!) and nothing came out. I am a single mother who sadly cannot put a lot of money into a pet. What I'm reading about this condition is putting me in despair. We are crazy about this cat, but I know I need to be realistic. My daughters will be devastated if something happens to him, they have been through so much and our cats are more than pets, they're family. How far do I go? I can spend a little more, maybe a couple hundred, but will it even help him? Is it more humane just to euthanize? Is the fact that steroids seemed to help useful and reason to have hope? I know he can't stay on them forever, but does this indicate what might be the problem since there are a number of things that it could be? Any input would be helpful. I have no one to bounce my thoughts off of other than people who I don't want to upset with my problems, they'll worry about me and I don't want that.

Sam
June 9, 2017

Courtney your description matches to the T what we're going through right now. Down to the vet's reaction. Do you have any update if you've found out anything new? Seems like your a few days ahead of us. Thanks.

Courtney
June 4, 2017

My cat is almost 5 years old and recently been having issues with her bowel and bladder. She has never been one to go outside of the litter box until recently. I have found her only hiding under my bed, and having trouble with supporting herself with her back legs at times, growling and urinating on herself. I took her to the vet 3 days ago and they told me it felt like she was very constipated so they gave her an enema, and fluids and sent her home after a few​ hours. The next day she looked very uncomfortable still and still peeing where she laid so I took her to the emergency vet where they told me her lab work and xray all looked normal and this seemed behavioral to them. The following day the regular vet checked on how she was doing and once I updated them said to bring her in again. They checked her urine by getting it with a needle and said that looked normal to them and took another x-ray where it just showed she has a lot of fecal matter still but no evidence of a blockage. I was sent home with pain medication because there has been no answer on why at times her back legs get weak and she growls and only wants to lay down and they also told me to give miralax in her food. It has been 3 days now since she has had a Bowel movement and still she continues to have incontinence issues with peeing on herself. She also seems fine at times and purrs and wants attention and all of a sudden she growls and has trouble with her back legs again and hides. I'm taking her back to the vet yet again but I'm just wondering if anyone has had similar issues or might have any idea what is going on with her that might help my vet treat her better. I'm very concerned because she has never had issues like this before.

Rainy
June 1, 2017

Blocked Tom's are a pain. I just brought my cat home from his cystotomy precedure. He was plagued with struvite sediment that would not go away with medication and diet alone. They took x rays and flushed out his bladder extremely well, so much in fact that the x ray after the surgery showed no sediment. He is eating and urinating just fine... however they found a fatty mass by his bladder. I'm so stressed out by all of this it is ridiculous. I know my poor fur baby has it much worse than I but this surgery put my husband and I into debt.

Tifani
May 20, 2017

Both my male cats had this surgery. The first boy has had no problems since, but the second one has started "dripping". He does use the litter box regularly, but he just seems to have started leaking. They are on a Urinary diet and drinking distilled water. Really hoping I don't have to bring him back in to be checked, but not sure what to make of it.
Also, for people commenting they can't afford the vet bills - I couldn't either. I used a website and it allowed people to donate. I had some very kind people give incredibly generous donations - people I didn't even know personally. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. [Editor's note: The name of the website Tifani used has been omitted to keep this comment in line with VetzInsight's non-commercial policies.].

Sara aipperspach
May 20, 2017

I had similair problems with my cat and when i took her to the vet they told me it was either a really bad urin affection or a feline diesease well right before we left the doc gave her an iv with fluids beings she was so dehydrated and right before her and i walk out the door she starts shaking which was never a symptom before i took her in but the doctor said her nerves started to fail i sadly had to put her down my question here is could the doctor have accidently caused that to my cat with putting so much water in her after she was dehydrated so long.

Tracy Kahmeeree
May 17, 2017

Hi I'm so worried my kitten is 3 months and keeps hiding and is constipated and crying and drooling from the mouth he had two jabs for oral infection I hope he okay I'm just worried about him.

Michele Gaspar, DVM, DABVP (Feline Practice)
May 14, 2017

Hi, Danielle, It sounds like you and Patsy have been through quite a bit over the past weeks.  If she is not eating, then she won't be passing stool.  The head shaking could be due to an ear infection (otitis media/middle ear infection). The fact that Patsy is not eating is very concerning, as cats need to eat well everyday.  At this point, you need to be her advocate and this might mean switching veterinary hospitals for more aggressive care.  Minimally she needs lab work (CBC/chem/T4 and urinalysis) and radiographs/x-rays.  There are appetite stimulants that may work,, but if her veterinarian prescribes one and Patsy does not eat well in one or two days, a temporary feeding tube may be necessary.  I know that the thought of a feeding tube is often difficult for cat guardians, but let me assure you that these save lives, are easy to learn to use and assure that a patient is getting adequate nutrition.  Force feeding/syringe feeding is problematic, as it is nearly impossible to give adequate calories that way and cats often become adverse to syringe feeding.  I have never had a cat guardian tell me that they regretted having a feeding tube placed in their kitty; most have said that they wished they had done so sooner. When cats do not eat they can develop low potassium, which can cause weakness. Know that I wish Patsy and you only the best.

Danielle Hart
May 14, 2017

Someone please help, I took my cat to vet last week, in the past 2 months I've moved between 2friends houses, 3 hotels and am now with a friend and have been for 2 weeks. My cat Patsy is going to be 6yrs old in August. Indoor only, never left home until my recent moves. Before coming to my final location I'm at now, everything was fine and normal with her, my first week here I noticed she barely ate or drank. I moved her food and water dish and she ate for 2 days then stopped again, I moved it again but she is barley eating. 2 days ago she began drinking again but still won't eat, not even tuna! She LOVES tuna. No poop in her box since the day after she ate those 2 days after not eating for a week, very little pee in litter box and she scratched her ear and shakes her head incessantly. At vet they said her heart, lungs, mouth/teeth/gums are normal, her bladder wasn't full/swollen and she's not in any pain or discomfort. Her behavior is overall the same, she purrs when we cuddle and I pet her, she "talks" back to me and follows me around house like she always has. Vet said she didn't seem to have ear mites, which I thought was reason for her ear scratching and head shaking. She asked me if she vommits coughs and I said no because she hadn't, I brought her to vet last Monday, 2 days ago I noticed she coughed but idk if it's a fluke thing and I'm just in my head nervous and the cough was just a random cough, no underlying issue with it? She also lost her balance when shaking her head yesterday, which hadnt happened before either, but she shook her head and kinda fell sideways and had to catch herself..that hasn't happened since, that I've noticed anyways but I've been watching her like a hawk im so nervous. She hasn't pooped in almost a week, 2 weeks minus the 1 poop a day after she ate those 2 days. She sat in litter box for a good 2minutes I'd say peeing, but when she walked away it was the size of a nickel,barley anything and she was in there longer than usual, she hasn't cried in pain, she doesn't seem uncomfortable at all...is this all stress related from moving? Or has this been going on too long like I feel it has?? Please any insight is desperately wanted I'm a nervous wreck until I bring her back to vet Monday and demand bloodwork since it's near impossible for me to get a stool or urine sample from her right now. Thank you for your time, Danielle.

Michele Gaspar, DVM, DABVP (Feline Practice)
May 8, 2017

Hi, Alan, Given the recent trauma (the fall) and the finding of no broken bones in your kitty, I would presume that what she is experiencing is what used to be called FUS/FLUTD/interstitial cystitis and is now called Pandora Syndrome. This is a stress related condition in cats and is not the same as we see in cats with urethral obstructions. Your kitty has a small bladder that is inflamed.  As she is eating normally and otherwise well, the typical treatment for this syndrome is some pain meds (often buprenorphine, which can be given orally in the cheek pouch), sometimes some sub-cutaneous fluids and tincture of time. Most of these cats resolve their symptoms in 3-5 days; some take a bit longer. Obviously, if she does not eat and otherwise appears ill, then she needs to be seen by a veterinarian. However, from what you posted today, it is reasonable to minimize her stress level (and yours) and monitor her.

.

Alan
May 7, 2017

Please somebody help me… I love my cat more than i love myself. i will not be able to live without her. and i truly mean this… Two days ago, my cat Bean fell out of the upstairs window… Bcuz of this I started to monitor her more closely to make sure she was okay… She has been running around, playing, eating, and drinking… But i noticed that she is straining in the litter box and only peeing a tiny bit… like drops… So i rushed her to the vet ER… they did X-rays and showed that nothing is broken… The vet said she is slightly constipated, so they gave her meds that made her immediately poop in her cage… they also gave her pain meds that she takes for the next three days… the vet seemed to not be too worried, and sent me home with instructions to get a urine sample… Heres the problem:  every time she tries to pee, she only gets a drop or two out, then goes back in the box and tries again and again and again… each time she only gets a few drops out.. its not enough to get up with the syringe… i rushed her back to the ER and they wer going to use a needle to get her urine but they said her blatter is too small so they sent me home to get it myself again… still no luck… As I'm typing this, she is playing and running around and just drank soooooo much water…. but I'm worried sick bcuz I'm worried that she will die from not peeing… I noticed most of these cases are with male cats… i understand the males have the worse problems from this stuff… they said they didnt see any stones.. the vets thinking its a UTI.. what do we do if we can't get pee? can we just start her on the UTI antibiotics anyway?!?!  will the medicine fix her UTI and will she be able to pee normal again?!?!? Im so upset im dizzy i can't stop crying and nobody understands… i don't kno if i should try a different vet.. I'm 26 I'm poor and i already spent $600 on the last vet bill but i don't care i will rob a fucking bank if i have to do it to keep my cat alive.. please somebody help me

Katherina Moreland
February 18, 2017

Has anyone tried Charcoal?

Brandon
February 5, 2017

My baby just got put down Friday night. He was 3 years old, and was the sweetest animal I'd ever had. This disorder was the exact reason we put him down, and I miss him so much. Rush your kitty to the vet as soon as you see signs of an issue. If we had taken him sooner he might have lived.

Nichole
January 16, 2017

My cat just had the bladder stone removal on Monday. Everything looked good so we were able to bring home home Tuesday night. He was in good spirits. Walking, playing a little bit. Even climbing up my shoulder to be affectionate (which is unlike him. He would do it to his daddy but not me). He seemed to be peeing okay and had 2 bowel movements between Tuesday night and Friday night. Saturday morning I went to check him ( the vet recommended isolating him from our other cat and our toddler so he doesn't get stressed out) and he didn't even come greet me. He didn't move from his bed. I could smell on him that he was peeing on himself and not getting up to use the litter box. He wouldn't eat his food or drink water. I thought maybe he was just in pain so I gave him pain meds. I wasn't giving it to him religiously because our vet warned that the pain killer makes him lose his appetite, and honestly before Saturday it didn't look like he needed it based on his behavior. I thought maybe he is depressed from being isolated, so we let him out for a little bit. He seemed a little happier also immediately. Now it's Sunday and he still hasn't eaten or drank anything on his own. I gave him a little bit of Gatorade through his syringe so I can make sure he isnt dehydrated. He is lathergic again, not putting, and acting like he did when we took him to the vet to begin with. He was walking around peeing wherever he could. He didn't even attempt to make it to his litter box. He is peeing, but it doesn't seem like full streams. There is no blood or discoloration in his urine. It's just a darker yellow which I assumed it was from not drinking enough. I'm calling the vet tomorrow in hopes that maybe they just need to give him fluid through an IV. I'm so scared. We can not afford another surgery. The first one was already about 3 grand between the hospital stay and they clinic doing the surgery. Has anyone else had this problem? If they say he is going to need another surgery we are going to have no choice but to put him down. I can't be selfish and let him live in pain and his own filth.  As upset as I am about it (I've been crying non stop since Saturday) I just don't even wanna see the look on my kids faces of it comes down to it.

Lia
December 22, 2016

My situation is very strange. My cat Roscoe developed stones last September of 2015 and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. He was catheterized and watched day and night at the vet. He almost required surgery but by some miracle, a very large stone managed to break and pass through the catheter. After 2 long and scary weeks, we were able to bring him home and he had a great recovery. He was (and is still) on a strict urinary s/o diet. Fast forward to last month - he began inappropriately urinating and I noticed his pees in the litter were smaller. I took him to the vet and they sampled his urine and determined that he had a bacterial infection. The vet also performed an x-ray during this visit and confirmed there were no stones present. He spent 2 weeks on antibiotics which seemingly cleared the issue up for a couple of days. After a few days of no issues, I noticed he began to have small pees again. We brought him back to the vet and a cystocentesis was performed (needle through the belly to the bladder for a clean urine sample) was performed. We brought Roscoe home and waited a few days for results. A few days after, I noticed his penis and the surrounding area was infected, raw and red and pee had accumulated around and on his fur. I brought him back to the vet and he was given a steroid cream to be rubbed on the area a few times a day. We didn't notice too much of a difference but brought him back to the vet to discuss the results of the cystocentesis 2 days later. We also had him cleaned off and shaved down to be more hygienic and comfortable. It came back clear! No infection at all in his urine. So we are at a loss of what is causing the issues. He is really straining to pee (just drops come out) and it seems to get all over him, as though a regular stream is being disrupted. He is in a cone to avoid licking himself and we still put the steroid cream on him. He is also on an anti-inflammatory in the hopes it will help. Do you have any suggestions? We are truly at a loss here. Despite his small and very frequent pees, he is eating well, drinking well, cuddly and playful and purrs often. He seems to be acting normal in all other respects except for going to the bathroom. We just don't get it but can tell he needs our help!  Wondering if there is internal damage to his urethra or maybe he just got an infection in his penis after the bacterial infection because of constant licking and that just needs to clear up. Do you have any thoughts at all? I raised him from a day old and my heart hurts just knowing I can't fix it for him.

Teri Ann Oursler, DVM
November 23, 2016

Pierre, If your cat still cannot urinate, then you need to take him back to the veterinarian sooner than later.  As in now.  That is the only way to determine if he is straining due to irritation or if he has re-blocked.

Pierre
November 23, 2016

my cat has urinary track infection and they had to put a catheter on him but now it is remove and he still cannot urinate on his own  i don't know what to do i don't wanna lose him please help

Nancy
November 20, 2016

My cat jersey two and half years old indoor outdoor cat loves people and was the sweetest boy cat I ever met three days ago he started acting funny like his stomach hurt him I thought he ate something like he did before and the next day he was fine so I monitored him in the next day he seemed a little bit  out of it but he threw up so I thought whatever was in his system he had to get out he would be better by the third day he couldn't walk rushed him to the Vet  they told me he was critical and that he needed to be rushed to the emergency center where they can stabilize him first and then have him have a catheterization but there was no guarantees and he was so very weak that I didn't think that he would make it and I couldn't see him in anymore pain so we made the painful decision to put him to rest and I have been sick ever since. I had no idea that this was the case I would've brought him to the vet so much sooner if your cat has any symptoms  not being able to urinate run to the ER because it was too late for my jersey boy that I miss so much God bless you In this time.

Ellie White
November 14, 2016

Im not sure that anyone is still replying to these comments, but I thought I'd comment on it anyways. I'm currently going through this with my 3 1/2 year old boy. I'm also currently bawling my eyes out because I don't know what to do, or think. He started acting funny on Saturday- two days ago. At first we pushed it off because all he was doing was kind of crouching in a weird position. But after a few hours, we noticed that he hadn't eaten his food, and he was meowing at us which is odd because he's not very talkative. He also didn't perk up and run after me when I came to his window spot with meat food, which was definitely out of the norm. He began to just lay around. But it was Saturday, and my parents didn't want to bring him to an emergency vet because of the cost, so it was decided to wait until Monday. On Sunday he continued to do this, as well as hiding from us and absolutely refusing to move once he was laying down. He'd go to the litter box but didn't end up doing this, many times. In reality we should have taken him to the emergency but we still decided to wait it out. Threw up once a little. By this morning he was so miserable and pretty much just hanging on. Took him to the vet this morning, and they told us to prepare ourselves that we probably would die. They took him in anyways, and got the blockage out. It was mucus and bloody, which they said was a good sign because it hadn't yet crystallized. They told us a few hours later that things looked a little better because he was alert, and even showed signs of annoyance. Placed on a catheter, and still hasn't peed on his own yet which they said they'd like to see by now but still hopeful.. Temp is now regular but it was down to 90 when he was brought in. They're keeping him overnight and checking in a couple times. Last time they called, his bladder still hadn't shrunken yet so they are really just hoping for that and for him to pee on his own, if not then it's probably over. I just don't know what to do. I'm heartbroken. I've had this cat from the day he was born. I know they are saying they are hopeful for a recovery but after reading these comments this seems like something that will probably come back and eventually kill him. I really just wish we had taken the cost and sent him in when we first started seeing signs. I feel so guilty. Any help would be appreciated

Lydia Coder
November 9, 2016

I'm not sure what to do i don't have the means to pay for another vet visit I already owe money for my doggie I love my little fellow he's my kitty cat he's a year old he's never shown any signs of this before I have been with him rubbing him and trying to make him drink he drank last night and nothing else since he's getting sicker by the second and I finally figured out what was causing him the pain from him cleaning his pee pee and then he is getting like a cramp and then he howls in pain then he's right back to the box but he's hiding from me and I keep getting him out for under the bed and watching him what can I do I can't get to a vet tonight and it's been 3 days that he's acted weird will he make it through the night

Olivia
September 27, 2016

Recently my 1year old cat started exploring the outside, which I am not very happy about as she hasn't been neutered. One night my mum woke me up and told me that Charlies bowl has been full for ages (she usually goes and eats straight after the food is served ) so I thought ,she must've gone outside again through the kitchen window. I went outside my flat because that's usually where she is and called her. Straight away she came running to me and jumped into my arms (this never happened before ,I always have to chase after her) I took her home and went back to sleep. The next day my mom was very worried that Charlie might be pregnant (I remembered checking her places to see if there's possibly any blood or signs of her breeding, there was nothing normal as always ) but I still took in the possibility that this could've  happened. So I went to school leaving Charlie a fresh washed litter tray with some new cat litter that I have never tried before... I came back and the tray was untouched ,this didn't worry me as it has happened before. I started getting concerned when before going to sleep l checked again and it was still empty (this has never happened before ) I decided not to worry ,coz she's bound to do her business some time ,everyone does. Another day passed and still no sign of any poop or pee . My mom suggested that maybe she's been pooping and peeing around the house in her secret places . I literally turned the house inside out looking for a secret toilet lair ,nothing. So it's day three now coming to an end and she still has not emptied her bladder or popped. I am seriously worried about her especially after reading this article (but it's been more than 42hrs and she's still alive ) she's not howling or licking her gentiles every five seconds, she's not even trying to poo or pee she hasn't even been going in the litter box for these three days. But there's definitely a change in her in a way she became more lazy and boring like some sloth or something and she's only one , a few days ago she was running  around like mad, also she hasn't been out for these past three days. I am really confused I don't know what to do ,should I go to the vets with her even though she doesn't have any symptoms or should I wait some more ?? Maybe she'll come around to doing something. I need answerssss can't find anything helpful on the internet and I am extremely scared about her !  she HAS to do her business because for fricks sake how is she still alive ???!! Help me people

Ceri
September 27, 2016

I just hate this disease. I hate it so much. It is the most cruel, painful condition I have ever known. I have just lost my 4 year old cat to this. Since early July, 2016, my poor boy has suffered 4 urinary blockages, 2 full, 2 partial, as well as bouts of cystitis in between. Its been absolute hell for him, and its been painful for us to see him in such agony. He was put on medication to prevent urethral spasms, and pain relief, as well as cystophan. He was also catheterised with every blockage, followed by long, stressful, lonely hospital stays. The repeated catheterisations apparently lead to a narrowing of the urethra. We have tried everything we could think of to help him, however, nothing seemed to work. We fed him royal canin Urinary S/O diet, and we increased his water intake by adding water to his food, getting a water fountain etc. We tried to decrease stress levels, invested in feliway diffusers for every room. We tried absolutely everything, and I ended up working 60-70 hour weeks to pay the vet bills, which came to over £6000 in total. We opted for the perineal urethostomy surgery in the end, and felt pretty confident in the procedure, as we have a fantastic vets. Moreover, there didn't seem to be much other option, as the blockages were so frequent. The surgery went well. However, the day after, he suffered complications, and could not empty his bladder, and had an urinary leakage around the site of the surgery. The vet suggested that it was unfair to put him through more and more surgery, as his prognosis was no longer as good. I had to make the most painful, difficult, awful decision I've ever had to make, and we had to say goodbye to my poor boy. The guilt is horrendous, I wish I could have saved my boy from this terrible pain and suffering. He deserved a brighter future. On the other hand, I wish I made the decision to euthanize earlier, and had I known how bleak his future was going to be, I wouldn't have hesitated. There was nothing worse than seeing him collapsed in his litter tray due to agony, and finding blood all over the floor when we woke up in the morning. I never knew that urinary blockages could result in such a bleak future for cats. I wouldn't wish this hell on anyone, and I can empathise with how horrendous it is to watch your cat in such agony, and being so helpless.

Andrea
September 27, 2016

My 2 yr old had a blockage almost two months ago. He pee's small amounts frequently. He's been back to the vet twice for bloody urine. They treat with antibiotics and steroid. Today he had blood again. How long could this go on? Unfortunately if he blocks again I have to put him down. Treatment was over 3 grand. :( I'm heartbroken.

Linda
September 15, 2016

My 10 year old cat Kiko has been back and forth to the vet over the past week. He was diagnosed with a urinary blockage and had to have a catheter inserted. We were sent home afterwards with a bladder opening (?) medicine to help him pee and antibiotics and pain medicine. After 48 hours he reblocked and we were back to the vet. During the last few days he's been peeing uncontrollably and releasing stones but he's refusing to walk much and refusing to eat; we've been feeding him through a syringe so he can stay fed but it's been many days (I'd say 4/5) that he hasn't pooped. My vet keeps saying my main worry should be if he's peeing or not. Regardless I am worried, he hasn't pooped, he's very lethargic but alert, he's drinking lots of water but he eats very little, and his hind legs look like he's paralyzed (he refuses to take more than a few steps at a time)  I'm a nervous wreck and I don't know what to do, how can I help him poo? How can I get him to walk around more? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dana
September 10, 2016

Hi. My 6 year old cat has spent the last week off and on at the vet and the emergency vet. I have noticed over the past 2 wks that he has been going to the bathroom a little and not eating as much. Last Sunday he was acting weird and we noticed he had pee'd in a couple little spots on our bed and acting strange. Right before we left to the E vet he pooped in our sunroom (he's never done that ) and you would have thought it was from a dog. It was massive for a cat and when we got outside he pee'd all in the carrier, and it was massive. ER vet did blood work, urine sample, and a x-Ray.... Nothing except the smallest amount of mucus in his urine. Gave him a one shot med. some pain meds and a stool softener and we brought him home the next morning. The following morning at 3am he pee'd and pooped in the liter box. Next 24 flooded the floor and almost looked paralyzed in his backend while going. After that it was 32 hours since he had pee'd and about 52 hours since he pooped. We were back at the vet. Later that day when a vet tech picked him up he pee'd all over her. So they ran all kinds of blood work, checked his urethra for a blockage and blood work was normal and no blockage.... Dumbfounded. They had to give him 2 inama's before he pooped. They are thinking its a neurological bladder?!? He is stickly an inside cat and has not had any trama.... Is there anything we can do or is there somthing our vet may have not thought of that you can suggest?!? Any help would be greatly appreciated. We are not ready to say goodbye to our Charlie. Thank you.

Carla
September 3, 2016

My 3 y/o male cat experienced 2 blockages and we had him undergo the PU surgery.  Unfortunately, he had it done twice as his skin keeps growing and covering the opening.  We had to make the tough decision of saying good-bye as we were told there is probably nothing else that can be done for him.  This is our last weekend with him and my young daughter's heart is broken.  He looks fine today but the doctor told us a day ago that he will be blocked within the next 5 days.  This is one of the hardest pet losses we have experienced as a family.  Do not wish this on anyone.

Charlie
September 2, 2016

Hi! My cat is a 2 year old female and has never had any health problems. In the last two days, I noticed she was struggling to urinate. She would squat in the litter box for a few moments before giving up, not leaving anything behind. At first I thought she was just being bladder shy, which isn't unusual for her, but then when I was cooking dinner one night she had visited the box about 3 or 4 times trying to pee in the 30 minutes or so it took me to make dinner (her litter box is in the kitchen). Her behavior hasn't changed, she's just as loving as she usually is, and she naps and plays all the same amount. Also, she is pooping perfectly fine.

Elizabeth
August 21, 2016

My cat Simon is 2 monts post perineal urethrostomy. Everything went well with the surgery but after there were complications with him witholding bowel movements due to discomfort (he was given an enema as a solution). I'm hypervigilant about his bathroom habits now and he is on royal canning urinary wet and dry food 2×daily. I was gone for the day today and when I got home I noticed he hadn't had much water and I'm not sure he's used the litter box at all today. He's still eating fine and is still very playful (he's a Siamese mix). He isn't going to the box frequently and straining like he was when this whole ordeal started but I'm a nervous pet parent and I'm concerned that he could be getting stricture of the new opening or another blockage. I'm only on here because its 3:30 in the morning and while I am planning to call the clinic that did his surgery regardless, he has a litterbox routine around 5 am and due to his typical spirits I'm hoping I'm just overreacting. Is it possible to develop stricture of the new urethra site 2 months after surgery?

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
August 22, 2016

Dear Olivia, If you haven't already, please take your cat back to the veterinarian.  It sounds as though she still has something quite serious going on.  15 isn't that old for a cat, and old age isn't really a disease, so it is important for her sake to make sure your veterinarian knows that she hasn't improved so that the next steps can be taken.

Olivia
August 16, 2016

Hello. Around 4 weeks ago my started to act strange. She stopped sleeping with people and started to stay to herself. Then she started to sit in strange places and breath heavily. I took her to the vet and they did a blood test and said all her organs are fine but she has a bacterial infection. So I gave her medicine and she perked up a little, but then things turned for the worse. She is now incredibly lethargic and stays in one room and can't even move herself 5 feet without breathing really heavy. She stopped eating and drinking and hasn't pooped in a week. She use to pee a lot and now she hardly goes. My cat is also 15 years old. Is she dying? Should I end her suffering and put her down? She has not been acting herself for awhile now and I don't think the vets can do anything for her. She is just old? What do you think? I hate watching her suffer everyday.

Michele Gaspar, DVM, ABVP (Feline Practice)
August 14, 2016

Hi, Diana, Incontinence is uncommon in cats who have had urethral blockages.   I highly recommend that you bring your kitty to a veterinarian ASAP and have him evaluated.

Diana
August 14, 2016

My cat, Oxo is 2 yo neutered male. He went to the vet for urinalysis. The vet said it had a infection and blockage. He was treated with a catheter on Wednesday August 10. He came home on Friday the 12.   He is on antibiotics and pain medication. He has been urinating in his litter box. Tonight we noticed him licking his perineal area. I check it thinking it was the suture site where they sew the catheter in bothering him. I noticed drops of urine. It seems he's developed urinary incontinence. Is it normal for cats to develope this when he was fully able to control his bladder until now after a catheter? otherwise he is his playful curious self. I just find it odd that this is occurring now.

Wendy Smith Wilson, DVM
August 13, 2016

Hi Jim, I'm concerned that there may have been a misunderstanding with your discharge instructions.  It's pretty unusual for a sick cat to be sent home with a urinary catheter in place.  (For instance, our local ER is not a 24-hour facility so pets are sent back to their regular veterinarians for daytime hospitalization; the owners have to do the driving since there are no pet ambulances, but they're supposed to take their pets to their regular clinic, not home, until treatment is complete.) I do think you need to contact your regular veterinarian and get your guy back in for care immediately; he needs aggressive medical treatment in addition to checking the catheter, which certainly could be obstructed. Please contact your regular veterinarian for a recheck and additional treatment right away.  Wishing you the best . . .

Jim
August 13, 2016

Hello, I have a seven year old neutered male cat who I just brought home last night after having to take to him to the emergency vet after hours. Yesterday, I noticed him very lethargic, staggering a little, licking himself and meowing. He went into his litter box and tried to go, but couldn't. Then he laid down in the litter. This happened to him a couple of years ago, so I knew the signs. I had him into the vet within hours. So, my question is; The vet sent him home with me last night with a catheter and a bag. I've noticed today, that there is no longer any fluid coming out of the catheter into the bag. Should I be concerned of another blockage? The catheter seems to be in okay, and he's wearing a cone on his head, so he can't get at it. I put him in a pet travelling crate for his safety, as he was walking into things, etc. Thank You.

Sherri
 August 1, 2016

My cat has come down with an illness. he used to be such a playful kitty and loved to get into mischief but now. all he does is hide. i took him to my vet and discribed his symptoms and they did an xray to see if he had a blockage. this was 2 days ago today it came back clear. he is peeing but not eating or drinking without help. so i guess my main question is.... is there a chance that a blockage still may occur? Or is this something different... i dont wnat to leave it to long because i REALLY dont want to lose him, he is like my child and i dont know what i would do without him..

Dr. Tony Johnson
June 20, 2016

Hi Kaoru; I am so glad your cat got help and that the information was useful - that's the whole reason we do this. I bet your cat would thank you if he could! Hope he continues to do well - please post your story in the comments section and share with your pet-loving friends.  This is definitely one condition where even a few hours can make a big difference - in a pet's comfort level, in the final expense and, most importantly, safe a life - great work getting him the help he needed.

Kaoru
June 18, 2016

Thank you so much for sharing this. You saved me and my cat. I was planning to wait till morning but after I read your article, I took him to emergency (it was 2 am and finally got back home 5 am) and got treatment right away! Now he is happy and I got sooooo much relief!! God bless you!!

Teri Ann Oursler, DVM
June 15, 2016

Jessica, No, this is not normal.  He may be partially obstructed.  You really need to call and talk to your vet.

Jessica
June 15, 2016

Looks like there has been some activity on here recently so I'm going to throw this question out there because even though the logical side of me says this is normal, the worried mom side of me has me sick with anxiety. My sweet cat, Soncat, showed signs of a blockage a few weeks ago at which time I took him the ER immediately.  He was not blocked yet so they treated him with pain meds and the urethra relaxant to prevent blockage. He got better. Fast forward two weeks and he is straining to pee -- OUTSIDE his litter box.  The next day he is straining and is not peeing at all. I took him to the ER and he was admitted.  They gave him a catheter and fluids and they watched him for a full 48 hours. I brought him home last night and he seemed to be in higher spirits.  He didn't eat too much but he lay about bathing and was in and out of the litter box with bloody dribbles of urine (which I was told is normal.) Today, I came home from work to find him licking up a frenzy.  I went about my business and 15 minutes later he was still licking himself.  He finally got up and walked away and I saw he had been laying in a huge pile of urine and it continued to drip out of him as he walked.  He lay down again and went back to cleaning himself. When he lifted his head up I saw that he was still peeing little drops.  He wasn't even trying to make it to the litter box. He wasn't even standing. He was covered in urine. I freaked out and called the ER again but they told me as long as he isn't vomiting and is still urinating, this is ok. BUT IS IT??? IS THIS NORMAL?? I am so worried about my baby and have been for the last 4 days.  The stress of this experience coupled with its cost ($1400 and I couldn't even afford the diagnostics at an additional $500) and fear of losing my best friend is crippling. Can someone tell me please what to expect in the coming days? He has a fountain and I've put him on Royal Canin HP for now. He has food allergies so I'm looking into other alternatives for urinary health. I am terrified. Any words of wisdom or hopefully affirmation that this is normal would be greatly appreciated.

Dr. Tony Johnson
June 8, 2016

Renzo;  A cystotomy is a bladder operation - it would only be used if there is a stone or tumor in the bladder. In general, it's a fairly simple procedure and patients go home within a day or two. Most general practitioners can perform it. You can expect to see some blood in the urine for a few days afterwards, and the risks include infection, bleeding and urine leakage.  Most cats who are blocked, however, don't need a cystotomy, because the obstruction is lower down, not in the bladder but in the urethra. The surgery for this blockage is called a perineal urethrostomy, or PU, and is usually done by a specialist surgeon (although some GP's with an interest in surgery do them). Risks with this surgery include infection, bleeding, incontinence and excess scar tissue formation (stricture). Most cats that have a PU surgery do well, but since they have a lifelong increased risk of urinary infection, it's not a procedure to be done unless placing a catheter has failed repeatedly.  Any surgery and any anesthesia carries some risk. Anesthesia is much safer now than it was in years past, but death under anesthesia is still a risk. Only you and your vet can determine if this is a risk worth taking.  Good luck and I hope your cat feels better soon.

Renzo
June 4, 2016

My cat was blocked at the beginning of May, and the vet put a catheter for him for a week, but now he still cannot urinate normally and the vet suggested a bladder operation. As far as I know, I think it's a cystotomy. Is this kind of operation life risking? My vet told me the procedure is about 45 minutes. He seems not too sure about the success rate of this operation. Should I agree to let my cat go for this operation?

Katey
May 31, 2016

I wanted to post an update on my cat Morrissey because I posted here about a month ago. The vet started him on cartrophen injections that he got 3 times a week for the first two weeks, now we are continuing with them once a month. They are actually for arthritis but apparently there is something in them to help the bladder wall. It seems to be working so far. I just wanted to let you all know in case any of you have a cat that has dealt with this and you aren't sure if the treatment is everything you can possibly do - ask your vet about these cartrophen injections (I think that's what it's called).

James Kaplan
May 23, 2016

I so agree . My little guy Dexter 5 year old male 20 pounds ate hard food only (best kind) . within 12 hours he started to meow in a way that i never heard. he would go to the litter box 25 times . the most important thing i can tell all you cat loves is please DO NOT WAIT!!!!!. i went to my vet in 30 minutes i was in a hospital in a triage unit . i can't imagine the pain my guy was in . Ive changed to a wet urinary track food (pro plan) . next week he goes back to see is crystals are reforming .Please do not wait one day!!!!. my little guy's electrolytes and kidneys were off charts . listen to the meows and also the visits to the litter box when nothing comes out...

Karen Reincke
May 21, 2016

My cat had this last year and almost died. He recovered though and has been on special food for urinary tract. However, just a couple of days ago he began vomiting and gagging--like he had a hairball that wouldn't come up. He was going to the bathroom in his box (I check it regularly, due to what happened in the past) and was eating and drinking. He did sleep a lot in the loaf position. The next day, no vomiting but gagging and sneezing. Still going in box but less and eating and drinking less. I had no money to bring him to the vet but there was a clinic the next day. Next day (today), he is eating but not drinking or going to the box at all. He's not yowling, no peeing all over, just not going to the bathroom. Due to this I don't think he's blocked but have no idea. The clinic isn't until tomorrow. I did give him some L-Lysine and some chicken baby food (no additives). PS: No vet in the area will see him without some sort of payment and I can't get CareCredit.

Claire Vosburgh
May 20, 2016

My cat has an infection right now. My fiance is on disability, and we don't have money. I usually give him cranberry powder and belladonna and he gets better but not now. I am trying to borrow money. He just peed on himself! Does that mean it's not blocked yet?!!!

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
May 17, 2016

Dear Richard, I can tell that you love your cat, but I can't see anywhere in your post where he is under veterinary care.  Please take him to a local veterinarian for appropriate care and pain management.

Richard
May 16, 2016

My 5 year old rescue (got him last June) has been struggling with this for the last 2 months..and as counter-intuitive as this seems, I was just feeding him dry food for the first 6 months with no problems. I started giving him a healthy tablespoon of friskys wet beef shreds twice a day mixed with his dry. He loves it but about 3 months after adding the wet food he started blocking?..I think he is going to die but recovers 30 hours later.I got CLAVET an antibiotic on-line and treated him for 6 days and then added a teaspoon of Apple cider vinegar with water to his food,he seemed better,for a couple weeks but now it has returned even worse. This latest episode has been 48 hours and now he is vomiting. I am heartbroken and just trying to keep him comfortable with warm towels and he is on my bed...I feel I am on Death watch tonite...

Melinda Crain
May 14, 2016

I'm heartbroken.  I have the sweetest male cat on the planet and suddenly he started going to the litter box every 10 mins or so.  He went in a couple of times last night, so I didn't think much of it but today started going every few minutes.  My vet was going to remain open today for me to bring him, but someone let him out, and now I can't find him anywhere.  I feel so terrible that I can't even find him to help his pain.  I'm praying hard and looking for him to at least give him some comfort.  I feel as if someone has punched me in the gut, and I can only imagine what he's going through.  He's only 6 and I swear out of all the cats I've had through the years, and I've had a lot, this one was a very special and loving boy.  I'm so sorry for anyone who has to go through this.

Kathryn
May 13, 2016

My 8 week old kitten is currently suffering with this problem. The problem is that his urethra is so small that the vet cannot insert anything to remove the blockage not even with the smallest "tom-cat instrument" that exists. He is in the vets care at the moment and she is considering operating but we know the risks of that. My concern is that I am in Mexico and maybe it's possible that the vet here is not up to date with the newest methods of what can be done. He has about 12 hours to live and for us to find a solution of trying to remove the blockage from the urethra. Any vets that could give me a recommendation? I am not giving up on the little baby!

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
May 10, 2016

Dear Bobby, I am so sorry for your loss.  Please don't beat yourself up too badly.  Cats are remarkably adept at hiding signs of illness; they even fool experts frequently.  You absolutely aren't the only ones to miss the signs of urinary tract blockage in a cat, and none of us is at our best when a crisis hits on Saturday night. Our thoughts are with you.

Bobby
May 9, 2016

I buried my 3-year old male cat last Monday because of this.  Either the blockage happened extremely quickly, or I was just a terrible "daddy" and too ignorant to notice the signs. Friday evening --- two days before his death --- I noticed that he spent an unusually long time in the litter box.  I was hurrying to leave town for the night to check on a sick relative, and I just assumed that my cat was "showing out" by staying in the litter box for so long while I packed my shaving kit and overnight bag.  When I started out the door, I walked past the litter box where he was sitting, patted him on the head and told him I'd see him later.  He looked up at me and purred.  He didn't seem to be in any pain, but had clearly spent at least ten minutes in the litter box. Late Saturday night (about 30 hours after I foolishly left him sitting in the litter box), I returned home to find him still, clammy, and lethargic on the floor beneath a chair.  I honestly thought for a moment that he was dead.  I couldn't imagine what had happened to him.  Poison?  A spider bite?  I knelt down beside him and started petting him.  He yowled once, and then started purring softly.  I scooped him up and put him in my bed, covering him with a sheet to keep him warm, as his paws and nose felt so cold.  I snuggled into the bed with him for the rest of the night, not sleeping much for worrying about him. It was well after midnight, and there's no "ER" in my area, but I knew that I would call the vet's emergency number first thing Sunday morning.  Which of course I did.  The vet told me to bring him to the clinic immediately, where I helped to give him a sedative and a drip to hydrate him.  He didn't even wince when the needle went into him for the drip.  That's how terrible he felt.  Later that day he was catheterized, but it was too late.  He died Sunday night in the vet clinic. It's one of the most devastating events I can ever imagine.  I have a lot of regret for not noticing his symptoms Friday evening before I left him, and a lot of blame for not calling the vet immediately Saturday night when I discovered him lying on the floor.  The six or seven hours between the time I found him Saturday night and my phone call to the vet Sunday morning was a foolish and avoidable delay.  Had I made the call at midnight Saturday instead of waiting until Sunday morning, perhaps he could've been saved. It was an awful experience for me, and most especially for him.  He was just over three years old, was an indoor pet, a big healthy well-fed cat, and had always eaten dry food.  I had no idea that I was setting him up for such an awful death, and I'll always regret it deeply.

Katey
May 4, 2016

My boyfriend I just dealt with this with our cat Morrissey. We came home and out of the blue there was a pile of vomit and he was in so much pain. All he wanted to do was sit down and growl. He tried to pee but couldn’t. It was heartbreaking. We brought him to the emergency vet that night, they quoted us $3000, we said we wanted to check with our regular vet the next day, so they unblocked him temporarily and we were on our way. Next morning our regular vet did a bunch of tests, they saw his kidneys were failing.. we ran home, grabbed Morrissey and brought him back to emerge. We checked him in for 3 days, he was catheterized and on meds. We pick him up 3 days later and within 2 hours he was blocked again. We were heartbroken but we weren’t giving up – he is only 11 months old and the sweetest little guy on the planet. We opted to re-catheterize him and did exploratory bladder surgery. The bladder surgery found a whole bunch of “gunk” – mucous, blood clots, just everything. The surgeon removed all of that and he started out with a shiny new bladder. After that he started peeing normally but was still catheterized. After 5 more days in the hospital, they took the catheter out and he  could go home. He was on 4 medications, we had to go back to the vet to give him shots every other day, and we’re still waiting for his stitches to heal. This 2 week ordeal cost us almost $10,000 (Canadian), but he is happier than ever. His energy is back, he is playing and is very curious, just like his old self. He’s on the special urinary SO diet (wet food only), we bought him a water fountain and we now keep our two cats separated (we were scared the other cat may have been stressing him out). Anyway, my heart goes out to any family dealing with this right now, it’s truly heartbreaking.

Sarah
April 4, 2016

I've just had to put my beautiful male half rag doll/cross to sleep.  He was only 1 years old and we are devastated.  He was an outdoor cat although stayed in with us in the evenings.  I fed him good quality dry food as I didn't have any idea that it could have been bad for him.  He was a confident, relaxed cat.  Looking back he had started to lick his bits but I thought that was just a boy thing he was developing.  He had been peeing round the house a little bit but I thought he was stressed about some cats in the area and had bought some stress diffusers and drops etc. He had started to take himself off to bed in the evening and hid under the beds but he often liked to hide so I thought nothing of it.  I went to work one morning and he was fine, he was fine with my son at 2pm.  After work he hadn't greeted me which was unusual so at bedtime I had a good look round the house and found him lethargic and there was a bit of sick nearby.  I panicked and didn't know what to do, I thought I would put him on my bed and get an appointment at the vets in the morning.  However big mistake and i am wracked with guilt but i didn't know anything about this awful disease.  My poor boy battled for 3 days at the vets but he had kidney failure so they couldn't save him.  I wish the vets had a leaflet about this as unfortunately you only find out all about it afterwards.  I've had two male cats before and they never had any problems and I thought cats were quite hardy.

Alison
April 1, 2016

We spoke to the vet over the phone (cheaper than having to go in and pay consultation!).  He said he's still a little concerned over the licking and growling so is prescribing meds to stretch urethra slightly (or relax it...can't remember which).  He is definitely doing much bigger wee's.  Our convos at home are all about how big they are compared to a few weeks ago when he was only doing drops.  Why do you think he continues to growl whilst licking?  Vet didn't ask to see him (a relief because our last bill was over £600... Not that I wouldn't pay it again.  If he is emptying his bladder well, eating (now more wet food than dried), sleeping and playing do we still need to be concerned?  I am syringing water into his mouth 10ml 5 or 6 times a day and I think he's drinking water outside too.  Is this something we will just all have to get used to or will it ease up soon?  ACV I have stopped for last couple of days as he is emptying bladder.

Dr. Tony Johnson
March 31, 2016

While ACV alone is not sufficient to treat this condition, there's no data that it either helps or harms. Don't use it in place of proper veterinary care and realize that it's bitter taste may cause nausea.   We hope that your cat continues to improve, and applaud you working with your veterinarian to help him. If he still is licking and seems uncomfortable, please talk to your veterinarian about proper pain management for him.

Alison
March 30, 2016

My male cat had a blocked urethra due to crystals. A catheter, antibiotics and 3 days later was home but was still very unhappy, growling whilst licking genitalia.  I started him with dilute apple cider vinegar in a syringe (1/4 tsp with added water...taste it yourself to ensure not strong).  Although he appears to be doing good size wee's, he continues to lick "down there".  I believe the vinegar as helped.  We are making sure he drinks plenty of water, he is on vet prescribed urinary biscuits but we are currently trying to get him off dried food onto wet food (as it contains around 75% water whereas dried food only 10%).  Key is water, water, water.  A cat water fountain s arriving tomorrow.  He is sleeping, eating, playing so generally very happy and emptying bladder, just have to deal with the licking and growling.  Do try ACV very diluted, I believe it's helped our cat.

Ginger
March 24, 2016

I had a blocked cat about 15 years ago and after he was hospitalized, new food, he never re-blocked and lived a long life even after he became a kidney cat.  My 8 year old cat has symptoms of blockage, but vet can't get urinalysis because of small bladder.  He has soft tummy, clean x-rays, bloodwork, good vitals, etc.  But my poor Mac is on his second round of antibiotics and pain meds and now the pain meds are not helping him relax or slept all.  He is still visiting the box like mad with some dribbles of urine.  I just don't know what to do? Go to a new vet? Poor fella is traumatized by being shoved into his crate and seeing this vet multiple times with no results. What would you do, incur more costs and  switch vets?

Heather
March 5, 2016

I just put my parents' cat down today for this problem. They're out of town and I'm petsitting. Noticed he was straining to pee and kept squatting in the yard every two minutes. I called an emergency vet and was told to bring him in.  Next thing I know, I'm given an estimate for $700 with no guarantee and a sweet can curled in my arms in pain. I called my parents, and they don't have the money to keep their(what was a stray in the yard) cat well from this Blocked Tom. I gave him a lot of love and kisses and handed him over...cried all the way home.  But, I couldn't have him suffer another minute.

Zoe
March 3, 2016

My cat fen just had his bladder emptied at the vet last Friday after not urinating and being lethargic for a day or so. The urinalysis showed that he had formed crystals and had a uti. His blood work and X-rays showed no other problems. He's been on antibiotics and a medication to relax his urethra for the past 6 days and I've switched him to the prescribed food. He was doing fine up until now. This morning I noticed him going in his box frequently and with no urination. Today I get home from work and there's no new urine in his box, just some dry feces. He's going in his carrier to sleep as well, which is unusual for him. I think this whole episode may have been triggered by the fact that we moved last weekend, but I am very worried that he seems to have gotten worse after having settled a bit.  I am going to call the vet in the morning but I'm very worried! Any advice?

Tracey Perez
February 25, 2016

I also have a cat named Midnight and he is about 5 yrs old and same symptoms with pain urinating plus his poop and of course being I spoil all 4 of my cats I was giving him the treats still not connecting the dots ect. Well almost 1000 dollars to date for answers my vet did full workup and found he had a bacteria called  enterococcus. My vet and I assumed he has had this for probly birth as number 1 his mother was a dirty street cat with awful hygeine and she fed Midnight as infant yet Junior and Punky also from same mother after Midnight she did not and I guess my friend bottle fed them and they put the mother down. The father Buddy is also with me and there were no history regarding uti ect. I took over a house and 4 cats after I moved in with my friend Pat whom I took care of till the end havin stage 4 Cancer and promised that I would never walk away lol and now over 2 yrs and I never had cats just dogs so walked in blind and love them like my children. I have a mobile vet kind of pricey but worth it as they are 20 pounds easy each and never saw a vet so its been a road to pay for all 4 to eat and litter boxes let alone my Midnight getting sick. She has put him on Clavamox  for 4 weeks which ends on March 1st . will repeat blood work with culture estimated visit just for that will be 460.00 to see if the infection is gone. He is peeing never stopped but it was like 10% output 5 weeks ago and what she noticed 1st for her in 15 yrs is my cat made side tracks around his [penis as his lil peepee was so inflamed. Now he is deffinately pain free but he drips pee everywhere and so much pee in his box. Is that normal? also he lost significant weight he was easy 22 pounds looks exactly like all black panther with piercing greeneyes. I actually think he looks worse so thinned out and I have been feeding him double and that scares me. any comments or thoughts? I'm literally sick over this I made these antisocial wild cats into friendly and loving,truly happy cats I feel also spoiled rotten to boot but Midnight was my challenge as the others feared him and now he is a mammas boy true blue lol.

Laura
January 25, 2016

My cat Midnight was diagnosed with blocked/inflamed bladder, two weeks ago. I had noticed him trying to pee in my clothes laying on the floor one day. Then the next morning he was trying to pee in boxes that I had for them to play in. He only peed a couple drops with blood. I took him to the vet and got medication, put him inside a big cage with his own litterbox. Then I also noticed he was struggling to poop. Figured it could be from the meds. He finally started to pee his normal way and it has taken him a while to poop almost normally. Now this past weekend, during our blizzard of course, he started again with the peeing little drops with blood. I'm afraid I'm going to have to make the decision to put him down, he's only 6. He's a great cat and hate to do it but I don't want him suffering.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
January 22, 2016

Hi Pammy, If Leonatus hasn't been urinating, especially given his history of urinary tract obstruction, I'm afraid you really do need to get him to your veterinarian.  Please remember that cats will hide signs of illness until they are quite sick, so normal-appearing activity and appetite aren't necessarily indicators that all is well.  You were worried enough to start researching this, so please trust your gut and get him checked out. Best to both you and Leonatus!

Pammy
January 22, 2016

I have been researching today because my male cat Leonatus has not been urinating out of the blue. A year ago in March he was blocked so bad he almost died and I had an extreme vet bill of $2,000 which I just finished paying off on my care credit card but I always check the litter box now and he has been eating the special urinary tract health food which is pricey but its kept him safe until now. I am not sure what to do because he is acting like his normal playful self. He is eating normal and he is not in pain but he has not even tried to urinate there is just no pee in the box what so ever. I would like to prevent him getting sick again so if anyone has any suggestions please advise me. thanks!

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
January 19, 2016

Hi Rayne, I'm so sorry you're going through this with your kitty.  If you have any questions about his health, I definitely recommend calling your veterinarian and scheduling a recheck.

Rayne
January 19, 2016

My cat Baby Shambles is usually great with the litterbox and has no trouble. When my mom discovered he was constantly visiting the litterbox with no urine output and trying to pee on her nightgown laying on the floor, she immediately took him to the vet. They inserted a catheter and put him on pain medication and an IV and he stayed overnight. When the vet went to release him, she said he peed a steady stream and it went EVERYWHERE! Meaning he emptied his bladder fully and there didn't seem to be any blockage. He got home about 3 hours ago and seems to be visiting the litterbox every 5-10 minutes and only letting out one or 2 drops. Should we take him back to the vet or wait it out? We are very very concerned and terrified that he could die from this. He just recently turned a year old. Someone please help ASAP!!

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
January 4, 2016

Hi Erin, I chatted with the other veterinarians who write for VetzInsight, and we agree that it would be a good idea for your friend to have Biggie rechecked by their veterinarian.  It's too difficult to say what could be going on without seeing him, and medical conditions can definitely change over time.

Erin
January 1, 2016

My friend's cat Biggie had a major obstruction and was catheterized at the vet to release the urine and also 'grit' was released. It's 24 hours later and Biggie is home and he is urinating, just not in the litter box, on the bed or wherever he's lying down. Could this be caused by the muscle relaxants my friend was told to give him every 12 hours, (along with a painkiller every 8 hours) OR is this a sign that something is really really wrong?

Jerry
December 12, 2015

@Melissa not everyone has credit and insurance like you have and it can be expensive. I'm having a similar problem as Keith but I'm lucky to have a credit card to put it on. I thought my cat was having issue because of the food she was eating and tried to change her diet. I think Keith feels pretty bad already as he's stated. I'm not saying he went about things the right way, but I also don't think kicking him while he's down is the way either. He obviously cared enough to put himself out there for criticism to share his story and warn others.

Melissa
December 1, 2015

I found the information below very helpful. I was sickened at the comments Keith left about his animal that he let die of a slow and painful death because of lack of money. A lack of compassion also seems the case. My heart breaks that the animal had to die alone, in pain, and probably scared. just spent almost $2000 on the same issue for my beloved pet. Thanks to credit and insurance I'd gladly pay double the amount as long as an animal never endures pain. I hope Keith, never adopts an animal again. They are a huge responsibility and if you're not up to the challenge don't do it. No pet should have to live in pain because of a careless, fair weather owner. Karma. That is all.

Libby
November 20, 2015

Hello, Thank-you for the article. My Male Savannah cat showed signs of a blockage last Friday night. We rushed him to the vet and they installed a catheter and we expected that in a few days it would b removed and he would come home. The next day at the vet he got it out and blocked again so the vet put it back in and after a few days he still had blood in his urine so they left in in another day and then they removed it. That was yesterday. I called in this morning to check on him and he blocked again last night so they have catheterized him now for the 3rd time. They are stumped and  they do not know where to go from here. It is obvious that he cannot live like this and I am beside myself, he is a super sweet loving boy and he is not even 2 yrs old. DO you have any idea of why we cannot seem to get him unplugged? Any tests or any meds he can be given to dissolve a blockage? My heart is breaking because I fear the worst.

Wanda
November 8, 2015

My cat is suffering from fatty liver disease and we have been forcefeeding him for 2 weeks now.. the last several days he seems to be holding his pee and when it gets to be too much he voids where ever he is at... anywhere from lots to just drops... I am lost as what to do for my cat.. he is 3 yrs old and the vet bill is already rather large

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
October 27, 2015

Hi Amanda, I'm so sorry for what you're going through.  What a way to start a new marriage!  Unfortunately, your kitty really does need to go back to the veterinarian if you haven't taken him already.  A cat that isn't eating is a sick kitty.

Amanda
October 24, 2015

I don't know if anyone reads these comments still... but. I don't know what to do!  I have 2 cats. My husband and I just got married and went in a honeymoon.  We brought the cats to my parent's house to be watched. My one kitty, Olive, was fine. She loves being there. The other was TRAUMATIZED. I now know taking them out of our home was a massive mistake.  Anyway. Kitty #2, Fatty, was not seen once the whole week we were gone. We took him to the vet and learned he was blocked. After 3 days in the hospital (catheter, IV fluids and pain meds) he unblocked and we took him home. He seems to be in better spirits, but he is hardly eating anything (if anything) at all. I know he is hungry bc he whines for food but he won't touch anything. He licks the gravy. Before the block we fed him dry indoor cat food. He loves his occasional can of wet food.  He actually was a huge pig and would eat all of his food (dry or wet), the other cat's leftovers,and and manage to trick my husband and I into feed him twice (not knowing the other had fed him bc he would act like he was starved). How do I get him to eat!? I love my cat and couldn't bare to lose him! I'm hoping he is eating more than we think but I think it's wishful thinking. What do we do?! We spent pretty much all of our wedding money on his first stay at the clinic (goodbye house down payment...) and I want to try to fix hid eating habits myself... but of course we will take him to the vet if necessary. Help!

Bruce
September 30, 2015

Our 17-year old cat Chester had his teeth cleaned yesterday. He had an IV because he has beginning stages of kidney disease, which is being managed. Here's the thing; since getting him home yesterday afternoon at 4:30 he hasn't peed. That was just about 18 hours ago. We did bring him in this morning for them to check his bladder, but it was still ok (soft), but if he doesn't go by 4 we'll need to bring him in again. Here's my question: since this is obviously related to the dental procedure (there were no urinary issues before), what could possibly be causing this?

Katie
September 29, 2015

Hi, I just brought my cat home yesterday after a traumatic experience. Doc said if I didn't bring him in he would have died within hours... That being said, he is great now, eating well, went in the litter box last night, and in good spirits. Was wondering what is next? We are feeding him Hills CL wet food for urinary care. Is there anything else we can do to help aid his recovery? We want to prevent another episode if possible!! Bill was outrageous but as long as the little guys is okay, we are willing to spend it. He also likes to go outside. What do you think about this? should we not allow him to go out anymore? Thank you!!!

Faith
July 17, 2015

I just brought my cat home because of this. They got him unblocked, but he has stones in his bladder. We are trying the diet change s/d cat food first because, well, I can't afford the surgery, I could barely afford this vet bill. But my question is, how do I get him to eat. He has been home 24 hrs now, he is peeing in his box (being kept in the bathroom for a few days per orders), but he has yet to touch his food.

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM
July 15, 2015

Dear Nancy, I'm sorry your cat isn't feeling well.  I know how scary and stressful it is to have a sick pet.  As Dr. Tony mentioned in his article, urinary issues in cats can be complex, and I'm sure your veterinarian is making the absolute best recommendations based on the results of Banjo's examination and urinalysis.  However, as all veterinarians know, circumstances do change, so if you're still concerned or if he seems worse, by all means I'd recommend contacting your veterinarian again. The internet (even VetzInsight) can be full of scary stories, but bear in mind that your veterinarian went through an awful lot of school and training to learn to interpret your cat's signs.  (I've had to train myself to stay away from Dr. Google when it comes to my health or that of my children, so I definitely get the impulse to look up every post!!) Best wishes for Banjo's speedy recovery!

Nancy
July 15, 2015

My cat of 5 yrs has had problems with crystals before. He stopped peeing for just over a day. Took him to vet yesterday. They took urine sample & he peed & pooped in carrier right after. Brought him home. Hasn't peed since yesterday evening. Vet said keep him on the wet SO food. He barely will eat it but drinks all the fluid. Vet said urinalysis showed a few crystals but otherwise is fine. She said give him one more day & if he's still not peeing bring him back for blood work. She said she's not concerned about him not peeing & doesn't think it is blocked, she thinks it could be something else since he's not wanting to eat much.  Should I be concerned & find another vet that is more concerned? Any opinions on this? From what I've read on the posts sounds like my cat, Banjo could indeed have a blockage.

Bertie's Mum
July 4, 2015

My cat was a stray that turned up on the doorstep.  Initially I fed him on a raw meat/natural diet, but he developed a very bad blockage.  I was reluctant to go the vet food route, but after the second blockage, I did.  On the Hills diet (CD with the SD every few months), Bertie has been well now for over 2 years.  He drinks plenty.  I tried him on the wet version of the Hills CD, but he acted like it was poison and wouldn't touch it.  He likes the dried stuff.  Much as I would like him to be on a more varied, natural diet, I am not keen to change as he is very healthy and happy on the Hills diet, and it does seem to be keeping the blockages at bay.  I'm thinking Bertie just has a crappy sort of metabolism, and if he had stayed a stray, he would likely have died a horrible death...  I would caution against being too critical of a dry diet for these cats - a meat-based, raw, natural diet has not worked for him.  It's too horrible seeing him in pain to risk changing what is working.

Keith
June 16, 2015

I buried my 4 year old male cat yesterday. He died a horrible death from this disease.  A month ago he repeatedly tried to use the litter box, with no success.  I thought he was just constipated.  He got better.  Then last Friday I came home from work and he was crying.  I didn't know what to think. He wasn't eating or drinking, or using the litter box.  I just watched him.  Did not call the vet because I figured this would pass.  On Subday morning he was lethargic.  I called the ER vet and they said it would be 1500.00 to cure him if it wasn't too late, and there were no guarantees.  I chose to have him put down, but could not find a vet open in my area.  Monday morning he was still hanging in there, but by the time I got home from work he was gone.  He was bleeding out.  I had to bury him, and it was the hardest thing I have ever done.  I am guilt ridden over not being able to fix it.  But at least he isn't suffering any more.  Poor baby.  So please, if you are reading this, with the first signs of changes take your baby to the vet.  Before it's too late.  By the way my cat was a 21 pound make that lived inside and only ate dry food.  Classic high risk of this condition. Who knew.

Erica 
May 29, 2015

Hi Erica; We try not to delve into individual medical advice on VetzInsight and stay mostly with general information on topics of interest to pet owners, just due to the volume of traffic and the limitations of the online world. You're not ringing any alarm bells, but if he shows any sign of discomfort or pain, or starts acting in an unusual fashion, best to have someone check him out. There's really no way to tell without feeling his bladder. I wish you luck.

Erica 
May 28, 2015

I have a 4 year old male cat who has always had pee issues. He is very finicky about what type of litter he uses and a couple of years ago I found one he uses fine. He also has a big problem with liking to pee outside of the litter box. Trust me, countless vet visits and endless research have ruled out UTIs. All vets have agreed its behavioral. On top of that, he's been on the Royal Canin urinary SO food for the last two years (he had problems with crystals). That being said, he has not been using the litter box the past few days. I found a rug that seems like he may have peed on, but not so much that would allow for a few days worth of pee. So why am I not running him to the emergency room right now? He is absolutely fine otherwise. Eating normally, playing and his bladder doesn't seem swollen. He is a very talkative cat so unfortunately the crying/howling is something I can't mark as unusual. Also, the sounds he's making sound like his normal, talkative self. Not painful. I'm fine to take him to the vet if I have to, but I'm perplexed as to why he seems absolutely fine even after a few days. I've called my vet, they say it's nothing to take him to the emergency room over tonight but to bring him in when I can. I'm just hoping I can get a second opinion through here and perhaps someone has encountered a similar situation. Thank you so much!

Christy Corp-Minamiji, DVM 
April 14, 2015

Hi Lotti, Your new kitty sounds great!  I'd recommend taking her in to your regular veterinarian (or getting established with a vet if you don't already have one) for a wellness examination.  Since she's new to your family and house, it would be a good idea to make sure she's adjusting well and doesn't have any health issues or special medical needs to keep her healthy.
 

Lotti 
April 10, 2015

Hi- thanks for your article. I got a cat about two days ago. She is two years old, lively, curious, and very affectionate. As I wrote this, I saw her use her litter box for the first time. I was worried at first because I could never see or smell any indication that she had used it, which really worried me because for now she is being kept in one "safe room" and I couldn't find any evidence of her peeing or pooping anywhere in the room. Her droppings from a few minutes ago are big and slight green and gooey at the end. I've just started her on a diet of wet food while I think she was raised on dry food. She doesn't seem sick in any way and the pooping didn't seem to cause her much pain, but I'd still like to be sure she's alright. Any advice is welcome.

Dr. Tony Johnson 
March 31, 2015

Hi Amanda; It's a matter of degree and how far you think is right. Even for the very difficult ones, you still have options like a PU or antepubic cystostomy, they just have drawbacks and limitations, expense and aren't widely available. You also have to make sure you're not missing a stone or tumor in the urethra. Sounds like you are doing all you can, but in some cases it either isn't enough, or what is needed to 'fix' it is beyond either financial limits, or beyond what owners feel is the right thing to do  for themselves or for the cat. Good luck and I hope it resolves well.

Amanda 
March 30, 2015

I am currently going through this with one of my cats. This is the second time he has blocked and the first cat I have ever seen where passing a catheter was impossible. ( I am a vet tech) we tried for a while and stopped due to the fact we were worried we were doing more harm than good. We emptied his bladder and are going to attempt surgery to relieve the obstruction from the other side but I am worried. I have 100% trust in my vet but I also know he doesn't want to tell me worst case scenario. Is there a chance that this problem is unfixable? I am fully prepared for every bit of supportive care required. I recently got him a water fountain, I have changed him to a urinary supportive diet, I have done everything in my power to make his home life as stress free as possible And he is the easiest cat in the world to pill so medication is no worry but is there a possibility he is just un-un-blockable?

Tommi 
March 13, 2015

I brought in a urine sample in that day I took him into the vet and he had crystals in his urine.

Dr. Tony Johnson 
March 13, 2015

Hi Tommi; Has your vet ruled out bladder stones and tumors? Usually an X-ray and perhaps ultrasound will be needed for cats who are still having trouble urinating. In cases of idiopathic cystitis (the main focus of the article) the signs usually go away within a few days, unless they have a urethral obstruction. If the signs don't go away, time for a recheck and some more tests. Good luck, Dr. Tony

Tommi 
March 13, 2015

I took my cat to the vet about a week and a half ago with this problem and he gave him two shots to help him feel better and I bought some Science Diet C/D food for him well he's seems to be still having trouble going potty. sometimes I hear a consent sound of him going potty and sometimes he has trouble. I'm so confused. What else could be wrong????

Dr. Tony Johnson 
March 9, 2015

Prazosin is usually only used for a few days, and it's not a magic bullet by any means. It may take the risk of reblocking from 45% to 40% for example, so don't stress about missing a few doses. Getting it compounded at a special pharmacy into a more appealing flavor like fish or beef may make it easier to give, and they can usually make it into a liquid form.  The most important factor to prevent reblocking is to switch to a completely canned food diet and not feed any dry kibble. Good luck and hope that is helpful information.

Sheila 
March 8, 2015

My guy has this issue along with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. He WILL NOT take his med for the UO. He is not motivated by food treats etc. without putting stress on his heart. We are very worried that he will re block without his prazosin. Any suggestions??

Bonnie Lambert 
March 2, 2015

Thank you for saying it is a life long trick to deal with and it is okay to give them relief by putting them to sleep. We just had to do this with a very wonderful stray cat who came to us ill but so loving. I tried all I knew but here is what happened for others to view. He was less than a year old. He drank a lot of water ,about 2 cups a day, and than suddenly stopped drinking and started straining and stopped peeing. In less than 48 hours he was in trouble and the vet recommended we put him down. I was kicking myself thinking I did not do enough with different diets . He also had hair loss on the base of his tail which did get better with antibotics but that did not help the UT problem. He was such a sweet and intelligent cat and I miss him terribly. Thanks for this site because I now know I did the best thing for him.

Dr. Tony Johnson 
February 25, 2015

The natural course of this disease is to go away after a few days, so the signs resolving after a course of antibiotics doesn't mean that infection was there. This can be confusing to a lot of people since it may definitely seem as though the antibiotics resolved the problem.  However, it's equally likely that the signs cleared up temporarily on their own. It is also common for the signs to recur months or years later spontaneously.  The vast majority of these cases have no infection, but people do often request antibiotics because of the association of their being used with the resolution of the signs. It's very seductive to think that antibiotics will cure this condition, but they won't in most cases.  Please do consider that your cat has a recurrent problem that is painful, life-threatening, and highly unlikely to be "cured" by a simple course of antibiotics.  Diagnostic testing and recommendations for management changes really are necessary to help your cat have a decent quality of life.

Fay 
February 24, 2015

I've had this happen with my male cat who is 13 years old. He hadn't peed in a few days. I took him to the Vet on the fourth day, thinking he may have peed somewhere in the apartment, but after going on hands and knees I found nothing, and took him in. As soon as I carried him into the Vet, he peed. A lot. In his carrier. So much so that the Vet assistant was kind enough to clean out his carrier for me. The Vet did urine tests from that pee he had in his carrier, and found he had a high PH in his urine, which meant he had a UTI. The Vet said nothing else was found or seemed abnormal. He said he "may" have had a crystal and it dislodged while I was carrying him in and he finally went. I think he peed out of fear because he hates car rides and carriers. None the less, I gave him antibiotics the Vet prescribed and the whole ordeal was over. Six months later, my cat is having the same issue. I called the Vet who refused to give me the antibiotic for fear this time he may not go at all, wants me to bring him in again. This time, I think I will just go to another Vet. Most Vets from my experience instill fear in every owner always telling them your pet will die if you don't do this NOW NOW NOW. I understand NOT peeing is a HUGE deal, but my cat survived. This time, I think I will just put him in his carrier and see if he will pee again thinking he has to go to the Vet. I will take him to a new Vet just for the antibiotics, but charging outrageous amounts of money for testing this and that is ridiculous.

Yvonne 
December 9, 2014

Thank you Dr. Tony and all who have commented....you are a Godsend.  My beloved Wrigley, age 6 was hospitalized 48 hours ago.  He is miserable.  The vet removed the cath last night to see if he  could urinate on his own -- he did not. They will re-cath him and want to keep him him like that for a couple more days.  My heart is breaking. I had wanted to bring him home, but upon reading this article, I know I must be patient and let the vet and his kind staff do what has to be done. However, I'm really confused about how long this should go on before I contact the specialist in the Houston (Spring, TX) area. Can you give me any guidance? I don't want to lose him, but I don't want him to suffer for a long time. Dr. Tony, your article has made a difference in my life - I am forever grateful. Prayers are welcome.

Jim 
December 2, 2014

We're in the middle of dealing with this issue in one of our cats.  He is 21 months old and needed to go to the emergency vet after being unable to urinate.  X-ray and ultrasound shows no stones or crystals.  The poor guy is on his fourth catheterization right now for an episode that started last Weds, the day before Thanksgiving.  Now it's early the following Wednesday.  The first one they reported "urethral grit" was potentially part of the issue, but on the second and third catheterizations it was reported they went in quite easily.  The cat has been on anti-spazmodics, anti-bacterials, anti-inflammatics, and pain medications and hasn't left the emergency vet care for almost a week now, and the cost is enormous (over $3000 so far).  The third catheter was removed at 8pm last night and they called at 1:30am to say he was unable to urinate (only a few drops) and re-catheterized him (the fourth catheter for this episode).  I'm concerned he didn't have enough time to do it himself, but I wasn't there and didn't observe him so I don't know how much he was trying or straining.  Nobody can explain exactly why this is happening, but after reading about the PU surgery I'm inclined to keep fighting this fight until he can urinate normally on his own.  We have to decide whether to go with the PU surgery or transition him to our vet who is not in the office 24 hours per day, but is willing to keep trying and try some therapies she has used in the past including valium or something similar to really relax him.  We've had an incredibly stressful week.  I'm not even convinced that the PU surgery will solve the problem at this point.  The emergency vet does have a triple board certified surgeon available if we get to the point where we do surgery, but it's still hard to justify making that choice.  The biggest problem here is that we don't know why he cannot urinate, even though all the catheterizations occurred without complications.  On the second one there was even some urine leaking out around the catheter!  We also don't know if it is safe to catheterize this many times and what effect that has on him in terms of being able to do anything when it is pulled.  We'll definitely change diet to wet food and make sure enough water is had and fix whatever we have to fix around the house, but we just have to get him to urinate on his own first.  From everything I've read it is extremely unusual to have a cat that cannot urinate following multiple catheterizations in the same urinary blockage episode.  So looking at the title of your article, I agree, a total nightmare. :<

Michele Gaspar, DVM, DABVP (Feline) 
August 22, 2014

Hi, Johana, Whether to pursue a perineal urethrostomy really depends on several factors :  What was the underlying cause of the obstruction (crystals, mucous plus, etc.) and whether or not the urethra is strictured/narrowed.  A perineal urethrostomy demands excellent surgical technique, as complications can be catastrophic.  So, I would only have this procedure (if necessary) performed by a surgeon with significant experience.  Your location makes finding such a veterinarian challenging. Your best bet might be to travel to Mexico City (the veterinary school at the National Autonomous University, UNAM) or the States.  I recognize that this will not be inexpensive, but if the surgical procedure needs to be done, those are the best options. As far as management in the meantime, I would use a canned diet and add in as much water, low-sodium chicken broth or other broths (no milk) as your cat will tolerate.  Make the diet soupy.  Risk factors for urethral obstructions include obesity, a very concentrated urine, a dry diet and little water consumption.  Our domestic cats are descendants of animals who lived in the deserts of what is now North Africa and Israel, so they are not "designed" to drink much water.  They are designed to get their water from their food.  If crystals are a problem, dilution of the urine with the above mentioned canned foods and extra water can help. Good luck and I hope your kitty does well.

Johana 
August 22, 2014

Hi, I ran into this article and I am going through this with my cat. He is 3 years old, almost 4, and this is the second time he's having trouble to pee. He has been treated with Antibiotics and antinflammatories but he's having some trouble again. The thing is that in the place I live (Honduras) they don't have the equipment for the PU surgery. Do you have any suggestions. (Euthanise is not an option). And yes blocked cats suck :(

Stephen Hill 
June 27, 2014

I just experienced this with my 3 yr old male cat.  $1500 later, he's home again, but of course now on very more expensive prescription food (Royal Canin SO).  In a way, I think the research I've read on the internet seems to suggest not to even bother adopting a male cat?  I'm retired and truly can't afford a repeat episode.

Dr. Tony Johnson 
April 3, 2014

Mahshtay, Perineal urethrostomy is the surgery, and it is no walk in the park. It is really more of a salvage procedure and alternative to euthanasia, but for some cats it is a lifesaver.  The rule of thumb is 'three strikes and you're out' - meaning 3 obstructions and that's where we start talking surgery, but I have had some folks opt for it after the first one saying 'I don't want to go through that again'. Cats who get a PU are more prone to incidences of urinary tract infection (UTI). I hope you call can find a way through this without surgery, but it is something to consider and talk over (pros and cons) with your veterinarian. Good luck

Mahshtay 
April 2, 2014

Thanks Dr. Tony Johnson. Well, we were back in the ER again last night with another blockage. This after having him on the special food for two weeks. I thought he was doing better and then the blockage came on again, kind of out of the blue if that makes sense.  The ER vet started talking about surgery to widen the urethra that should prevent future blockages. That seems extreme at this point but the vet pointed out we may get there down the road.  You don't mention surgery in this article.  Any thoughts or resources on that? Thanks again for your response.

Dr. Regina Milano 
March 20, 2014

Yes, soft food diet is a must.  Don't be fooled by hard foods that claim to be "urinary formula".  They can still lead to other similar urinary conditions.

Dr. Tony Johnson 
March 20, 2014

Mahshtay. Sorry your cat was afflicted! I hate this disease, and your wonderment and mystification are shared by many a cat owner. If you are not into Hill'sm every company makes a diet for this condition, and you could also get a nutrition consult (UC Davis offers them) and get a home cooked version. I think Hill's may be the best commercial version, but more importantly than any prescription diet is offering  100% canned food for these cats. It's not easy to do, and some cats won't tolerate it, but it does cut down on the recurrence rate.

Mahshtay 
March 19, 2014

Thanks for this article. I rushed my cat to the emergency vet at midnight when he couldn't pee and started making the scariest noises.  Luckily, I think I caught the problem early. The vet removed the block with a catheter and flushed his system and put him on Prazosin to relax the urethra. He's been peeing on his own since.  But my cat has never had problems peeing before, always uses the litter box and is very good about drinking water and eating his wet food. I'm mystified about what caused this. They want me to put him on the c/d food but I looked at the ingredients and I'm not impressed.  Has anyone had any luck managing this with other food?  Any suggestions?

Justin Braxton 
March 14, 2014

I really like the way this article is written. It's very useful information but it's also interesting and easy to read. I wish more veterinary medicine articles were more like this.

Kate Johnson 
March 14, 2014

My Sammy has lived with this for about 7 years he's been eating urinary so for all that time I spend about 100 dollars every time I buy food. but still can't afford vet bills.