Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome)

RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Drew (Guest Post) (10/07/2008) Hi Everyone First, let me say that I am so sad to read some of these posts! I know how much it would kill me to lose my cat. Last night, about 3:00am Dutch, my 8 year old Tonk, started screaming and would not stop. I was annoyed because he is very vocal and sometimes goes on like this for no reason. I placed him in his room and closed the door. About 4:30 I heard his screaming getting louder and not like his typical cry. I open the door and he had vomited, had an accident, and was squatting trying to pee without success. I rushed him to the vet and just returned home. My bill is alreay at $1500 and he may have to stay for two more days (but they think he will be ok). They said a few more hours and he would have been in big trouble. Regarding the food, I am not convinced that it is related. Dutch has always only eaten the best food, Wellness Brand and Pet Promise (both whole muscle meat based dry food). He has never eaten wet food, does not eat people food, and has always been a big drinker of water Not sure what caused it but I am happy I caught it Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Carol (Guest Post) (09/30/2008) I too recently had my 5yr old cat completely block. I determined at 5pm he was blocked. I called my VET and he was closing so I had to take the cat to another VET that was opened until 8pm. They couldn't unblock him and said I would have to bring him to the Emergency VET that is only open at night. They knocked the cat out and unpluged him with a catheter. He was watched overnight to make sure he had urine flow threw the catheter. We had to pick him up by 7:30am (because now the night VET is closing) with catheter in place and a cone around his neck so he wouldn't pull the cath out with is teeth. Now we were told to take him back to the day VET because he had to be watched for at least 24 hours. The day VET kept him overnight (if the pet is out of danger, they just leave the pets there alone). We picked out kitty up and he seems to be doing pretty good, I hope! Must change his diet also. All this for $ 985.00. I was brokenhearted reading all the posts from people that had to put their pet down or just leave them be sick because of the expense. The costs are just ridulous! This is not even a surgery, it is a procedure. I paid for some things 3 times, like the office visit. Paid 2 times for IV fluids. The poor sick cat in and out of the carrier and his painful bladder grabbed at repeatedly. I'm going to find a animal hospital that is 24 hours (might cost more, but then maybe it won't considering how services had to be repeated) for the comfort of my pet and myself. If they close at 6 or 8 oclock, they are clinics, not hospitals. Sorry I'm rambling on but I was just so disgusted with the whole process and I thought the costs were ridiculous. I'm keeping a close eye on my kitty and changing his diet and hoping for the best. Good Luck to everyone and your furry family members. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Bobbie Jo (Guest Post) (09/29/2008) My cat is back from a four day, 1200 dollar, stay in the hospital because of fus. It's been quite an ordeal, and although he is home, he isn't better. We asked the vet about the food because all that I read on this page, and he told us that it isn't the food. It is the cat. He said that about 5% of the cats in the world have a sensitivity to magnesium, an element used to preserve the food. Purina products happen to have a very high content of magnesium which causes the blockages. He likened it to a lactose intolerant person- it isn't the milk that is bad, but the way the person processes the milk. It can be present forever, or it can suddenly develop. So, we need to be vigilant about the magnesium content in the foods that we serve our pets. This adventure has surely taught me a lot. I hope that the information helped. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Laura (Guest Post) (09/26/2008) I feed my cats Purina Indoor Formula as well, and think one of my cats has a blockage. He doesn't act like it hurts, and his behavior is totally normal, but the past few days has been going in and out of the litter box and peeing just going a tablespoon at a time. After reading all of your comments about sudden deaths, I am taking him to the vet tomorrow. I called Purina and they claimed to know nothing about all the urinary problems the food causes, but said they will send me coupons for free high protein food. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Bobbie Jo (Guest Post) (09/23/2008) So, today we had to take our cat to the hospital for FUS. It's going to cost about 1000 to fix him- if the vet can- and a few days in the hospital away from home. The earliest we are looking at getting him home is Thursday evening. I wonder if anyone brought their complaints to the BBB about Purina One pet foods, and what were the results? I would like to make a complaint, but don't know how to do it. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Devon (Guest Post) (09/23/2008) I just lost my 3 year old Russian blue mix to a blockage. They wanted 650 to unblock him and I just didn't have the money. I was devastated. I couldn't help feeling it was my fault and I could have prevented it and I could have but i didn't have the knowledge so I guess I can't really beat myself up anymore. I just have to learn from my mistakes and move on. So I've just gotten a new little kitty and I'm going to do this right. What I'm leading to is the information I've gotten from a very wonderful vet and some wonderful websites. And this is what I got. Cats are meat eaters, whole grains and proteins from plants are very bad for them which all dry cat foods have even those special uti foods your vet sells you. I was told that the PH balance is a link to the problem but not the cause. I was told the best thing for my cat is wet food and raw meat and lots of water. I was also told cats have a low thirst drive and need to get most of there water from there food. I believe this is the best thing for my cat and I'm not going through this again thanks for allowing me to share and I hope people benefit from this and never have to make the same mistakes. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Bobbie Jo (Guest Post) (09/22/2008) Today I found out that my cat also has FUS. It is heart breaking watching and waiting. Reading your posts helped me realize that there must be a connection between the FUS and the food we feed. We also use the Purina One brand of food. Thinking that we were doing the right thing, and now it turns out to be a huge, expensive mistake! Have any of you been successful with your reports to the BBB? Has anyone contacted Purina and made a complaint? I can't believe that this hasn't been in the newspapers yet. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Mama of Marley (Guest Post) (09/22/2008) I was feeding my cat Indoor formula as well. We're doing the catheter procedure as we speak. I hope this isn't another manufacturer error that's injuring pets! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By arudd31 (Guest Post) (09/22/2008) Are you freakin' kidding me???? I just got my 4 yr old cat, Wilder, out of the vet ($1200) because of urinary blockage!! He was growling while trying to use the litter box and his bladder looked like a tennis ball on the x-ray. He is fine now, however I read the other posts about Purina One-Indoor formula below - can you believe that that is the same food all 3 of my cats have been eating the past month?? I am definitely taking this to the Better Business Bureau - this is insane. If this had happened a month or so ago, I would not have been able to afford this bill. This is outrageous - I'm telling all of my friends whow own cats about this. In all of my life, we've always owned male cats, and NOT ONE of them had EVER blocked like Wilder. I can't help but see the relationship between food and vet bill. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post by jkmajor (1) | (09/22/2008) Contact My condolences to those who lost their pets. That's tough. I'm taking Major to the vet today because he has recurring blood in his urine. My husband says we just cannot afford the astronomical vet bills if we have to do surgery. I'm very nervous about todays outcome. The information that each of you have posted is greatly appreciated. I feel so much more informed and prepared for todays visit. Thanks again, JK. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Toby (Guest Post) (09/03/2008) I had to take my 9 year old male cat Panthor into the vet because he had gotten so weak over just 2 days that he was almost comatose and I didn't realize he hadn't been urinating since he only goes outdoors to potty. They realized it was a blockage and catheterized him, but since it was labor day weekend and already that Friday, I had to take him over to the much more expensive 24-hour vet. They kept the catheter in for 2 days, were giving him fluids but he wasn't eating. He got a lot stronger, acting more normal, but when they took out the cathater he wouldn't urinate and he still wouldn't eat after 4 days. They realized his bladder had probably torn and was leaking into his abdomen, they wanted to re-insert the catheter and schedule surgery to repair the bladder. I had to put him down because I didn't have another $1000+ to spend after I already have $1500 in bills just for the past few days hospitalization, tests, meds, etc. I feel just terrible, he was such a loving and sweet cat but I just didn't have the money and the emergency vet doesn't do payments and I already maxed out my Care Credit card. The vet was concerned about lasting kidney damage and that was still not determined. I still don't know if I did the right thing or if I should have found a way to pay for everything he would have needed. Or maybe it would have just happened again, I don't know. But I do feed my cats (I still have 3) Purina Complete (blue bag) plus Friskees wet and after reading these posts I think I am going to switch. I will put my other male cat on a UT wet food and switch the dry food for all of them, paying close attention to the magnesium and fish meal ingredients. It may cost more but it will be well worth it if I never have to go through this with another cat ever again. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Nancy Campbell (Guest Post) (08/26/2008) Hi there! First of all, I am SO sorry to hear about your loss! That is so heartbreaking to hear your kitty passed away! I just rushed my male cat into the emergency last night for blockage (he didn't pee for a day and I noticed last night he tried and nothing came out. Then his back legs went limp - if this every happens to anyone's cat, bring them in the emergency immediately!) Boo Bear has a catheter in him for 2 days and we will have to change his diet. Fortunately we caught it before any kidney damage. Again, I am so sorry to hear about your loss, but thank you for posting up with priceless information for others! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By ANNA (Guest Post) (08/20/2008) SIX YEARS AGO MY BJ AT AGE 4 YEARS GOT BLOCKED. STRAINING CRYING AND CRANKY. MY VET TOOK ONE LOOK AT HIM AND PUT HIM OUT AND CLEARED THE BLOCKAGE.$9OO. NEXT MORNING TOOK OUT THE TUBE AND TWENTY MINUTES LATER BJ BLOCKED UP AGAIN.[$550]. THREE MONTHS LATER AGAIN BLOCKED ($600). NEVER NEVER AGAIN WILL I ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANOTHER ONE OF THE MALES I OWN INSIDE OR OUT.MY HEART COULDN'T HANDLE IT. CD,CD,CD,CD,CD,CD,CD, BOWLS HERE ,BOWLS THERE , WATER EVERYWHERE. AND LITTER BOXES CLEANED ,WASHED SCOOPED AND CHANGED. FEMALES CAN ALSO BLOCK UP SO KEEP AN EYE ON ALL OF THEM. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Carie (Guest Post) (08/14/2008) Blockages are caused by urine that is PH imbalanced. I would recommend that anyone with a male cat feed a urinary tract formula food. They are made to have balance the PH and help keep crystals from forming. Crystals form, roll around in the bladder, become like grains of sand, roll around some more and turn into stones (kind of like a snowball accumulating the more it rolls). Also, your vet may sell a tablet called DLM. Basically, you smash up one tablet a day and put it into a teaspoon of canned food. Easy solutions for such a HUGE problem in male cats. Best of luck to everyone w/male cats. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Elizabeth (Guest Post) (08/12/2008) I have had two bouts with this disease in my many many years of owning cats; one made it ($1200) and the other, sadly was being cared for while I was away and they thought he was just missing me. By the time I got home and realized what was happening, it was too late. This was over 8 years ago. I finally found out then that fish meal in dry food is what causes the blockages. Since then, I read the ingredients on all dry food meticulously and never buy any with fish meal, no matter how small the concentration. I have not had an issue since then. I believe that manufacturers know of this possibility but are just not saying anything. If you look at the Purina One Urinary Tract dry food, it has no fish meal. I stick with Chicken based foods. I am a Rescue Agency volunteer and have had, over the years, many many male cats. I have 8 in my household right now. Hope this info helps some of you avoid a very painful episode for your cat and heartache for you. Report Spam or Abuse HELP! Post By Stacey (Guest Post) (08/09/2008) I noticed last Saturday that my 2 year old orange tabby, Tucker, was squatting throughout the house and meowing loudly. I knew something was really wrong so I called our vet only to find out they were only open until noon that day. They referred us to the emergency vet so of course we took him there. Turns out, he was severely blocked. They released the blockage and wanted to keep him overnight for a grand total of $1300. There was no way we could afford that so we asked for a second alternative. They agreed to relive him, flush him and feed him fluids and then released him to us that night. Monday morning, Tucker was doing the same thing again so I took him into the regular vet only to find out he was blocked again. They kept him overnight and fed him fluids, removed the blockage and flushed him again. Wednesday, we were able to pick him up. But now, it's Saturday night and he's still not urinated more than an M&M size and isn't drinking very much or eating. We have him on some pain medication and antibiotics to help with possible infections, but he's quite insistent on licking himself and after trying to urinate, he's meowing and growling. We talked to the vet and the vet said he may still be in a lot of pain do to the catheter being in him previously, but I'm worried about another blockage. I have 3 different water bowls set up throughout the house and 3 different food bowls as well hoping that he will eat or drink something. How long does this usually go on? We can't afford to keep getting him unblocked if this keeps up and I don't want to have to put him down...my heart won't be able to take it. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By ashley (Guest Post) (08/05/2008) Today my sister and I had to put our cat down. The vet said that he had a blockage in his bladder due to his diet, we feed him purina cat chow. My cat was mostly a outdoor cat so we did not notice that he was not using the bathroom properly. I would advise everyone to keep a close eye on your cat. This is the hardest thing that i have ever had to go through, and I hope no one else has to go through this either. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Jamie (Guest Post) (08/04/2008) I had just lost my cat Slick on July 30 2008 due to blockage in his bladder. He was only 4 years old:(I fed him Purina Cat Chow Indoor Formula. He was urinating for days and I called the vet and they said to give him water, which was stupid cause he was drinking plenty of water and eating normally until the night I came home and found him past out in his litter box. I rushed him to the emergency vet and they told me he had crystals in his bladder and his bladder was so large the poisons of his urine was killing him and that's why he was so weak. They wanted $1,000 up front to run tests on him. They wouldn't bill me later or anything and they let him sit there and get weaker rather than try to save his life. I knew nobody who had that kind of money and still to put him down they wanted $65. My brother's girlfriend paid them their money and I wanted to give Slick the time he deserved with his family so my sister came there with Slick's brother Bob and my dog Lady to say goodbye. I think they both knew they would never see him alive again. I feel that Slick's death was not handled humanely by the vet who wanted their money only and not to save his life. He was such a beautiful energetic cat with a lot of life to give and his life was cut short due to the vet not trying and Purina making a terrible product that I feel in my heart killed him. He was as healthy as can be and now he's gone leaving a big whole in my heart. I would like to contact the BBB as well but don't know how to go about it. Can someone help me? I don't want another cat have to died because people don't do their jobs correctly and sell a bad products for sweet animals that just want to live life and love:) I will tell you this; I will never go to that vet again and I will NEVER buy another PURINA product again! To all of you that read this, if you have another cat/dog at home make sure to never feed this product to them EVER! Thanks for listening. RIP Slick May 27,2004-July 30,2008 Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By (Guest Post) (07/18/2008) Jenny you need to take your cat the vet asap, it could be bladder blockage Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Erin (Guest Post) (07/13/2008) I absolutely cannot believe this!!! I just took my baby in yesterday with the same problem! Luckily, I caught it really early and my vet said that he will be OK. I fed my sweetie, Mr. Boops, the Purina Cat Chow Indoor Formula in the green bag. Please, if you know someone with a cat or are reading this, let everyone know! I am going to investigate the Better Business Bureau and see about protesting the Purina company. We have GOT to do something to save them! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By christine (Guest Post) (07/04/2008) Just wanted to throw in my two cents. We just brought home our 4 yr. old male kitty from the emergency vet clinic, after spending four nights there. He had been straining weeks ago. After vet visits (no sign of blockage, infection or crystals) he seemed ok. Then he suddenly was straining again, but still was not blocked or infected. However, 24 hours later he was vomiting, sick, straining and now blocked. He's back from the emergency clinic now, but he's still straining. The vet says this is normal after the catheterization and all he's been through. I just wanted you all to know how quickly it can escalate and that straining may still occur. We also had recently bought Meow Mix. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By chelsea (Guest Post) (06/22/2008) My cat came into my room today meowing and hes usually a quiet cat. He was also restless. Besides that, you wouldn't have noticed anything was wrong. I had a feeling he was sick so my mother and I took him to the vets and found out he had a urinary track blockage. I haven't heard from the vets yet, and I'm so scared. I hope my baby is okay. =( Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Missing Bubba (Guest Post) (06/17/2008) My 3 year old male cat BUBBA had a UTI last year that was cured by meds. This past week he showed signs of another and instead of bringing him in we tried feeding him food that would help with the UTI. The next morning he was throwing up. I figured it was from the new food because we had never changed his food before. After a few hours of him getting sick I took him into the Vet who felt his bladder and told me it was as hard as a rock. He had a blockage and that was causing him to get sick. At that point he was too damaged and it was too expensive to try to cure him, we had to put him down. They wanted $700-$1000 to try to do surgery when the Vet let us know it was a bad case of blockage and that he felt would be difficult to do. I guess in some cases they even have to remove part of the penis to clear the blockage. I didn't want to put him through all that. We are lost and lonely without him but after reading some posts about how blockage can reaccur in most cats I know it was better to not have him go through all the pain. My advice is to read the lables on your cat food and make sure that there is not a lot of magnesium. We used Purina - Complete Care (blue bag) high in magnesium, which we had no idea made it worse. I would also advise you to take your cat in ASAP when he is showing signs of a UTI. Good luck to all you owners who may have to make the same decision I did. It is hard, but it is better for the cat. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Puff's family (Guest Post) (05/25/2008) I can't believe it....I just read your post about Wholesome Goodness by Meow Mix. Our cat was rushed to the hospital yesterday and was almost comatose by the time we got him there. They didn't think he would make it. Thankfully, he's doing much better and hopefully coming home tomorrow. We also had picked up a bag of this so-called "healthy cat food" for the same reason; the store was out of his favorite and we thought it sounded not only good but also healthy for him. Instead, he almost died and we have a $2000 bill for everything that went into saving his life. Puff's 10 years old and has never had a health problem until now. I think it's time for a recall by Meow Mix and a class action suit. Save your empty bags and your veterinary bills.....it's time for the pet food companies to provide genuinely, healthy, quality food for our pets. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Hope (Guest Post) (05/11/2008) Please everyone let the word out. "Meow Mix Wholesome Goodness" is like poison for cats! It only took one bag for both of my cats to end up in the hospital for four nights. GRAINS ARE DANGEROUS for cats! And right on the label they advertise "wholesome grains like rice and barley". It's ludicrous! The store was out of my cats usual food, so I gave this a shot. Only later realizing it's lethal potential from the vet, after they were sent in for emergency care! They had blockage due to crystals, severe infection, as well as traumatizing kidney damage. It's only the 2nd night since they've been home and already they have to go back! I can't stand thinking about however many more thousands of people that will go through this, having no idea they are putting they're cats life in danger. I should also add that they are both only 6 years old. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Jessica (Guest Post) (04/27/2008) You wont believe this! My two year old healthy male cat just had this blockage today $1800.00. He was screaming in pain and I took him to the vet just earlier. The only thing we did is give him Purina indoor cat since he was out of his old food! Now I see others have had this issue to! WHY IS THIS FOOD NOT BEING RECALLED! My kitty is still in the hospital and I am praying he is okay. I just cant believe this! If this happened to humans it would be all over the news and something would be done about this ASAP. I am contacting the FDA, we all should as well. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By cass (Guest Post) (04/21/2008) I feel awful about not knowing what i just did to my poor Fuzzer. About 16 years ago he had FUS and we put him on Hills CD. I also used Science diet for years. About 3 years ago he developed Diabetes and was taken off this and put on Purina DM. About 3 days ago I fed him some Purina indoor because I ran out before getting back to the vet. Now he is gone. He had another bout of FUS right after his 17th birthday and they could not unplug him! Please everyone do not feed this to your cat! I wish I had only known. I am heartbroken.. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By jen (Guest Post) (04/14/2008) My kitty boy Murry Butters, has had this blockage twice under my care. I rescued him from a filthy desperate situation 3 years ago, as an adult. It's been a rough road. I feed him Iams original in the orange bag, and mix friskys special diet wet food in with the dry. The wet food is supposed to help maintain urinary ph. I too am on a fixed income, and cannot afford the high priced RX foods from the vets office, so I'm trying to do what I can through placing bowls of clean fresh water in the places I know he likes to hang out in and always keeping the litter clean and dry. Also over feeding I've heard can aggravate the problem. The thing I have trouble dealing with, is the possibility of loosing my baby Murry early. He's my best friend. So far so good! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By lmm (Guest Post) (04/12/2008) I've had 3 male cats that blocked with the crystals in the urine. I lost the first two with the problem. The vets would just unplug them and send me home with them. The 3rd time, I went to a different vet that had an assistant that had about 13 cats of her own. This time the cat was hospitalized for 3 days and not returned to me until he was stabilized. They then explained the importance of the cat's diet in controlling this problem. I have fed only Hill's Feline CD or Purina UR, both prescription diets, since to all my cats (current population is 4 males and 11 females) and have not had the plugged up male problem. My last problem was about 12 years ago and that male is still a healthy 15 yr old today. The prescription diets are expensive, but my personal experience has been that they are worth every penny in prevention as they are high quality foods and I have very few health issues given the number of animals I care for. I do have a female with reoccurring bacterial infections of the urinary tract, a different problem, and this feed does not prevent her problems from coming back. She is a crippled manx with birth defects in the hindquarters which may contribute to her problems. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post by jaspermom (1) | (04/10/2008) Contact I have 2 male cats that get uti about every 2 years,never had to do surgury they just gave me medications,well about 3 weeks ago my female cat went in for the same thing,i told them what thety did for my male cats and that should work for her,the vet wanted to do exrays and then blood work and the operation and when i told her no just give me the medication she made me feel like a bad mother,anyways good news in about 2 days the cat was peeing just fine and she is back to normal,now i know that she will get again but they told me that if you get them right in that helps and that operation is only the last resort,kinda funny how one tells you one thing and then the other tells you sometthing eles. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Lauren (Guest Post) (01/21/2008) FYI, we've switched foods a couple weeks ago to Purina Indoor...same problem...our male cat's been twice to stay at the vet in 10 days = $1700. Wish I'd seen these posts before....vet is recommending Hill's CD canned food only for a while (maybe a little of Hills Cd dry later) as cats are carnivores, ancestral to the desert, and need a wet diet. Also, says our current canned Fancy Feast is tasty "crack" for kitties with no real nutrition. I sure hope this food change works and we have no more issues. I like my cats and don't like to see them suffering! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Jennifer (Guest Post) (01/21/2008) My cat had stones in his bladder aout 2 years ago. We took him to Banfield (Petsmart) and they atually removed the stones for us and put him on a prescribed diet. 2 years later the same problem happened last night. I knew what it was right away since it has happened before. I took him to Emergency Care since it was a Sunday and my regular vet was closed. They inserted a catheter and released the blockage. That 1 night in emergency care was about $900.00. Today, I took him to my regular vet and they said he should have surgery due to the fact that he had this same issue 2 years ago. I think they call it "P U" surgery but they are actually turning him into a girl. I guess the opening to the male cats penis is very small and narrow and that leads to the blockage. So, he is having surgery tomorrow so we won't have this problem anymore. The surgery is about $1,700.00 through Banfield in Petsmart. It is a lot of money but there is nothing I wouldn't do for that cat. If your cat is crying in pain and trying to go to the restroom try to take him to the vet ASAP. The blockage is very painful for them. Many vets offer insurance plans to reduce the costs. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Felicia (Guest Post) (10/12/2007) My cat is on his third bout of urinary blockage. I had to take him to a 24 hour vet. clinic last night because I know it can be fatal and the thought of losing him scared me. (so does the vet bill!!) It really amazes me how such a large size cat can be blocked so easily and quickly. I wish there was a sure fire solution for it. For all of you that have pets with this problem, I feel for you. I guess I will have to pay off my credit card once again. Have to make sacrifices sometimes, I guess! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post by shishi (34) | (09/21/2007) Profile | Contact If you feed your cat Science Diet from the time you bring it home, FUS should be a non-issue. I know it's too late for those pets mentioned in the posts, but remember this for future pets. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Mary (Guest Post) (09/21/2007) We are heartbroken at our home. OUR DET DIED TODAY BECAUSE I HAD TO PUT MIM DOWN AT THE VETS. WE FED HIM PURINA INDOOR CAT FOOD. WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS. Editor's Note: So sorry for your loss. It's always hard to lose a pet. If this was on a recall list you may be able to do something but if your pet was old, there may be nothing you can do. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Heather (Guest Post) (09/07/2007) I wish the stupid cat food makers would quit loading the cats food with fiber and vegetable content. I just lost Jaders to this issue. Cats need protein. To all of you out there, I am sorry for your loss, and just know we will see our furry friends again one day. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Tara (Guest Post) (05/03/2007) Please, please be careful of Purina Indoor Cat Chow. It is the one that comes in the green bag. After 3 weeks of giving this food to my cat, his urinary tract blocked. I never knew anything about this, but apparently that particular food has a very high amount of magnesium in it, and that's what blocked poor Wiley's tract. He is fine now, I have switched his food and paid the 1300 dollar vet bill.... I have spoken with several veterinarians who have told me that Purina Indoor Cat Chow has been the cause of many urinary blockages, sometimes resulting in deaths of cats. Please be careful. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Tricia (Guest Post) (03/11/2007) I work at an animal hospital and my male cat got blocked. Also he had never had a UTI infection before he got blocked. I had the surgery two days later for him. As most of you know, getting blocked can be fatal for a cat. The surgery was two months ago... he is on his special Diet with no treats. But he is still showing signs of a UTI. He has been on all the meds and so forth and nothing is helping. Luckily though with the surgery I do not have to worry about him getting blocked again. But I do have to worry about Kidney problems in the future. So I hope this helps people that think surgery will fix it. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By pfj (Guest Post) (03/07/2007) Although It is not something everyone can do but if you are up to it and your cat lets you try this, you have to try to unblock them manually. My vet said they try this first. My cat objected a bit, but let me do it. When they are so far along that they cannot move, they usually are to weak to object, but they do still try to expell the stones. Because the cost of unblocking a cat has gone ski high in price, I took the chance to help him. DO NOT PRESS ON HIS BLADDER, but you can try to work the stones out by manipulating his penis from deep in between the back legs. Locate as deeply as you can, where the urethra is and gently kneed the penis towards the prostate (that is where they usually block and the stone cannot make it past this round little ball). I would rather try this then watch my guy pass away in front of me, as I have experienced twice now... not because I did not bring him to the vet first time around, but because he reblocked as soon as he was home and being a weekend the costs tripled. Please do not go hacking away at the poor kitty, but try to gently help him out... get a feel for what you are doing, and if he crys out, that can be expected. Persist a little until you feel it is actually YOU that is hurting him and not the stone. Remember, some stones may be too big to pass and this could be hard on both of you. When he unblocks you will know,,, make sure your face is not in the way and accept the mess that follows. There will be a lot of urine and some blood along with white stuff that looks a geletanous looking substance, that are actually the stones and they dry up after they are expelled. Good Luck and remember we sometimes suffer a lot when we have to heal so, a little courage may help kitty live a while longer. They do have to have special food, if not expect them to reblock. Some vet may object to this posting, but they have made this operation out of reach for a lot of people so I decided to that my chances, with a time limit of course. Sunday nights are usually the night I have the problem, and if I see he is failing, I will bring him to the vet to say goodbye, when I do not have the extra money. ( I take care of many cats so my decisions are dictated by cost). If you have only one cat, you may want to have the vet try first. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By tee (Guest Post) (10/27/2006) My cat went to the vet and got surgery. He is back to the same situation even after me giving him the special food and changing his liter box often and also giving fresh water everyday. Right now Im giving him pain medician given by the vet from the operation. What next???? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Jenny (Guest Post) (08/26/2006) Poppy is eight years old. She's been off her food on and off but being an outside cat, I haven't been able to study her faeces. I have noticed, however that when I've seen her trying to 'go' she walks away and doesn't cover anything up, so I assume she hasn't done anything? She keeps meowing all the time - normally a very quiet cat, so when she disppeared for a day and then I found her outside just lying on the ground and very lethargic, I took her to the vet last night. He said she wasn't constipated but was obviously in pain so he gave her a pain killer and then said that she needed an x-ray but was in the middle of moving premises and was not 'geard up' to do it then and there. I took her home and she just spent the whole night lying on the floor (not wrapped up around herself as normal). This morning I saw her tryig to clean her bottom and she just didn't want to stand up. I've called another vet (on a Sunday morning) and he is finishing off his 'holiday' (I live in Cyprus) and won't be back until lunch time today. From my description of her symptoms he mentioned urinary blockage or stones and that she should definitely have an x-ray. I've always had problems getting her in her cat box so took the opportunity of putting her in when she least suspected it, but that's 8.30 am so she'll have to be in there for at least 4 hours. I've put water in there with her although she doesn't seem to be iterested. She doesn't seem to be in any pain as she's not crying out and I'm praying that once I get her to the x-ray we'll know more. Keep fingers crossed for us please. Jenny Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Phyllis (Guest Post) (05/22/2006) Although these posts are old, I'll weigh in. I am a pet groomer by trade and have had cats and dogs all my life. I was unaware this was such a common problem. Yes, I've seen the foods for "urinary tract health" but never considered them for mine. Right now I have a 3 year old male at the vet getting all sorts of tests and treatment. Minimal estimate without surgery $400. Not really in the budget but a necessity all the same. Simba is an indoor/outdoor cat and I have 6 others only 2 of whom are female. Like many others I buy my cat food at wal-mart, (their own line "special kitty" but have recently supplemented with Purina "indoor cat" formula.) I was not really considering the food as a source as I have 2 "anti-cat" neighbors who have threatened to harm or kill all of the neighborhood cats, not just mine. It's good to know they may be innocent but either way it doesn't help Simba. I will definitely be more vigilant in the future. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By david porter. (Guest Post) (01/17/2006) I just went in to the vet and i just found out that my cat has this and i was wondering if anyone can help me cure my cat because i cant afford to pay 1500 dollars to help him please help me thanks dave Report Spam or Abuse Unrinary Tracr Infection in cats Post By Jill (Guest Post) (07/20/2005) My cat used to have this problem, and she kept getting the infections. I took her to specialists, and paid alot of money, only to discover on my own that it was a Christmas Cactus that was causing it. I found the teeth marks in the leaves, too the plant away and she has not had another one since. Hope this helps someone! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Jessi (Guest Post) (06/18/2005) My male cat was continuosly getting urinary tract infections and I spent several thousand dollars on his vet bills. I tried the special food and it did not help at all. I read a magazine article that said stress could cause the infection in nervous cats. Rufus was definately a nervous cat so I thought that might be the problem, but the article offered no solution. After a little brainstorming, I decided to try sprinkling Chamomile tea leaves on his food. He quit having tract infections, so it must have worked. Sadly, his kidneys had been so damaged from all the previous infections that he died 3 years later from kidney damage. Ask your vet if he or she thinks this could be an option for your cat. My aunt had a cat who was prone to urinary tract infections and he had some kind of surgery. It cost a fortune, but it worked. I probably paid more in total vet bills than she did for the one operation, but my vet never offered an operation. You might want to ask about this as well. Report Spam or Abuse Will someone please help me! Post By Tracy (Guest Post) (04/23/2005) i need some advise! on march 28,05 i took him to my local vet when i noticed he was in and out of the litter box. sure enough he had a blockage. he kept him over night and put in a cathader. the next day he sent me home with some special cat food to feed him. last night i noticed him in and out of the liter box four times with only a few drops to show in the sand. he has not peed or had a bowel movement on day. he seems to be feeling ok. he plays and is happy. he eats and drinks. what should i do?! does it sound like it is happening again? i am unemployeed and so have no money to pay another vet bill. will someone please give me some advise? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Sue. (Guest Post) (03/16/2005) You are all not alone. I too thought it was constipation or a tummy ache when he did not eat for a day. The next day he was getting more and more paralyzed and he was not even able to hold on till I had my Vet appointment. I feel so guilty. It was my sons BD and I promised to bring cake to school. I left school early to take him to the vet early and not wait for the appt. but it was too late already. Now I have to look at my sad childrens faces Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By Linda (Guest Post) (03/07/2005) You're not the only one that didn't know that! I'm sitting here at 1:00 am waiting for a call from the vet where I left my cat 2 hours ago because he was so dangerously sick that I couldn't bring him home. I thought all the signs I observed was a constipation problem. My husband is not speaking to me now because I chose to pay for the treatment which is not much less than my mortgage! The next sit I visit will be a pet insurance site. I hope yours is doing fine now. ---Linda Report Spam or Abuse RE: Urinary Blockage in Cats (Feline Urinary Syndrome) Post By jo (Guest Post) (01/28/2005) yes our cat has had this our vet suggested to make sure your cat gets alot of liquids ,giving them broth, and stay away from cat food which contain fish and seafood. there is special cat food made for this condition purina makes one Report Spam or Abuse