Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)
I have switched his food two times, due to the vet telling me only feed him the Hill's brand C/D for urinary tract disorders. I have not been giving him dry food and feel like the food is not the problem. Before switching him to C/D he was on wet food-Weurva.
I just got spring water delivered to my house to only let the animals drink this water no more well water. Which I know can have a lot of calcium and excess minerals to contribute to his issues.
ANY HELP or advice to whatever else may help. Please let me know, THANK YOU!!!!
(Hope Bc Canada)
12/03/2013
to Dman from Sparks Ny: I f you google homeopathy for the cat's urinary problem, you will find one or two remedies for it. Just type in cat lower urinary tract disease.
This is related to food, water, emotions and synthetic meds. The pet food at vets offices is the greatest garbage you can find. Vets have not been educated in nutrition, only in synthetic drugging, etc. I have had cats that responded to home made cat food and one cat had an emotional cause as he just had to be outdoors or he'd die. So I found him a good home on an island where there were no coyote.
A good vit C supplement diluted in water may help with keeping passages soft and open. Can be applied per syringe. I know this to be a very emotional issue and I wish you both success. By the way, I have great faith in homeopathy. Om
(Mpls., Mn)
12/04/2013
Hey Dman!
A few thoughts come to mind about your cat.
Sure does sound like FLUTD. The common causes are:
Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC)—also called interstitial cystitis—is the most common diagnosis in cats with lower urinary tract signs.
Urolithiasis (Urinary Stones) - the two most common stone types in cats are struvite and calcium oxalate.
Urethral obstruction—is a potentially life-threatening condition and one of the most serious results of FLUTD. Urinary stones are only one of the causes of urethral obstructions. Another common cause is urethral plugs. Urethral plugs consist of a soft, compressible material that contains variable quantities of minerals, cells, and mucus-like protein.
Your cat's attraction to voiding in the sink is a textbook symptom of FLUTD.
It sounds like you have done your homework but do check this out for more info on symptoms, causes et al:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_resources/UrinaryConcerns.cfm
Your approach to treament will vary on *why* your cat is exhibiting symptoms [I assume you have ruled out stones and crystals] - so addressing the FIC would be my first step.
Treating the interstitial cystitis starts with alkalizing your cat's PH:
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/interstitial_cystitis.html
Baking soda is a common remedy - scroll down for Ted's recipe:
https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/acv_baking_soda_cures.html
And MORE ideas from Ted:
https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/alkalizing_formulas.html
I've used on and off 1/8 tsp of baking soda per liter added to the water of my own pets; they don't seem to notice this amount and will drink their water freely. At 1/4 of 1/2 tsp per liter they hesitated, but once they drank it they seemed to crave it.
The prescription diet your vet advised..... it boggles the mind that dry, grain based diets are prescribed for carnivores, yes? I would toss that out in a heart beat. I much prefer the Weurva you were feeding. I agree that the food doesn't raise red flags as to the source of the problem: the FLUTD may be the result of a vaccine reaction, to the bad teeth, to the anesthesia for the dental, to yeast over growth as a result of any of the above but particularly the repeated use of antibiotics - etc., etc.. On that note, probiotics are in order, to address complications from the yeast which can manifest in myriad ways.
You can support your cat further by upping the number of litter boxes in the space, making sure you keep them super clean and tidy. Use unscented substrate if you can find it. It may be, however, that cool tile or ceramic is the only place that offers him some relief from the irritation he is experiencing in his bladder.
So, start off with baking soda water [or other way to balance PH per the links], go back to the excellent wet diet you were feeding prior, add probiotics to the diet and add another litter box or two. Then give it some time and report back please!
(Canada)
07/10/2015
Consider switching to a meat based food. Acana and Origen are great and made in Canada. Very high in protein though so if your cat is an indoor cat try to find a similar food with a slightly lower protein content and mix with Acana. This can help with unwanted weight gain in your kitty.
Our cat is just going through a series of tests to see if she has some kind infection. Our vet has been understanding and takes a holistic approach to pet care, you may want to look for a vet who works similarly.
As with humans, its all about the food. The farther from natural the worse it is, the more natural meat based the better as cats are carnivores.
I have read about colloidal silver as well as cranberry tablets for cats.
I hope your cat is ok.
General Feedback
(Mpls., Mn)
08/16/2015
Hey Ann!
There are special products available. You can start with basic digestive enzymes - these can be purchased in the States at food co-ops in bulk. Then there are products you can buy - google to find them "cat urine odor eliminator" "cat urine neutralizer". The key to removing the odor is to find the exact source - you will need a black light to find the exact stain so you know where to apply your product - applying it directly to the spot is critical. Follow the directions on the product label.
(California)
03/24/2016
Here's the recipe to neutralize cat urine odor.
16 oz hydrogen peroxide
1 TBSP baking soda
1-2 drops of your favorite smelling dish soap (optional)
- Mix ingredients above
- Use newspaper or paper towel to remove as much of the urine as possible. This is so you don't have to use too much of the liquid to neutralize.
- Pour solution over any surface that was contaminated. Wait about 15 min. If it is carpet, let it dry then vacuum. If the smell persists then redo treatment until smell goes away. This works on any surface.
(Texas)
05/24/2017
I agree with Lan. I have used that same mixture on so many things, to get rid of cat urine odors. It works!! I highly recommend it.
General Feedback
Himalayan Salt
★★★★★
(Tampa, Fl)
06/10/2012
★★★★★
I tried out some Himalayan salt and ACV on a poor kitty who was suffering from a UTI. Just a jot of ACV and a sprinkle of the salt mixed into her wet food. I wasn't sure she would eat it, but she tried it out and made an immediate attempt on the litter box. She was unsuccessful at first, but she has managed to use it since and she is perking up. Her appetitie is returning. Thank you for the suggestions!
Multiple Remedies
★★★★★
That evening as I was trying to track down the cat pee smell around the washing machine. I asked my 7 yr old if he could smell it and he said what's that red stuff. In a bucket on the floor was drops of what looked like blood. They had not been there 10 min before when I was doing laundry. I thought maybe the cat had gotten injured so I smelled it and it was urine. My son said, there is more of it in the playroom too. I asked him to show me and sure enough there was quite alot on a bag on the floor and it was very red. ugggh. I followed all the drops to the basement and our cat was laying ont he cold basement floor. I got out my homeopathic books right away and a few of my other holistic books and then I dialed up this site as I always do for any of our ailments. I figure it was a UTI of some sort although I can't say for sure. I was fully prepared to take him to the emergency clinic as I was concerned that he would have an obstruction. I tried to call my husband out of his meeting but my phone was dead. arghh. the cat was in really rough shape- he was crying and panting and breathing rapidly- he flopped on his side and could hardly raise his head. I even tried to prepare the kids for the fact he might die. (my last 2 cats died of kidney issues) I finally got the baby to sleep and then my older children, I set to work. The following is what I gave him: 9:20pm - 2 eye droppers of homemade colloidal silver, 2 homeopathic pellets of nux 30c. 9:45 10 drops zeolite (natural cellular defense), switched to homeopathic pulsitilla 30c. 10:00 pm few more drops zeolite, more cs. *** now cat is upstairs and off basement floor-looking better! 11:00pm still not seeing enough improvement to make me feel I had the right remedy. switched books and tried cantharis 30c (this is used often for women's UTI's), 11:22pm after reading this site apple cider vinegar diluted 3/4 tsp acv to 3 tsp water- sucked up at least 2 droppers full- he DID NOT LIKE IT and foamed at the mouth and coughed and choked. 12:15 2 droppers of ACV, 2 droppers of CS, 1 dose cantharis 30c. 1:40am 200 mg vit c (ascorbic acid) diluted it in water and administered with eye dropper. We brought the litter pan up from the basement to the livingroom and he tried repeatedly to pee. He was no longer crying but really straining. About midnight he had a pee which was relieving because we knew he wasn't blocked. But it was still bloody and he missed the box. 8am the following morning (friday) - bit of zeolite, acv and cs. 8:10 am another pee just slightly pink. **I had no proper food for him and he was starving. I gave him tuna water and put more zeolite, cs and vitamin c in it to hide taste- I didn't want to keep shoving the plastic eye dropper in his throat. anyone who deals with cats knows giving them meds is challenging to say the least. he has front claws so it's easiest to have my husband wrap him in a towel and me administer the remedies. it was about 10am i tried him with my wheatgrass juice. he LOVED it and drank at least 1/2 ounce. He was peeing a wee bit but still obviously straining. Since it was Friday before the weekend, I took him into our partial homeopathic vet. The cat came out of that cage like he was perfectly fine!!! The vet said no he didn't have a blockage, charged me $60 and suggested thuja 30c if he was still straining to pee the next day and if after 6 hrs that didn't work i should use lycopodium 30c. He told me to stop everything else. Well.... i know from a homeopathic standpoint why this is because all of the other things cloud the acurate case taking- however had i not used the colloidal silver the vet would have prescribed an antibiotic. wheatgrass and vit c, then salmon oil are all 'nutritive' and i feel the acv is too. he says the acv is just a bandaid solution to the real problem. But...since I didn't want to end up at the emergency clinic over the weekend I kept up with the vit c at least 4x a day, cs, wheatgrass, zeolite too. I bought some good canned food (ok, as good as canned food can be), some raw food (which he used to be on when life was simple) and mixed it in together as I try to transition him back to a raw diet. Then I just mixed all the other stuff in and he is sooooooooooo hungry he eats it all up every time. The key is though I only give him a small bit at a time... to leave him hungry for next time ;-) By Saturday he seemed perfectly fine. I never used any other homeopathic remedies. As of today- it is Monday night 4 days later he is using the litter box just fine ;-) Keeping fingers crossed. Ooh also I couldn't figure out if it was safe to give a cat oil of oregano ___ brand but I read conflicting reports and finally decided to add in 2 drops 2x a day saturdy and sunday. hope this helps someone else's kittty. ;-)
(East Wenatchee, Wa)
06/22/2012
Don't give cats tuna or tuna juice or milk or milk products. They are too hight in magnesium and cause crystals to form and clog the bladder. This stuff is nothing to play with. It can kill your cat.
Peeing Outside the Litterbox
(Corona, Ca)
11/07/2014
(Monroe Ct)
12/18/2014
Raw Food Diet
A few months ago I came home from a weekend trip, and found pools of blood all over the apartment, and my cat walking in a funny, hunched-over manner. The following week was an absolute nightmare as my cat continually peed blood on my bed, the floor, and carpets--anywhere but the litter box. When he did attempt to urinate, he would howl with pain. It was horrible. After bringing him to the vet, he was diagnosed with FLUTD.
The vet said that the best treatment was to put him on a strict diet of canned "Royal Canin SO. " This didn't sit well with me since this is a non-organic brand. I avoid non-organic foods myself as I'm just not willing to consume the pesticide residues on the government's assurance that it's okay (same assurance they gave cigarette smokers for several decades). I also just didn't like the idea of feeding my cat the same pre-packaged, non-fresh stuff for the rest of his life (imagine a human living on baby food or a protein shake his whole life).
On a whim, I called up a local natural pet food store and told them my problem. They asked me if I had ever tried feeding my cat raw food. I said that I had (a slight fib, since I fed him mostly dry organic kibble, and only raw from time to time as a treat). They said that they were very surprised to hear that he had FLUTD considering that I had fed him raw.
I then remembered that the cat's symptoms had seemed to subside briefly the 2nd day of the nightmare week, about 6 hours after I had given him a raw treat.
After this advice, and considering the evidence, I put him on a 100% raw diet (I had a bag in the freezer the whole time, from which I fed him the occasional treats). I also forced some drops of apple cider vinegar down his throat (I had heard about that home remedy on a forum).
Suffice to say that in 24 hours, all FLUTD symptoms disappeared completely. His apparent health and urination returned to normal. After a few weeks I stopped forcing him to drink the apple cider vinegar.
A month later, I tried putting him back on a dry diet for the weekend (I had to go out of town). When I returned, he had started to pee blood again. I immediately returned him to a 100% raw diet, and he has never had a problem since.
I understand there are some folks out there who have an aversion to raw food or have heard horror stories. All I can say is that I am not a fanatic, I just want to share the story of how my cat was saved in the hopes that this information could save others. I have read other forum postings recently about pet owners whose cats were killed by FLUTD, and they never tried raw food. Mine was cured within 24 hours, so you will find out quickly if it works for you or not, I think.
I do not grind my own food. I buy bags of Primal. The food comes pre-blended in little frozen biscuits. Unfortunately it is not cheap ($20 and up per bag, which lasts about 3 weeks), but I am one of those pet owners who really loves his pet, so to me it is worth it.
I hope this story and info can be of help to others!
Ben
(Sacramento, California)
04/25/2012
Bravo Ben! I wish I had known this a year ago when my cat was quite ill, but it was kidney failure and he was 18 years old..... and I did try it as a last resort, but it was too late.
I now have 2 young rescue cats, not yet 1 year old and I researched too, even though they are healthy, and decided to start them on 100% raw with Primal several months ago, and they Love it and look and feel fabulous!
I will never again give them kibble, as I tried to supplement the raw diet with it and they threw up every time!
With just raw, they are perfectly fine and happy and Healthy!
Thank you for making people aware of the benefits of raw for cats...
(Coloma, Mi)
04/26/2012
How on earth do you get your cat to eat raw after being on kibble? I have a cat that I have been trying to eat raw and she just won't do it. I even took her food away for two days and she still wouldn't eat the raw food.
(Tampa, Fl)
06/10/2012
(Bay Area, Ca)
07/17/2017
Urinary Blockage
(Wantage, NJ)
02/07/2008
In response to Camille from Pleasant Valley, New York It's very important to know WHAT kind of crystals are causing the blockage. My cat had Struvite crystals from being to alkaline. I stoped all free choice dry food - this causes the body to become alkaline. I now feed him a quality GRAIN FREE cat food. I hide one 250mg vitC and add a spoonfull of turkey and sweet potatoe babyfood (for extra moisture) to the top of all of it. 3 days a week I add an 1/8 of a teaspoon of a cranberry supplement.Any time I notice a lack of pee in his litter box I drain a can of tuna or chicken into a cup and mix with filtered or bottled water (He LOVES this!!) to up his water intake. Knock on wood he has been crystal free now for 2 years!! But you have to know what his Ph is and what kind of crystals he has before you try this! Good Luck!!
Urinary Blockage Testing
Question is what all bloodwork should be involved? The vet talked about renal levels and said White Blood Cells look better. Is there anything else you all have experienced that you wish the vet had checked?
