Urinary Tract Disorders in Cats

I have been trying to combat problems with all my 4 legged family members for the past 3 years. My 10 year old male (neutered) cat, Mr. BB, gave me a bit of a scare when, 2 days ago, he didn't come when called for the noon feeding (he's usually the first and loudest when it comes to eating). It was a nice day and I figured he was enjoying his cat nap outside (enclosure with opening to get inside and vice versa). That night, after returning from work, still no Mr. BB, and no sound from him. Did he get out of the enclosure some way? After feeding everybody, I decided to investigate. Flashlight in hand I went outside and called him, no sound. I stepped into the enclosure and found him cowering on the ground, peering up at me with watery eyes. He did not move. I stroked him, talked to him, no sound, no movement. I got a spray bottle, and this time I got a reaction. So he was mobile, wasn't limping, but just squatted down somewhere else and there he stayed. I offered food, but he wasn't interested. Hmmm... I shone the flashlight around to see if maybe he had gotten hold of something he shouldn't have and found a small pile of vomit. Well, maybe he did ingest something he shouldn't have. I filled a syringe with clay water (bentonite clay mixed with distilled water) and he drank it without protest. Little more I could do at this time. The next morning he was still outside and I repeated the claywater, which he again drank readily. He did not eat. Early afternoon, before I go to work, another syringe of claywater, this time with pedialyte mixed in. That night, after work, he actually came inside, gave a few meager peeps (very unlike him), drank some water and settled down, and did some grooming. AND he ate. A sigh of relief. He was up and about more and I figured that whatever had ailed him must have cleared up. Then today, this morning, I noticed a couple of small puddles on the plastic trash bag I have under and surrounding the litter box. I figured they were from another male cat I rescued as a newborn from a litter of 4 of a ferrel queen, who had abandoned the litter. All other siblings died. Little Bit made it but lost control of his hind quarters at 3 months. At 6 months he regained partial mobility but is somewhat handicapped, and I figured he might not have made it into the box (wouldn't have been the first time). I did notice a rosy tinge in one of the puddles but didn't think much of it. Then earlier this evening I was getting a tub ready to bathe Little Bit (he can't do much grooming on his own so I do it for him and occasionally bathe him), when I saw Mr. BB squatting on the towel I had laid out to wrap Little Bit in after his bath. The result was a pink spot the size of a silver dollar. The bathwater is cold and I landed here. I have never had to deal with this kind of thing. So it wasn't his tummy, but the claywater helped. Clay can be used for many different things, and one thing it does is detoxify, draws out infection, soothes pain. That's probably why it helped initially. I have noticed Mr. BB frequenting the water bowl more than usual. Their diet consists of one feeding of brown cooked rice, mixed with a mush of greens, veggies, fruits, legumes, assorted herbs, fresh garlic, MSM, parsley water, organic apple cider vinegar, and raw ground beef, topped off with a daily vitamin tab (ground to powder), a dollop of home made yoghurt, and freshly ground flax seed sprinkled over it all. Occasionally I add offal (chicken/beef livers, kidneys, heart, etc) The ground beef making up the majority of the mix. The night feeding is raw chunks of chicken. After reading so many posts here, I am wondering where is this problem coming from. I read something about fish here.

Well, One day recently I had run out of ground beef and substituted canned salmon. Could that have been the culprit? Honestly, I have no clue. But I will continue to administer the clay water, and will begin to add some ACV to their drinking water. I have also read that slippery elm, horsetail, couch grass, marshmallow root or cornsilk powder, cranberry extract, uva ursi, and barberry are supposed to be beneficial in treating UTIs. The biggest reason I felt compelled to post this, are the many posts of people, who have taken their pet to the vet, and describe getting antibiotics, helped for a short while, then stronger antibiotics etc. I have read that urinary problems in male cats rarely involve an infection. If ther is an infection, it's mostly in female cats, because their urinary tract is wider and more prone for bacteria to get inside. You may find the following article helpful in understanding what is really going on

http://ezinearticles.com/?Urinary-Crystals-in-Cats-and-What-Every-Cat-Owner-Needs-to-Know&id=1872878

Antibiotics kill bacteria-period. That means not only the bad bacteria causing illness, but also the good bacteria needed in the gut for proper digestion and a healthy immune system. While I understand that in extreme situations an antibiotic can be of benefit, for the most part it will do little more than cause more damage by compromising the immune system, paving the way for more disease causing organisms to take hold. And nowadays, regardless if it's needed or what the real problem is, the first thing most conventionals vets will do is prescribe-you guessed it-antibiotics (just in case). This will definitely secure repeat visits. This next link is for information about healing clays. I found it and started using it a few years ago looking for a natural dewormer for my dogs. Since then I have used it for myself as well as my animals for many many different things. Little Bit, the kitty I rescued and raised from birth, developed a severe eye infection even before his eyes opened. What ahorrid sight. It swelled up so big in no time, it looked like a frog's eye, and the infection had nowhere to go since the eyes weren't open yet. I made a mushy clay mix and dropped it on the eye several times, and within 24 hours the clay had drawn out the infection. It caused a small opening and all the gunk came out. I continued until everything looked normal. The eyes finally opened and everything was fine. He did seem to have recurring bouts of tenderness in that eye, but I kept some drops (made with clay) handy and it cleared it up right away each time. I use the drops for my eyes too when they get red and irritated. Works like a charm. One of my dogs swallowed a bee. It came out with her first round of vomit. I fed her 3 or 4 syringes full of clay water, and after 2 more bouts of vomiting she settled down, slept and was fine. Whatever toxin was left in her tummy from the bee, the clay water helped to draw it and it came out the natural way. I cut my finger to the bone on some aluminum, but had to continue working, since I was re-setting a window. It bled profusely and hurt as if I had hit it with a hammer. I put clay powder on it to help stop the bleeding, wrapped it up and taped it to finish the project. Within just minutes the pain subsided. That night I packed the wound with hydrated clay and bandaged it over night. I left it that way for 2 more days, then I was able to go without bandaging it. It never got infected, and when I went without the bandage you could hardly see the cut anymore. It was tender, but healed so quickly and well that today I don't even know where it was. This is just to say that clay will work like an antibiotic, drawing bad bacteria to itself and is eliminated naturally. No pesticides are needed for internal parasites. And maybe it helped Mr. BB with the pain of his dilemma, or possibly even started the process of healing. Here's a good link to get started learning more about clay: http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/clay.htm