Pet Lovers

[on the bay]

@mimomof4-

I thought of a few more things which if you've already tried, you can try something else

Cats can be incredibly picky about their litter and box esp. if they are having digestive problems.

Our cat was going all over the house instead of her box.

We tried all kinds of boxes and litters and finally she is very happy with the breeze litter system. I like it too because you hardly ever have to completely change the litter (just keep scooping it out)

I got less expensive pads than the breezies pads. I use the depends pads for the bed-very thick and good. I cut them to fit.

Then older cats I was told do need just canned food as dry food can give them urinary tract/kidney issues.

Also a very knowledgeable cat person at Petco told me older cats do not do well with as much protein as younger cats.

So I give her science diet urinary and hairball control chicken entree. From Amazon you can get it a lot cheaper than the stores.

She's 18 and has been doing fine on all these.

That plus the calming and digestive enzyme tablets by Naturvet. These are homeopathic

and I think this brand is good.

Sometimes you just have to try different things than you are doing.

And again, some of the people at the pet stores are really helpful.

[Annabellethecat66]

After I typed my response, I went flying out of the house to run some errands.

However, as I walked around Walmart I kept thinking that maybe I sounded a bit preachy and judgmental.

I hope I didn't come across that way because I didn't mean to.

I just meant that people get animals these days thinking the only expense would be food (and an occasional shot or so).

However, that is no longer the case.  Due to medical innovations animals are living much longer and medicine has taken many good turns.

With these turns, comes expenses, sometimes large expenses.  Unlike humans, even if you have insurance for your animal(s) it barely covers anything.

I just think people need to be educated to understand adopting an animal these days can very often amount to a lot of expense.....it's a REAL committal.

As any animal gets old(er), like a human keeping them going adds to even more money.  One never knows.

An example of this is I had a male cat (Bo).  He was my husband's favorite cat.  He'd do anything in the world for that cat.  When he died suddenly, Bo sat on the hood of my husband's cat (he was indoor and outdoor)l a rescue we could never keep indoors totally.  I decided to sell the truck to a business partner in Florida because it would be at our development down there.  My late husband was traveling there every other week.  It just all made sense.

Suddenly, the truck was gone from Bo's sight.  It was only  then that he was willing to permanently stay inside.

Finally, my point in relaying all of this.  Bo was still pretty young but he developed asthma.  I had to take him for treatments.  Finally the Vet said, "It's a chance he might get diabetes but we're going to have to put him on it because he can't breathe.  So, we put him on prednison (steroids).  

After a few years he did get diabetes.  We managed it at first but then he stopped drinking water and kept getting dehydrated.  My friend (who's the Vet's nurse) came every day and helped me hydrate him as I couldn't manage it on my own.  At first it was maybe every few days, then got to be every day.

Finally, my friend said, "We should try skipping a day and see how he does".  In hindsight she was saying it was time to let him go.

Well, he went into hiding in the house.  It's a big house with lots of places to hide.  We finally found him and I made arrangements to have him go to Heaven with his Daddy (my husband).

I have the ashes of at least 5 or 6 cats in my curio cabinet.  They are all in beautiful boxes with their name and date of death inscribed on the box.

We all love our animals and do the best we can for them.  Just because some can't afford to pay for some of the outrageous medical bills doesn't mean their human moms and dads love them any less.

When I mentioned the OP might think twice about getting another animal, all of the above bla bla is what I was thinking about (and didn't say).

I apologize.  However, I did mean what I said.  It is expensive to adopt an animal today.  They live long and wonderful lives.....but they are expensive.

Take care sweet @mimomof4.

[on the bay]

@mimomof4Also make sure the litter box is in a private but easily accessible place.

Our cat did not like going down the stairs and back up, esp when older.

Its now in the bathroom and she likes that.

Make sure to scoop out any #2 as soon as you see it.

[candys mine]

I would Seriously talk to your Vet about the surgery that openes up where the cat urinates so it's bigger to let the crystals pass easier..  Has the vet said if his trouble is crystals in his urine or a Spasim type problem?  The fact that he has had several instances where he has only been able to dribble urine when he's unconscious makes me think this is a serious Medical  issue.  Consider the surgery. It may be expensive but hopefully he won't get blocked anymore.

[SharonZ]

I understand your frustration, but twice a year for a urinary issue isn't a lot.  If it's idiopathic cystitis, then ask your vet about Amtriptyline for anxiety that usually works.  My suggestion for you would be to rehome the cat, it's not a good situation for your pet.

[CelticCrafter]

You need to find another vet, have the issue resolved and re-home him.

This doesn't sound like a mental issue.

If you can't afford less than $3 ($1,000 a year according to your original post) a day to provide and take care of him don't get another one.