8/16 & 8/17 LOOSE LIPS, question on AB's

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PeterDevonMocha

PeterDevonMocha

Member Since 2009
Good morning everyone! Well exciting news in our town this morning .. someone woke up being the mega lottery jackpot winner .. a grand total of 320 MILLION dollars :o Can't believe it .. and even more, can't believe it was bought at the same store me and peter buy our tickets at .. but last night felt to lazy to go and get one ohmygod_smile Hope it goes to someone deserving!

I also wanted to post in here a question about my sisters cat .. she is an indoor cat only but last month escaped outside for the day .. ever since she's been urinating and defecating outside of the LB .. my sister saw her scoot on the carpet once or twice as well .. her stools were checked for parasites which all came back negative .. Since this is a rented house she can't have the cat going outside the LB so I told her to take the cat into the vet and I'd pay for a check up .. they told her it would be $30.00 for a physical and $20.00 for a urine test (anal glands would be expressed "complimentary") I just want to know if there is a certain urine test I should ask for? I'm assuming they are going to be checking for an infection, right?

Off to do some work at my aunt/uncles house today so won't be around in condos but want to send out any prayers to those beans and kitties who may be needing them, and want to tell everyone to have a great day!
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

The other issue that could be going on is a territory issue. If other cats caught scent of your sister's cat, they may be "dropping by" the house. A reason beyond a UTI that a cat will stop using the box is to mark their territory. Your sister's cat may be doing that. She may need to figure out if, in fact, other cats are visiting and if so, find a way to keep them away.
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

Hi Devon, wow onthe mega lottery jackpot winner .. a grand total of 320 MILLION dollars at the same store where you and Peter buy tickets! I'd be hiding, too, if I won that much money. On the urinalysis maybe add a question mark icon and also add Urinalysis question. Sending some good Vetty vines for your sister's kitty.

ETA Good, I see Sienne just answered.
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

Thanks you guys .. my sister said she hasn't noticed any outside cat's coming around .. but her daughters cat is marking nearly every room with urine and BM's, from the room the LB is in, to the living/dining room to both bedrooms ..

I hope it is something that can easily be fixed .. I told my sister to add an extra LB just in case she all of a sudden needs two boxes ...The cat is very skittish and having moved three times in the last two years hasn't been easy on her either .. I told my sister it might be anxiety issues, but she doesn't think so as the cat is acting fine every other way .. at any rate, her appt is at 9 a.m. tomorrow, so any spare thoughts and good vines would be appreciated!!

Ann, the buzz is all around town about the winning lottery ticket .. there are TV stations camped out at the store, who of course get's a cut of the winning ticket as well .. plus, if it is a city resident they'll have to pay city taxes, coming in at a whopping 2 million dollars which would be VERY helpful! They'll also have the usual federal and state taxes withheld .. and in MI, once you come forward to claim the price (you have 1 year) you can't remain anonymous .. so we'll eventually know who won!
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

exciting on the lottery ticket!

i'm confused on the cat issue - is there just one cat in the house, your niece's? i wonder if spraying some Feliway around the house would help. that has the scent of "happy cats" that is supposed to send the message "kitties in this place are Happy Kitties!" if there is more than one cat in the house it might be a territorial between them, but the feliway might still help.

i would think scooting might mean either she's not cleaning herself and she's using the carpet for that, or that something on her bottom is bothering her. like she itches or is hurting, so i'd want them to exam her hiney and see if there is something going on there. when our cats have had bladder infections they have never scooted. anya has scooted when her bottom wasn't clean, but i solved that by taking her to a groomer to get shaved every so often. it's too gross to tolerate, if ya know what i mean! :lol:
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

Maybe use some Cat Attract litter? Tillie scooted on her butt when she had a turd that she couldn't quite expel. :roll:
Liz
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

yes, I'm sorry .. there is only one cat in the house, it is my nieces cat .. my sister is "tolerant" of this cat, but she is most definitely not an animal lover!

I'll mention the feliway .. perhaps that will make her calm down, if this is an anxiety issue/territory issue ..

I thought scooting could be her glands, which the vet will check out tomorrow .. I wasn't sure if that would be related to her urinating outside of the box, but someone on the health forum mentioned it bothers them to go if their glands are not right, so maybe she's just avoiding the box? Although my sister did say at times the cat will use the box without a hint of a problem .. her stool is always firm (not rock hard) but hard enough to be cleaned up easily .. theres really no rhyme or reason as to when she uses the box and when she doesn't, which makes this much more frustrating .. My sister said the box is an uncovered box kept clean daily just like it has been for the last several years .. it's all started happening since the cat got out for a day about a month or so ago ..

I feel bad for the cat because I know at some point my sister will have to move and she does not plan on taking this cat with her, as she'll have to go into an apartment and can't afford the pet policy price .. but if this is an ongoing issue, she isn't going to have much luck in finding a new home for the cat :sad:
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

oh, i have strong opinions about people moving without their pets, but i'll stifle myself. perhaps she can find a pet-friendly apartment.

if you think it's related to going outside, could she have gotten fleas or worms? the fleas are easy to check for with either a flea comb or vigorously ruffling her fur over a white sink/bathtub, then sprinkling a bit of water over what comes out of her fur. if it turns red that's blood that was in the flea "dirt" ie, poo. if it remains dirt speckles, then it's just ordinary dirt.

is she a hunter? cats can get worms from eating birds that have the worms in them, if i remember correctly. i'd think getting a stool sample checked for parasites would make more sense than a urine culture, but i'm just guessing.
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

I know what you are saying julie, cause I feel the same way! But she will be living on a very limited income and it just won't be plausible. However, it is up in the air for now if she will have to move (the house is on the market) and my parents have offered their basement to her since money will be so tight .. so, if she moves in there, perhaps she can keep the cat ... Though my mom has made it clear, not if the cat is having "accidents" all the time.

They have taken the stool sample to the vet and it was negative for worms and parasites .. I don't think she is a hunter but I could be wrong. I know the day she got out when they came home they did not realize she had escaped, until they heard her howling on the back porch, definitely wanting back in! She's no leo, that's for sure! :lol:

My sister honestly believes she is doing this on purpose .. I'm not sure if that is true or not, especially considering the scraping along the carpet, that seems to me to indicate a problem, much more then behavioral .. but what do I know?
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

sounds like you're exploring all the options. i think you're doing the right thing to rule out all of the physical problems before it gets labeled a behavior problem. when punkin gets a bladder infection (which he hasn't since he became diabetic) he used to pee in the most obnoxious places - the biggest statement he made was to pee in the center of our bed. that was lovely. fortunately it didn't go through the mattress pad and everything washed out. you could think that was behavioral - especially to pee in the middle of the bed - but it wasn't.

if it is behavioral, i would try doing things that gave attention to the cat when the cat's doing things right. it's just like kids, you catch them doing behavior you want and then reward that. wake the cat up and give it a treat, pet it lots when it's just doing nothing or looking out a window, that kind of thing. maybe you could give your niece some pill pockets or freeze dried chicken, or something like that to give as treats. maybe your niece could make a definite effort to play with the cat every day and to give it more attention than before.

i've watched that animal planet tv show "the cat from hell" a couple of times and one of the treatments the Cat Whisperer guy does for most of the cats is to provide them places to get high up on the walls, near the ceiling. there was one episode where he made a path around the room so the cat could make a circuit around the room without touching the floor. there were bookcases, stereo cabinets, shelves on the wall - i don't remember what all, but furniture and ledges - placed around the perimeter. he says cats are tree dwellers and they need to be able to get high to feel safe. fwiw.

oh - one other thought - have they changed the kind of litter they use? using that Cat Attractant might help too.
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS

No, they have not changed the litter they've been using .. I'll mention the cat attractant to her tomorrow ...

Like I said my sister is "tolerant" of the cat, because they've had it for a few years now, but it's definitely more my nieces cat .. butttttt that being said, she's 17 and more into herself and her friends at this point, not batting an eye going off for a weekend here or a few days there .. so after we take her to the vet and if all is good at that end, I'll reinforce the extra playtime and positive rewards for the cat .. perhaps she is just lonely?

Thanks again everyone, for all the help and ideas .. Fingers crossed it's a simple fix for all of them!
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS, one more question

if my nieces cat does happen to have a urine infection, what is the best type of AB's she should receive and which ones should we keep her away from? Are AB's common for urinary infections? thanks!
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS, one more question

the metacam is the pain killer that you want to avoid.

double-check the dose on baytril if it's prescribed. at too high of a dose it can cause blindness. also don't get liquid on it, it tastes nasty.

i can't recall which meds are used for bladder infections. i want to say Clavamox is typical, but am not certain. punkin hasn't had one since we became The Pet Parents who know too much about pet meds. hopefully someone else will have something to suggest.
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS, one more question

Covenia should be avoided too because it last for 2 weeks. It's an injection and if the cat is allergic, there's not much that can be done.
Liz
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS, one more question

ok, so avoid metacam and convenia .. and double check on the dose of baytril if prescribed (pill form), what would be too high of a dose? And clavamox comes with no stipulations?
 
Re: 8/16 LOOSE LIPS, one more question

the other thing about convenia (named because it's convenient) is that it was developed for skin issues and it isn't effective on a lot of other things.

clavamox & clindamycin are both typical prescriptions. punkin's getting 50mg twice a day of clindamycin right now for c diff (intestinal bacteria overgrowth). when he got an infection march 2011 from a dental he got clavamox 1.5ml twice a day also.

that's not to say those are perfect doses - punkin weighs 14ish lbs, but it gives you a ballpark.

any antibiotic can cause diarrhea so giving some kind of probiotic at the same time will help prevent that.

let us know how the cat is after your appt today. since this is a loose lips condo, why don't you just edit and change the date of the post so it includes today as well?
 
ok guys, took my nieces cat to the vet today .. They could not draw any urine from her but prescribed AB's "just in case" for 14 days. I asked what type and they asked liquid or pill form, so I told them pill form .. she gave me baytril, 22.7mg #9 (reading off receipt) 1 a day, for 14 days, then a recheck and possible urine draw if nothing has improved.

She did clean out her glands, said they were full and hard so maybe that was part of the problem?

I asked the vet if that was a high dose of baytril, and she said no, not for the weight of the cat (right around 11.5 lbs) I told her that I have heard baytril in too high of a dose could lead to kitty blindness .. she said she's never heard of that, and has always had success with it. I didn't want to press the issue, but I told my sister when we left I would check on here, and get info from you guys, where I don't feel quite as intimidated :lol: I figure if it's to high, she could possibly cut the pill in half? If it's just right, she'll just pop it in a pill pocket treat and be done with it.
 
oddly enough, i looked this up this morning for a friend. that's the correct dose for a cat about that size, at least according to the website i found.

i think it's kinda irresponsible though, and possibly not a good idea, to prescribe an antibiotic when they have no evidence of infection except that the cat is eliminating outside of the box. cats do that for many different reasons, so to assume it's an infection is making a stretch, in my mind. if the anal glands were full i wonder if that was the culprit. i guess i would hesitate partly because i know baytril is a big guns antibiotic, one of the quinolones that is related to the Cipro that is used in people.

perhaps one option would be to wait to start the baytril and see if the anal gland expressing cleared up the problem.

if your niece needs help getting the pills down, those are scored to break into quarters and you can put 1/4 tablet in a little ball of pill pocket. i don't think i'd give the entire pill at once cuz it would really make a mouthful by the time you get the pill pocket around it. and if the cat bites the pill instead of just getting the pill pocket it might get a lot harder to get the next dose down. i helped my friend with her cat yesterday morning with baytril and we broke them in quarters, threw a couple of "blank" pill pockets down to make sure the cat would eat the pill pocket, then fed her the 4 pieces that had baytril in them.

the site i was looking at http://www.ehow.com/way_5137407_baytril-dosage-cats.html said you can give it once a day or divide the dose so they get half in the morning and half 12 hours later.
 
Scooting in cats is not normal. Should they deworm just in case?

Good luck with the ab/s.

We were having issues with Henry and Hefner picking on Victoria. We are up to a litter box per cat PLUS one. Its helped a ton.
 
Thanks so much Julie!

My mom said the same thing, about waiting to start AB's until we knew if there was an infection or not .. especially since the glands were full .. My sister was asking me what I thought, but my niece was there saying do the AB's do the AB's! So I said it was their call, and they said to do the AB's .. But I'll mention it to her tonight when I talk to her, that maybe she should hold off and see if the glands weren't the problem .. She's supposed to go back in 14 days for another try at getting the urine out ..

Yes, those pills are actually quite large, I was surprised! I think my sister put half in two treats and the cat took them so far with no problems (just one time today)
 
Right, they did a stool check first and it all came back negative ..

The vet found two fleas on her, which my sister got meds for .. but other then that the vet said she looked and sounded healthy during her exam ..
 
Your sister can express the glands at home to prevent another recurrance of blocked hard glands. Regular rexpressing will help prevent the goo from hardening up inside. She can ask the vet to show her how to do this. I do Leroy's because I am not taking him to the vet every few days just for expressing ohmygod_smile It's not hard to do but an extra pair of hands would help with a very squirmy uncooperative cat. The gland goo stinks really bad and lingers for awhile so wear gloves and old clothes and have a wad of paper towels ready :shock: I heard there is a surgery that can be done if the glands are really problematic.

Hope your sister's cat is better soon :smile:
 
Thanks for the info .. not sure if my sister is up to that task, as she is more just a "feed and water" kind of parent, if you know what I mean .. my niece tried helping the vet hold the cat down while the glands were expressed and ended up with scratches and bite marks all over her hands .. the vet had to get the assistant to come in and scruff the cat ..

I hope this is not an ongoing problem for them and I really hope it takes care of the problem!
 
ok guys, sorry to be beating this issue to death, but my sister just called me .. she said the cat had a BM outside of the LB .. right NEXT to it (not the first time) She said the LB was clean with only one urine clump in it .. But she did mention that the cat's BM's lately have been smelling "something fierce" Something that was never an issue before .. The stool sample sent to the vets had nothing wrong with it ..

She gave the AB pill yesterday, but none today seeing as how there was no definite infection found at the vets ..

I suggested getting another LB, just in case that is the issue and she said she will, when she get's paid .. The current one is the one they've been using all along with no problems, and it's not covered in any way ..

There's been no change in the home, other then the cat got out about two months ago .. My sister said there are two neighborhood cats that come to the back door and "talk" to kiki, but she's fine with them, and the outside LB accidents happened a long time after seeing these cats for the first time ..

Based on the cat going outside the box again, should she do the AB's? Or still wait and see?
 
hi devin! i see your post from yesterday without any answers. i really don't know. i'm going to suggest that you edit the subject line to get more eyes on your question. maybe "Poo problems" or something like that.

if the cat were mine, i'd probably get another stool sample tested. but you have ABs in hand and your sis hasn't got money to do much, so . . . i'm just not sure.
 
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