Trinket's urinalysis: Normal

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Traci and Boomer

Traci and Boomer

Very Active Member
Hi -

I just got back from the nut house....let me catch you up on Trinket's latest.
She's eating a little better - she's easier to coax now, but she needs coaxing still, at least in the morning. Last night I did see her eat some of the foods in her kitty buffet on her own. She's become a nibbler Dave says. She eats when he feels like it. She must be eating enough because she had a big poop last night.

Policing her food is draining and messy. I hope she's feeling better after the AB's stopped. I'm hoping to see a daily improvement.

On the negative side: as of yesterday she was sneezing and her right eye was runny. I couldnt' believe it! This came out of nowhere and 10 days of AB's. WTF? How does this happen? She's going to the vet on Sunday for her urine test. I've never had a cat with a cold. Is this serious? What meds do they get for a cold - or does it just go away like it does with humans? She had a blood test 2 weeks ago and he white blood cells were fine....or does this not have to do with colds? Any info on sneezing would be helpful. Her eye didn't look runny this morning.

I stink at this stuff guys. I don't understand why I attract pets with issues. I am jealous of people who have pets and don't need to put their entire existance into maintaining them. :-x
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Oh Traci

I hope Trinket starts eating soon. I get so upset too when my cats are sick. I hope it just turns out to be a food preference thing and you find a food she likes and will eat. How frustrating.

Terri
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Awwww, poor Trinket!

She is a relatively young cat you adopted from the shelter, right? You could ask the vet about the possibility of feline herpes. The symptoms for that can come and go, often due to stress. My foster has chronic herpes. When it is worse, she sneezes more and has greater symptoms in her eye, eats less, more lethargic, etc.

It could also be a Upper Respiratory Infection (cold). Your vet will let you know and help you treat it.

Is there any chance you could put Trinket in a seperate area from your other cat? URI's can be contagious. Hate for you to have 2 kitties with colds.

I hope your vet has answers on Sunday, and things go back to normal soon.
Hang in there!

ETA: I see you got some lysine. That may help!
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Terri and Jeanne-

Thanks ladies. I'm glad I'm not alone. Cats are tough creatures to figure out.
Last night I went to PetSmart and spent $40 on "stuff"- new foods and an expensive litter and treats. I got Purina One and Blue Wilderness food just because Libby suggested them. Then I saw this box of foos by Royal Canin - "Picky Cat?"-it was 3.99 for 3 sample bags of feed. What a rip-off. She didn't seem to like those any more than anything else. I'll return them.

Just rambling here. I can't seem to get myself out of this downer mood.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

carolynandlatte said:
Awwww, poor Trinket!

She is a relatively young cat you adopted from the shelter, right? You could ask the vet about the possibility of feline herpes. The symptoms for that can come and go, often due to stress. My foster has chronic herpes. When it is worse, she sneezes more and has greater symptoms in her eye, eats less, more lethargic, etc.

It could also be a Upper Respiratory Infection (cold). Your vet will let you know and help you treat it.

Is there any chance you could put Trinket in a seperate area from your other cat? URI's can be contagious. Hate for you to have 2 kitties with colds.

I hope your vet has answers on Sunday, and things go back to normal soon.
Hang in there!

ETA: I see you got some lysine. That may help!
Click to expand...

Trink's about 10 months old. She is from Siamese Rescue. She was found outside with her mom and non-Siamese sibling. Then she went to an EXCELLENT foster home for several months. She had a cold, a hernia and some kind of ring worm thing. When she came to me she was all better. The foster mother took excellent care of her. Then we had the accident on Halloween (cat fight) due to me putting a costume on Merlin and her getting scared and attacking him. She broke her leg and had surgery. That's okay now.

My appointment on Sunday is only a tech appointment for urine to avoid the vet exam fee. Should I change this?
I suppose I could separate them but I live in a one bedroom place. They would both freak out. I'll have to think about that I guess.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Hi Traci-
It really does not matter how good of a foster home the kitty came from. If Trinket does have the herpes virus it would not be their fault. Cats often are infected during or immediately after birth. You said she had a cold in her foster home, which makes it suspicious. The thing is with this virus...you may not know your cat has it until one day they show symptoms. It could be months or years later. Symptoms usually appear during stressful times (schedule changes, moving, new animals, injury/illness). The tests for the virus are really not useful (or often inconclusive).

I have had to do a lot of research on this condition because of my current foster. She has a pretty severe case. I still get confused, but I do like this one link. I think it is very basic and makes sense:
http://www.peteyedoctor.com/620635.html

You can find a lot of other information by googling feline herpes and/or feline URI.

I think if she is continuing to sneeze, have a runny eye, and show little interest in food you may want to have her seen by a vet to get the proper tx.

Traci- dont worry too much (I know! ;-) ). You are a very observant and caring pet owner. Trinket is so incredibly lucky to have you!!
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

While she was in rescue, did the ever run an upper respiratory panel? There are some other viruses that may become chronic - Spitzer turned out to have Bartonella felis, not herpes; 10 days of doxycycline helped immensely.

Of course, if the problem is a virus, an anti-bacterial won't help at all with that. (wrong medicine for the job)
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

I had a baby cat that came from a foster rescue - both him and a sister of his developed cat flu virus a month later we got them. His name was Lillen, and when I came home one evening it was as he didn't recognize me and being all gone in his head. So I took him the ER and when they took his temp it was sky high, so high they didn't think he would make it. They however prescribed antibiotics and instructed me to give him water as often as possible. So we came home and I stayed awake the entire first night to give him water every half hour. By the morning he seemed a little better and that was due to me keeping him watered. I also got prescription for baby nostril fluids, when they are stuffed in the nose, which I gave him. It is so long ago though so I don't remember all the details, 1995. But he survived with my tender care, and got to be one year old when he suddenly died from an ulcer and stomach rupture. He was a sensitive guy.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

carolynandlatte said:
Here is another link regarding URI:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_upper_respiratory.html

This one still talks about herpes, which is apparently the main cause of most URI's, but less focus on the eye.
My understanding is each cat may have different symptoms (ie/more sneezing vs eye discharge)
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. I looked at both sites. I also emailed her foster mom. She took care of Trink when she had the last cold. I asked her about herpes and what she gave her for her cold. This woman is an excellent care giver and she's supportive of me and all Trink's issues. It's like having a grandmother or something. I was warned when I first adopted her that she needed to stay separate from Merlin or the stress could bring the cold back. That never happened. I'm not sure why it happened now. Maybe she's stressed from ME stressing over HER! :o :lol:

Her appetite was better tonight; she ate a 3 oz can of Purina One with some assistance and a little on her own and a couple nibbles of other stuff from her buffet. I think your idea about the AB's causing her to have more stomach problems was right. She seems more interested in eating today and did less pawing around the bowl. For some reason that behavior drives me NUTS @-)

She's been sneezing and has a little discharge from her nose. She's been sleeping in her tree so I no sneezing for a while. Mer doesn't seem to have any symptoms - thank goodness. I hope he doesn't catch this.

I'll watch her tomorrow and see how she does with the sneezing and decide what I'm going to do about the vet. My pet insurance doesn't cover a vet office visit, only the procedures and meds so I'm being cheap about having another vet apt. I've spent mega bucks on this little girl!!!
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

BJM said:
While she was in rescue, did the ever run an upper respiratory panel? There are some other viruses that may become chronic - Spitzer turned out to have Bartonella felis, not herpes; 10 days of doxycycline helped immensely.

Of course, if the problem is a virus, an anti-bacterial won't help at all with that. (wrong medicine for the job)
Click to expand...

Not sure about the upper repiratory panel. I'm asking her foster mom. She's just had 10 days of amoxicillan so it must be a virus.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Ann & Scatcats said:
I had a baby cat that came from a foster rescue - both him and a sister of his developed cat flu virus a month later we got them. His name was Lillen, and when I came home one evening it was as he didn't recognize me and being all gone in his head. So I took him the ER and when they took his temp it was sky high, so high they didn't think he would make it. They however prescribed antibiotics and instructed me to give him water as often as possible. So we came home and I stayed awake the entire first night to give him water every half hour. By the morning he seemed a little better and that was due to me keeping him watered. I also got prescription for baby nostril fluids, when they are stuffed in the nose, which I gave him. It is so long ago though so I don't remember all the details, 1995. But he survived with my tender care, and got to be one year old when he suddenly died from an ulcer and stomach rupture. He was a sensitive guy.
Click to expand...

Ann-
Poor little Lillen. You took excellent care of him. I had a sensitive guy too. He had so many ailments, the poor thing. I can't imagine squirting stuff up Trinket's little nose. My goodness....that will be a first for me.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Have you tried Lysine, Traci?

Binks and the girls get 1/8 tsp powdered lysine mixed in their food twice daily when they get sniffly...

(unless it's Bink's getting sniffly over a reduction in his wardrobe budget- then he just gets the stern talking to :lol: )
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Hi Celi-

I just bought some lysine...Dian gave me a link and I got it at iherb. 1/8 of a tsp isn't bad at all-barely anything! It will get delivered in a couple days.

She continues to show more interest in food and less pawing around her food bowl!!!!
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Traci and Boomer said:
She's just had 10 days of amoxicillan so it must be a virus.
Click to expand...

It could still be a bacterial infection if she was given the wrong antibiotic for the condition.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

The pawing at the food might just be her tryig to cover it up to hide it from predators??? Zoe did that and it absolutely drove me nuts. she would obsessivly clink her bowl around on the floor.
I read on a thread here, that someone put the food bowl on a kitchen towel and let the cat cover their food with it. I tried it and miracle of all miracles...Zoe now covers her food and walks away confident that no other kitty will find her food. It is so cute that she covers it so carefully into a little package...she even leaves a little hole so she can nibble at it later.

Maybe try it with Trink?
j.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

jt and trouble (GA) said:
The pawing at the food might just be her tryig to cover it up to hide it from predators??? Zoe did that and it absolutely drove me nuts. she would obsessivly clink her bowl around on the floor.
I read on a thread here, that someone put the food bowl on a kitchen towel and let the cat cover their food with it. I tried it and miracle of all miracles...Zoe now covers her food and walks away confident that no other kitty will find her food. It is so cute that she covers it so carefully into a little package...she even leaves a little hole so she can nibble at it later.

Maybe try it with Trink?
j.
Click to expand...

Trink does that too....and it drives me crazy :oops: . The towels always end up dirty in the food bowl. cat(2)_steam Sometimes when I assist-feed her I put a towl down under the bowl so the mess doesn't get on the carpeting. Inevitably she covers the bowl with the towel and then I've got another dirty thing. I ddn't realize that she was hiding her food but a few people have pointed that out...I've got a big-time food coverer here.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

So glad she is eating better! I hope this continues. Do let us know how the visit goes tomorrow (Sunday) and/or what you decide.

The digging around the bowl.... :lol: Drives me freakin' crazy, too! cat(2)_steam I would take digging the LB for an hour over that!

Tippie, my foster, used to scarf her food when she first came to stay with me. Now she takes a lick or two and covers it. She goes back grazing over a few hours. About 90% of the time I find toys in and around her food. And yes, if there is nothing around she will drag something from another room. It is a work of art for her. Hard labor! :lol:

When I was at the shelter the other day there was a very young cat, tortie...stray She had a similar personality to my foster. When they brought her dinner the first thing she did was dig and bury. It was a gentle reminder to me that THIS is what they know and do. My guess is the younger they were as a stray, or the longer they were 'out' there...the more they will do this.

What I do find interesting is how she does it more as time goes on. Is it the food? Or is she feeling more comfortable in her home? Now instead of having to inhale it, she knows she can bury it and it will be safe for later????

These cats...they are so funny! :lol:
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Update- Trinket's at the vet right now and I am home. This morning I did what I was told-I took the LB away from her 3 hours before the appointment. After two hours I saw her looking for it and kind of digging alittle where the box would be. I got nervous that she wouldn't be able to wait another hour and I let her go in my room and use it. She peed of course. Then an hour later there was no pee at the vet's office. So I left her in hopes that they'd be able to get urine later. Oh and it's $15 just for her to stay there. I asked about her cold not knowing if it was something that needed to be looked into. I was trying to determine if she needed to be examined. The girl was a little snotty and said it would be a vet visit ($65 or so) - I said even just to ASK the vet? There was a guest vet there today - the one who suggested 2 weeks ago that she may have FIP. I left her there undecided on what to do. When I got home Dave said he thought she should be looked at and just forget about the $$$. She was already there and what if she got worse -- then I'd have to bring her back again. I called them up and told her to have the vet examine her. I'm going there in a few minutes to pick her up. I hope it's decent news. I hope they got the damn pee.
Stay tuned.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Traci, I just saw your post. I have been over in PZI a lot lately trying to get Baxter figured out....if that's is really possible.

I really hope pretty girl gets a clean bill of health. I hope her sneezyness is nothing major. :YMHUG:

I will be checking on a update from you.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Hi Traci,

Sorry you're having issues again. I can certainly relate to what you said about a normal cat that doesn't take your whole time up. My husband just said yesterday that Racci has taken over me and the house. :lol: He has to make an appointment.

Racci gets runny eyes a lot. Of course the runny nose now with it is a different thing but my vet said that just because of the diabetes and the asthma, she has a compromised immune system and is just prone to more trouble than the average. I keep powdered antibiotics in the house for colds and infections and ab eye drops, as well as a new type of lotion for her bottom that heals without steroids for her.

Maybe since Trinket's there at the vet anyway now you could ask the vet to give you backups if you feel you would know when she needs that stuff to save extra trips to the vet. Also, I've made a habit of bringing her urine with me in a sterile jar from the dishwasher. It saves her a lot of stress and saves you time and money. I just label it with her name, time & date.

Melanie & Racci
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

They were not able to get any pee out of her. :o
The vet said she seemed normal-the lungs and everything else she examined. She said they don't really treat colds like this unless it gets worse and there is yellow discharge or more symtpoms. She said that using the lysyne was a good plan and watching her.
They gave me a kit of stuff to put in her LB called no sorb - it's pellets for her to pee in. It's only about a cup's worth. I'm supposed to put this stuff in one of her LB's and collect the pee. I haven't figured out how I'm gonna do this and make sure she uses it and not Merlin...and IF she'll pee in it with barely any litter in it.
-Later-
Okay-I've got an LB with these black pellets in it and it seems like she has to go. She doesn't like the pellets. I'm not sure this is gonna work. I took away the other LB and luckily Merlin has just peed so I know he won't have to go for a while.
Has anyone ever attempted this before?
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

My vets always takes that loooong needle on a large syringe, and with the guidance of the ultra sound scan finds the bladder on the scan, then stick that loooong needle straight through the tummy and all, into the bladder, and from there extract as much urine they need.

That goes very fast and is very simple.

So unfortunately I don't know of any other way when the vet wants a urine sample.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Hi Ann-

Yup-that's what I was told they were going to do-use the long needle. Somehow they said there was nothing in her bladder. Not enough to get. I didn't ask how they knew that.

I can't imagine her peeing in this. She's freaked out about it.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Well for home, and for my own use when I want to check u-glucose, u-ketones and the multistix, I simply use small schnapz plastic glasses - and that of course requiring a lot of close up stalking them, since it be Gustav's pee I want or Simba's pee I want. So when I see/hear any go into the bathroom and make noises in the LB, I rush with my plastic glass in there and if it is the right cat, I can manage to lift up the bum as much as needed so I can get the plastic glass into the pee stream and they pee in that instead.

It works really well, this method of mine. The draw back for others when it comes to it, is that they can't stalk them for 24 hours 7 days a week as I can, since I am retired and always at home.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Here is pee vibes for you itty bitty Trinket. It IS perfectly okay to pee in the litterbox on the pellets. You will be doing just the right thing. So come on now, little Trinket, pee.
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Ann & Scatcats said:
My vets always takes that loooong needle on a large syringe, and with the guidance of the ultra sound scan finds the bladder on the scan, then stick that loooong needle straight through the tummy and all, into the bladder, and from there extract as much urine they need.

That goes very fast and is very simple.

So unfortunately I don't know of any other way when the vet wants a urine sample.
Click to expand...

Sorry Trinket peed herself out before getting to the vet. :YMSIGH:

The above technique is really the best way to collect urine for a urinalysis. Any other way poses a risk of contaminating the urine, thus making the results inaccurate. The process is called a Cystocentesis.

Here is some info on Urinalysis in cats (it explains 3 procedures to collect urine):
http://www.petplace.com/cats/the-importance-of-a-urinalysis-in-cats/page1.aspx
Click to expand...

Maybe you could bring her back in the beginning of the week and try again? On the other hand, if they are just checking to make sure the infection cleared and she seems to be better, you may even be able to skip it.

Glad to hear she is eating better!
 
Re: Now she's sneezing and had a watery eye last night

Traci,

I also got suckered into getting that kit. It worked for me but so does a sterile jar and a pack of sterile syringes for a few dollars instead of $24. :lol: That's another reason I just stalk Racci before I go to the vet. I've always done this. There is no way that a litter box cleaned and wiped with alcohol will be any cleaner than a jar washed in the dishwasher with alcohol swirled in it. Maybe you can catch her next time. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours but the newer it is the better.

Melanie & Racci
 
Re: Pee update! Dave got it with a spoon!

OMG you guys! Last night I could tell Trink had to pee and there was no way she was using those pellets...she wouldn't do it. Dave and I had talked about somehow fitting a soup ladel thingy in the pee stream somehow. We looked over my spoons and chose one that was big but not too big and deep but not too deep. I asked him if he'd collect it because he's very good at hard/weird pet projects. He agreed. Then we let her in the LB. Once she squatted he slipped the spoon under her and actually got the pee!!!!! I couldn't watch. Then he walked over to me and we carefully poured it into the plastic cup the no-sorb litter came in. It thought it was a miracle. I swear. I've never done anything like that before.

So he's going to drop it off for me today. I'll bet money it's gonna be normal.

Her cold isn't too bad. It seems better. Occassional sneezing. She still doesn't eat much. The vet said all she needs to eat per day is one FF sized can of food to keep her fed. Doesn't that sound like a tiny amount? She'll eat great but only if I help her with a spoon. Maybe she's enjoying the special attention?

ETA spelling corrections.

Ann-it's so funny that you were looking for a pee update before you went to bed!!! :lol:
 
Re: Pee update! Dave got it with a spoon!

:RAHCAT :RAHCAT flip_cat flip_cat WAY TO GO DAVE! flip_cat flip_cat :RAHCAT :RAHCAT
 
Re: Pee update! Dave got it with a spoon!

Traci and Boomer said:
I don't understand why I attract pets with issues. I am jealous of people who have pets and don't need to put their entire existance into maintaining them. :-x
Click to expand...


((Traci)) Don't feel bad. I'm in the same boat as you ohmygod_smile Every single pet I own, regardless of species, is guaranteed to end up with at least one major health issue ohmygod_smile Just look at my Leroy @-) Only a year and a half old and has been to the ER twice by the time he was 6 months old and currently has that mystery coughing issue.

Glad you got a pee sample :thumbup Only us cat beans would get excited over something like that :lol:
 
Re: Pee update! Dave got it with a spoon!

That business of collecting with a spoon - I was an expert at that, AND with an outdoor-pee-er! :smile:
I tested Myrtle's pee most days like that - just knew the times she was likely to pee. I stalked her with a plastic spoon and an empty plastic container so I could put the pee into that once I had caught it, so I didn't spill it. It was quite a challenge and a triumph (doesn't take much to cheer a diabetic cat owner!).
 
Re: Pee update! Dave got it with a spoon!

Thanks guys for the happy pee support! :shock: :lol:
Her cold doesn't seem too bad. Not as much sneezing and her eye looks better. The vet told me to let her know if the symptoms got worse. We aren't really treating it except for the lysine.

I came home from work and she hadn't really eaten much at all. :?
I just don't get it. I assisted her tonight and also gave her a mirtazipan. Luckily I have this left over from Boomer. She's already shown more interest in food (from the pill) and ate a decent amount tonight.

I'm going to try to chill out.

I just need to find a place that sells syringes. Mine get stuck and you can't get many uses out of them. I can make a huge mess when they get stuck and then "explode" all over. It's maddening. As long as I can make sure she eats (and she usually will with assistance) I think I can stay sane.

Squeem- thanks! I think we're definitely on the same team....Team Crazy. :roll: :lol:
 
Re: Pee update! Dave got it with a spoon!

Hi Ann-

Still no word. He dropped it off about 48 hours ago....I'm calling the vet....

The receptionist says there are results and it "looks like" everything is negative.
She told me the vet will call me in case there are other things she doesn't see.

Maybe I have a message on my home voice mail.

I'm not surprised it's normal. Not sure why she's not eating much food!!!! :roll:
 
Re: Pee update! Dave got it with a spoon!

Dang Traci,

Wish Trinket would eat, I know how frustrating it is. Whats even worse is no one can( the vets) seem to figure out why shes not eating. Well, let us all know when you get the results from the vet regarding the urine sample.

Terri
 
I got a call from the vet yesterday and she said "Trinket's making urine beautifully" or somethng whacky like that! :lol: She said "a few crystals but nothing to worry about". Ummmm....okay.

So....she's completely normal which is fabulous, but just doesn't like to eat much. She DOES poop every night at about 8:30 and it's a large poop-I always witness it - lucky me :? :lol: . Can I assume by that poop means she's getting enough food?

One more question - she had another hairball yesterday. 90% sure it's her. It was a big one - the size of a poop or two. She seems to have one once a week. Should I give her something for this like Laxitone? Doesn't that make the poop different? I don't want it to give her liquipoo or anything.
 
well yay for good pee .. boo on not finding a reason why she's stopped eating as much! A few weeks back mocha who rarely if ever has hairballs, had liquipoo and wasn't interested in food that much .. then one night she blessed us with a big ol' hairball right in the middle of the hallway .. since then she's been fine! But if trinket has them regularly, I can't imagine now all of a sudden that would affect her appy .. Hang in there Traci .. I know you're feeling really frustrated with all of this .. but perhaps it is just her growing into adulthood?
 
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