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UTI cat expert needs help with UTI cat

1.1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  PrimoBabe  
#1 ·
Why do I always pick the sick cats? I'm beginning to think it's me that's causing this.

I have had 4 cats in my life time. 2 of them I still have and the other 2 died of kidney problems after chronic UTI's at a young age. In April, my husband and I adopted a big male cat from a shelter, Brutis. I picked him out and sure enough he is suffering from UTI symptoms today - frequently going to the litter box and constantly cleaning his privates. I already made a vet appointment for later today. Now the other cat we have, my husband picked out and she is as mean and as healthy as can be.

From the experience with my dearly departed cats, I have done alot of research on UTI's. I'm paranoid about it and do everything I can to prevent it in the 2 cats I have now.

1/2 dry - 1/2 soft food diet.
Clean litter box with unscented cat litter.
Ceramic dishes.
Water dishes in every frequent hang-out rooms

With my dearly departed Lola, who died 2 years ago of kidney failure, I gave her distilled water, which I am now going to do with the water dishes now that I suspect Brutis has a UTI.

The only thing I can think of that may have caused this is that we let the litter box go 1 day late (we usually clean it every other day, this time we let it go 2 days). I know that if they are not happy with their litter boxes either because they are dirty or too much perfume in the litter that they can cause their own UTI. Or maybe because I haven't cleaned their food dishes in a week. Their water dishes I clean daily. See what happens, I behave like the average cat owner and my cat gets sick. :cry:

Any other suggestions, consulations?
 
#2 ·
How unlucky!!
What are you feeding them?
I would stop feeding dry and feed only wet with any cat that had a history of UTI. And I think bottled water is a good idea.
Do you mean you cange the box every other day or scopp it? It you mean scopp, I'd do it more often. I scoop my box at least twice a day. But, I doubt missing one day of changing the box would cause it unless it was starting already.
 
#3 ·
It seems that some cats are just very prone to getting UTI's. I had Martin on a course of antibiotics a few months ago, and I've just noticed that his urine once again has a strong, unusual odor. I guess it'll be back to the vet tomorrow.

1. I change his litterbox -- everything, including the tear-proof liner -- every day and a half. For example, I changed and cleaned it yesterday morning, and I'll do so again this evening.

2. I give him water from a Brita filter pitcher.

3. He has a low-ash diet.

4. I feed him just a little bit of dry food (he likes the crunchiness) with plenty of top-quality (Merrick) wet food.

I don't know...I guess my little guy just has a tendency for UTI's. He was neutered in a foreign country, so I sometimes wonder if the local vet did a good job.