Short term home remedies for cat urinary tract problems?

Pumpkinseeds

I noticed that there were traces of blood where Toby had sprayed the back door this morning. I've not noticed any before and believe me he's spraying fairly frequently:rolleyes: I'm planning on taking him to the vet to be neutered and given a check up as soon as he'll let me get him indoors. The thing is that I've found out that he's living rough in a copse of woodland behind a housing estate and to get to us he has to cross quite a few roads and pass lots of dogs.

At the moment he's sneaking in for a few minutes until my 2 see him and he runs out. I want to be able to keep him in overnight after he's been neutered as its too risky to let him out til the next day. He doesn't seem to be in pain, I know cats are fantastic at hiding pain. We've been leaving out a bowl of Applaws nuts for him and giving him a bowl of roast chicken each time he comes around. There's a big bowl of water in the garden but I've never seen him drink.

I was just wondering if there's anything I can do to make things more comfortable for him until I get him to the vet. He let me stroke his back today for the first time, catnip works wonders, his fur is full of knots so I'm guessing he's been sleeping rough for a long time.

He's quite edgy so it's not as simple as just grabbing him and putting him in the cat carrier so it could be a while before he'll let me nab him, he prefers to eat on top of the oil tank so he's out of grabbing reach.

Whispered

I'd leave out some wet food for him, it will increase his liquid intake anyway. I can't think of anything else. Sorry.

Nody

Ask the vet/local pet shelter if they got a cat trap; also try to mix in two tablespoons of water with the nuts/solid food to increase his water intake.

Pumpkinseeds

He's nuts about catnip so the plan is to leave the big cat carrier in the garden and try to lure him in to it by putting catnip in, thats the theory anyway. I've got to check with my vets tomorrow that I can take him in without an appointment whenever I can nab him next week. They did that for Jazzy, our other cat last time. There's no way we could stick to an ordinary appointment as we don't know what time he'd show up here.

I'd love it if they can neuter him while he's there. Ideally I'd have him neutered, checked over and get him his flea/wormer done too. I gave him some Felix wet food earlier, he's not sure about the Animonda and I don't know if such a high protein food would be good if it's a urinary tract problem.

mymo

Best to get in more fluids for now, I feed bozita wet (gravy ones are better than jelly for this)and add a little warm water, stir it around and they drink the soup first then eat the lumps.
Don't have it swimming in water, you'll know to look at it, should still be gravy like, just runnier.
He will probably need shot of antibiotics if there's blood and anti inflam, hopefully he'll be fine on a good diet, my two have been good for a long while now, kitten loves water so no worries with her!
I feed a food called veterinary specifics, urinary control or kidney diet (my vet orders it in for a couple of customers, doesn't get commission on it like other brands)mixed with good quality wet, some raw, and good dry food.

Mountainsandh

I was once given a cranberry powder to add to food for my cat, (he had had a bout of chronicky utis for a while )by vet, not like he swore by its efficiency, but did reckon it was worth a try. That was after treatment so can't vouch for efficiency either but did no harm anyway. Worth a try ?

Pumpkinseeds

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'm keeping an eye on him. He tried to get in the catflap this morning at 7 and the other 2 weren't letting him in to the kitchen when I opened the door. Poor little guy desperately wants in. When I get him to the vet I'm hoping to keep him indoors in a bedroom and do a slow introduction.

Since we've been leaving the food out for him it's attracted a little black cat that seems to be stray as well. Its always starving and polishes off whatever amount of nuts are in the bowl, even if there's lots of them. I saw him on the doormat this morning with a lump of fur missing from his back and the back of one of his ears is raw from fighting. If my 2 will accept him we'll keep him too if not I'll ask a rescue I know to take him and I'll keep feeding him in the meantime.

Toby keeps chasing him off but I'd say thats to do with the food source being threatened. I don't know how people can turn a blind eye to homeless animals.

Pumpkinseeds

Finally got Toby to the Vet this morning. There's a lot of blood in his urine, he peed on the vet table and his temp is very high, we can feel the heat coming off him. The Vet thinks he's between 2 and 5 years old so a lot younger than we thought.

Vet is going to test for FIV/Lukemia before neutering and microchipping him and I'm anxiously waiting for the call to find out if he's positive. I'm really hoping he's not positive, he's such a fabulous cat and I don't wanna have to pts but I have to think of our other 2 cats.

Toulouse

Well done Pumpkinseeds. Good to know he's being looked after, whatever the outcome, instead of out there suffering.

Pumpkinseeds

Toby just got the all clear on FIV/Leukemia. Am absolutely delighted for him. Will be delighted to collect him and bring him home this afternoon and spoil him rotten for the rest of what is hopefully a long and healthy life for him:D

SillyMangoX

Brilliant news There's nothing more nerve racking than waiting on the results. I got cream done when I was on work experience and the vets sent me up to the post office cos I wouldn't stop hovering around the test!

bluecherry74

That's great news! Here's hoping your other 2 learn to adjust their attitude.

Pumpkinseeds

Thanks, I'm so happy now. We've had to put a latch on the outside of a spare room door, didn't realise til the other day that it doesn't shut tight and we needed to have a safe place for him from the other 2. All in all they've been surprisingly good with him. There's a black possible stray that's been coming to sneak food that we've been leaving out for Toby and Jazzy chases him off up the street.

Felix is OK with him so long as he's outdoors. I was sitting on the back doorstep for an hour with Felix sitting by his water bowl in the garden and Toby sitting on a wheelie bin trying to make a dash in the kitchen door. Felix mewls at him but doesn't attack, which he normally would do with a strange cat in the garden.

Then again its been raining tinned tuna, salmon and of course cooked chicken since Toby's been calling and Felix has put on a few pounds:o

I've set up the spare room with a litter tray and some baskets for him so he should be snug even though he's scared. He was so good, even though he isn't used to being petted by me he didn't bite or try to scratch me while vet examined him.

bluecherry74

I think now that he's in - as opposed to trying to get in - the other two might learn to accept him eventually. He's a lucky boy to have wandered into your back garden.