Post by snowhaven on Jul 26, 2019 15:04:18 GMT -5
My 13 year old cat had a bad urinary tract infection in mid-June. At least, that's when it was diagnosed. She had 2 rounds of antibiotics and was put onto this ridiculously expensive "prescription" cat food. We've had her in our downstairs bathroom since, with the exception of a few days in there when we thought she was using her litter box again... but discovered we were wrong. So she's been in the bathroom with her fancy kibble, personal litterbox and new cat fountain (everything I read says to increase their water intake). I also recently picked up a supplement made of cranberry and blueberry that's made for dogs and cats with urinary issues. I think it's supposed to work as a diarrhetic (sp??) and encourage drinking.
I went into the bathroom she's in to use the toilet, and she jumps into the tub and takes a pee right in front of me! (And there's poop in there from earlier.) I know she's been doing this - my husband has been cleaning up the #2 every morning when he's getting ready for work, but it sounded like she had finally stopped and was using the litterbox.
I understand they stop using the litterbox because they think the pain caused by the infection when they urinate is attributed to WHERE they're peeing. That once the pain stops it takes some time for them to brave the litterbox again and retrain their habits.
So... I feel like I'm faced with a few different options, none of them pleasant or ideal.
1) Talk to the vet about it - though I'm pretty sure they're just going to tell me to bring her back in for more expensive tests and more of the same treatment.
2) Get her out of here, whether by rehoming (who??) or putting her to sleep (😭😭😭) or
3) My husband wants to make her an outside cat - but she's been an indoor cat her whole life, since I got her from the pound in Tucson when I was in grad school. We live in central WI, and at 13 years, I just don't see how she's going to handle outdoor temperatures. Plus I don't want any issues with gestating ewes - they can lose their lambs when exposed to cat urine for the same reason women aren't supposed to clean litter boxes when they're pregnant.
I've had this cat longer than I've had my husband, and because her name is Izzy, we've never been able to name any of our girls Isabel - but I seriously can't take any more of the peeing on our bed (!!!) or in front of our side door of the house. Our basement has been flooded since April, and I don't doubt this kicked off the whole issue somehow - I just can't take it anymore! Does anyone see any other options here??