My 12-year-old male cat was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and prescribed Clavamox. He has had two days of meds plus his pain med. I was told he did not have crystals in his urine, just blood, he is now trying to urinate in odd places and his bowel movements are runny and he is using his litter box for those. Shouldn’t he be better by now and urinating in his box?

Julie
Knoxville, TN

Urinary tract infections, or bladder infections, commonly cause bloody urine and house soiling in cats. But other problems can cause these symptoms as well.

Bladder infections generally show marked improvement during the first 24 to 48 hours of treatment. Clavamox is effective against most bladder infections. If your cat’s condition hasn’t improved after two days on the medicine, I am worried that something other than a bladder infection might be going on.

Bladder stones, bladder tumors, and chronic irritation of the bladder can cause bloody urine and house soiling in cats. Blood clotting problems, infections with resistant strains of bacteria, and trauma are less frequent causes of these symptoms.

I recommend that you visit the vet again for more tests such as X-rays and abdominal ultrasound. These are the next steps in solving your cat’s urinary problems.

Your cat’s diarrhea probably is a side effect of the Clavamox. All antibiotics can cause upset stomach or diarrhea. This problem is likely to get worse if you keep administering the Clavamox.

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Several common syndromes in cats, such as kidney disease and irritation of the bladder and lower urinary tract, are helpfully treated by enticing cats to drink more water. Unfortunately, the age-old adage about mankind’s inability to force horses to drink also applies cats.

Cats are picky consumers of water. It is widely accepted that cats will drink more if multiple sources of water are available, and if the water is very fresh. Some cats seem to prefer water that is continuously circulated.

A recent study outlined in the November, 2008 North American Veterinary Conference Clinician’s Brief sought to answer another question: do cats generally prefer tap water or purified water? Here is a quote from the Brief.

The drinking water behaviors and preferences in cats were investigated using cats in a rescue center. The study was double blinded and each cat was exposed to 2 water sources (local tap water and purified water) over a 48-hour period. The bowls were identical in shape, different in color, and the amount of water consumed was measured and the bowl refilled every 12 hours . . . [t]he results showed that cats drank more water during the day than night. The only factor found to be significant on statistical analysis was the water source: cats preferred tap water over purified water.

In my opinion this study is too limited in scope to draw the definitive conclusion that all cats should be offered only tap water. But it does suggest that purified water is not necessarily the best choice for cats.

About the photo: Alita seems to like her water straight from the tap!

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A comment that was posted recently to the article entitled Is Tuna Safe for Cats? caught my eye.

Andy A posted a comment on July 6th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
My cat has been diagnosed with struvite crystals and my vet wants me to feed her Hills c/d diet. She absolutely hates it no matter how long I try to wait her out or how I try to hide it in her regular food. She loves Figaro Albacore Tuna Cat Food by Bumble Bee. According to the label It has vitamins and minerals along with 1.0g Omega-3 fatty acids and Taurine added. If I continue to feed her the Cat Food Tuna, will it worsen her condition? I think her not eating anything while I try and wait her out may dehydrate her possibly leading to concentrated urine which does not help her flush out her bladder. Am I wrong in this line of thinking?

Struvite crystals are common in cats. They, along with abnormal urine pH, are associated with a disease called feline urologic syndrome, or FUS (pedantic types prefer the name feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD). In females, FUS/FLUTD leads to chronic bladder pain and discomfort. FUS/FLUTD is more serious in male cats, because it may lead to a life-threatening situation in which they are unable to urinate.

FUS/FLUTD appears to be hereditary in nature. It is generally treated by modifying the cat’s diet to promote a change in urine chemistry. Hill’s c/d is the most frequently prescribed diet for FUS/FLUTD. Most cats are willing to eat it. However, as Andy points out, there are exceptions.

I do not recommend fighting battles of will with cats when it comes to food. (Actually, I find that battles of will with cats are losing propositions in general.) Trying to coerce your cat to eat one type of food can have dangerous consequences if she refuses to consume it. I have heard of cats who refused to eat for weeks on end when they took offense to the food on offer.

Starvation is the last thing that your cat needs. And yes, refusal to eat can lead to dehydration and increased urinary problems. If she won’t eat the prescription diet, your best bet is to offer something that she finds more palatable.

Several companies make foods that are comparable to c/d. Your cat may be willing to eat one of these. Talk to your vet about these alternatives.

If your cat refuses to eat all of the available prescription diets, you still have options. As I mentioned in the tuna post, cats cannot survive on tuna alone. Tuna flavored cat food, however, is generally nutritionally replete. It might make her urinary issues worse. Or it might not. There is only one way to find out: test her urine while she is on the food. If no crystals are present and the urine’s pH is in the proper range, then you won’t have much to worry about.

If crystals and pH problems occur when your cat is on her preferred food, you may be able to resolve the situation with dietary supplements. D,L-methionine is a natural amino acid that can be administered each day. It lowers urine pH, and reduces the risk of struvite crystals.

No matter what food you offer, your cat should have her urine tested regularly to make sure that the crystals and pH are under control. This is the key to dealing with FUS/FLUTD

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• Why do Pets Urinate Inside the House?
• Study Suggests That Cats Prefer Tap Water Over Purified
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