3213. A 5-year-old cat has difficulty in urination for the 2nd time. Scattering sand onto rooms. TP 15006

Dec 19, 2017

TP 15006 as reference number indicated a very old client of some 30 years.
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I phoned the owner today. His cat, Tiger, male neutered, 5 years old had difficulty passing urine for the 2nd time. The first time was 3 months ago.
"Is he the only cat?" I asked the retiree father who brought the cat down.
"Yes."
"Is there a change of cat food or litter?" I asked.
"My son purchased the pelleted litter 1 week ago," the father said. "My cat keeps soiling the apartment rooms with sand litter from his paws and body. So, my son changed from sand to pelleted litter one week ago."

 "Changes may cause FUS (Feline Urological Syndrome) in male neutered cats being fed dry food," I explained. "The cat drinks less and had difficulty passing urine or passes small drops, soiling the sand."

No bladder swelling or inflammation of the penile area. No fever. This is likely a case of FUS and treatment is by removing the stress and painful urination medication.  I had a blood test done. Low platelet count was the finding as it was 261 (normal 300-800).

Today is 5 days later. I phoned.
"My cat is Ok," he said. "Eating and active!"
"Any urination difficulty?"
"No more on the 2nd day," he said.

As this is the 2nd time of urination difficulty, I advised feeding Hill's feline C/D diet which usually prevents FUS in most of such cases I had treated. He mixed a small portion of the C/D first and gradually increase. I don't expect to see this cat with FUS anymore.

The cat's paws must have been stuck with wet sand as he goes to the sand litter box to urinate many times with great difficulty and in small amounts. He walked into rooms, soiling the floor. So, the owner decided to replace sand with pelleted litter.

No need to return to the use of sand litter in this situation as the Tofu pelleted litter is satisfactory.