Nikkita has crystals.....

[carole]

Nikki was acting strangely yesterday, i knew she was unwell,just looking at her, and she started going in the litter box scratching and sitting very briefly then just going out, did this at least three times,and Nikki does not even use a dirt box most of the time, so i rang for a vet appointment, they were all full up but squeezed me in, very good like that.

They decided to take a urine sample, much to my distress and Nikkis, but i knew it had to be done, they took her to another room as i just could not bear to see her have this done, they re-assured me it would be fine, that the cats generally hate being held rather than the needle, yeah right?

Anyhow Danielle the vet comes back with her grinning, saying well we did not have to use the needle, when the vet nurse held her tightly she just got such a fright she did a big pee, mind you she had not gone all day and night, so she must have been bursting but as it hurt did not want to go.,I was so relieved.

Unfortunately the results showed she had crystals,so she had a two week antibiotic injection and now will have to be on the same diet as lexie,what bad luck two kitties with crystals.

So all my remaining kitties have special needs now,it just never seems to end.

Please hope that Nikki gets well soon and will continue to be healthy, thanks for listening.

[catmandu]

I was looking at the 2010 Calendar and Nikkitas such a Beauteous Cat!
The good thing is that Our Vets have made so many advances in Fighting cyrstals, that Kikkita should be all well soon.:love::love::love:
Shes a WonderCat!!!:cool::cool::cool:

[phesina]

I hope you will be feeling much better very soon, Nikkita! You were a very brave girl at the vet's. Your Meowmie loves you so very much and will be giving you the best of care.

[Catlady711]

I can sympathize. Multi cat households have their share of stress when even one cat has a problem, but it's worse when you have multiple cats with issues.

I have 6 cats on Hills C/D prescription food for crystals, and one on two different prescription meds for Megacolon. I don't have a 'normal' cat in the house.

[Catty1]

At least you have to buy only one kind of food for them. I hope dear Nikkita feels better soon! :love:

[carole]

not quite Candace Ellie has to eat mainly soft food because of her mouth, but yes it will be easier in some ways, however getting her to take it every day will be a challenge, it was for Lexie, but we got there, good thing is she will sneak some of lexies food now and then, so appears to like it, but again when it is the only thing on the menu and you are allowed to have it, well need i say more, you know what cats are like.:)

She has gone in the box one time today, not sitting in it, just going near it and smelling but doing nothing, so i do hope that medication is doing its job.

Thanks Gary, i think Nikki is simply gorgeous too, i never get to see the Pet Talk Calendar as it is too expensive with the exchange rate for me, but i hope others enjoy seeing my little beauty, she has the sweetest nature as well to go along with that beauty. Her colourings and markings make her extremely photogenic and she just loves posing for the pics too.

Oh i knew i was not alone it not having one normal cat to speak of lol.:D

[Medusa]

Welcome to my world, Carole. Not a "normal" furkid in the house except that we've never dealt w/crystals. I do hope that Nikki is feeling better now, though. :)

[catmandu]

I will try and take a photo of Nakkita nad friends on the Cat Calendar and hopefully it will turn out well enough to post.
Shes quite a Beautiful Lady!!:love::love::love:

[carole]

Thanks Gary would appreciate that.

She seems better today, she just stayed with me all day yesterday and only sniffed at the litter tray, she went outside for a while then back inside, so hopefully all is well, she does appear much happier today, i am giving her some of Lexie's biscuits along with her old ones, and she seems to be favouring Lexie's so fingers crossed she will eventually be happy on them, she was such a purina girl though, i have about six packets of biscuits and Ellie only eats them now and then, so i think the cat shelter will be getting a donation from me very soon.

Thanks for your concerns everyone.

[catmandu]

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy113/pocoloco_2009/meowies3034.jpg

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy113/pocoloco_2009/meowies3033.jpg

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy113/pocoloco_2009/meowies3035.jpg

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy113/pocoloco_2009/meowies3036.jpg

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy113/pocoloco_2009/meowies3037.jpg

I tried to take Photos Of Nakkita and Friens off the Calendar , I hope this turn out all right. And that Nakkita and Her Cat Companion Friends are all right too!!
:love::love::love::love::)

[carole]

thank you so very much Gary for taking the time to photograph and post those pics off the calendar, that means a lot to me, pretty Pearl looks lovely too next to my girl, doesn't she?

[catmandu]

I think all the Cats are so Beautiful , Pearl , Ellie Mae and Nakkita and Sunnys an Owesome Orangie.:):)
And of course Sophie from Guatemala!!:love::love:
All the Calendar Cats are Fantastic Felines!!!:love::love::cool:

[cassiesmom]

Feel better soon, sweet Nikkita!
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=10366376

[carole]

yes i agree 100 per cent, gorgeous collection of beautiful felines, and thank you for lighting a candle for Nikki, much appreciated.:):love:

[phesina]

Here's another candle for Nikki, to help clear these crystals out!

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=10366794

[carole]

Oh thank you so much from the both of us.:):love:

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Aw, I'm sorry to hear Nikkita has crystals.

I wonder if you know the importance of knowing if her PH is high or low and the ways you can attempt to keep that level. Sometimes keeping the PH levels correct can go a long way to hold off the UTI and crystals issues.

I've done quite a bit of research and asking around about UTI issues because of the problems I had with Tiger Lily, whom I ultimately had to re-home due to her stress of living with other cats and the escalating fighting problems between her and Molly and Kit.

Cats with urinary issues should eat all wet food, no dry. Knowing the PH and finding ways to keep it at the right levels is also very important. None of that helped with Tiger Lily's stress levels, though. And it was her stress that kept throwing her PH off. She never had crystals. But the PH being off can lead to crystals.

If Nikkita's issue is high PH you might want to have the water you use tested to see what the PH in that is. If it's higher than 6.5, you might want to try to find a bottled water to use or invest in some kind of filter that lowers PH(I don't even know if there is such a thing, though). As well as learning what foods promote a healthy PH level.

[astrid]

I know I haven't posted in this thread but I want you to know that from the moment I read Nikkita is not OK I have kept her in my prayers, I also lit a candle for her and with all my heart I do hope she's feeling better and gets well soon. God bless you.
Have a beautiful day!

[carole]

Thank you from Nikki and Me Astrid and everyone else for their prayers, kind words, and advice.

Momto4FemaleFelines I am rather puzzled though about your suggestion that she only eat wet food, the diet prescribed by the vet for my lexie who had the problem about three years ago, is dry biscuits, and what Nikki will eventually be put on as well.
Apparently the PH level was not too high, infact everything was not too bad at all according to the vet.

She seems happier now ,each day a little better and she used the litter box this morning, she is a cat who goes long periods without needing the toilet,one thing though from the tests her kidneys are fine and she does not have diabetes,which i also was worried about.

Again thank you everyone for your concern and well wishes,they must be working.,the miracle of PT works its magic yet again.:love::)

[Pinot's Mom]

Carole, how did I miss this thread completely??? I'm so sorry Nikki has issues; glad she seems to be feeling better, though. Please accept my apologies I didn't write sooner, and give Nikki special kisses for healing from me & Pinot.

[columbine]

What MomTo4FemaleFelines said is what my vet said to me - that the pH determines the type of crystals and what should be done about them, and that wet food and plenty of water are the key. Smudge isn't a big fan of wet food, so I get [looks left and right] the kind that starts with T :) and mix in plenty of extra water along with his various medicines (skin & coat, Cosequin for his urinary tract, antihistamine for allergies, and fiber supplement) and he will eat that. I even got him a kitty water fountain - but he was afraid of it! Luckily he's much more enthusiastic about drinking out of a glass bowl in the living room than a steel one in the kitchen, and he's fine now.

Maybe the most important thing I did, although it was serendipitous, was put him on grain-free food (which I did because of his allergies). His crystals (struvite) were the kind that form when a cat's urinary pH is too high, and grain does drive up the pH. So between the Cosequin, which will also help keep his joints comfortable, and the grain-free food and extra water, he's quite the comfy kitty these days.

Love, Columbine

[krazyaboutkatz]

Carole, I'm so sorry to hear about Nikkita.:( I've been through this with my Storm and he even needed the PU surgery because he became blocked 2 times. He was on Royal Canin Urinary S/O both canned and dry and I would also add some water to the canned to give him more moisture. Now he's on a grain free diet and he eats mainly canned food with water added to it. So far he's done very well and the most important thing is that he loves his food. I hope that her new diet will help her. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[katladyd]

My Ming had chronic crystals and blockages until my vet put him on amytriptiline, wet food (with gravy or water), and Purina One for Urinary Tract Health. He has not had either crystals or a blockage in 15 months, knock on wood. They can eat dry, it just has to be one that balances their pH levels.

[carole]

ok thanks for the explanations, my vet is recommending the same food as for Lexie, so i guess i will just have to got with that and hope it works, it has so far for Lexie, so i have good faith in them.

[cassiesmom]

Continued prayers for Nikkita

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=10400103