Advice for my Sedona with idiopathic cystitis

[sixcats]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on what may help and what to expect with my little girl that has been diagnosed with idiopathic cysitis.

Some background: A week ago today I noticed Sedona, (a 3yr old Sphynx - Cornish Rex cross) frantically trying to pee in the litter box. I took her immediately to the vet as I know not to wait with these symptoms.
A urinaysis was done and did not show any sign of crystal formation. Red blood cells were noted.

She has been placed on a glucosamine derivative that I have read can be helpful to protect the bladder lining.
In my research, I have also noted this is often stress related....I can think of NOTHING that has changed recently in her environment. I do have some holistic medicine called Biocalm for one of my other cats and so have given her a dose of this at bedtime for the past two nights. It MAY be helping as she had a normal pee last night! (but straining agian this morning...)

I'm wondering if anyone knows how long the glucosamine could take to work and if anyone has any other advice??
I'm not too keen to give her steriods.
She appears to be in no distress and is happily running about playing as usual when not in the litter box.

Thanks for reading!

Sixcats

[catmandu]

We sadly have no technical advice , but Lots of Prayers
and Good Wishes are coming for Sedona from the Found Hotel Cats!!!

[catnapper]

Sounds like my Pouncer. His is definately stress related and it took a long time for me to recognise his stress. Knowing what sets him off helps me a lot. He's recently had a great run of healthiness, then my college-age son moved back in til he finds a job.... and now I have a stressed out Pouncer.

Some things I learned that stress him:
bad weather
getting locked in the basement
Cat fights (not necessary with him -- others could be fighting together)
MY stress



Get a drining fountain. Fresh flowing water is the best thing for her. Make sure she is actually peeing, because if she blocks its life-threatening.

[phesina]

Prayers from us for sweet Sedona too.

[sixcats]

I will try the drinking fountain, and I know she will love it as she loves to play in water!
Sedona has been spending less time in the litter box, so I take this as a good sign!

sixcats

[columbine]

Glucosamine is good, but takes a while to start working. You might try a Feliway Safe Space plug-in - it's "kitty incense" that humans can't really smell (unless I'm right on top of it, then it's a very faint cedar-coconut smell) that has a calming effect. The drinking fountain's a great idea! Be sure to get a mat to put under it, though, if she's a splasher.

Love, Columbine

[smokey the elder]

My foster Lacey has a similar problem. She was on glucosamine/chondroitin in her food. She has been off it for awhile and has not shown any straining. The poor cat had been bounced around a lot and had been in a foster home where she was picked on. Now she's in my 3rd floor cattery with two other kitties she gets along with.

[sixcats]

Hi agian,

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how to post on the cat health forum....this is on the general cat forum, but really more appropriate for the cat health one. (I'm new to this!)
FYI Sid (Sedona's nickname) (that's her pic as my avatar) is still straining at the litter box. No worse, but no better either

sixcats

[snakemama]

My Charlie-girl has the same problem which flares up from time to time. I give her sub-Q fluids twice a week, and basically encourage her to drink and pee as much as possible...I have lots of water bowls which are kept very clean and filled with fresh water once or twice daily. The litterboxes are kept immaculate.

When she flares up and winds up in too much pain to urinate, I usually do put her on a SHORT course of pred to make her feel better ASAP.

She hasn't had a flare-up since I put her on canned food, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it keeps her healthy!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi agian,

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how to post on the cat health forum....this is on the general cat forum, but really more appropriate for the cat health one. (I'm new to this!)
FYI Sid (Sedona's nickname) (that's her pic as my avatar) is still straining at the litter box. No worse, but no better either

sixcats

Just scroll down to forum jump and click on this and it'll show you all of the different areas on PT. Click on cat health and it'll take you there. I'm so sorry to hear that she's still having problems. When my RB Sunny had a similar problem, he was put on some kind of muscle relaxent medicine that's actually for people and it worked well for him. I found out later that he was very stressed out from wearing his new collar so I took it off of him and he never had this problem again.

I'd also recommend that you start feeding her some canned food mixed with some extra water so she'll be sure to get enough moisture in her diet. I'll keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

[sixcats]

Thanks for the info.
I have posted on the cat heath forum now as well.

Sedona eats almost all wet food anyway and always has....I feed all my cats a combination of wet and dry Wellness. She never has been too keen on the dry so eats the wet.

I really can't figure out what could be stressing her...but will keep thinking!

sixcats