Ashley Pee Troubles - Vet Wants Ashley to Start Amitriptyline - STILL PEEING

[moosmom]

Okay, I'm gonna play devil's advocate here. Did they bother to check her urine for crystals in the very beginning and continue to check for them??? Amitriptyline, from what my vet told me when I brought Buddy in for inappropriately peeing, has not been tested on cats and will make them lethartic and grouchy. He told me they use is as a last resort only!!!

He gave me a spray bottle of Feliway and told me (after check his urine) it's a behavioral problem, not a medical problem. He explained that I should spray the Feliway and isolate him in a room. Feliway has an exzyme that only cats can smell and it calms them right down. It worked so great on Buddy and he's finally calm and knows he's not going anywhere.

Please, before trying any kinda drugs lke Amitriptyline. you'll give the Feliway spray a chance.

Good luck and please let us know how you make out.

[Anikaca77]

They checked her pee back in Feb. I believe that time I got her pee right from her, I had her locked up the whole day and she wouldn't go in the empty litter box and finally she went into the one litter box and I lifted her tail right up and got her pee in the pee cup. But at that time we were looking for the cat that was peeing out in the kitchen and they said that was Claudia b/c she had crystals then.

This year we have tested Ashley's pee quiet a bit. They first started checking her pee back in Feb or before that and then when this started up again I've ran several samples down to the vets.

I've tried the Feliway plug ins before and those didn't help. I've never tried the spray.

We have confined her to one room with only the cats that are good with her are allowed in the room the guys that chase her or harass her have to stay out.

I will look into the spray.

Thanks,
Melissa

Okay, I'm gonna play devil's advocate here. Did they bother to check her urine for crystals in the very beginning and continue to check for them??? Amitriptyline, from what my vet told me when I brought Buddy in for inappropriately peeing, has not been tested on cats and will make them lethartic and grouchy. He told me they use is as a last resort only!!!

He gave me a spray bottle of Feliway and told me (after check his urine) it's a behavioral problem, not a medical problem. He explained that I should spray the Feliway and isolate him in a room. Feliway has an exzyme that only cats can smell and it calms them right down. It worked so great on Buddy and he's finally calm and knows he's not going anywhere.

Please, before trying any kinda drugs lke Amitriptyline. you'll give the Feliway spray a chance.

Good luck and please let us know how you make out.

[Anikaca77]

http://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/mon...dermalgels.asp

I found this info (the link above) on the Transdermal Gel which is the form they were talking about Ashley trying.

I would apply it once a day and I would get 30 days worth for $22.00

I looked at purchasing a Feliway spray and it looks like that would cost about $25-$35 depending on where I go. I talked with my husband about it and I guess we could give it a shot before putting her on the meds. I will have to see when I can afford to get a bottle and do it. Right now I may need to get Hermes blood test done which would cost $200.00 for just one test but if we were going to do that we may want to run the other test incase something wouldn't show up on the one test.

Melissa

[Anikaca77]

So Ashley's been on this new Amitriptyline since 11/13/09 and the peeing has been worse this week.

She sprayed on my hair dryer. I found this out yesterday and I was TICKED off at her.

She's in the bedroom with 3 other cats who she tends to get along with but she's still peeing.

I'm just stressing out a bit about this.

Melissa

[Medusa]

I've tried to stress to you, Melissa, that ametryptilene doesn't work for improper urination issues, as most vets will now concede. You've spent more money on products that don't work, now try one that does: CLOMICALM.

[Cataholic]

Peeing outside the box can be very stressful for EVERYONE. Please know that Ashley is not peeing outside the box 'on purpose' in the way we think. Getting angry- while understandable- only adds to the stress in the household.

I have had a lot of success with Feliway plug-ins. The thing is- you have to give it time to work. Not a day, a week, or two. A solid month of constant plug-ins. With a one bedroom apartment, I would have two plug ins. One in the bedroom, one in the outside big room.

Next, I would look at your litter box and type of litter. Box placement is critical, as is the type of box one uses. Some cats (mine) hate covered boxes. Some cats hate boxes placed next to dryers (as the buzz scared them once mid action...and they associate that with the box). Some cats hate certain types of litter- especially, especially scented litter. Some cats hate boxes with poop in it. Place two boxes side by side.

Make sure the peeing isn't accidental- over the side, by mistake. I had that issue. I fixed it after reading someone on here and their solution. My cats have a HUGE rubbermaid tub with a 'U' shape cut out on one side. No more pee-overs.

I have heard that c/d is not a long term solution food. I have heard that s/d is what you want for crystals. Frankly, it is easy for a vet to say that it is behavioural. That is a wide 'diagnosis', and you really, really, really need to slowly and completely explore the solutions. One by one, systematically.

Without going back and re-reading your thread, I thought you had said at one point Ashely does best being alone..no kittens, no cats in the room with her. But, I think I also read that you put 3 other cats in there with her, and her peeing is worse? Again, I didn't re-read...I am just wondering if that was the cause?

And, at the end of it all, I try to comfort myself with the thought- it is only cat pee. No one is dead or dying, and with time- you will find the solution for Ashley.

Good luck.

[Catty1]

Amitryptiline is used for bladder spasms in humans and animals. My sister was on it - a version called Baclofen - as her bladder got spastic very early in her journey with MS.

Yes, amitryptiline is also used as an anti-depressant, but does nothing for the peeing.

Ask your vet about Clomicalm. It is designed to CALM the critters. Plus, keep her in her "own" space; don't just set her out among all the others if you know that stresses her and makes her pee again.