Aaack! Cracker Jack sprayed this morning!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Hey JACK ~ Don't *blow it*, Dude!!
You could prolly get away with almost ANYthing -
EXCEPT peein/poohin in the wrong places!

UTI is a possibility...
But the White Coat will *NEED* a "sample"!
They can "take" a sample from him, but most Vets like to
be "given" a sample that was produced willingly.

When Boots was due for a test;
I'd "load him up" with extra water via a needle syringe
(LESS Needle part) - LOAD syringe; OPEN Kat mouth;
INSERT syringe over tongue; UNLOAD syringe;
(ignore *sputtering* sounds from Kat);
Repeat several times; Wait for Results!

Half a Cup of water was usually "processed" and ready for
"return to sender" in less than an hour.

"Collection" was a bit *trickie*!
Da KAT would be tethered to a chair with a SHORT string; and
"The Box" was the only thing within reach of the string.
"The Box" was a standard litter tray withOUT litter;
covered with clean plastic garbage bag AND a few
shreds of clean, torn, paper in the bottom.

When the "need" finally arose;
Boots would "do it" in the box and I'd spring to action
BEFORE he started trying to cover it and tear the bag/liner.

The hard part was and then attempting
(with only TWO hands) to the sample from the Box + Bag
into a storage ZipLock Baggie!

"WE" usually were able to deliver to Doc Mike...
But I remember one time Boots just wasan't ready to "dump"
before it was time for our appointment.
I'd "loaded" him with what I figured was a QUART of water -
he actually "SLOSHED" when I picked him up
gave him a "shake"!

Called Doc and The Gurls laughed and said to bring him on down and
HOPE he didn't empty the tank before we got there.

A couple hours in the "Sample Cage" (wire floor with a pan below) -
produced a small flood just before closing time!

As for WHY?? he may be peeing outside da Box...

Give his less than *warm* reception by Miz PeaNutter;
he MAY be marking his territory in frustration.

Do you have a very small room (closet ??) with a HARD floor?
Put him in there with only water, toys, and a Litter Box
for a while to be SURE he's using da box.

C'mone, Jack - get wiffa Program!!

/s/ Phred
.

[QueenScoopalot]

Deb, Don't assume the shelter neutered him before he left. Sad to say, many don't, but rely on the adopters to do so, and often get a portion back after the altering. Batonga Wonga is capitalized as I'm sure most self respecting tom cats DO think they're important things! And I've seen some mighty huge ones on some of those dudes....so big they get in the way of walking! The reason Tubby never had much back there, is he was neutered before those things grew! And grew And grew And grew!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Thanks for all the instructions Phred. However, I won't get home until around 6:00 and he has to be there at 6:30, so no time for trying to get the sample. Guess I'll have to let them try.

[Randi]

Debbie, I hope nothing serious is wrong with CJ! I noticed on your videoes that he was going around all over sniffing a lot to the carpet. Could it be that he can still smell Tubby? That could also be the reason for wanting to mark his new territory - which I think is what he does.

I have seen Fister do the spray motions with his tail, but nothing came out - except when he had the UTI and wanted to to tell us. But at that time, he sat and peed on our bed right in front of us, and looking at us.

Good luck finding the cause and a solution.

[jazzcat]

Originally posted by Randi
Debbie, I hope nothing serious is wrong with CJ! I noticed on your videoes that he was going around all over sniffing a lot to the carpet. Could it be that he can still smell Tubby? That could also be the reason for wanting to mark his new territory - which I think is what he does.

I think Randi is on to something there because I noticed CJ sniffing the carpet a lot in your video the other night and my first instinct when I see Ripley sniffing ANYTHING is UH-HO!!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I noticed the sniffing too, and that one spot was actually the most recent puke spot that had been cleaned - evidently not good enough I thought when I saw him sniffing it. I figured he would smell Tubby everywhere, but I didn't think it was a threat because no actual cat materialized from all the smells except Peanut, who I would think, smells differently than Tubby?

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom

I won't get home until around 6:00 and
he has to be there at 6:30,
so no time for trying to get the sample.

Guess I'll have to let them try.

Is Terry home to help today?

If CJ is "empty" at the Vet's - they'll either send you home
without a test -OR- offer to
"lock him up" for the night in a "sample cage" and get
their sample in the morning.

You could try "forcing" some water into him before you "Load & Go" -
but the forced water may not make it all the way into his bladder by
the time the Vet sees him.

GOOD LUCK!

[Catsnclay]

Please remember that Cracker Jack has been through a lot lately. With Peanut hissing at him, his new home, and the "fresh" scent of Tubby still around, plus we don't know how long he has been in the shelter, how long its been since he lost his owner, etc. You too would be under a lot of stress if all this happened to you!

I agree that he needs to be check by the Vet for the obvious things, but this all may be stress related. Cats do NOT like change in their life, and poor CJ, he has had a lot of change lately!

[Shady]

Sorry to hear about CJ

When my Tinkerbelle had her UTI, they had to needle her bladder to get a sample of urine for testing, apparently her bladder is very small, and made even smaller with the irritation and swelling.

They also said I could put a saucer under her to catch urine, that wasnt gonna happen, and I dont like leaving her there for samples because the one time I did, they missed it.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I thought about having to leave him at the vets. I was thinking they were open late on Tuesdays and I could drop him off tomorrow morning and then pick him up tomorrow night. I wouldn't want to leave him overnight, but.... I'm hoping locking him in the bathroom 3 1/2 hours before the appt. with the lid on the toilet up and no litterbox will do the trick.

CJ was surrendered to the shelter right around Thanksgiving, so he was in the shelter for a little more than a month. I don't know when his human died, but I do know he was home alone in the house for at least a week, with just someone visiting him for food and water. So he has been under a lot of stress, but we've been trying to make it as unstressful as possible by loving on him as much as he'll let us. I know Peanut doesn't help the situation though....

I have mixed feelings. I know UTI's are usually easily remedied with antibiotics so that would normally be my preference of choice here (rather than a behavioral issue), but in my brief experience in giving meds to CJ, I'm opting for the behavioral issues.

He has these two spots on each side of his nose. The vet gave me some cream to put on them in case they are ringworm (but that's another issue) and boy does he hate it when I try and put this stuff on! He fights like I'm really trying to hurt him. I think these spots are sensitive so that doesn't help any. Aaaannnndddd.....he's a drooler. Even though this cream doesn't go in his mouth, I guess it's close enough because he always has drool running down after I put it on - poor little Crackers.....

Anyway, thanks again to everybody for all the suggestions. Guess we'll just have to wait until the vet sees him.....

[iloverat]

No advice from me 'cause I only have experience with one cat and she's a girl. I'm writing to offer support and hopes that everything will soon be OK once again in your household. I know what you mean when you say you are ready for normalcy. Come on, little CJ, settle in, darlin' and if it's a UTI, get better soon!!!

[K & L]

Oh gosh, spraying isn't an easy thing to tolerate that's for sure. I know Catsnclay was dealing with this. Please let us his exam results. I sure hope this won't be a problem.

[NoahsMommy]

Debbie,

They make a Feliway spray you spray in the areas CJ has sprayed. Maybe that can help too?

I have no other advise other than keeping him seperate until you've figured out if its behavioral vs. health related. Maybe he just needs more time to adjust to a house with another kitty.

Good luck at the white coats.

[BigB_Kittys]

Perhaps, Cracker Jack has a minor infection in his bladder and mucous is blocking it. Snowball last April had such a problem and it was preventing him from urinating. It was not caused by crystals and his x-rays showed no stones in his kidneys.

I know that spraying can be potentially a big problem and very upsetting for all. I hope that everything works out okay with Cracker Jack. He is very loveable and the video of him meowing makes me want to reach through the screen and pick him up.

Brian,

Ontario, Canada

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Vet results here

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...threadid=68457

Too many PT kitties need prayers today. I think I'm going to be sick myself.