Cat Has UTI

[AndyMac]

I have been treating my female 13yo cat for IBS - she is getting a steroid injection every 2 days. Last night when I got home she didn't greet me at the door like she always does and I immediately went upstairs were she was sitting in the hall. I noticed she had been sick on 3 occasions in the bedroom. I went to pet her but she didn't want to know. I started to clean up the food sick and she managed to jump on the bed and lay on the duvet.

Later I went to see her as I thought I heard her miaow and she was laying on the bed and I knelt on the duvet and it felt wet. I smelt the duvet and it was covered in pee. I looked at Jet and noticed she was drooling. I lifted her off the bed and put her on a pillow case cover whilst I stripped the bed but too late the pee had soaked into the duvet. As I was changing the bed sheets Jet managed to go onto the soiled duvet and I noticed the pillow case she had been on also contained pee. She give another cry as if in pain. I phoned my local vet but they were closed so contacted the emergency vet as I didn't want to leave her in that condition until the morning.

I took her to the emergency vet who informed her temperature was 105 (101 is normal for a cat) but her stomach etc felt OK. The vet took blood and again Jet had peed on the examining table. The blood tests came back clear and she was diagnosed with a Urinary Tract Infection - which the steroid injections could have triggered a decrease in her immune system leading to the UTI. The vet give her a pain relief injection and antibiotic injection. I was informed she was a bit dehydrated and if I wanted to leave her overnight it would cost £500 approx. I declined and took her home. That visit cost £190. The vet emailed my local vet the results of the blood test.

I got Jet to my local vet this morning - she had not peed overnight but I did hear he get up in the night and do a poo which was not watery. I had to sleep in a sleeping bag as the duvet was totally soiled. The vet examined Jet and gave her another antibiotic injection and informed her temperature was normal. Again she informed the steroid injections could have triggered the UTI as it may have weakened her immune system. She has also lost a bit of weight.

Got Jet home and she ate some food and retreated to the comfort of the bedroom onto a throw were she hid herself away to have a sleep. I had to go to work but hoping she will be OK when I get home this evening. She has to go back to the vet tomorrow evening as already mentioned she is getting treated for IBS so not sure how the vet will progress now she contracted the UTI with the steroid injections. She was starting to eat her wet food again and was hoping the steroid injections were working but now I feel like its one step forward and 2 back again.

[Lilith]

Oh no, so sorry for Jet, and you!

These UTIs are a menace. They can flare up so fast - within hours, but they DO respond quite miraculously to treatment and with any luck Jet may be a different cat in 24 hours.

All paws and tails crossed here for her - and hope you manage to find a moment in which to buy a new duvet soon!

[AndyMac]

Thanks Lilith - she seemed fine that afternoon when I left her and when I got home at 19.00 is when I discovered the sick. I did notice she had peed more that morning but with the cold weather and her not going out I assumed it was just normal behaviour. I was worried in case her triaditis had returned and with the pee on the duvet and the under blankets (glad I had a mattress protector)I knew something was defo not right with her and glad I took her to the emergency vet as I couldn't have left her in that state overnight.

New duvet has been sorted and a lot of washing of bed clothes last night and this morning - may attempt to wash the duvet but its a king size and wonder if it is worth it - will buy a back-up duvet in the new year sales in case it happens again. This is the first UTI she has had and was reading it is a common condition in cats. I wonder with her eating more dry food could that have been a trigger but she hopefully will have a good sleep inside the folded up throw this afternoon but she will not be amused with another visit to the vet tomorrow - 3 days in a row.

[booktigger]

Fingers crossed for her. How come she is having a steroid injection every 2 days? There is a longer lasting injection but most have it in tablet form.

[AndyMac]

Booktigger - The vet did not want to give her a long lasting steroid in case she did not take to it so it was decided that I would inject her every 2 days to see how she reacted to the steroids in her system. I have to take her to the vet tonight and he will decide if a longer lasting injection is more beneficial but catching the UTI I am not too sure what the next step will be. Jet will not take tablets and with her not eating a great deal of wet food injections were the best option.

[booktigger]

Ah right - lets hope she can have the longer lasting injection