bladder/urethra

Question
Hello Holly, I have a 5 yr old male cat (Ti-Noux) and all of a sudden-signs of UTI...frequent visits to the litter box and almost nothing...now squats anywhere and nearly nothing...I find drops here and there oily+bloody...eats normally...doesn't moan...but cannot urinate freely...within 24 hrs of noticing this..BAM to the vet I went...he is there now..and I AM FREAKING OUT (I have no kids therefore he is my kid) They took x-rays but seems there are no stones to be found BUT they said (opacity) something is appearing on x-ray in his bladder and they are going to have a urine analysis done...please tell me that its not a cancerous tumor..pleaseeeeeeeeee...I have been researching 8 hours now on the net and have not found anything other than the above mentioned...I forgot to tell you that he had 39.6 fever so they started him on antib's and they kept him overnight due to the fact that sundays they are overloaded (open only from 11am-2pm) thus they do not take X-rays until monday mornings...so he has been there 27 hrs already and I am going out of my mind with worry...is there more I can do(private vet or something)..who will just have attention for him...Oh he weighs 5.9 kilos....has never been ill before, he was vac ..exercise=not really he's a male snipped cat, they seem to be lazier...nothing has changed in his home environmental life...he eats dry food called "Vetdiet" so because of that i give him (by syringe) and extra 2.5oz of water twice daily. Srry if my Q. was long and all mixed up but I am just NOT ME...I think I need a vet too.
                      Thank you kindly
                           hope to hear from you soon
                       and have a great week,
                                 Nancy!

Answer
Hi Nancy,

I am very sorry to hear about your troubles and stress, but glad you got him to a vet ASAP.  After my boyfriend's 4-year-old neutered male cat went through this, I did extensive research on the condition, causes, treatment, etc.  More than likely he has a urinary plug that will need to be removed by doing a procedure.  The symptoms enough should indicate that, and in my opinion the x-rays are a costly and unnecessary expense.  Not only that, but if he does have a plug, it is dangerous to wait until Monday.  I apologize for the late response, but my schedule is hectic as of late.  I hope all went well with the surgery.

Now let me tell you what is almost always the cause if you will bear with me and keep an open mind.  The 'vet diet' foods are a load of crock, and some of the worst foods you can buy.  You should only buy holistic, gluten-free foods.  Essentially, most commercial foods (this includes Hill's Science Diet, Purina Veterinary Diets, etc.) are primarily composed of cereal grains, chemicals, and low-quality meats/by-products.  They have very low acidity creating the issues that present themselves as UTIs and urinary plugs.  The biggest key to preventing this from happening again is to switch him (and any other cats you may have) to a holistic food.  I recommend Halo to all as it is what I have used and what my clients have tried which has corrected appetite issues, digestive problems, as well as chronic skin conditions in a matter of weeks.  I researched all the ingredients in certain commercial foods as well as Halo, and Halo has 14 acidifying ingredients whereas Purina ONE and Purina Vet Diet U/D food has only 4.  If you do nothing else, read the following articles for more facts and information on the importance of feeding holistic foods.  I switched all 6 of my cats as well as 3 fosters at the time to Halo with no problem.  (Please see Halo's website here for more wonderful articles and info on their food: www.HaloPets.com)  Also, you will read this in the article, but cats get 2.5 times more moisture from their wet food, so it is imperative your cat gets at least a 3 oz can per day in addition to feeding 1/4 to 1/3 cup dry twice a day.  Also, an automatic waterer with a carbon filter will help prevent your cat ingesting chlorine and other contaminants from tap water which also aids in cleaner water, encouraging your cat to drink more and also helping to prevent urinary issues.  Here are the articles; I highly recommend you read the first one ASAP.

What's Really in Pet Food?
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359

Feeding Your Cat (Article)
http://www.catinfo.org/#My_cats_are_now_eating

Gluten and Toxins in Pet Food
http://www.celiac.com/articles/1129/1/Gluten-and-Toxins-in-Pet-Foods-Are-they-Po...

The Dangers of Commercial Pet Food
http://www.examiner.com/x-24832-Houston-Pet-Care-and-Behavior-Examiner~y2010m3d1...

Holistic Pet Foods and Natural Pet Products
http://www.examiner.com/x-24832-Houston-Pet-Care-and-Behavior-Examiner~y2010m3d2...

Best regards,

Holly Martin
Cat Care & Behavior Counselor
Texas A&M University
B.S. Animal Science