My kitty seems to have a UTI. Any natural solutions?

[BAM]

This is the first time my cat has had a urinary tract infection. She keeps squatting in the box and urinates very little but doesn't seem to be in any discomfort. Have you found anything to help your cat without using antibiotics? It just started happening tonight and I immediately started giving her probiotics and cranberry. I would prefer a natural solution but I don't want her to suffer. If you've found anything that works, please let me know.

Thank you!

Bam

 

[PhyllisG]

I suggest you get her to the vet immediately and get her on antibiotics. This is not something to fool around with trying home remedies. It can turn into something very serious
(and expensive) and effect her kidneys. Go to the vet! Yes it is uncomfortable for your kitty just as it is for us.

 

[fit44]

I completely agree with Phyllis! Go today!

My holistic vet rarely uses antibiotics when a supplement will do...but she doesn't hesitate to use them for a UTI. The supplements will help prevent bacteria from re-attaching to the walls, but you need antibiotics to clear the infection.

 

[mbmundt]

I agree as well. Get her to the vet as soon as possible. I have a cat that had a UTI and not good. You want to get them on antibiotics as soon as possible.

Good Luck and hope your kitty gets well soon!

 

[BAM]

Thanks so much ladies! Will do! What does the vet do to confirm a UTI since it's hard to get a sample? Do they just go by the symptoms we describe? I'm curious as to how she picked this up since she's an indoor cat.

Thanks again!

Bam

 

[fit44]

Thanks so much ladies! Will do! What does the vet do to confirm a UTI since it's hard to get a sample? Do they just go by the symptoms we describe? I'm curious as to how she picked this up since she's an indoor cat.

Thanks again!

Bam

I would call and ask the vet. I know they catch urine from a cat different way than a dog. A dog i easy. I remember talking to a cat owner in my vet's office and I think they put something in the litter pan. I couldn't get a sample from my dog and my vet prescribed antibiotics based on symptoms.

 

[BAM]

I would call and ask the vet. I know they catch urine from a cat different way than a dog. A dog i easy. I remember talking to a cat owner in my vet's office and I think they put something in the litter pan. I couldn't get a sample from my dog and my vet prescribed antibiotics based on symptoms.

Thank you! I have to actually find a vet. I'm not in the area anymore where I used to take her and I need to find one that will work with someone who needs a sliding fee scale. I hope they're out there.

Bam

 

[fit44]

Thank you! I have to actually find a vet. I'm not in the area anymore where I used to take her and I need to find one that will work with someone who needs a sliding fee scale. I hope they're out there.

Bam

My vet prescribed amoxicillin and gave me the name of two local grocery store pharmacy's who give free generic amoxicillin. I picked one and she called it in...
I got the medicine for free. Ask the vet if they know of any.

 

[BAM]

My vet prescribed amoxicillin and gave me the name of two local grocery store pharmacy's who give free generic amoxicillin. I picked one and she called it in...
I got the medicine for free. Ask the vet if they know of any.

Oh cool! Thank you SO much!!!!!

Bam

 

[lrusso]

Not every UTI is an infection, it could be ph problem in which antibiotics will do nothing. A cats urine should be acidic, the opposite of ours. My cat got this problem from eating dry food, which is too alkaline for cats prone to this, and does not provide enough liquid which worsens the problem. My cat hasn't had a problem in many years since I switched him to canned food only. If I give him a little dry it comes right back. I had to figure this out on my own through holistic books and websites because reg. vets are no help! The best thing to do is to get ph strips and scoop the urine out right away and wet the strip it will tell you if your cat is too alkaline. I would look up ideal range for cat, (I can't remember). If your cat is too alkaline go to the health food store and get methionine (which occurs naturally in meat) that will decrease the ph and instantly take away the problem. Now if it is a actual bacterial problem antibiotics should be given, but this is rare and screwed up my cat big time. HTH Linda

 

[BAM]

Not every UTI is an infection, it could be ph problem in which antibiotics will do nothing. A cats urine should be acidic, the opposite of ours. My cat got this problem from eating dry food, which is too alkaline for cats prone to this, and does not provide enough liquid which worsens the problem. My cat hasn't had a problem in many years since I switched him to canned food only. If I give him a little dry it comes right back. I had to figure this out on my own through holistic books and websites because reg. vets are no help! The best thing to do is to get ph strips and scoop the urine out right away and wet the strip it will tell you if your cat is too alkaline. I would look up ideal range for cat, (I can't remember). If your cat is too alkaline go to the health food store and get methionine (which occurs naturally in meat) that will decrease the ph and instantly take away the problem. Now if it is a actual bacterial problem antibiotics should be given, but this is rare and screwed up my cat big time. HTH Linda

Oh my goodness, this makes purrrrfect sense! My cat has been eating way more dry food lately as she's such a fussy eater but likes dry food way more than moist. I was cleaning last night and found some ph strips that I had. I just tried testing the urine as I waited until she finished and put the strip on the urine in the box but it seems that the strip just absorbed the color of the litter but I will try again. For the ph imbalance, does that cause the frequent trips to the box with little urination each time?

Thanks so much for this info. Ooh, also, how methionine should I give in milligrams and amount?

Thanks again.
Bam

 

[lrusso]

That's exactly what it does, my cat was in the litter box every 5 min. with a drop coming out, eventually he passed drops of blood. It is crucial that you check the urine first because if she is not too alkaline, methionine could send her the other way and make her too acidic, which could then cause crystals, you have to get the right balance and the ONLY strips that worked for me is the kind in a roll from AlkaMax, not their strips. I got mine at Vitamin Shoppe. I don't remember how much methionine, I think I just played around with it starting with a pinch and kept testing until it was good. Get her off dry food ASAP and get a good quality canned food. No treats, nothing dry, try to get her to drink plenty of water. My cat was also licking down there quite a bit when he had the problem.

 

[BAM]

That's exactly what it does, my cat was in the litter box every 5 min. with a drop coming out, eventually he passed drops of blood. It is crucial that you check the urine first because if she is not too alkaline, methionine could send her the other way and make her too acidic, which could then cause crystals, you have to get the right balance and the ONLY strips that worked for me is the kind in a roll from AlkaMax, not their strips. I got mine at Vitamin Shoppe. I don't remember how much methionine, I think I just played around with it starting with a pinch and kept testing until it was good. Get her off dry food ASAP and get a good quality canned food. No treats, nothing dry, try to get her to drink plenty of water. My cat was also licking down there quite a bit when he had the problem.

I have the flushable litter and it's hard not getting the litter sticking to the strips I have but I will check into the ones you recommended. My cat is licking the area frequently as well. I will not be giving her any dry food.

Thanks again for your help!

Bam

 

[lrusso]

Btw how old is your cat, mine was fine until age 2 and then started with this problem. Some cats are just very prone to this and others are not, but once they have the problem it seems to reoccur when you go back to the things that caused it. They do make cat food with methionine in it for this exact problem. You may want to do some googling!

 

[lrusso]

One more thing I would avoid food with grains, cats need meat, meat makes them acidic, grains make them alkaline, dry food is way to dry and full of grains and corn. Natural cat food from pet food stores are best! The lower the quality the less meat with more fillers, which will cost you in the end at the vet. I say spend more at the check out and less at the vets, raw food diets are excellent as well! Meat meat and more meat for our carnivore friends keeps their ph in check! It is also crucial to do ph test the min. she finishes going and read it right away, if you wait on either you will get incorrect readings.

 

[BAM]

Oh, I agree about the meat. I've tried the really good food and she snubs so many things and I end up throwing so much away. I don't have the financial means to continue doing this right now. I will do what I can but as my finances improve, I will experiment again.

She's about 5 1/2 years old. She was a stray and I've had her for 4 years. This is the first occurrence.

I've got my work cut out for me.

Thank you!!!!

Bam

 

[workout]

My kitty had three bouts of UTI - really bad. It is a very painful condition for them (cost over $1,000 to remedy). Anyway, not until someone recommended, UTI-Free Homeopathic Remedy, she has not had an episode for 1 1/2 years. Here's the link:

UTI-Free

They are little granules that you add with her wet food, just a pinch, and my kitty has been feeling great. She did have to take the amoxicillin for 3 months but she's been healthy for 1 1/2 years - she's 16 years old too.

 

[Nanbo]

I have my male ex-feral cat on a grain free diet and limit his kibble (EVO brand) to 1/4 cup per day. He gets one pouch of BFF brand wet food every morning and sometimes in the evening if he wants it. It's "human" grade made with wild caught fish and has lots of "gravy". I apply drops of Only Natural Pet Tract-Ease every day for prevention of the urinary issues and increase the dose if I notice him straining. He has similar symptoms that Linda's cat has with the straining and then drops of blood. He seemed to go through this every 3-4 weeks and the vet could never find a problem (no bacteria, crystals, or stones) and labeled it "feline idiopathic urinary disorder" and wanted to put him on kitty prozac! I stopped going to that vet! Since I've been giving him the Tract Ease his bouts of this are much rarer (like only once every 4 months). I'll have to try the pH strip test...that makes perfect sense!
I hope you get some relief for your kitty soon!
Here is the website for the Tract-Ease:
Only Natural Pet Tract-Ease Dog Cat Herbal

 

[lrusso]

That's the problem, the vet reaches straight for the antibiotics without really figuring out the problem in the first place. With antibiotics if it is not a bacterial infection , they will not work and it is rarely ever a true infection. Then, like my vet, they increase the dose which makes it worse or reoccur over and over again once they stop the meds. Boys are more prone than girls but girls can get it as well. It's all about the food. Feral cats go from killing their prey to a house with a bowl of dry food, this is not natural, this is not what they were born to eat, canned or raw is closer to what they would consume in the wild, and dry food is slow poison!

 

[jamie vaughn]

Sometimes these symptoms may not be UTI but can be due to kidney stones blocking the ureter so urine cannot flow out or possibly a stone lodged in the bladder. If not treated promptly it may lead to kidney failure so hopefully the vet does a thorough check-up.