My cat has stress cystitis. What else can I do? Should I get a kitten?

I'm sorry for the problems Duck is having. I would consider asking the vet to image his bladder with ultrasound or possibly X-ray to make sure he doesn't have bladder stones. He may also just have residual inflammation. Make sure that he can urinate as if he becomes blocked that can be life threatening. Some therapies that can help may be prescription diets, Cosequin supplement to decrease bladder inflammation and feliway if stress in a component. He may also need pain medication if still crying. Some veterinarians have had luck using a medication called cerenia for urinary issues. Feline urologic syndromes can be difficult to diagnose and treat in some cases. Keep trying to help Duck feel better. More info. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=612 Good luck

I would discuss this issue with your veterinarian. We definitely do not want to stop the Prozac suddenly as he could develop withdrawal symptoms. Other supplements that could help include Zylkene or a prescription cat food like c/d® Multicare Stress Feline. Acupuncture is another alternative method that may help with stress and urinary issues in cats.

Yes, it's true that Prozac can cause changes in elimination. However, infrequent urination can have many other causes and given the history of cystitis, I would want to ensure the kidneys are functioning well prior to looking at other causes. If your veterinarian has ruled out other causes and it appears that Prozac is the cause, then you do have other options for similar types of drugs. However, switching will be a gradual process and all of these drugs tend to have side-effects, so you would have to weigh the risks versus the benefits. If your cat is otherwise acting, eating and drinking normal, then it's likely that this urine retention is not impacting Duck's quality of life much. However, if you do feel like it really affects Duck, then you can explore other options with your veterinarian. I hope this is helpful.

Poor Dylan! I would recommend you keep him on a canned prescription diet for urinary crystals. Your veterinarian can recommend one that should work. I usually recommend rechecking the urine after at least 2 weeks of this diet to make sure the crystals are no longer present and the diet is working. You also can try environmental enrichment to see if that helps with his stress level. For example, you can use shelves to make space so he can perch up high away from the other cats and have his space. I would also make sure you have multiple litter boxes and they are cleaned regularly. We want to encourage him to use the litter box often and not hold his urine. Feliway is a product you can purchase either through your vet or at a pet store that sometimes helps with stress. It is a synthetic cat pheromone that is sometimes effective to help with stress and urinary issues with cats. It will not impact the crystals, but hopefully help calm him and make him more relaxed and use the litter box more readily. Some vets also will add in glucosamine to the cats diet. It won't hurt and could possibly help with his cystitis. Some cats needs other medications, like anti-depressants, if they are still having problems. Hopefully a few changes will improve Dylan's overall situation. Good luck!

The concentration of the urine depends on a number of factors, including hydration, and has to be looked at in conjunction with the overall clinical picture. I wouldn't put too much stock in that one value right now. It sounds like you are doing everything right to help Duck feel better. Here is a link on how to pill a cat http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/eng_ht_pill_cat.pdf. If it is too difficult to pill Duck, ask your vet for a liquid option if possible. Cystitis can sometimes start due to stress. There are many things that you can do to help alleviate stress and help Duck feel better. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com.

Reducing stress is an important part of the treatment, because this is suspected cause of idiopathic cystitis. Try to identify any stressors in the household and do your best to eliminate them. You can also buy a cat pheromone product like Feliway at the pet store, which may help to reduce stress. Aside from reducing stress, there's really not much more you can do besides giving the prescribed medication. Below is a link to more information about this condition. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cystitis-and-lower-urinary-tract-disease-in-cats I hope that helps and Ollie gets better soon.

Renal food should not promote crystal formation and he should do well on this especially the wet version. Be sure to keep with the feliway diffuser and a calming supplement such as kalm aid may also help