Cat UTI question

[rubytue]

I’ve had cats many cats, but thankfully never dealt with a UTI.

I’m cat sitting. Cat was peeing on laundry 10 days ago. Owner took to vet who diagnosed UTI and gave two weeks of antibiotics.  She has been on them since last Thursday (so, 8 days). I was told the peeing on things had stopped. 

She is staying in our basement while our dog is upstairs. We are visiting throughout the day and feeding, giving play time, etc. Of course, she has peed on something. Just an old dog bed we have down there. It’s no loss. My concern here is the cat. 

WWYD? Options going through my head:
1. Call my vet in the morning (when I can get a same day appointment) and have her rechecked. 
2. Consider its possibly stress induced from new house and this crazy dog that barks or whine whenever the door is open? Try feliway?

Consulting with owner is on the table. But, owner looks to me for this advice normally (in fact, I’m the one that said “oh, she is peeing on your laundry? That’s a UTI.”). He will tell me to do what I think is best. 

[livinitup]

Call the vet. The cat is under medical care and treatment. They will want to hear about behaviors and are in the best position to say “bring the cat in” or not.

Poor, kitty. I hope it’s just the house and barking that’s got him/her upset and not that the medicine isn’t working.

[rubytue]

As I suspected, owner says he trusts me and so what I think is right. But also think is is just marking. Which does not consider that kitty has been here before and spent a week in the same basement with the same old dog bed and did not mark. My gut says this antibiotic is not working well.

But… he left me zero info on where he went and it’s not on the meds. I know it was some sort of walk in clinic not his normal vet. Oh and I have no vacciner records or even his vets name. So I don’t even know if my vet will see us without vaccination records based on trust that I knew she is vaccined. Oh the drama.

[deadwing]

How long has it been since the cat has stayed with you?

I'd be inclined to think it's stress related. Cats notoriously do not like to be away from home. Add in the UTI (so cat likely isn't feeling 100%) and being older than the last time you cared for her, and you probably have one stressed kitty. I hope her human comes home soon. Also, he needs to grow up and learn to be a better pet parent. Even if the cat wasn't being treated for something right now, he should have left you his regular vet's info.

[mala]

Did the vet do a culture? We dealt with reoccurring UTIs in our dog, and the vet/lab cultured it to ID the best antibiotic. I would assume with a known UTI that the cat isn't on the most effective antibiotic. Plus, being in a new house/stress, even if he's been there before, could mean that he's holding his urine longer which will not help the UTI.

[tiki]

Peeing on one item (especially something sorta the shape of a litterbox, with another animal's smell, and while away from home) wouldn't be enough for me to take a cat to a vet. If I removed the dog bed and peeing everywhere continued, then I would call.

[cohmom]

Feline idiopathic cystitis is far more common in cats than UTIs. If this is a male cat the problem with letting it go is that he may become obstructed and get very sick. Stress is the biggest factor in FIC and treatment is complex. In dogs utis are common and antibiotics are curative. Cats need a lifestyle overhaul with food change, increase water and stress reduction. That’s a lot to take on for a houseguest. Probably best to keep a watchful eye and talk to your friend.

www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/urinary/utis-cats-urinary-tract-infections-cats

vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-idiopathic-cystitis

[rubytue]

To answer some questions:
deadwing: Kitty was here right about a month ago.
mala: yeah, no culture. I may be a bit sketchy on where it was (pretty sure it was the walk in clinic in Snowden), but I know he mentioned they couldn’t get a sample but diagnosed on symptoms. The clinic opens at 11 today, I’m going to call them and see if I can get anything out of them. Pretty sure vets aren’t HIPAA compliant and I have enough info identify.
cohmom: it’s a girl cat if that makes a difference. And whereas a week ago she wasn’t using the litter box at all, now there are pee clumps in the litter box along with this outside.
tiki: if it weren’t for the current uti meds, I’d be with you. And I’d be cursing agreeing to cat sit a bitchy cat. Lol. But, she gets a pass because of the history.

I called my vet at 9:30 this morning. They were in the same spot as me, could be behavioral, could be wrong antibiotic. But their same day appointments fill up by 8:45, so call at 8:30, not 9:30 (ahhh! Pretty sure it’s 9 on weekends, or at least last time I needed on).

After more handwringing with vet tech friend, I’m going to get some feliway plug ins and give it another day. And will decide by 8:15 tomorrow morning.

[mala]

How old is the cat?

[rubytue]

Nov 16, 2024 10:24:39 GMT -5 mala said:

How old is the cat?

~18 months. Adopted in August, estimated age around a year. 

and, I realized you can’t have a pet thread without these. Two of kitty, and one of Sandy being separated and very annoyed about it. 

Attachments:

[mala]

Nov 16, 2024 10:40:32 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Nov 16, 2024 10:24:39 GMT -5 mala said:

How old is the cat?

~18 months. Adopted in August, estimated age around a year. 

and, I realized you can’t have a pet thread without these. Two of kitty, and one of Sandy being separated and very annoyed about it. 

Stress related is most likely, then. If she were 15+ I'd say she needs bloodwork for kidney issues before jumping to UTI without a culture. If it continues then I'd suggest another trip to the vet for a culture.

[rubytue]

mala, oh, at 15 I’d be making two trips a day to his house because I’d be super concerned with the new environment thing. But she is young a malleable enough, and he wants to get her accustomed to moving. I’ve tried discussing that cats don’t like it, but get met with “some do.. some need the mental stimulation.”

She is a super sweetie and loves to play. She really seems cool with most things. Like she just stares defiantly at the dog. And the one time I left basement door open and Sandy was out for a walk, she noticed the guard was gone and immediately hopped the baby gate to explore upstairs. 🤣

[rubytue]

No pee in the room today! And she has a feliway defuser going.