My cat has FUS (FLUTD), have advice?

Question

About 6 weeks ago the vet told us that our cat, Senor, has FUS. After the blockage was removed and a cathiter put in, he was put on antibiotics and a special, life-long diet. Now the symtoms are back and he has to go back to the vet this afternoon. He was so miserable the first time around and I hate to see him in pain like this. My question is: Has anyone out there had the same reoccuring problem in their cat and did you find a way to prevent it from coming back?

He was on Prescription Hill S/D for 4 weeks then the vet had him switch to the C/D.

Answer 1

My cat had crystals in her urine. I think she was in pain when she peed but didn't have a blockage. She was urinating outside the litterbox sometimes, and would make a tiny noise when in her litterbox sometimes.

My cat was on S/D for 3 months to dissolve the crystals. The vet suggested putting her on Hills maintenance food after that. After doing research on cat food, I refuse to feed her Hills maintenance food. For the money, you get low quality food. High quality premium food prevents crystals.

Instead I feed her a bit of premium canned food once or twice a day and add lots of water to it, heat it in the microwave for a few seconds. She drinks the water and leaves the meat, which is fine, it is the extra water that helps prevent UTI. She also drinks plain water in the middle of the night and during the day when we are gone. I also feed her premium dry cat food found from a pet store.

Look for food with no by-products or chemical fillers. The food is about the same price as Hills. Also if it has DL-Methionione in it, that is what helps keep the urine pH at the right place to prevent crystals. Some high quality food doesn't have DL-Methionione in it because it doesn't need it because the food is so rich in natural meats and veggies.

Here's some cat food I'd recommend, that is available in my area. Check out their websites to get more info:
Holistic Blend catfood
Eagle Pack Holistic Select
Eagle Pack Less Active/Indoor Cat Formula
Felidae
Wellness
Petcurean Go! Natural
Petcurean Foundations
Petcurean Summit
Natura California Natural
Natura Innova
Natura Innova EVO
Nutram
Organics by Nature

Answer 2

I have had a similar problem, my cat at some point got so blocked he needed surgery (urethrostomy). This had complications because it was not done correctly, but then we found a very good vet surgeon who did it again correctly and the cat is fine ever since.
My advice is:
1. Instead of Hills, feed him Royal Canin (Waltham) Urinary formula, but the canned food (it is in sachets).
2. Even if you feed Hills, give the canned food, not dry food, and add some water in it.
3. Generally, add about 30-40 ml of water in his canned food every day, the more dilute the urine is and the more he pees the better. If he doesn't eat the soaked food, give him the water with a syringe, just don't choke him!
4. Ask around and make sure you find a vet who is specialised in urethrostomy operations. If the vet is good at this, they work fine and the cat lives OK, otherwise there are complications. Find someone whose cat has gone through this and healed well, so that if the problem persists you will already know which vet is best to perform the operation.
5. Don't give up on your cat! My cat had reached a point he suffered a lot, and people suggested to put him down, but both he and I struggled patiently and now he is the happiest cat ever and it's been 2 years!

PS.And another thing I recently found out: if the antibiotic he is taking is Baytril, this is a very good medication, but it has forming crystals in urine as an adverse effect.

Answer 3

My sister's cat has this, and the special diet her cat receives has cleared up the problem. There are other things that can make your cat more acidic in this case (not good for other cats) and which may help him prevent the crystals and/or infection making him feel so terrible. I wouild take him back to the vet if you can, and find out what is wrong, maybe something came back before his body adjusted to a new pH using the special diet. What is the diet, is it the Science Diet version? If he is sneaking another cat's food or even getting a treat elsewhere, that could affect his pH, which is what your diet is keeping under control. Poor baby, I hope he feels better soon!

Answer 4

Feline Urologic Syndrome- my male cat had it as well.
There are certain by-products of metabolism that create salts that block the cat's urinary tract and it is very painful. A change in diet that has little of these products in the catfood can make a big difference. My cat no longer could eat dry kibble- only a certain canned food and he was just fine after that.

Answer 5

Wow! I can't come close to matching can't say's answer, so I won't even try.

I'll just add that there are groups out there where you can learn more about the disease and research alternative treatment methods (diet-based).