any cat experts or vets up for a question?

Question

i have 5 cats..love them to pieces! they are my babies..well recently one of my babies passed away,he was only 1yrs old! he had a urinary tract infection but im thinking it might have been caused by something..i use candles,tarts and potporri constantly! 24/7. i also clean constantly and use strongly scented cleaning products..im wondering if any of these items can cause problems/issues for cats/pets? now im not thinking the soot from the candle is bothoring them..i do not use candles as much as i use tarts which create no soot ..im thinking maybe such a strong scent could effect them? i mean anybody who knows cats knows that thier sense of smell is very very powerful..so something strongly scented to us must throw thier sense of smell over the edge? if it indeed does bothor them could it create danger for them? your help is very much appreciated! i wont be able to call the vet until i get home from work.

Answer 1

The only thing that I could see being a problem are allergies. They should be fine. Good Luck

Answer 2

No, I do not believe the smells or fumes from the candles etc could have had anything to do with his death. However, there are some cleaners that do have ingredients which could be fatal to cats. I also use potpourri and candles a lot, and although I have 12 cats, none have ever had any adverse effects from them. When I burn something they don't like, they simply leave the room! I would ask a vet about ingredients in cleaners that could poison your cats though, just to be on the safe side.

Answer 3

Lots of scents and smoke certainly isn't good for pet's lungs, but it won't have caused a urinary tract infection.

Animals are as vulnerable to second-hand cigarette smoke as we are. Any form of smoke and scent affects people's lungs, so it's not wise to keep animals in this kind of environment since we can't be sure of the effect it will have on their lungs.

Urinary tract infections are more serious in male cats, as they have longer urethras than females. Crystals can form in their bladder, causing blockage of the urethra. The resultant lack of urination can quickly cause toxicity and death, I'm presuming this is what happened to your cat.

UTIs are usually the result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors, usually diet. This is why there are special diets available to assist animals that are prone to UTIs.

I would advise cutting down, if not eradicating the use of candle and scents, or at least having the windows and doors wide open if you're going to use them when your cats are around. If you ever have a male cat that seems to be having trouble urinating, do not delay in taking them to the vets. Prompt treatment is lifesaving.

Chalice

Answer 4

My male cat has had 3 infections that my vet described as crystals in his urine/tract. Fortunately we caught them all in time because we noticed he was spot peeing everywhere. I was told one theory was the magnesium in his diet could cause them. This includes fish. He eats food for urinary tract health only now and has been fine for over 3 years. Sorry to hear about him and just keep an eye on your others. Not being able to pee is a sure sign of something wrong.

Answer 5

He was very young to pass away, you have my condolences.

If you are willing to have it done, an necropsy (autopsy) done on him to find out what exactly was the cause of him passing.

It may have been something to do with his infection, it could be something that was just undetected such as a heart defect. An autopsy will find out the cause or rule things out.

Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.

Answer 6

That is not the reason why he got sick. It is from them not getting what they need from their food. The vet's say a diet low in ash and plenty of water might help. I also lost a male cat named Shadow to the same thing.

Answer 7

The most common cause of cat UTI is urolithiasis, which is the formation of stones in the urinary tract. Struvite is the most common stone and is made up of minerals such as magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. The acidic and alkaline properties of these minerals upset the pH level in the urine, which is also influenced by the proteins present in kitty's diet. Too much fish and meat (animal protein) causes excessive acidity. And too much plant protein causes the urine to be too alkaline. This is why I shiver whenever people point out that cats are obligate carnivores and use that as a basis by which to advise people that cats should only eat, or that they can survive on only eating, meat. The need for plant proteins is one of the very reasons why outdoor cats and wild cats nibble on grass and other plants.

How often a cat is fed can also have an impact on whether or not he/she develops a UTI. Urine pH becomes alkaline after meals. So, if kitty has constant access to his/her food, he/she will continue to nibble and therefore his/her pH will not become alkaline as needed.

Other factors that can increase the chance of kitty getting a UTI are:
-Stress
-Environment
-Gender
-And age

Of course, gender and age are not within anyone's control. But there are other things that we can do as preventives, such as minimizing stress and making sure that kitty always has fresh, clean water. (I'll post my diet recommendations below.)

Prevention methods are really important, a UTI can lead to more severe conditions such as kidney infections and /or complete blockage of urine, and unfortunately, as you have found out, the death of your cat.

One of the first signs of a UTI is inappropriate elimination. Your cat will most likely urinate elsewhere rather than going in the litterbox. The reason for this is because cats often associate the litterbox with the pain and because this is their only way of communicating their pain to you. Proper care should be taken promptly to avoid further complications. There are a number of options available for treating a cat's UTI. Veterinarians usually resort to strong antibiotics, but there are often serious side affects. So you may want to look into natural, herbal or homeopathic remedies.

To answer your question: No, I don't think that your using strongly scented products caused the UTI, unless your cat somehow ingested something. But ingesting something bad for him may have been more likely to cause another condition, rather than a UTI, depending upon what was ingested. I'm certainly not saying that this is what happened. Just be sure to keep your scented and cleaning products out of kitty's reach and thoroughly rince after using your cleaning products.

You are correct in saying that cats' sense of smell is much greater than ours. Strong smells WILL annoy cats and may even cause inappropriate behavior such as eliminating outside of the litterbox (particularly if you have something, such as, let's say, a glade pug in, by your litterbox(s). So that's just something to keep in mind. Much, however, depends upon the individual cats. Some get use to the various smells and aren't bothered at all.



DIET:

Most commercial pet food (regardless of whether it's generic, grocery, or premium) is full of corn, which is of no nutritional value to cats and loaded with carbohydrates. (A veterinarian may tell you differently in an effort to persuade you to purchase food.) Overloading a cat on carbs will fatten him/her up just as it will a human. And some experts agree that too many carbohydrates can lead to a UTI.

This is what I recommend:

25-50% of your kitty's diet should consist of meat. The bigger your kitty, the more meat he should eat. I suggest boiling boneless chicken until it's cooked medium (pink). Serve the broth to kitty as well. Many cats do well on raw meats, but don't switch kitty to raw immediately. If you do it, it should be done gradually. (Don't feed kitty tuna or liver. Tuna can cause steatitis (yellow fat disease), and liver can cause vitamin A toxicosis. And large amounts of fat can cause pancreatitis, so go easy on the fat.)

Commercial foods should consist of no more than 25% of kitty's diet. A superior diet doesn't include ANY commercial food, but we all know that sometimes we're in a pinch for time and sometimes need something quick to toss in kitty's bowl.
This is okay as long as commercial foods are kept to a minimum. When buying commercial foods, check the ingredients. Don't buy anything that lists corn as the first ingredient. This always means that corn is the primary ingredient. Look for foods that list meat or poultry as the first ingredient.

Leave grains out if at all possible, with the exception of white rice. White rice can help with digestive problems, but use it sparingly. Veggies should be routinely added to kitty's diet. Of the veggies, include broccoli, carrots, leafy greens, and peas. But be sure to shred/chop and cook.
It's not necessary to feed all of the above veggies every day. You can feed one or two one day, one or two the next, and so on.

I usually tell people to avoid dairy products since cats are lactose intollerant, but occasionally feeding yogurt and cottage cheese (very sparingly) won't hurt and can sometimes help with an upset tummy.

And, while it's best to avoid feeding too many carbohydrates, cooked and mashed sweet potato occasionally fed in small portions is okay if your kitty likes it.

Eggs are a great source of protein and can be fed cooked or raw, but try not to feed eggs more than twice per week (especially if fed raw).

But remember, sudden changes in diet can cause any number of problems. So "ween" kitty onto his new diet by mixing the ''new'' food with the food he is accustomed to and gradually increasing the amount of ''new'' food, and decreasing the amount of ''old'' food, with time as you notice positive changes.

Some people will say that bones are necessary for calcium and will add that cats have always eaten them. Firstly, broccoli and green leafy veggies, for example, are good calcium sources. Secondly, no one can state with authority that no cat is ever harmed by a bone splinter. It can, and does, happen. I realize that cats eat bones in the wild, but it's better to be safe than sorry in my opinion.

Others will say that a cat should be fed a diet consisting completely of meat. But remember my explanation above for why this is a bad idea.


I am very sorry for your loss. I've lost kitties, too, so I know how you feel to a certain extent. Please accept my condolences and know that you are in my thoughts. ♥

Answer 8

if your cat uses kittie liter that could had be it my cat got a u.t.i. it could be many other things too

Answer 9

I dunno! But is that you on the cover of playboy?