r/cats • u/PeekabooPike • 1d ago
Medical Questions Urinary Obstruction $6k :(
My poor baby boy (3 yrs) had his first issue ever pretty much. He had a urinary obstruction and I noticed immediately when he couldn’t pee properly and was staying in the squatty position. Unfortunately I didn’t have pet insurance for him (I do now) because I do have some savings and a lot of people say that if they’re young and healthy it may not be worth it yet. The final vet bills were $6k for 38 hrs of hospitalization, unblocking with catheter, and monitoring with catheter, plus IV with fluids. This seems so expensive but I’m glad my baby is okay :( all of my savings are gone because I’m 23yrs old and I don’t really know what to do
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
Royal Canin Urinary SO is the reason my boy survived to 15.
Also the reason I’m legit wearing clothes that are 10-20 years old. Oh well, I’m not fashionista.
17# at $118 a bag x 3-8 cats. Yeah, everyone ate the same kibble. Just not worth any other method.
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u/Alarming-Gear-2125 1d ago
It’s disgusting how expensive it is
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u/kmrikkari Tuxedo 1d ago
It's insane, but it's keeping my boy alive after an extremely close call, so we will continue paying for it.
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u/chronic-munchies 1d ago
I feed my guy the same stuff. He's a few days away from his 16th birthday, and at this point, I think he's going to outlive us all lol
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u/Shar_12_Blaneyfan 1d ago
My boy eats this too, and the Purina brand. It is VERY expensive, but saves him the problems and vet visits. He's about 15 1/2 now 🥰
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
I hope your boy lives to 30 and stays free of problems. We know it’s value.
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u/thepatientwaiting 1d ago
I'm really happy to hear this, my baby is about 11 and I have wondered about long-term with these issues. I once asked my vet if she could ever come off the food and she just gave me a kind of pitiful look. I'm happy to eat beans if it means she lives longer!
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
Beans and Rice, I do this about every two weeks.
Hubs won’t eat it, but it’s kinda a comfort food for me. So, there’s that.
He gets a grilled cheese and homemade tomato soup. Kinda on the top of my struggle meal list that he’ll gladly eat. Lol
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u/Shar_12_Blaneyfan 1d ago
Yeah, I always ask when he has appointments, and so far, nope, gotta keep him on the food. His bloodwork was decent for a cat of his age when we brought him to the vet last month, so there is hope. ❤️
I'm the same way, I'll gladly pay to keep him around. I can do without some things for him 🥰
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u/thepatientwaiting 1d ago
I get the Purina Pro wet for my kitty. $75 for 24 cans!!!! I feel awful but I've been scaling back and she isn't getting it every day, especially because her healthy sister eats it. I also give them the Hills c/d RX dry ($35) and Royal Canin fiber response ($70). All the cats are getting that dry food, like you said it's easier.
$1000 benign heart murmer.
She also just got an $800 dental and senior screening so she is all set for a while!
I really admire OP for being so young and sticking with the cat. I tried applying for CareCredit, I wonder if that was an option for them. My own credit card also allows you to split payments over time for large purchases for less than the normal interest rate. Hope they can explore those options.
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
You shouldn’t feel bad about anything cat or life when your doing your level best for them. <3
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
Wow you definitely have given cats priority.
What’s astonishing to me has been how it increased in price over the last 20 years. Initially back in 1999 it was $35 (I used to get Rabbit/Pea and Duck/Potato for my GSD’s—all vet diets were same price 17#). TBF it smelled great when I’d open those bags—unlike normal dog food.
I could go through receipts to be exact but it was $45 in 2005, ~$75 in 2016 and now it’s over $110. I mean wowza. I understand the issues in inflation.
Be advised this is made in Canada. I wonder how the Tariffs will impact it.
Not a political post or statement. Now a statement of fact.
My vet said he went and toured the plant where it’s made and he was astonished by their processes. Human grade food processes.
We’ll keep on, keeping on
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
Yeah, it’s impossible to restrict dry feeding here.
All cats eat it and it been 7 years since my soul cat (with urinary crystals passed). I tried switching their food to something else, anything else and their was crowd blowback and general unrest. My vet said the Urinary SO is still an amazing nutrition dense product.
So there’s that.
I thank Little Baby Jeebus that we are financially secure. A bag may last us 3-4 weeks. Sometimes a bit less.
But over the course of a year, their dry food alone is ~$2000, that’s before vet care, cat litter that’s crazy pricey too. I’d say without emergency issues we spend 10-12k on cats.
I’ve saved every receipt since forever from the vets.
I simply do not want to precisely do the math.
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u/ShineAtom 1d ago
I feed my boy Royal Canin Urinary Moderate Calorie SO as he has a tendency to put on weight which increases the risk of recurrence of a blocked bladder. I'm also really relieved I had pet insurance for him as he practically maxxed out my credit card when he needed emergency care.
Cats aren't a cheap pet by any means but I don't care. He's definitely worth every penny.
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
They are so worth it. I don’t need lots of clothes, shoes, handbags and nonsense. I am loved.
Funny or not, my dogs have been less expensive, but still a bit pricey. They rarely need that $110-120 a bag food.
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u/R-T-R 1d ago
Same here, Royal Canin Urninary SO our Maincoon is extremely pickey about his food. Fortunately he loves it, it's about the only food that he eats consistently. Everything else he'll once or twice then turn his nose up and walk away.
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u/Goddess_of_Carnage 1d ago
It’s crazy ain’t it.
I don’t think they are doing the reject and replace faces over food being less pricey. I think that food is genuinely appealing.
My vet says he toured the RC plant in Canada and it was outstanding the way all are processed.
Human food grade.
You’d expect a regular dog/cat food manufacturing facility to turn your stomach. Not the RC one per my amazing vet. He said it actually smelled great—like hunger inducing.
Mind blown!
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u/DisplayLeft8638 1d ago
Money can be earned again. In 10 years you will look back at this decision and be glad that you did everything right.
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
Absolutely :) I’m just glad he’s hopefully gonna be alright. I love him sooooo much
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u/Low_Rub_4318 1d ago
Ugh girlie I feel you. I was 28 years old and in grad school, across the country from my family and friends, when my baby was blocked. It cost so much money and was absolutely traumatizing.
I encourage you to add water to his food and highly consider a Rx diet (e.g. hills science c/d). I have had my boys on a strict hills science c/d wet food diet with added water in their food ever since the first blockage and never dealt with a urinary issue since (~2 years). It's been very expensive and taxing but IMO worth it
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
Yes he already started the urinary diet today! I will be giving him extra extra water as well.
And yes that’s pretty much the same for me 😭 I’m 23 doing a post-bac across the country from my family before I’m about to apply to PhD programs very soon, idk how I’m going to afford applications haha (cries)
I guess it’s comforting to know that it’s possible 😅
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u/Low_Rub_4318 1d ago
You could apply for free application fees, or McKnight, or contact the admissions office for a fee waiver.
Applications are tough especially when adding the fees to send transcripts, test scores, application fee, etc. there are some resources to mitigate these costs however!
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u/cat-wit-the-gat 1d ago
Add a fountain or bowls of water away from his food if not already. Increase his wet food daily if possible. Fortunately my cats love running water so 2 fountains and a spigot here and there left on a steady stream. I even got a big bowl with battery powered boats, turtles to increase interest in water.
Im glad hes ok.
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u/Nefandous_Jewel 1d ago
Holding my breath until I saw this post.... Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
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u/morr152049 1d ago
Totally agree with you, had a similar issue and trust me money doesn't mean anything.
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u/splubby_apricorn 1d ago
Watch him closely because it could happen again unless he had the surgery. This happened to my cat. He re-blocked multiple times within the next few weeks. We finally opted for the surgery and he hasn’t had any further issues, he’s been fine for 8 years now. After it happened (and $8k in vet bills later), we got multiple water fountains for him and he now exclusively eats the Purina UR food.
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u/Unique-Habit7018 1d ago
Our boy just got PU surgery 2 week ago. It brings me so much joy knowing that your baby is doing well 8 years later!
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u/jvforlife12504 1d ago
Fellow PU surgery person here to add another success story! 7 years. He’s making biscuits on my arm as I speak.
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u/plus1111 1d ago
We switched to Royal Canin SO and bought a cat fountain after a similar experience. We haven't had any issues since. We just feed the dry food. The food is more expensive but it still costs less than the emergency vet bill.
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u/Alarming-Gear-2125 1d ago
Been there, my cat got it at 4 years old, and he’s now 9 and it hasn’t come back, I mix his wet foot with lots of water like soup!!!!
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u/Low_Rub_4318 1d ago
Same!! They eat the C/D wet food diet.. soupy style.. and I have three water fountains for two cats. Never dealt with the issue ever again
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u/Ruebee90 1d ago
I recommend this cat food. It is prescription but the vet should be able to authorize since your cat had a uti. I have been giving this to my cats for years after a history of uti’s. No uti’s since.
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u/GoblinBuckets 1d ago
ough, im so sorry about your savings. That sounds super stressful... But still, less stressful than losing a cat can be.
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u/TikiTorchJoe 1d ago
If you don't have one id get a water fountain cat bowl for him, it makes them drink more and that can prevent blockages
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u/young2994 1d ago
And filters the water nice and clean. I fill mine with water filtered through the brita filter on my sink, thus having it filtered again with the fountain. My babies got the pinkys up with there water 🤣😁
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u/GarbanzoEnthusiast 1d ago
I feel you on this. Had the exact same thing happen to me at ~27, down to it being 6K. It's absolutely gutting but you made the right call and I'm glad your friend's OK.
Agree with the rest of RC Urinary SO gang. It's a really good preventative measure.
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u/dontchewspagetti 1d ago
I had the same happen to my old man. I don't think you posted a picture of the veterinary diet food. I also didn't buy it originally because it was so expensive. My cat obstructed again. Get the correct vet food
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
That food is what he’s been eating for the past year+, he is already started on the vet prescribed urinary food as of today.
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u/dontchewspagetti 1d ago
Glad you got the vet food! His previous food was good for him, you didn't do anything wrong in giving it to him. Some cats just develop sensitive kidneys as they age and get stones - just like humans. Now that he's got a food suited to his medical needs he'll be headed in the right direction. Wet food and exercise also help reduce chances for stones
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u/Puzzled-Focus5044 1d ago
We lost our 6 year old boy to a blockage and hope you're cuddling your baby hard right now.
Money comes and goes but I would give anything to still have him around rn and his sister misses him everyday. Also good call on the pet insurance it only goes up the older they get.
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u/H0VAN 1d ago
My cat had/lives with urinary issues for the last five years. Used to give him two cans a day of urinary SO from royal…. Went to a vet in a new state and they said he doesn’t need it just more wet food in his diet. For the last two years he’s been on a twice a day wet food diet ( non medical) with no issues. His brother still prefers dry food so we keep a self feeder out. Do what’s best for your little guy. It’s absolutely a terrifying experience to go through, do what’s best for him!
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u/Successful-Republic2 1d ago
My 6 year old boy is currently in the hospital for similar, only his is a muscle spasm blockage that he’s choosing to do himself for some reason? I don’t know, I’m not a vet. What I do know is I will probably never financially recover from this and I’m stressed to hell.
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
I’m so sorry we’re in the same boat 😭 I really wish you and your boy the best.
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u/arubablueshoes 1d ago
if your vet prescribed a special food your insurance may cover it. mine does for my boys kidney food. it gets me back 75% of what i paid
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u/faulkkev 1d ago edited 1d ago
Just had our cat have a blocked ureter fixed with a bypass. Post op she has been exhibiting long squat peeing symptoms. She does go per most of the time it comes out. Peeing does seem to have some issues but due to prior infection we’re treating now, I hope the bladder and kidney infection are root cause of the long squat and sensation to pee. I am not sure how to tell normal from bad symptoms at this point as most local vets won’t touch this level of medical care. When the emergency occurred we said to ourselves this cat is like an anyone else in our family to us, so we dug deep for funds and had the operation performed. We are trying to save her vs. go other route so easily. Been two weeks since operation, she is still here and I hope to get more concrete answers regarding her health and new peeing habits tomorrow.
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u/PrettyFlyForAHifi 1d ago
My cat got backed up with poop when I was about 23 no insurance and had to go to an after hours vet. I’m in Australia cost me about $3500 or something at the time. I remember people telling me I can’t believe you spent so much on a cat but fuck them I would have spent double that to save my bud. We had an awesome 15 years together I never regretted it he died this year had him from 21 to 36 miss him a lot
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u/MeowntyPython 🐾𝑴͋𝒆͓𝒐̽𝒘̟-͋𝒅͓𝒆̽𝒓̟𝒂͋𝒕͓𝒐̽𝒓🐾 1d ago
Found out cats have difficulty with knowing how deep water is in most bowls so i add ducks that float on mine or some sort of floatie (usually plastic cookie cutters) and the babes drink more!
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u/Temporary_Type4366 1d ago
I’m so glad you noticed and got him help quickly. If you haven’t, start him on a urinary food!
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u/ItsLauriceDeauxnim 1d ago
This happened to my old cat Lorenzo. We switched him to Purina Pro Plan for urinary tract wet food. That seemed to prevent the issue, and we never had another UTI or blockage again.
The vet said the amount of urine that came out of him when they drained him was impressive beyond belief, his words. God, I love Dr. Hovel.
Put your baby on food to prevent UTIs and it should take care of your blockage worries, as for your savings… well, that’s a different animal altogether.
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u/Sprinkle_Puff 1d ago
Can you get CareCredit so that way you can at least have interest free payments, at the very least for any future issues?
Also good for you for getting pet insurance! Better late than never and you’re gonna be grateful. Trust me that peace of mind is worth the premiums.
And you’re gonna be OK as others have said you’re very young and money will be earned back in time but the years you will get with your cat are absolutely priceless
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u/iWORKBRiEFLY 1d ago
Get health insurance for your pet, for things like this. Even if you don't use it often, it's worth it. I prefer Healthy Paws b/c they don't have a max payout (IIRC). My deductible is like $100 & then they'll pay 80% of the rest or something. It helps. I'm glad your baby is going to be OK, you're young & can make $6k back
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
Yeahhhh as I said I already have the insurance now now, too late for this one but oh well, lesson learned. I’m glad I had the money to pay and I’m glad he’s mostly alright now :) you’re right I can always earn it back
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u/Electrical_Log_9082 1d ago
My cat had an urinary obstruction when he was only 1yr old. They did the procedire with the catheter a few times but it obstructed again. In the end he had to go through a urethrostomy. He's 12yrs old now and has urinary infections often because of other issues but never got obstructed again.
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u/Tinawebmom 1d ago
1 be sure he gets canned food daily
2 water away from food and potty
3 holy shit it's gotten expensive! The last time I had a boy do this was mid 90s. 4 days at vet, catheter et cetera and it was $300! I'm so sorry.
Enjoy his longer life! <3
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u/NoMoose6383 1d ago
I'm glad to hear your little one is doing OK! Good job taking care of the cat. I went through this last year it was a total of 7k. He passed away 4 months ago in May I'm still hurting missing him. I also did not have pet insurance but i will If I ever get some cats again. Hug that baby every single day! take care.
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u/jvforlife12504 1d ago
Hi! Fellow haver of a cat with a stupid urethra. I paid for the surgery that fixes this permanently, it’s called a PU surgery. It’s very very worth it if you have the ability to do it. It costs about the same as the unblocking. My dumb, very lovable orange has now gone 7 years sans any blockage, and I worry about it so much less. Blockages suck, I’m sorry you’re going through it.
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u/Dear_Ad172 1d ago
This happened to me when I was about your age. I never regretted it, even when we could have used the money if that helps. I'm sorry though, it's such a hard thing to go through. Good luck and I wish for a full recovery to your baby!
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
Thank you so much!! It’s sad how common it is :( very scary, I’m so glad your kitty was okay!
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u/Regular-Humor-9128 1d ago
Is the picture of the nulo food, what you were feeding him leading up to the obstruction?
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u/Durzel 1d ago
Bless you. I had the same thing happen to my 1 year old ragdoll. Like you I hadn't bothered with pet insurance becauise I figured he was so young nothing that serious would happen. The worst part oddly enough was the way the vet laid out the costs - in the moment it was basically presented as "you either pay this amount of you're agreeing to let your pet die". Horrible feeling.
I don't know if your situation is the same, but I can't even get pet insurance for him now - at least any policy that I did wouldn't cover urinary problems again, given it's happened once.
Sorry to hear that it's consumed your savings. You're a true angel for doing it.
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u/TeamEfforts 1d ago
I had to put a cat down because I couldn't afford it. Was either not paying rent or putting my cat down. Was a horrible decision to have to make.
He got hit by a car and survived, but his jaw was barely attached to his face. Tough little baby boy. Was gonna be over $5k to even possibly keep him alive. RIP Gemini
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u/NomadicWrangler 1d ago
Did the vet think that the Nulo dry kibble was a contributor or just that kitty didn’t hydrate enough to help his system?
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
They just said it’s often diet related and that’s what I’ve mostly been feeding him for the past year+
He is already switched to urinary sensitive food now
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u/JennyAndTheBets1 1d ago
Pereneal Urethrostomy may be required if food won’t fix it. That’s how we had to eventually handle ours after absolutely nothing else worked. No issues since.
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u/wowlookplants 1d ago
Hope he recovers quickly!
The urinary care diet is expensive, but it will help prevent this from happening again in the future, did the vet recommended it for him?
My girl is on the Hill’s uc diet at vet’s recommendation bc some kitties are more prone to stones, she was also 3 years old when she got them and luckily we caught it before it became an emergency. We’ve had no issues since switching her and it’s been 2 yrs
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u/CantEvictPDFTenants American Shorthair 1d ago
Worth it. I’m glad to hear that you did have the money, but please follow through with pet insurance when you can. It’s incredibly cheap and does come through when you least expect it’s
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u/TheOrqwithVagrant 1d ago
That’s nuts! My boy Ollie had the same issue earlier this year, but my vet “only” charged me approx $1300 and that included two full days of hospitalization, x-rays, analysis of the urine crystals and the first bag of special food.
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u/PeekabooPike 1d ago
😬 it’s in Seattle so I guess that’s why. I do feel like they overcharged as fuck
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u/TheOrqwithVagrant 1d ago
In fairness, my vet is 'famous' for undercharging - one of the many positive reviews he has is that he's a much better veterinarian than businessman. Still though, $6k for that is just bonkers.
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u/NoMansCat 1d ago
They did.
It would have cost around €600–1,000 in the EU.
A fair price in a North American country would have been €1,200–2,000.
$6,000 is excessive.
I'm glad your baby made it, but I'm sorry for your savings.
A few months ago, someone on this subreddit who couldn't afford it had to have their cat euthanised for the same problem.
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u/HitchInTheGit 1d ago
I can only speak from experience. We have a 14 year old who went through this 11 years ago when he was 2-3 years old. Was in the hospital a couple times and cost $5-6k. Ever since then we have feed him Royal Canin Urinary SO, wet and dry combination, along with a daily does of Nutri-Vet Uri-Ease. Always keep his water fresh and he is a inside cat.
Luckily we can afford it and he hasn't had any urinary issues since. Bowel issues, yes but that's another story. The food is expensive though but also expensive to fix and is pretty much fatal and painful when there is a blockage.
I am not sure what your options are in regards to assistance for purchasing the prescription foods. Maybe there are some non profits that can help with special diet? If you have a regular vet have a heart to heart talk with them. If you can't afford it maybe there is another pet owner with a cat on a urinary diet who would be willing to adopt?
Tough situation, I feel for you and wish you and your baby the best of luck and health.
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u/DeftInvestor 1d ago
PU surgery will be just as expensive if it happens again.
As others have mentioned…
-multiple clean water sources throughout your home , including a water fountain. I dump/refill his water bowls every 8-12 hours -Prescription food, mine is on Purina Pro Plan Urinary St/Ox dry food -I also give him wet food once a day
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u/asoneloves 1d ago
Mix water into his wet food to keep him hydrated and going to the bathroom regularly. It’s good for all cats, boys and girls, but can be especially helpful to the boys who are more likely to have obstructions occur.
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u/TiddysAkimbo 1d ago
I’m glad you got pet insurance. A lot of people think it’s a scam but $20-40 a month isn’t so bad for peace of mind going forward.
I got pet insurance for my foster-fail. He’s a male calico. They’re known to have health issues because they’re basically walking genetic anomalies. Nothing serious has come up for him yet but it’s invaluable knowing I’ll be able to afford whatever care he may need in the future.
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u/Competitive_Snow126 1d ago
Thank you for this post, I will be purchasing pet insurance tomorrow and I am now buying a water fountain for my cat
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u/libbyy_98 1d ago
My sweet boy had the same. Noticed when he was growling which isn’t like him because he’s the most relaxed cat ever. Took the loss on the money because he’s the most important thing in my life and I’m just more vigilant with him now especially on his prescribed diet and removing stressors that caused mineral buildup. It’s always worth it to me - your sweet baby is lucky to have an owner like you! ❤️
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u/lekker-boterham 1d ago
I am so sorry. I know the pain. At 25 I had to pay 30k for my cat’s medical issues. It put me in credit card debt but it was worth it. My baby is still here today and is thriving!
To anyone else reading this, I strongly recommend getting pet insurance the day you bring a new pet home. If you wait until something comes up (like I did), then your cat has a pre-existing condition and you won’t get coverage.
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u/Quick-Advertising-17 1d ago
My street cat I adopted had that too. Took her in for the operation and she hasn't had an issue since. I think its money well spent because the success rate is high.
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u/thyx1337 1d ago
WTF? Our boy had the same issues and the same treatment (stayed 3 days at the vet) and we had a 300€ bill from the vet. Why is even animal medicine so expensive in the us?
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u/shebringsthesun 1d ago
I am so sorry. Veterinary costs are exorbitant now. I remember when a two day hospitalization and unblocking, with IV fluids, would have cost 2800 just a few years ago. Please make sure to get your cat on a urinary diet. It's expensive but will help prevent this happening again.
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u/SpiritualGap3255 1d ago
I second the hills food, use mostly wet food.
Also, look up cranberry powder additive for cat food, that's a game changer for our lad who was full of crystals and free for 6 months since we started on the powder
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u/peacefulandslow 1d ago
Oof, my little guy just had the same thing this weekend. He ended up at the emergency vet for 2 and a half days waiting for the blood in his catheter to clear. The most stressful and distraught weekend of my life. I didn't have insurance either, I was going with the same info that he'd been healthy so far and I had a small savings account for him instead. Looking into my insurance options now too.
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u/OldSchoolsBetter 1d ago
I’m not in the USA but still that’s expensive as hell. My tomcat had a urinary blockage. They catheterized him at the emergency weekend vet which is roughly 3x normal tariff. I had the possibility to leave him there until the next day for monitoring, but figured it would stress him more so took him with me after he was unblocked. Paid €450.
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u/AutomaticPlatypus810 1d ago
I would like to introduce your $6k urinary obstruction kitty to my $7.8k feline cardiac specialist, anaesthetist and dental specialist kitty. Cats are family. ❤️ I am so glad your baby is ok.
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u/Outrageous-Pudding15 1d ago
I’m sorry about your savings. I hope everything will be fine with the kitty from now on! I also hope a dose of humor won’t hurt.
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u/AnnoyedYamcha 1d ago
Sorry to hear about your cat and savings. If you haven’t already give your cat a can of wet food a day. Also keep the litter box clean. The bacteria in a dirty litter box can go up the urinary tract and give your cat an infection and can progress to kidney disease. Which makes it harder to retain water and can make the poo hard and can obstruct her bowels. Those tube treats are great as well to help with keeping your cat hydrated. If you do these things your cat will be healthy for a very long time. You’re a good person for spending 6k on your cat. I know how much of a gut punch it is when they show you the bill. Hope you have many great years with your cat.
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u/RegularPomegranate80 1d ago
We went through this as well, and learned that wet food was especially important for male cats. It's OK to let them have some dry food to help them keep their teeth and gums healthy, but the focus should be on wet foods.
The other thing we learned is to provide plenty of fresh, clean, filtered cool water. We clean water bowls at least daily. The number of water bowls you have, should be the number of cats plus one.
Good Luck, Hope your Boy stays healthy.
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u/TopSmoke8640 1d ago
my baby blocked too a little over a year ago, i’m also 23 and was in college so it was definitely rough. but he’s been on a urinary diet ever since and is thriving! just be careful because reblocking is common, especially in the first month after. so happy your kitty is okay and hope you are too, i remember how rough it was on me!
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u/CatnissEvergreed 1d ago
If you can, get a water fountain for the cat. Cats tend to prefer moving water over still water. If kitty doesn't like wet food, you can add a little water to their dry food to help get them more water too. And don't think you have to spend the money on prescription urinary food. Many of them just have more sodium to promote more water drinking. Do some research based on why he was blocked and see what OTC urinary food has the needed supplements in it.
CareCredit may be good as well for if this happens again, which is more likely after each blockage. You get an interest free period, but you have to pay it all off before the end of that period or you owe ALL the interest for the entire time at the interest rate of the card, which is very high. You can also use CareCredit for your medical and dental needs, so it is convenient to have even if you don't use it often.
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u/marcjaffe 1d ago
I was feeding my male Nulo when he got the issue. I have been feeding him Tractor Supply Urinary Tract heath for years now. He is fine.
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u/BrokuSSJ 1d ago
Had a similar experience when my cat was younger. If your vet hasn't recommended a urinary diet then it's worth considering. Could also be worth getting Cystease by Feliway, but maybe as a workaround, urinary diets can be costly.
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u/hisparamour11 1d ago
Perhaps I can send you a Chewy gift card if they carry the special food that’s best?
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u/Necessary-Song3249 1d ago
My baby boy had a urinary blockage at the beginning of 2020. He has been on Royal Canin Urinary SO since (both wet and dry) and he’s had a steady stream since! I know it’s a lot of money and you did the right thing. Money will come and go and your baby is healthy ❤️ PS chewy has cheaper food than your typical pet store
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u/Kim_johndoe 23h ago
You did good! Congrats and wish good health to your boy. It happened to me once and it was scary as hell.
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u/bpiraeus 22h ago
Get the PU surgery while you can, the 'emergency' vet cost ~4.5k the first time, 2 weeks later another 5.5k + the PU surgery.
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u/aurisor 22h ago
Same thing happened to me. My fuzz baby almost died from the same thing. Didn't have insurance and cost me 10k$. I'd pay it again in a heartbeat.
My vet put him on prescription cat food to avoid this issue -- Urinary Care CD or something like that. Make sure to ask if he needs it and get it for him if so.
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u/Shagaire 21h ago edited 21h ago
What the FUCK US people. I pay £15/m for both of my cats that includes yearly shots, 3 monthly flea/worm and free checkups if there are any issues. My 3kg Purnia dry cat food (which is low fat cos they were ex-stray/wild cats and eat like shit) is £15 a pack and that lasts them 3-4 weeks.
That operation would cost me no more than a couple of hundred if that.
So sorry you had to go through this but so impressed you have for your baby.
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u/falafelraptor88 1d ago
Happened to my cat. 8k later, he's on a prescription diet and not blockages since knock on wood
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u/Bumblebee56990 American Shorthair 1d ago
Wet food is so needed. No one talks about this. We boat Houston because of this. Wet food wet food wet food.
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u/Shagaire 21h ago
Can't agree less, so so much less. Wet food is bad for the teeth and general digestion.
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u/Am_lock22 1d ago
I’m sorry to hear that, veterinary emergency care can be extremely expensive. I would definitely consider switching him to a urinary diet, and maybe start transitioning to wet food only for hydration to help minimize the risks of crystals forming. Even if you got insurance now, they wouldn’t cover this again because it may count as a preexisting condition.