Hi everyone. I'm really nervous and scared right now. I just brought my boy kitty to the emergency care clinic with a blocked urinary tract.
I noticed something was wrong last night when I came home and his sister greeted me at the front door (he is always the first one to greet me). I went into my bathroom and saw that one of them had pooped on the floor - something neither of them had ever done before. I found him under my bed in his kitty bed. I thought something might be up, but I didn't worry too much.
I heard him growling and huffing once during the night, but I thought he was just fighting with his sister (something they occasionally do). I moved her away from him and went back to bed.
This morning, he wasn't sleeping on my bed as he usually does. I found him under my bed again in his kitty bed. He started growling and huffing again. I took him out and he seemed uncomfortable. He kept going into his litter box and sitting for a minute, then getting off, then going back, etc.
My friend had told me about her male cat that had a urinary blockage and that it could be life threatening if not treated immediately - as the toxins build up and eventually kill the cat. I called the emergency vet who said that it most likely is a urinary blockage and that I should bring him in immediately.
I raced to the vet and when I got there they took him immediately to check for the blockage. The doctor came in the room and said that he does have a blockage and that they were going to need to try to unblock it using a catheter. She also said that he has a heart murmur and that would slightly complicate how he would be treated with regards to fluids, anesthesia, etc.
I'm going to call the doctor in about 10 minutes to find out how the procedure went. Please everyone, think good positive thoughts for him - he's a pretty special big guy.
Oh, by the way, the estimate for the emergency care alone is between $550 and $850. That only covers his treatment until tomorrow morning at 8:00am - when I'll have to transport him to his regular vet. Right now, the cost is the last thing I'm concerned with - but come on! I wish I could add my furry kids onto my health benefits plan!
- CF