Treating A UTI In Our Senior Cat At Home

We have a senior tripod cat named Ochre (pronounced Oh-kur) and he's just like every orange cat in existence: unhinged and holding onto one shared braincell for dear life. We inherited Ochre in 2016 when my mother passed away and life with this old man has been an adventure ever since. Ochre is a tripod kitty, having lost a leg in the war. Which war? We don't know. The animal shelter in Memphis wouldn't say, but the way Ochre stares off into the distance tells me he's seen some sh*t.

Ochre, sadly, has chronic UTI's or urinary tract infections. They started about 5 years ago and have been a part of his life pretty regularly since. He'll go about 6 months or so between flare-ups, but when it flares up it can get ugly really quickly.

Here are the signs of UTI in cats that we know to look for:

1. Difficulty urinating - When Ochre has a UTI he will be very uncomfortable when trying to urinate. He'll strain and sometimes whimper.

2. Frequent urination - If Ochre is going in and out of his litter boxes several times an hour, that's a red flag.

3. Urinating outside his box - Ochre has always been a very good litter kitty. He prefers a litter box to anything else. But, when he has a UTI suddenly he's peeing outside of his box.

4. Discoloration of his urine - If you can spot discoloration in his urine, that's a huge sign something is amiss. If the urine is pink, it means there is blood in the urine.

Any one of these signs tells us it's time for a vet visit. Our vets will run blood work, as well as doing a fecal and urine test, to make sure they have a full picture of what's going on inside of our old man. For example, if bladder stones are present this can lead to recurring UTI's. After that his treatment is dependent upon severity. Sometimes he needs a steroid injection to kickstart the healing process. Sometimes he needs an anti-inflammatory medicine. It depends, again, on severity.

The other thing our vets always recommend is a prescription diet. For Ochre this means Hill's Science Diet Urinary Care c/d cat food. We feed Ochre their soft food version of it and it absolutely helps maintain his urinary health. It's costly, but effective.

But, sometimes we can't get to the vet right away for a shot or medication. Sometimes we notice that he's got a UTI brewing, but it's a holiday weekend or the vet is all booked up. And sadly we live in a rural area without an emergency vet close to us.

So, we've learned a few things we can do at home to help Ochre begin his recovery from a UTI.

1. We give him exclusively wet food. Wet food is packed full of water so it's ideal for an animal who is suffering from a UTI. It keeps them hydrated and cuts down on the development of crystals in the urine.

2. We make sure he has plenty of fresh water. We place fresh water bowls around the house, making sure each room has at least one. We want to encourage him to stay hydrated.

3. We add a 1/4 tsp of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother to every meal. Apple Cider Vinegar balances out pH and in an animal with a UTI this can be very impactful. However, you should always speak with your vet FIRST before introducing ACV into your cat's diet and go with their professional recommendation. Read more about ACV here.

4. We isolate him and encourage him to rest. When he's feeling unwell we like to create as much calm as possible (which is no easy feat considering how many other pets we have.) We will cover our main bathroom floor with puppy pads, create a little nest for him with a heating pad, and then give him space to recover.

Watching our old ginger man struggle with recurring UTI's is heartbreaking, but with proper at-home care and a good vet, his recovery times are shorter and his quality of life is better. Female cats in particular are prone to UTI's, but cats of all ages and sexes can fall victim to these infections. Always seek out the care of a veterinarian if your cat displays any signs of a UTI, just in case it's something else requiring attention.

After just 3-4 days of a soft food diet, lots of liquids, and rest, our favorite grumpy boy is up and terrorizing our household with his usual orange cat antics. So, fear not. If your baby gets a UTI, they will recover. They just need a little TLC and rest. 🧡