Cat Urine Blockage 3 Weeks

Hello, 3 weeks ago, our cat experienced his first urinary blockage. We took him to the vet and they unblocked him. He was there for 3 days. They sent him home and he was still straining but leaking. They said it was normal. We eventually took him back and they said he was blocked again. They sent him home and he still wasn’t peeing. We finally took him to pet emergency and they have had him now for 14 days. He started peeing on his own last week but he seems to pee on his own a few times and then begins straining again. They are emptying his bladder every 12 hours. They are running out of options of what to do next. He is only 5 years old and is the best cat… we really, really don’t want to euthanize him. Any advice? They don’t think a PU surgery will help because they can easily pass a catheter and “usually” express his bladder manually. Thank you for any and all help.

Hello!   It is now thought that cats 'block' mostly for stress related behavioural reasons (although we have all seen cats with crystals stuck in the urethra too); that the urethral wall goes into spasm because of pain or stress, blocking the tube, rather than there always being a physical plug in the 'pipe'.  If for example a cat is stressed in the vets and kept there, or sent home to a place with an unknown stressor, then the condition can become exacerbated.   We all want to think that our cats are not stressed at home, but cats (unlike dogs) do not show their stress very obviously on the outside; they often manage to hide it until they become blocked. Remember that what makes cats stressed is not usually what humans expect - a wonderful, loving home can often contain hidden stressors and start to lead to chronic blockages. This is all fairly new science - Sarah Caney has a website (iCatcare) that may give you more information and there may be articles in our blog. If behavioural aspect hasn't been addressed in detail, or even if they have and your vets feel they have nowhere to go, it may well be worth asking for a referral to someone who specialises in this field.   It is stressful for cats to travel a long distance, so online consultation with a specialist may be a way forward. As ever, this is something to discuss with your vets.