Need some bright ideas please - my cats are in BIG trouble!

[mylittlezoo]

Here's my problem. One of my cats has a UTI (they're on antibis as we speak!) and last night, peed on the bed - while we were in it!! My husband has gone mental and said that the cats cannot come in the bedroom any more - problem is, we have an 'open plan' bedroom, where the stairs up to it open right from the lounge. There's not really any place to install a door without it looking horrific.

Can anyone think of a kind of temporary-ish screen type door or something to put across the doorway to stop the cats going up? I have a stair gate there right now to keep the dogs downstairs, but obviously the cats just jump it or wiggle through it.

I have to get something arranged by tonight or he's going to tip them all out in the yard

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

how about putting them in a closed bathroom for a day or so? they should stop peeing pretty soon. make sure they are getting lots of liquid - i put water in the canned food and mix it around

 

[gypsy2621]

put them in the bathroom litter box and all for the night.

or

put hubby in the dog house.

UTI's and cats are common but the problem stems from them not knowing when they have to go.

 

[thebritt]

If you have a large pet carrier or one of those indoor dog kennel/cages, there would be enough room for a litter box + bed, w/out being isolated from the family. One problem that can occur with UTIs is that the cat can associate the litter box with the pain of peeing. This happened with our "Emma". If the cat is confined with the box, and the antibiotics do the job (usually 2 days before symptoms abate), the cat may get over it's concern.
Good luck. UTIs are a pain to deal with (for the cat as well as us!).

 

[mylittlezoo]

I feel so bad for them, even though I'm pretty angry right now! I've got them dosed up on Clavamox and I'm going to keep them in the small screen porch tonight as the bathroom is full of foster kittens

Thanks for all the great suggestions - does anyone know of any homeopathic / natural remedies or preventions?

 

[FrenchHen]

For supportive care, go to the pharmacy and get caplets of cranberry powder. Mix that with their food too. The antibiotics will help, and the cranberry helps with the inflammation and possibly making the UT inhospitible to the bacteria.
Keep their food wet, even after they're cured. Mine are prone to them.
He'll go back in the box when the pain subsides.
The theory I heard was that they have pain in passing urine, and avoid the box thinking they'll avoid the pain.

 

[FrenchHen]

To wet the food, use low sodium chicken broth with dry food, or water down wet food. You want to force as much liquid as possible into their systems to flush everything out.