Kitty sex change!

Orla K

I haven't gone completely mad but my Oscar has had his male bits made to look like female bits! There is a good reason for this, he has spent the last few days since Thursday in the vets unable to pee, they have tried a catherer more than once but he as a stone near the tip blocking it and they can't get that in, they have been draining him with a needle but that has a risk of infection, so now it's onto the last resort, changing his narrow male bits into wider female bits.

Poor Oscar is going to be a gummy, three legged, one ball, grumpy male cat with female looking bits!

I am quite worried about him, he's been unable to pee for nearly a week now and has stacked up quite a bill in the vets, with drips, ultra sounds, fluid draining and his probably been knocked out far more in one week than he's ever been in his life. He's taken everything so far really well, I have been stopping by the vet a fair bit to see him and he's always happy to see me, stood up and turned around so he could get better attention today. He also has strangers asking for him, or so the vet nurse told me (I should add he hates people, I'm the only person he likes)

As much as I'm worried about him I also think it's hilarious, my cat's having a sex change (at that's what I'm calling it), my brother also doesn't believe me that they do that:o

I should add it's bladder stones, he's going to be on a special diet from now on.

The Sweeper

Ahhh, is this the procedure where they cut off the tip of the urethra to widen the opening - a urethrostomy?

Orla K

The Sweeper wrote: »

Ahhh, is this the procedure where they cut off the tip of the urethra to widen the opening - a urethrostomy?

Yeap that's the one, couldn't find the link I'd found earlier and couldn't remember the name but when it's finished it'll look more like a female opening than male.

I also found out today my little male kitten isn't male, they did look male when she was younger but the lack of balls was a clue. I also couldn't really see anything with all the fluff(she's going to be super fluffly) and she just tries to run mid air when I pick her up.

I woke up with 2 male cats, now I barely have one!

lorebringer

Orla K wrote: »

I woke up with 2 male cats, now I barely have one!

I nearly fell off my chair I'm laughing so hard!

mymo

I have had to deal with the same illness with 3 cats, although only one was ever so badly blocked that he required an op.
I have tried several foods and finally settled on a mix of a special dry food, some high quality wet food (try and look for low magnesium), and some raw, bits of mince, stewing steak and chicken.
The dry alone can be a problem if your cat doesn't drink enough, thats why I give some wet and raw. Bit of mince in some water will go down well even when they are feeling lousy. (also handy for the gummy kitties)

I hope poor Oscar recovers well, and not to worry one of mine has had one bout of this needing catheterizing and has been fine since the diet change (about 3 years, fingers crossed this keeps up), he's 10 soon and flying around.

Originally Posted by Orla K
I woke up with 2 male cats, now I barely have one!

^^^^love that!

poconnor16

Hope poor Oscar feels better soon:(

A question though - my two mainly eat the dry stuff, and get some wet stuff once a day. I leave fresh water in the feeding bowl every morning but they seem to not drink it. They get some cat milk and prefer to drink from any glasses of water I leave lying around.

Whats the best way to get them to drink water? Any tricks? I've spotted them both up drinking from the sink lately and if I run the tap they lap from the stream :rolleyes:

They drank from feeding bowls when they stayed in the cattery last week....yet the moment they got home, the refused.

mymo

You can get cat fountains, you plug them in and the water circulates, supposed to help get them to drink as its running water (like the tap).

I add a bit of water to the wet food, or as I said give a bit of mince in a little water. Mine both seem pretty good to drink, although one will only drink from taps or from outside rainwater collectors I have set up.

poconnor16

Perfect - will keep an eye out for a fountain, they would love that. I wonder would Maxi Zoo have them.

mymo

pretty sure I saw them on zooplus

yep here they are
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/cat_bowls_feeders

The Sweeper

I have two cat fountains - very popular, but make sure you clean them and replace the charcoal filters regularly!

Giedre

I would suggest to get rid off all dry food. Try to feed your cat just wet food with 100% meet. Cats always don't drink enough water. And with wet food he will get all the water he needs. My cat was ill to. No vet could help him. All of them could't find right treatment for him, because after day or so he was feeling bad again. So i tried to search internet what can i do myself. And after changing food my cat started to feel better and better every day. Now he is just as healthy as he could be. Try to search internet about right food for cats and how bad is dry food.
There you can find which food is complete and which is complimentary http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-health-nutrition/112132-z-wet-food-cats.html
Good luck And sorry for my english..

poconnor16

I feed them Royal Canin kitten 34 dry - I would prefer to stick to it for a number of reasons. It contains lysine fro the immune systems, the litter box smells way less and it is good for their teeth. Also, when I am out during the day, the dry food stays fresher for longer.

OP - I've totally taken this off topic . My apologies, but thanks for the advice guys.

mymo

poconnor16, I believe Royal canin do an adult food for sterilized cats that is low magnesium, it definitely mentions the struvite stones and bladder health.
I know what you mean about the smells, some of the wet stuff I tried caused such a stink.