From: jeffp@wsuaix.csc.wsu.edu (Jeff Parke;S10000)
Subject: Re: Excessive water drinking - and possible constipation
Organization: Washington State University
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 17:07:59 GMT

In article <1993Jan7.002545.20842@rigel.econ.uga.edu> hughes@dogwood.botany.uga.edu (Wayne Hughes) writes:
>In article <1993Jan6.223028.5070@serval.net.wsu.edu> jeffp@wsuaix.csc.wsu.edu (Jeff Parke;S10000) writes:
>>In article <H.eg.qDY3X_aZnjA@elfhaven.ersys.edmonton.ab.ca> mforget@elfhaven.ersys.edmonton.ab.ca writes:
>>>My cat seems to be drinking an awful lot of water lately, and going to the
>>>litterbox a lot more often.  Sometimes it seems he is not doing anything in
>>>there.  He goes in, waits ten seconds or so, and then leaves.
>>>Is this an indicator that something is seriously wrong or is he just not
>>>feeling well?
>>>
>>
>>If your cat is drinking more and *not* producing more urine, chances are
>>good it will explode.  Seriously, increased water in with no increase out
>>are incompatible with life.  If it goes on for more than a day or so, the
>>cat will appear obviously sick.
>>
>>I suspect your cat is urinating in the box.  A checkup by your vet would
>>be well advised.
>  
>  Don't want to be unnecessarily alarmist, but anytime you see
>  these symptoms, especially with male cats, be sure that he 
>  is indeed urinating.  If he isn't, get him to a vet immediately.
>
>  I'm away from my cat books, but let me try it from the memory
>  of a cat's bout with cystitis.  Cystitis can lead to blockage
>  of the urinary tract.  The symptoms are similar to what you
>  describe:  cat unable to urinate, bladder may be hard and full,
>  cat may be drinking inordinately.  Don't assume it's urinating
>  in the box if you haven't actually checked.  
>  
>  Cystitis can kill a cat within hours.

I may be confused by the original article.  Feline Urologic Syndrom (FUS)
is a serious condition.  It is also known as "blocked" cat.  Many folks
have had a blocked cat, and it is indeed an emergency.  Cats will die
acutely if blocked and not treated.  A cat that is straining to urinate,
or trying to urinate without anything happening is a cardinal sign.  Any
cat observed in this situation should be taken to the vet immediately.

The reason I was suspicious the cat in question was actually urinating,
was the description of "drinking an awful lot of water lately".  My intrepre-
tation of "lately" is over a period of a few days.  This could be wrong.
However, an blocked cat is going to get sick quickly, and will not be
drinking an awful lot of water over a period of days.

Nothing is for sure in medicine.  Maybe the original poster meant "in the
last two hours" when s/he said "lately".  An acutely blocked cat could
gulp down a lot of water (rising ammonia levels due to urinary obstruction
can cause mental deficits which produce a whole myraid of behaviors). Also,
a partially blocked cat could have other disease entities which cause
increased water drinking.  The partially blocked cat is able to pass urine
some of the time by definition, and is therefore at less risk for acute
death.

In any case I hope mforget has had the cat checked.  It would be interesting
to hear what was found out.

-Jeff
---------------------
Jeff Parke <jeffp@vcs10.vetmed.wsu.edu>
also:   jeffp@WSUVM1.bitnet   AOL: JeffParke
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine class of 1994
Pullman, WA  99164-7012