My lovely cat Ronnie needs help. He is the best boy. He loves chin rubs and sleeping on his back next to a warm radiator. He is my best friend.

I really don’t like asking for help when I know so many people are struggling, but it’s not for me.

Ronnie’s vet bill is just short of £3,000. We cannot afford to pay this, but have told the vets to go ahead with the procedure and we will work it out.

Male cats can sometimes suffer with crystals in their urinary system. This feels like razor blades when they try to go to the toilet. They cannot urinate, which means that the wee is stuck in the bladder and the toxins then build up in their body. This can be life threatening in a matter of hours for cats.

Yesterday we took Ronnie to the vets after we noticed him struggling on his litter tray. His bladder was very hard and full, and we were told that if he didn’t receive emergency treatment, it would burst. He had his bloods taken and an ultrasound, which showed crystals in his urinary system. The vets gave him anesthesia, and used a catheter to drain the wee from his bladder.

This procedure was successful, and the vets said he was enjoying cuddles and fusses after he woke up.

He had to stay at the vets overnight so they could monitor him. Today we received a phone call saying that they suspect he has stones in his bladder, which an xray then confirmed.

We are going ahead with the surgery to remove the stones tomorrow, as the crystals will just come back again and again if we don’t. This surgery will very likely prevent this from ever happening again.

Any donations towards Ronnie’s surgery will be so very much appreciated, no matter how small.

Even if you cannot donate, I hope that this has spread awareness to those with boy cats. Please research how to avoid this from happening.

Urinary safe diet

Encourage drinking water

Healthy weight

Reduce stress

Regular vet checks

Look out for early signs

Early signs:

Frequently on the litter box

Straining to urinate

No visible wee when they are trying

Avoiding the litter box

Licking the genital area excessively

Blood in urine