we have an 8 year old male cat who is developing crystals in his urine. We live in Costa Rica and this is the second time in a month that we have had to take him to the vet to seek treatment. He seems to be really suffering to urinate and we are at a loss of what to do next. Our vet is as well. What is the next course of action in a cat that continues to get crystals in his urine? Thank you! Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 7 years and 10 months old | 10 lbs

I'm sorry to hear that Sammy is having this problem! Recurrent urinary crystals (along with urethral blockages, causing difficulty urinating) can be very frustrating to deal with in many cats. There are some things that can be done to help manage this problem medically, such as putting Sammy on a prescription urinary diet and feeding a canned food only diet to help increase his water intake. If he has had a urinary obstruction more than once before in the past, you could also consider a surgical procedure called a perineal urethrostomy - essentially, this opens up the narrow urethra at the tip of the penis and gives him a larger opening to urinate through, which should prevent future blockages from occurring. I would recommend discussing these options with your veterinarian to see what would be the best course of action for Sammy at this time.