I Don't Know What To Do - 15+yo Cat

neely

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I'm so sorry Feeby, (and you), are going through this dilemma. You have received some great advice from all the above members so I will simply send healing vibes and special thoughts along with my fingers crossed.:vibes: :grouphug: :crossfingers:
 

Tobermory

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We have a bathroom scale, but I have to have my husband around to use it - I can't see past Feeby when holding her in my arms while I am on the scale to read it!!!

Baby/pet scales can be expensive. I have found one for $50, and that might be one of the cheapest I've seen so far, in terms of better reviews. Looking at postal scales, but the bases aren't really big enough to hold a large cat (especially not laying down), despite some of them that go up to 90 pounds.
I have this scale and love it. All three of the cats—even former feral, Mocha—will sit on it with no problem because it’s almost completely flat.

0D2A4539-98DB-45E2-B8CC-14835B7E1F67.jpeg

I freeze dry food for three days to kill mites, then refrigerate it after. Iris is the only one who gets dry, and she gets only about a tablespoon a day so it lasts forever. Seems to work.
 

1 bruce 1

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We have a small pet scale that goes up to about 40 pounds for the cats. I hope we never have a 40 pound cat though :confused:
The base is more narrow than the actual platform, which stinks, but the actual platform is carpet which is very good as they don't slide around. We've used it to weigh pups as they grow, too. I don't remember the cost, but we chose it because it was reasonable and people seemed to like it based on Amazon reviews.
Baby Girl was weighed on a tiny home postage scale when she was a baby. The only way to keep her still was to shove food in her face, so it would take 3 people. One handled the squirming kitten (usually me), another had food in a dish waiting at the scale's edge, and the other would steady the scale. Those were comical moments :lol:
 

danteshuman

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I was just going to buy a digital food scale then weigh the soft carrier. Then weigh the carrier with my cat in it. That would work, right?
 
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FeebysOwner

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I was just going to buy a digital food scale then weigh the soft carrier. Then weigh the carrier with my cat in it. That would work, right?
If the scale can take the weight of your cat, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Just make sure you get one that is accurate down to 1 oz. I know most pet/baby and even postal scales are, so I am sure so would a food scale be as well.
 
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FeebysOwner

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If it isn't one thing it is another. Feeby just had another BM, still slightly loose but actually pretty well formed. There has been no further reddish tinged discharge that I can see - at least not outside the litter box as there was this weekend.

But she has peed twice - outside the litter box. Once during the middle of the night and it was several feet away from the box. She has never done that before. And, then just a little while ago she peed a small amount outside the box. I didn't see her do it, so she might have peed over the top of the box as she has done in the past with a UTI. There is no blood in the pee - at least none that is visible.

She ate fine this morning and has been drinking water as well. And, now after obviously being upset about peeing outside the box, she settled down and went outside on her patio for a couple of minutes.

I have left a message for her vet to ask what he wants to do next. It was just 2 weeks ago (8/13) when the vet did a quick look via ultrasound and her bladder looked clean - her urinalysis was clear then too.

What else can they do? Drag her back into the vet's - for what? More bloodwork (last done on 7/10), x-rays - I mean what would he look for? I haven't found another vet yet - and besides, a new vet would probably want bloodwork, urinalysis, fecal testing, and ??? Might as well have her current vet do these things if need be - the information can be shared with a new vet at any time.

The previous weight loss, the fleas, the possible food/poop issue, and now peeing outside the box... :(
 

CatLover49

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Feeby is dealing with fleas and is being treated. Short of acting like an older cat who has never had fleas before and was initially freaking out, she is eating/drinking/peeing/pooping pretty normally. She has taken to not wanting her dry food, so she has pretty much been strictly on canned food for the past couple of weeks.

However, today, she did the same thing she did a couple of weeks ago - goes to her litter box and pees a little, gets out of the box, sits by the box for a while and then goes back in and has loose stool. When this occurred two weeks ago, she leaked a bit of reddish tinged fluid outside the box - but no smell. This time, she did the same thing, but before deciding to hide, she had actually discharged a very, very small amount of red blood.

Last time this happened - it was just the one incident and it was gone. However, I did take a fecal sample in for a quick look and the vet found nothing abnormal. She has had a history of UTIs, so I put her back on her usual antibiotic. Not more than 4 days later with her next vet visit, her urine tested clean, no blood/sediment/infection.

I never figured out what caused that one incident on 8/9. This time, I am suspecting that it might be from her eating nothing for the past 4 days other than RC SO canned, because when I went to the store they were out of her Hill's C/D canned.

Is it possible that not having other food to trade off with, and being solely on RC SO canned could cause this? Her poop has been very smelly recently, but I have not actually seen any blood in it, and until today her feces has been fairly well formed.

I will add, that before the flea issue, she had lost 1.5 pounds from April to July. The questions behind this have been left unanswered, as the vet wants to clear up the flea issue first - he thinks it may have been going on a lot longer than we knew (could be?). Her bloodwork in July showed no anemia, but some of the WBC counts were a tad high.

I don't know what to think.
I hope Feeby gets along ok...:alright::goodluck::heartshape::crossfingers::petcat::catlove::catrub:So very sorry Feeby is having issues..n so very sorry u r havn to go thru this...I know how it is to worry about our babies...:redheartpump:
 
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marmoset

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I'm sorry you are going through this. One of my cats is having a problem with diarrhea right now so I really do empathise. I think calling your vet was the right choice and really the only one because this sounds complicated with both a recent UTI, weight loss (though the recent relative weight stability is very encouraging), age and loose bloody stool. You mentioned blood work but did they do a fecal? Maybe she's picked up a parasite from the fleas? She could also be stressed from the fleas, enough stress to bring on stomach trouble. Stress can bring on a UTI or bowel issues.

Two of my cats have a history of having loose bloody stools for different reasons. It's absolutely disgusting but I take a picture of it to show the vet as well as a sample. From what I experienced (and am now again experiencing) is cats with bright red undigested blood in stool. In those cases its all been from viruses or inflammation and with the last batch of foster kittens- coccidia.
 

MissClouseau

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Maybe this isn't about her digestive system but something else? You recently used a dewormer, right? My Hima, although she's not even senior, got lethargic for a week the first time I used a dewormer with her. She was an adult at that point and probably never got dewormed or got once over a year ago. The heat makes cats get sleepy, there's that also.

I've never lived with a senior cat but with dogs it's not uncommon they experience similar being elderly issues humans do - less energy, and a more IDGAF attitude so to speak. Like all dogs I know pee and poop in the house sometimes once they are elderly, out of what appears to be laziness. At this age I don't blame them. They also get more (temporary) muscle/bone etc pain even if they don't have a diagnosed condition.

Diarrhea itself causes dehydration, as I'm sure you know, and that might lead to muscle cramps. That could also explain peeing outside the litterbox. But may not be visible at the tests if she dehydrates herself until the vet trip.
 
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FeebysOwner

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Maybe this isn't about her digestive system but something else? You recently used a dewormer, right?
ou mentioned blood work but did they do a fecal? Maybe she's picked up a parasite from the fleas?
We did not do a wormer. She had a fecal check on 8/9, with the first bout of mysterious one-day loose stool - and it was clear. Not to say she couldn't have acquired parasites since then...(see new post below about the food issue).

Diarrhea itself causes dehydration, as I'm sure you know, and that might lead to muscle cramps. That could also explain peeing outside the litterbox. But may not be visible at the tests if she dehydrates herself until the vet trip.
Her loose stool is pretty much a once a day thing - it started Saturday, and she has since had 2, maybe 3 BMs. So, I would hard pressed to think, given how she drinks, that she has reached the point of dehydration.

One of my cats is having a problem with diarrhea right now so I really do empathise.
From what I experienced (and am now again experiencing) is cats with bright red undigested blood in stool. In those cases its all been from viruses or inflammation and with the last batch of foster kittens- coccidia
I feel for you!!! This is my third cat, and all of them were very healthy until they got older. I don't think I have ever had to deal with actual diarrhea (knock on wood) - so, I am a real wimp, compared to you!!
 
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FeebysOwner

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Talked with the vet - he says he tends to agree with me that the non-stop 4 day diet of RC SO and pretty much no other food (which she normally gets) could be the culprit and wants to see if the loose stool continues to improve on its own before doing another fecal test.

He also put her back on Orbax again. He said since she has repeatedly tested positive for E Coli bacteria in her urine over the past 2 years - and given her age - she may become a candidate for 'pulse therapy' (routine use of antibiotics in attempt to keep the bacteria 'at bay'). He said E Coli can be next to impossible to completely get rid of, especially in older animals. Apparently, it is more common in dogs, but does happen to some cats too (it figures Feeby would be one of them!).

According to her previous urine sensitivity tests, Orbax is one of the antibiotics that works best for her E Coli. However, he said we might have to go to one of two other antibiotics that also work on it. He is hesitant to do this because they are currently only in pill form and one has to be taken twice a day. Orbax is liquid and because we know she tolerates this particular antibiotic well, he would prefer to keep her on it - for now. If we have to go there, I will ask about having the pills compounded.

Another thing to consider - from one of her first bouts with UTIs last year, the vet noted that the infection likely is causing her to have some incontinence, thereby helping to explain her peeing so far away from the litter box on occasion. I guess this is more common that I knew; of course, age comes into play here as well.

At the end of the antibiotic treatment, he wants to do another urinalysis/urine culture, just to see what level of E Coli remains, if any.

Now, it is a waiting game - does the loose stool clear up, does she stop peeing outside the litter box, when will the fleas be gone, when will she (and me) be less stressed by all of this??
 

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I'm crossing my fingers for Feeby. At least it seems there is a plan of action and the vet is actively working with you.
 
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FeebysOwner

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More pee outside the litter box, more pee inside as well, and loose stool, but at least fairly well formed - and inside the box, thankfully. Today will be Day 3 of the antibiotic, so we've a long way to go (14 day regimen).

Still see some tiny fleas here and there. She is not scratching at all, however, so that is good. But, she is still relying on her 'safe spot' to spend most of her time - the coffee table.

She is eating and drinking OK, so that is good too.

Now, all we need to do is avert the hurricane that is looming and - so far - due to hit our area by Sunday. Don't need to add any more drama/trouble to the mix.
 
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FeebysOwner

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If she’s peeing in the same place and if you have access to a Costco, I just noticed that Costco has Kirkland brand puppy pee pads for a good price.
Actually, the only time she peed more than once in the same place was when I had laid a pad down there, after thoroughly cleaning the area with "The Equalizer". I removed the pad, recleaned that area, and she hasn't peed in that place again (so far, anyway).

In her case, no more pads!! I'll just have to follow her around with my trusty can of Equalizer! Oddly enough, after the first 'problem pee day', it seems like she is peeing outside the box only when I am asleep at night.
 

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I was just going to buy a digital food scale then weigh the soft carrier. Then weigh the carrier with my cat in it. That would work, right?
I don’t know that a food scale has that much capacity. Also, the platforms for food scales tend to be very small. If your carrier doesn’t fit on the platform, it may sag under the cat’s weight allowing some of that weight to be borne by the surface below the scale. This would give you an inaccurate reading. You could weigh yourself on a bathroom scale holding just the carrier. Then again with the cat in the carrier and subtract the first from the second. I do this once a week with Krista. Except I just hold her. No carrier needed.
 

daftcat75

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Is the antibiotic causing the loose stool or maybe exacerbating it?
 
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FeebysOwner

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Is the antibiotic causing the loose stool or maybe exacerbating it?
Loose stool started before the antibiotics. She has had Orbax in the past and never had loose stool from it - but, that doesn't necessarily mean anything - because there is always a first time...

The stool is more normal in color and smell, and leaning more toward proper formation/firmness - so, I am still hoping the food I removed was the culprit. :crossfingers:
 
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