Cat had teeth cleaned and now everything has changed

[Georgina887]

Hi all,
my cat Tiggy was a perfect eater, always had a great appetite and she had perfect poops.

I took her to have her teeth cleaned 3 days ago and since she’s been home everything has changed. She has had an upset stomach (diarrhoea) - I am wondering if this is because of the anaesthetic?? The vet did say something about this when I picked her up. My other cat who is normally extremely close to her and always mothering her been very aggressive - hissing and growling to the point it has made her depressed. She’s laying around moping and just not happy about her best friend being this way. And now she has gone off her food.

my gut tells me it’s the stress of the vet visit/non recognition aggression combined with possibly the anaesthetic on her stomach.

I really don’t think another vet visit is going to make anything better. Everything was perfect before she had her teeth cleaned.

what do you guys think? I have so much anxiety over cat issues at the moment. It’s issue after issue for the last 6 weeks with my other cat. I’m so over it

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Sometimes people will take the second cat to the vet so that they both smell the same to each other when they get back home.

Mostly time will take care of your cats not being comfortable with each other, although you could try this;
From [IMG alt="valanhb"]https://thecatsite.com/data/avatars/s/1/1991.jpg?1491958259[/IMG] valanhb ;
You put a dab of vanilla extract under the chins, at the base of their neck (by the spine) and at the base of the tail (again, on the spine not the underside of the tail!) of all of the cats to make them smell the same. Cats recognize each other by scent, so if that kitty smells the same as "me", the he must be a friend. Kitty logic at it's finest. This trick works when introducing cats into the household, and also when one of them has been to the vet and therefore smells different to the others who didn't go.

Also consider cat music, there's Cat In My Arms on Spotify and elsewhere, there's RelaxMyCat and MusicForCats. It can be surprisngly helpful in helping cats to be more at ease.

If her diarrhea continues, definitely contact your vet.

There might be something here that helps;
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

 

[Georgina887]

4th day and still hissing and growling. Tiggy is so depressed and it’s killing me watching her so upset. I’ve been through non recognition aggression before but it has never been this bad. I’m starting to think they will never be ok again. She won’t eat or will take a couple of nibbles and walk away. This is not like her at all. I have tried everything to make her eat. She has already lost weight.
Going to the vet will only make the non recognition aggression worse. I’m lost and I don’t know what to do. 7 years they have been best friends and my heart is breaking.

 

[Mr. Meow]

I had an issue with one of my cats after a teeth cleaning as well. She became extremely lethargic, barely moved, barely ate or drank.
I took her back to the vet and they gave her some Sub-Q fluids and it perked her back up. Might be worth looking into. I'd say call the vet and let them know what's going on with the lack of eating and weight loss. Waiting too long when a cat isn't eating can cause other serious issues besides weight loss.
And I agree with the above ideas on trying to get them back to playing nice. It'll take a bit of time, but don't be discouraged. We'll help you through this.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Did you try Furballsmom suggestion with the vanilla trick - and, the food tips, as well? Has the diarrhea gone away? And, Mr. Meow makes some good points too!

A vet call is in order, just to see what they say. Anesthesia shouldn't last this long, as far as I know. And, the depressed thing - while it could be from the animosity between the two cats, it sounds more like a health issue when you add in the lack of desire to eat - and the diarrhea if it is still going on. Does Tiggy have feline herpes, and is going through a herpes flare up? I would guess the stress of what she has been through could trigger a flare up - leaving her lethargic and without appetite.

What is going on with your other cat throughout this? How is she eating/drinking/using the litter box?

You may have to separate them and start an introduction process as if they had never met before.

 

[Georgina887]

She hasn’t been to the toilet for a day so I can’t say whether the diarrhoea has gone. I am 95% sure that the depression is from the hissing because I see her face when it happens and she looks so upset, she just skulks off and hides somewhere. Currently she is hiding under the sofa - a place where she only goes when there’s a bad storm. She only went under there after she got hissed at last.

I appreciate the recommendations of the vet and sub q fluids and I will if I think it gets really bad but I’m hesitant due to her getting the smells all over her again. She has had a small portion of food this morning. Maybe a third of what she would normally eat.

I tried the vanilla and it didn’t work. I really feel like if she had a cuddle and a bath from her best friend things would pick up.

 

[Georgina887]

I don’t believe she has feline herpes. Nothing has ever been diagnosed. She has a complete check up - bloods and physical check while she was at the vet and everything was fine

 

[Georgina887]

my other cat is being normal. Eating well and going to the toilet fine. She’s the dominant one out of the two but she normally mothers Tiggy. She is used to being bathed all day by her. The lack of attention is definitely upsetting her

 

[Georgina887]

So I just got her to eat about 80% of a meal. She refused to eat out of her bowl though. I had to place it on her paw and she would eat it off that. Then I put it on a small towel and she ate off the towel. At least she has something in her tummy now even though she’s still being strange

 

[FeebysOwner]

So I just got her to eat about 80% of a meal. She refused to eat out of her bowl though. I had to place it on her paw and she would eat it off that. Then I put it on a small towel and she ate off the towel. At least she has something in her tummy now even though she’s still being strange

Try a paper plate - I have no idea why it works but many members on this site have had success with this approach. If you don't have paper plates, try a dinner plate or something equally flat. Glad to hear you got some food in her!!

 

[Georgina887]

The whole of yesterday I had to hand feed her. I have no idea why she suddenly decided she wouldn’t eat out of a bowl. I will definitely try the paper plate because she would only eat from my hand, a tiled floor or on a small towel. She’s such a weirdo.

she has perked up a bit and ate about 75% of her food from a bowl!!!! this morning so fingers crossed today will be a better day.

also no diarrhoea

 

[Furballsmom]

There might be something here that helps;
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

from my post above, there are a ton of good tips in this thread including the terrific paper plate suggestion from FeebysOwner

 

[Rowen]

The whole of yesterday I had to hand feed her. I have no idea why she suddenly decided she wouldn’t eat out of a bowl. I will definitely try the paper plate because she would only eat from my hand, a tiled floor or on a small towel. She’s such a weirdo.

she has perked up a bit and ate about 75% of her food from a bowl!!!! this morning so fingers crossed today will be a better day.

also no diarrhoea

I had this happen to my cat Gem after she had 4 teeth pulled. She was lethargic and I had to spread food on my hand to get her to eat. This went on and on. She was given a convienia shot - and it stays in their system for up to two months which I wasnt told, and would never use again.-it can affect appetite among other serious issues. She ended up with pancreatitus and they think it had to do with the convienia or anesthesia. Do you know what antibiotic they gave her? Sometimes it can affect-on top of the stress of the teeth pulling and losing teeth.