Cat Staying Squatting On Tray Straining (i Guess) Then Pooping Themselves & Scooting It On Floor

[Paul Keep]

Hey guys, i posted yesterday about urinary disease in my cat.

He's passing urine.
But he's still on the tray a lot (in a weeing position not a pooing position) but after he has some poo stuck on his bottom & is scooting it round the floor.
He's clearly in discomfort.
He then tries to wash off what is in his fur.
He's been on anitbiotics for potential urinary infection a week on Monday as has lower urinary tract disease.
He's on metacam & now tramadol & i gave him a worming tablet.
I thought it was a urinary infection as he was passing wee round the house & blood in it, i took a sample into the vets & there were bacteria.
I don't know if the poo problems could be because he's still straining on the train & accidentally forcing some out, or if it's something else. I have given him different more high end food this week & tuna so wonder if this has upset his tummy.
If i'm honest i don't feel my vets have a clue & i feel like we keep trying stuff that isn't working, & charging me ridiculous amounts to keep bringing him in.
I know next they will want to do lots of tests, & i just can't afford them if i'm honest, as this will be just the tests let alone any treatment, surgeries etc.
I'm at the point where i'm seeing little options but to end his suffering he's clearly in discomfort & i don't know what to do - obviously i do not want to choose this option, but i really don't know what to do for the best.

 

[maggiedemi]

Please don't give up yet, let us try to help you figure this out. You said in your other thread that he is on wet food only? What brand and flavor? Are you using clumping litter? Are you keeping the litter box really clean, scrubbing the box with dish soap at least once a month? Did the de-worming pill you gave him help at all? Are you using anything for hairballs or constipation?

 

[Paul Keep]

I really don't want to give up on him. It's just horrible knowing he's in pain potentially, it's upsetting me so much
He's under the bed sleeping now, maybe i worry more than necessary, i don't know
i'm in the UK, so i use Tesco own brand cat food, i will post a link below (but he's had a some Hi Life which is a more high end tastier food, was trying to keep him happy while being forced pills)
Tesco Catcuts In Jelly Selection 12Pack 12X400g - Groceries - Tesco Groceries
i use a standard gravel/clay like cat litter
i'm going to get a new litter tray today so it's fresh & clean
he only had the worming pill last night, so i assume that may take time
i'm not using anything for constipation or hairballs - i read earlier about putting Flaxseed in food, i have some of this i could add?

 

[maggiedemi]

Is it non-clumping litter? Non-clumping has to be changed at least once a week, clumping once a month. Make sure you scrub it out with dish soap. It took my cat about 3 days to poop out all the worms when she had them. I'm surprised he would be constipated if he's on all wet food. I would avoid too many fish flavors though, since he has urinary problems. I don't know anything about flaxseed, is it the oil or just ground up? I usually use hairball treats and pastes. Well let's see if the worming pill works, then maybe try some hairball stuff if that doesn't work. Maybe others will be along with some more ideas soon!

 

[Paul Keep]

yes, i change the litter at least weekly
it's ground up but good or constipation, but i don't believe he is constipated
i think the poo side of it is as a result of the urinary side potentially
my vet said next they will want to do a culture (i think?) & a scan to check for bladder stones

 

[maggiedemi]

Ok, that's good that your vet is on top of this. If it's bladder stones, then he might prescribe a special food. Any signs of worms in the poop yet, or has he not pooped since the worm pill?

 

[Paul Keep]

well he doesn't seem to be going for big poos, just little ones when straining - straining in a wee position not a poop position
he had some stuck in his fur (he has long fur) i've tried to clean him but he got angry & escaped & hid, he's very touchy about his rear end. I don't want to drag him out as i feel this will stress him. He's probably high enough from the tramaol atm, without me dragging him out lol
any tips for the best way to clean a cats fur with accidents? I'm guessing warm water, clothes & towels? & rubber gloves for me!

 

[maggiedemi]

I use cat wipes, but I know a lot of members use original blue dawn dish liquid with warm water to wash their cats. You said he is urinating okay? It does sound like constipation to me, but since you just gave the de-worming pill you might have to wait to try anything else. When are you talking to the vet again? Well keep us updated, and maybe we'll figure this out.

 

[Paul Keep]

Would he be squatting in a weeing position if constipated?
Assuming he's no better then Monday evening
Thank you for your help it's really appreciated

 

[maggiedemi]

I'm not sure. When my cat is constipated, she doesn't sit all the way down on the litter, just kind of hovering slightly above it, straining. Is that what it looks like? Is he peeing okay?

 

[Oscar&Copper]

It almost sounds like he's straining so hard to pee that poop is coming out. I know when I had a UTI it felt like I had to pee all.the.time. it was torture. I can't imagine what that must feel like for an animal that doesn't understand what's going on. I think the antibiotics would have started to kick in by now, so something else must be going on.

 

[Geoffrey]

I am a human doctor and I know that Tramadol, in humans, is a potent cause of constipation.

The dragging of a cat's bottom on the floor is what a cat will do when he has faeces stuck in his anus and I suggest that you take the cat back to your vet for his opinion on diagnosis and management.

Incidentally no ethical vet would ever do tests just to charge you. The tests are done to make a diagnosis and help the vet to manage your cat in the best way possible.

With all best wishes,
Geoffrey

 

[maggiedemi]

That's what I was thinking, you've been giving the antibiotics for a week right? They should have started working. If he's not peeing a good amount, but just a little bit at a time, then he might need a prescription food or something from the vet to dissolve the crystals. But if he's peeing really good, I do think it's constipation, which can be treated.

 

[Paul Keep]

i think it may be that he's straining to wee & some poop is coming out slowly, not properly, so getting stuck to him
He started the antibiotics Monday so i know they should have worked by now.
I know he *is* weeing, but how much at a time i don't know, i've been at work so it's been hard to judge
Wednesday evening he did a big wee accidentally in the kitchen all over the floor, so he was weeing then (albeit not nicely in his tray for him) & he hasn't done so over the house since (to my knowledge)
I should probably add he had the surgery years ago to remove his penis & realign his urethra due to being blocked by crystals, it was done so his urinary tract now misses the thin penial part where crystals tend to get stuck
I'm guessing it is all to do with urinary tract disease.
I just can't help worrying it's so distressing to watch & i feel bad that i've been out all day all week at work while he's ill.....not that he's wanted to come near me today, being given pills does not go down well with him!
He has been asleep all day since about 8am (but alert & aware when i come upstairs) so i guess the Metacam & Tramadol have been keeping discomfort at bay

 

[Paul Keep]

i did pop to Tesco this afternoon, & i think he has used the tray, i found some interesting looking wet spots on the kitchen floor that look more like wee than water.
I'm going to change his tray for a new one now so i can disinfect his old one

 

[cat princesses]

Has the vet done an xray to make sure your cat isn't constipated? Sometimes if they're constipated they will have soft poops as well and mess themselves because they're trying to pass the poops.

 

[Paul Keep]

No not yet. They said the next step would be a culture of the bladder or urine, i think
& a scan but i don't think that was an xray but similar

 

[maggiedemi]

Have you tried hairball paste? Or organic coconut oil or olive oil? That can sometimes help the poop come out easier. Check with your vet of course to make sure it's okay to give with his medications.

 

[zed xyzed]

How old is your kitty? I really think an x-ray is in order. The x-ray will show if he has crystals or is constipated. I went through this with my guy and it took the vet giving him two enemas to make him go. (sound like your guys issues are urine related though)

If you are not happy with your vet I would urge you to find another one. I had gone through 3 before I found one that I trusted. His new Vet's explained to me what they think the issue was and how we could determine if that was the issue. Please don't give up on your friend unless you have exhausted all options. Good luck and let us know how the poor guy is doing

 

[zed xyzed]

when they do a culture ask how they will get the sample in this case cystocentesis should be done to make sure that the sample is not contaminated. Ask ask and ask more questions from your vet. There are some great ones out there and sadly some incompetent ones too.