Could it stress?

[luvmyparker]

Hello everyone.

I don't post much anymore but Parker's recent change in behavior has lead me back since I am a little stumped as well as concerned. (Posting in this section since he was cleared of any health issues)

About a month ago, a relative of mine passed away. The weeks leading up to it, Parker started occasionally urinating ONLY on wet towels, dish towels and face cloths. He was much more vocal and night and extremely clingy with me. (I thought maybe he sensed something.) I had plans to take him to the vet anyway, but the passing of my uncle sort of pushed the issue out of my head for a while. About 2 weeks ago, Parker urinated on 3 towels in a week, even pulling them out of the bathroom and off of the oven door. I made an appointment and took him in. The vet immediately guessed it was a thyroid issue, since he had lost just under 1lb too. She did a full senior and wellness panel (urinalysis included). I waited for the results and everything came back spot on, except his blood sugar and heart rate were elevated but I am attributing that to stress because there were several dogs there at the time and an extremely angry cat, which got Parker very agitated. I am taking him back next week to check his blood sugar again though, just to be safe.

So all that aside, could his weight loss and urinating out of the box be stress related?

I ask because I have been neglecting him a little more attention-wise lately because of my own mental health issues and with the death, I have been pretty stressed out too. So could he be feeling this and acting out? The vocalizing has stopped and he hasn't urinated on any towels, although that might be because I am making sure not to leave anything that is or was wet within reach but he is kind of mopey still. 

His weight is my biggest concern, so I am going to ad an extra meal in during the day. Is that ok, or should I feed him smaller, more frequent amounts? Keep in mind, his appetite has not changed at all during this whole time. I am also trying to spend more quality time with him, in hopes he settles but at the end of the month, one of my roommates is moving out and I am concerned that will set him back too. Can I prepare him for that somehow?

I apologize for all the questions, I am just not sure how to go about all this. I am used to his plethora of health problems but never have had to deal with stress or depression with him.

Thank you for reading my lengthy post. 
 

 

[shadowsrescue]

It could be that he is picking up on your stress and therefore stressed himself.  You might want to try a feliway diffuser or two.  They are known to help.  You also could try composure calming treats or liquid to help him feel more calm.  There are also flower essences from Spirit Essences or even Rescue Remedy.  All help with stress.

As for the litter box, be sure it is super super clean.  Do you have more than one box?  Maybe adding an extra box would help.  You could add some Dr. Elsey's litter attract to it.  Make sure the box is large enough too.  Many cat litter boxes are just too small.  I use a sterlite under the bed box that is about 25" long by 18" wide and 5" deep. 

 

[luvmyparker]

I have had a diffuser in the the past. It got broken and I haven't had the cash to replace it just yet but I do plan on getting another.

Currently I only have 2 litter boxes for the cats because I literally have no where else to put another one, until my roommate moves out, anyway, then I will get a third. Maybe a larger one. He normally doesn't have issues with the litter box though, unless there is something physically wrong.  

I had to resort to lower quality canned food to entice him to eat the extra food but it seems to be working and he is in a bit better mood today. Hopefully he can get that 1lb back and get back to being my snuggly man. I feel so horrible for not paying as much attention to him but it's so hard sometimes when things in our lives fall apart.

Question though - composure calming treats? Would you mind elaborating on that, please? I have never heard of them or seen them anywhere.
 

 

[shadowsrescue]

Composure is a calming supplement that has many uses.  I started off using it for stress related issues such as vet visits and thunderstorms.  It did help.  Then I used it on a very territorial aggressive cat and another cat that was scared senseless of this aggressive cat.  It worked so well.  I have read many times of people using it for stress related pee issues.  Composure comes in treat formula as well as liquid.  I preferred the liquid as it was easy to mix into wet food.  Some cats don't like the treats and when you first start the supplement, it is best to double or triple the dose so that is alot of treats!  It does start to take the edge off quickly, but works even better when given 1-2x daily for a while.  I used it for over 6 months daily on the aggressive cat. 

It does not drug the cat or make them sleepy, it just helps them to balance their stress and feel more calm.

I find it on Amazon or Entirely Pets. 

Here is a link to the company info on the treats.

http://www.vetriscience.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=9008103030