Hello!
I’m new here and hoping maybe you can help me. My baby (or really full grown lady) has been recently diagnosed with IBD. A little backstory on my struggle:
I moved to a new area a little over a year ago. Not far from where I was, but there was definitely a lot going on with the move - my kitty had to go to my aunts for a bit before we got settled in and could take her back and get her situated. I have been to a couple vets in my new area before finding one I liked and I felt took my concerns seriously - though she is also very busy and sometimes it’s difficult maintaining communication. My little bean also HATES car rides and vet visits and gets thoroughly stressed, and I think with I think all the upheaval this past year and a half or so she’s been struggling and idk what’s helping or hurting at this point.
So basically - I have a 10 y/o domestic shorthair who I love more than the world. I rescued her when she was 6 months old and she is, and has always been, a tiny cat. She has stayed around the size she was when I got her at 6 mos. I was younger then, and didn’t feed her wet food (bc I was young and dumb) but free fed her dry food. She isn’t, and has never been, a big eater. Once I learned the benefits of wet food I started feeding her half a can of wet food 2x daily. I eventually dropped that down to 1/3 can bc I was tired of throwing food out, but I still free feed her dry food always.
While she was at my aunts, she started throwing up bile. It seemed as if she was constipated and having trouble passing food. Her anus was protruding before she had to poop, and we took her to a vet, has a “tight sphincter” - suggested pumpkin with her wet food and dietary change. We changed the diet and noticed the throwing up decreased but didn’t go away, but the constipation seemed to have gotten better. Also moved into new place and cat returned, and we noticed the throwing up increased and though her stool seemed more normal. At first we thought this was good, but after a bit we noticed wetter stool, litter box aversion for pooping, and she started coughing. Brought her to a vet near us and diagnosed prednisone for the cough and stomach. Got better during the course of the prednisone, but once that finished got worse again - though different. Now her stool was soft and stringy and noodley almost. At first we thought this was good - she was passing food easier - but the vomiting has continued and the coughing started up again. This doctor also never took x-rays or blood tests, just a fecal and found nothing unusual. Also had us change food. He can wanted to keep prescribing prednisone and I would rather that be a last option bc a lot of this seems like dietary issues and almost all my vets agree that this is most likely food sensitivities but I just cannot figure out WHAT she is sensitive to.
Vet #3 did a full work up, X-rays, blood and fecal. The coughing was diagnosed as asthma and she was diagnosed with ibd and she said often these issues are related bc inflammation in cats can effect multiple organs. We got her an inhaler which has worked very well with the coughing and she wanted to try out a limited ingredient diet for the ibd. New cat food again - currently on limited ingredient rabbit food from nature’s valley.
So here’s my problem. I’ve changed her food now several times throughout the past year or so. I know ibd is often stress related, and these frequent vet visits as well as the move and changing diet I know are absolutely stressing her. For the first bit on this new diet was a struggle, but then it seemed like her stomach settled out for a bit and we werent having problems. But for the past week, her bowel has been straight diarrhea and she will not go in the litter box to poop. Peeing is not a problem, but will absolutely not poop in the box and I’m very concerned about the diarrhea. I contacted the vet and left a message but they haven’t called me back. I called again today to make an appointment and am waiting to hear back again. I know obviously this food isn’t working but Im also nervous about changing her diet AGAIN. This will be the 3-4th time we’ve completely changed her diet in a little over a year and it just seems to be moving from one extreme to the other. I don’t mind buying the food but I know stress is a huge factor in IBD and I worry these constant vet visits/diet changes are just compounding issues. She also will not eat human food, and never has (though I’ve coerced her into canned tuna once or twice). I tried boiled rice and she won’t touch it. I was hoping maybe someone here might have some advise or something in terms of some dietary structure I can get her on or at least alleviate my fears that constantly changing her diet is not just making things worse - bc that’s how it feels right now. Idk. Sorry for the long thread I’m just worried about my baby and am not sure what to do :-(. Thank you for any advice you may have!
I’m new here and hoping maybe you can help me. My baby (or really full grown lady) has been recently diagnosed with IBD. A little backstory on my struggle:
I moved to a new area a little over a year ago. Not far from where I was, but there was definitely a lot going on with the move - my kitty had to go to my aunts for a bit before we got settled in and could take her back and get her situated. I have been to a couple vets in my new area before finding one I liked and I felt took my concerns seriously - though she is also very busy and sometimes it’s difficult maintaining communication. My little bean also HATES car rides and vet visits and gets thoroughly stressed, and I think with I think all the upheaval this past year and a half or so she’s been struggling and idk what’s helping or hurting at this point.
So basically - I have a 10 y/o domestic shorthair who I love more than the world. I rescued her when she was 6 months old and she is, and has always been, a tiny cat. She has stayed around the size she was when I got her at 6 mos. I was younger then, and didn’t feed her wet food (bc I was young and dumb) but free fed her dry food. She isn’t, and has never been, a big eater. Once I learned the benefits of wet food I started feeding her half a can of wet food 2x daily. I eventually dropped that down to 1/3 can bc I was tired of throwing food out, but I still free feed her dry food always.
While she was at my aunts, she started throwing up bile. It seemed as if she was constipated and having trouble passing food. Her anus was protruding before she had to poop, and we took her to a vet, has a “tight sphincter” - suggested pumpkin with her wet food and dietary change. We changed the diet and noticed the throwing up decreased but didn’t go away, but the constipation seemed to have gotten better. Also moved into new place and cat returned, and we noticed the throwing up increased and though her stool seemed more normal. At first we thought this was good, but after a bit we noticed wetter stool, litter box aversion for pooping, and she started coughing. Brought her to a vet near us and diagnosed prednisone for the cough and stomach. Got better during the course of the prednisone, but once that finished got worse again - though different. Now her stool was soft and stringy and noodley almost. At first we thought this was good - she was passing food easier - but the vomiting has continued and the coughing started up again. This doctor also never took x-rays or blood tests, just a fecal and found nothing unusual. Also had us change food. He can wanted to keep prescribing prednisone and I would rather that be a last option bc a lot of this seems like dietary issues and almost all my vets agree that this is most likely food sensitivities but I just cannot figure out WHAT she is sensitive to.
Vet #3 did a full work up, X-rays, blood and fecal. The coughing was diagnosed as asthma and she was diagnosed with ibd and she said often these issues are related bc inflammation in cats can effect multiple organs. We got her an inhaler which has worked very well with the coughing and she wanted to try out a limited ingredient diet for the ibd. New cat food again - currently on limited ingredient rabbit food from nature’s valley.
So here’s my problem. I’ve changed her food now several times throughout the past year or so. I know ibd is often stress related, and these frequent vet visits as well as the move and changing diet I know are absolutely stressing her. For the first bit on this new diet was a struggle, but then it seemed like her stomach settled out for a bit and we werent having problems. But for the past week, her bowel has been straight diarrhea and she will not go in the litter box to poop. Peeing is not a problem, but will absolutely not poop in the box and I’m very concerned about the diarrhea. I contacted the vet and left a message but they haven’t called me back. I called again today to make an appointment and am waiting to hear back again. I know obviously this food isn’t working but Im also nervous about changing her diet AGAIN. This will be the 3-4th time we’ve completely changed her diet in a little over a year and it just seems to be moving from one extreme to the other. I don’t mind buying the food but I know stress is a huge factor in IBD and I worry these constant vet visits/diet changes are just compounding issues. She also will not eat human food, and never has (though I’ve coerced her into canned tuna once or twice). I tried boiled rice and she won’t touch it. I was hoping maybe someone here might have some advise or something in terms of some dietary structure I can get her on or at least alleviate my fears that constantly changing her diet is not just making things worse - bc that’s how it feels right now. Idk. Sorry for the long thread I’m just worried about my baby and am not sure what to do :-(. Thank you for any advice you may have!