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- Nov 23, 2022
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About 2 weeks ago on November 10th I noticed two little pieces of cat poop on a blanket which was resting on my leather couch. Figured one of my 2 cats had a little accident and it probably was a one-time thing - I was wrong. Last week starting on Thursday November 17th my cat Pepper pooped on the same blanket on the same couch but this time it was like 5-6 pieces. I decided to wash the blanket and move it to the other side of the couch but the next day he did it again on the blanket and also covered it. After that I decided to throw away the blanket completely but the next day I found 6 pieces of poop on a pillow which happened to also be on the couch.
At that point I decided to take him to the vet yesterday and they did x rays on him to find he was in fact constipated. They administered an enema on him which made his backside very wet and he pooped in his carrier on the way home - he also pooped on the way to the vet out of fear I assume - which allowed them to take a fecal sample. They also gave me some Lactulose to give him every 8 hours which I gave him the first dose today. Unfortunately last night he threw up a few times and also defecated on the couch again - this time on a bath towel which I covered the couch with to protect it.
I've gotten multiple opinions from various veterinarians today and most said to wait a week and see if its the constipation that was the problem but others say I need to get more litter boxes. He has shared one litter box all his life (hes 8 years old) and when we added another when he was young both cats continued to just use the one. I'm having trouble understanding if this is a behavior problem or just simply hes constipated and once his bowel movements go back to normal he will remember where hes supposed to poop. What confuses me most is that he will use the litter box to urinate but has decided the blankets and pillows on the couch are where he will poop from now on.
At this point I don't know what to do other than hope given time and the Lactulose he will get better but I'm getting convinced that its behavioral. Thus far I haven't tried removing all soft things from the couch all together and see where he chooses to go next. I'm scared that he will choose the next best place which would be my bed or the floor.
Backstory:
My mother divorced my father 3 years ago and left him on his own - unfortunately he passed away a year ago and I was the only family member here that could care for the cats while he was in hospice. They grew attached to me over a 2 month period and my fathers dying wishes to me was to take care of the cats - the only thing left that he really cared about in this world. 8 months have passed and they have been the best thing that's happened to me until now.
Please help, I dont want to have to give them up or euthanize but if he won't stop this behavior I don't know what my other options are. Has anyone ever dealt with something like this before? Is it truly his constipation or is it something he just decided he wants to do? Its hard for me to add anymore litter boxes because my apartment is so small (700 sq feet). I figured after he got the enema he would poop in his litter box again but so far he has not. I will continue to give him Lactulose and hope for the best but if it doesn't change soon I will be forced to make a tough decision.
At that point I decided to take him to the vet yesterday and they did x rays on him to find he was in fact constipated. They administered an enema on him which made his backside very wet and he pooped in his carrier on the way home - he also pooped on the way to the vet out of fear I assume - which allowed them to take a fecal sample. They also gave me some Lactulose to give him every 8 hours which I gave him the first dose today. Unfortunately last night he threw up a few times and also defecated on the couch again - this time on a bath towel which I covered the couch with to protect it.
I've gotten multiple opinions from various veterinarians today and most said to wait a week and see if its the constipation that was the problem but others say I need to get more litter boxes. He has shared one litter box all his life (hes 8 years old) and when we added another when he was young both cats continued to just use the one. I'm having trouble understanding if this is a behavior problem or just simply hes constipated and once his bowel movements go back to normal he will remember where hes supposed to poop. What confuses me most is that he will use the litter box to urinate but has decided the blankets and pillows on the couch are where he will poop from now on.
At this point I don't know what to do other than hope given time and the Lactulose he will get better but I'm getting convinced that its behavioral. Thus far I haven't tried removing all soft things from the couch all together and see where he chooses to go next. I'm scared that he will choose the next best place which would be my bed or the floor.
Backstory:
My mother divorced my father 3 years ago and left him on his own - unfortunately he passed away a year ago and I was the only family member here that could care for the cats while he was in hospice. They grew attached to me over a 2 month period and my fathers dying wishes to me was to take care of the cats - the only thing left that he really cared about in this world. 8 months have passed and they have been the best thing that's happened to me until now.
Please help, I dont want to have to give them up or euthanize but if he won't stop this behavior I don't know what my other options are. Has anyone ever dealt with something like this before? Is it truly his constipation or is it something he just decided he wants to do? Its hard for me to add anymore litter boxes because my apartment is so small (700 sq feet). I figured after he got the enema he would poop in his litter box again but so far he has not. I will continue to give him Lactulose and hope for the best but if it doesn't change soon I will be forced to make a tough decision.