Need advice

brendawhite2k16

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Okay, so... I got my cat secondhand last year, just before the pandemic started. He was morbidly obese when I got him and, according to my grandmother, he has gained weight since coming to live with me. He has a lot of anxiety problems and a low threshold for stress and has separation anxiety. To make matters worse, we suspect he may have a thyroid issue. His bowel movements almost need to be taken away while a hazmat suit is being utilized and he can clear a room very quickly. He is very demanding when it comes to food and seems to suffer from anxiety attacks if food isn't In the bowl. I took him to TSC to get his shots (he was out of date with all of his vaccinations when I got him) and all the vet said was that he needed to lose weight. Because of the pandemic, he hasn't been to see a veterinarian due to the fact he is a "new" patient. He was supposed to come with paperwork and his previous owner "couldn't find it."

This morning, while attempting to sit down, he backed up and stumbled a little before he was able to sit down. Normally, he just kind of hesitates a little like his hips are bothering him before sitting down. The reason I mention the second sentence is because the cat is *not* a senior. He turns four in late June.

I can't afford to get all of what ails him treated nor can I afford special diet food, but I *do* love him a lot. He is my little cuddle bug, as well as my emotional support animal. He cuddles me when I'm depressed and he hardly ever moves from beside me.

I have tried laser pointers and wands. I tried an electronic remote controlled mouse. I have even tried catnip toys. The only thing that has gotten him moving was a toy that spins and has a few different speeds/patterns. Everything else, he isn't remotely interested in and if he is interested, he loses interest vert quickly. Even with the toy that spins, he has never made it through an entire session (it shuts off automatically) and tends to lose interest within ten minutes.

I even bought him an expensive cat tree that was super plush and had different areas for him to relax in and a couple scratching posts. He never bothered with the scratching posts and preferred to hang out on the perches. After not even two weeks, he never went on the cat tree again and I wound up selling it.

I bought him a cat carrier with a sherpa bed and he hates it. I bought him collars and even a harness. He hated those, to the extent he would Houdini his way out of the collars. The harness stressed him out, to the point he had looser stool than his norm and I promptly removed it.

I'm at a crossroads because he has already gone through three major life changes since I got him. The first was when I got him. The second was moving him into my apartment. The third was moving back in with my grandmother.

I'm afraid that rehoming him would only succeed in traumatizing him further and I basically need advice on what to do.
 
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brendawhite2k16

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Update: I think I've come to the decision to rehome him. None of this is fair to him and I'd hate for his life to be shortened. Keeping him would only be selfish on my part.
 

StanAndAlf

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There are calming diffusers you can get which can help settle his anxiety. One I've heard is good is called Feliway.

I do think he needs a proper full assessment by a vet. It can be hard to tell thyroid problems etc from just looking at a patient for the first time, especially if they are overweight. If you can afford it, running some basic bloodtests would help give you a better idea, I believe.

As for losing weight...the pain he experiences when trying to sit can be caused by his excess weight, though its completely possible there is another underlying issue there too. Similarly, if it is hurting him to move, due to the strain on his joints or otherwise, he may not want to play purely because its uncomfortable. The same with climbing his cat stand.

Something else to discuss with your vet might he a weight loss diet, rather than trying to exercise the weight off him, at least until he's lost a little weight. If the pain when sitting persists, I would also think about x-rays.

What are you feeding him, if you don't mind me asking? Just in relation to number of meals, type of food etc. His stools definitely shouldn't smell that bad. If he has a sensitive stomach, it might be worth considering supplementing his diet with some boiled chicken, which will be nice and gentle and (if you use chicken breast) isn't overly fatty.

Best of luck!
 

fionasmom

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I agree that if you could run some basic bloodwork it would give an indication of what might be happening with this cat. If you can do that, tell the vet that you cannot get in over your head, might rehome the cat, and ask him to take his best shot at a reasonable, but informative blood test.

The fact that he is young does not mean that he is in good health. In the course of my life I have lost 5 young cats to illnesses and currently own a four year old who has two paws on a banana peel. I am wondering about diabetes, among other things.

If you rehome him and he has a medical condition, it is something that the adopter should know about so that they can proceed, or if they are not able to help him he can go to someone who can. You are very kind to have taken him in. It sounds as if he has had a rocky life and that things could have been much worse for him.
 

tnl

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IMO keeping him would not be selfish as long as you can practice some patience. We had a 20 pound black cat who sounds similar to your situation. He was found abandoned at about a year old. He was "cow hocked" from either abuse or an accident. When we met him for the first time he was so scared he peed. It takes time and stability. A stable home with lots of love and patience. I doubt he has anything medically wrong at this point...it's stress. If you could feed him smaller meals throughout the day, it might help. He needs stability and routine.
 
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