New Here With Newly Adopted Adult Cat, Frankie

[tobyo]

If stress is the issue, all the changes can't be helping.

we talked about that. we didn't realize that the band room door wouldn't shut. Well, it shut just not latched, but he got out.....we're just making it worse and him madder by all the changes. but confinement has been recommended by many people, I feel like we have to give it a try. it did get quiet for now. I may have to take a vacation day tomorrow.

I'm feeling the motherly tug to go check on him.......but will I just rile him up again? oy........

 

[FeebysOwner]

He probably needs some consoling and reassurance that he has not been abandoned. I may be wrong, but if it were me, I would have to go be with him a while.

 

[tobyo]

I hear you.......and I've been doing that with each change. but then he growls. I've never had a cat that growled

 

[Furballsmom]

Have you tried music for him?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Bring him treats, whatever he likes. He's going to growl - he's unhappy with everything and everybody right now.

 

[tobyo]

Have you tried music for him?

I have not.

 

[tobyo]

I thought I'd give an update on our dear boy Frankie. He is still a little love and seems to have accepted his temporary fate. I put drops of lavender on a kleenex and hung it high so that he wouldn't ingest it. I have no idea if that is what calmed him down, but he is much calmer today. We just past the 24 hour mark and he just peed in the box finally!!! and he was rewarded with lavish praise, pats on the head as well as treats. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK FRANKIE!!!

When I opened the door to the bathroom this morning it stunk!!!!! Overnight he had pooped and there were some loose poops outside the box and some inside so yay, I got to clean all that up. Hubby accidentally gave him one of those small cans of wet food where I have been using one can for two days of feedings. I had just fed him the evening portion and about 30 minutes later he did too. I'm thinking that's what caused the diarrhea like poops? We had laid a comforter on the floor and I had to remove it since he soiled it.

I spoke to the vet this morning, told her the entire story of the last nearly 3 weeks. She seemed concerned about a possible urinary infection? Even though most of his accidents were of the #2 variety. I can count on one hand how many #1 accidents there have been: 4. She wanted to get a urine sample so I took him thinking I'd have to leave him there but they were able to get a sample and we'll know the results tomorrow. Urinalysis and a urine culture I guess. She also said to remove any rugs in the bathroom so I didn't put the comforter back after I washed it. He didn't seem as traumatized after returning from the vet this time.

So, he was a bit of a mess too BUT spent a good deal of time today cleaning himself up: good sign!! AND he does the head rubbing against my face and reaches his paws up on my chest: he did that several times today during my visits with him. yay!!! AND he purred every time I visited him. It sure seems like he is going to be okay. My daughter asked if we could let him out tonight. Uh, nope!! Behavior guy at the humane society said at least 72 hours but a week is probably best. So, we'll see.

Thanks for all the help and support. I appreciate it!!

 

[tobyo]

oh yea, one more thing..... he is eating fine but it doesn't appear that he's drinking? I changed the water in his dish twice and neither time did it look like it was touched.

 

[tobyo]

ah, one more thing!! she said that if the urine tests come back normal she suggested prozac. that it would likely take 4-6 weeks before it would take effect but that some cats have noticeable improvement prior to that time frame.

 

[Furballsmom]

Try the music, it does help. There are app Relax My Cat, harp music, MusicForCats.com

 

[tobyo]

Try the music, it does help. There are app Relax My Cat, harp music, MusicForCats.com

okay, thanks!

 

[tobyo]

Bring him treats, whatever he likes. He's going to growl - he's unhappy with everything and everybody right now.

he lights up whenever anyone comes to visit him. and he's a little love, purring and rubbing himself against our legs. but I'm wearying......just cleaned up more poop. he pooped in the sink and there were remnants in several places on the floor and a little on the toilet.

signed, very weary.....

 

[tobyo]

more poop outside the box.......he pooped in the sink and there were several pieces on the floor. he's peeing in the box, just not pooping in there.

they found crystals in his urine and it looks like he will need a different diet. still waiting on results from the urine culture.

I'm exhausted.

 

[tobyo]

oh oops, posted the same thing twice. wish there was an edit......oh well. sorry for the redundancy.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! (You're able to edit after 5 days a member and I think it is 25 posts. The edit button will then appear along with the little flag...)
A post delete has to be requested, by clicking on those little bars in the lower left corner of the post, clicking on the word flag, and typing in that it's a duplicate post that needs deleted

 

[Furballsmom]

So, you said you'd tried the cat attract litter or had some on order?

You said right now, he's peeing in the box? This is a hugely terrific thing, and I'm so sorry you're so worn out from it all that you are out of energy to celebrate...
(I'm still thinking he may need crate training to get him to do all of his business in the box, all of the time, but the crystals first...)

You were right then, regarding him not drinking enough, that he has crystals. I don't know, but getting that taken care of should help....geez I'm SO keeping my fingers crossed for you!! He may be associating the box with pain from the crystals. This could explain his running around and then pooping/peeing, in other words, trying to run away from the pain.

In the meantime, can you add low/no sodium clam juice, or low/no sodium tuna juice (there's a good brand that's low Mercury called Safecatch) to the water bowl? --Ask your vet if this ok, as the meds and food you get will be changing the pH of his urine and you don't want to offset that goal.

You could also try adding a tablespoon or so of water to his food. He doesn't sound picky but you might test this to see how much water you can add before he says no, momma, that's TOO soupy

Also I wanted to mention, try filtered water. If you have room in your fridge try a filter pitcher (just be sure to deep clean it now and then to avoid any buildup). Some cats have preferences about how their water tastes, and some cats are ok with their water at room temp but some like it better when it's cold.

If he shows a liking for the filtered water you could make ice cubes from it and use those in his bowl, and / or freeze some unseasoned-no salt broth, clam juice or tuna juice...you'll just need to try some different things for him, again double checking with the vet first.

You really got my heart when you said he lights up when you visit.

Play some music for him if you aren't already, and keep telling him this will all be over just as soon as possible.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi again. So, he has stopped growling (or at least not as much)? That's a good sign! Other than the pooping issue, he sounds like he's making headway overall!

Not sure what to make of the constant pooping outside the litter box. Maybe he doesn't like the type of litter, or if he goes once in the box, he doesn't want to use it again until it is cleaned out? Is the consistency of the poop normal, loose, hard?

Typically a UTI will cause a cat to pee outside the box, but they continue to poop inside it. That is because, if the UTI is causing any pain, they associate that with the litter box. But, I am sure there are exceptions.

Also, when I have had to have urine samples tested for Feeby, they usually do a precursor check on the spot in the office - just to determine they see some kind of bacteria. Then, they do a 3-day culture to look for a more specific type of bacteria in case a different form of antibiotic would be best for treatments. Did they do the quick test while you were there?

 

[tobyo]

Thank you both so much for keeping me somewhat SANE through all of this!! Yes, he did stop growling. He did start drinking again and that could have been stress related too I think. The vet prescribed an anti-anxiety drug that I can't remember the name of right now and my notes are at home. It's a human drug that she has used with cats and with a loser dose than for humans, obviously. So I'll be filling that at Walgreens after work then probably start that tomorrow morning. He's to be on it for a month and then I'm to call the clinic to update. She also put him on Royal Canin SO Urinary food for the crystals in his urine. I think she said that we wouldn't have to bring him back for a check if things are going well. Sorry, maybe I should have replied later when I'm at home but I don't have much to do at work anyway.......

The culture came back negative so he does not need an antibiotic. They did not do a quick test but it was the urinalysis that showed the crystals the day after they took the sample. She said the looser stools (not diarrhea, just softer) could be caused by stress. He had normal poops before the chimney guy came.

Yes, Furballsmom the crystals could very well "explain his running around and then pooping, in other words, trying to run away from the pain." So I'm hoping that after being on the food for several days we'll see improvement. So far he only pees in the box since being isolated.

Regarding the litter: it's so hard to know!! We started with Tidy Cat non-clumping then I got a clumping kind and a new box to see which he preferred. He seemed to prefer the clumping kind the first week then he switched to the two boxes with Tidy Cat litter so I thought we should stick with that litter.

I do have hope for several reasons: the lighting up and purring incessantly when any of us visit him, the fact that he HAS used the box successfully for 4 days in a row the first week and 5 days in a row the second week so I KNOW he can do it!! and it's likely the crystals in his urine causing all the accidents. He is such a sweet and loving cat so, for now, we're hanging in there with him.

Thanks again for the help!!

 

[tobyo]

So, you said you'd tried the cat attract litter or had some on order?

Yes, but he only used that box a couple of times. (sorry, missed this question in my previous reply)

and thanks for the info regarding editing. I'm almost to 25 posts!! heh.

 

[tobyo]

lower dose, not loser dose. I'm usually better at proofreading........