No Answers / Please Help

[rinlynn]

Hey all, new here.

I have an eleven-month-old Calico named Rooney. Over the past week, I have noticed a dramatic change in her behavior. For a very non-vocal cat, she has become incredibly vocal when I pick her up. It was a pitiful yowl at first like "mom, put me down!" so I thought maybe she finally got tired of being picked up because she never really does let you hold her for long.

However, the next day, those yowls turned to straight up howls/growls and hisses. I tentatively touched some areas down along her back and back feet and she did NOT like it. I also noticed a decreased usage of her litter box and although she was eating, lack of drinking water (she was still drinking, but MUCH less than usual).

So, first thing Tuesday, I took her to my vet. General exam/temperature and urine check all showed nothing wrong. My vet was convinced she was acting up because I changed her litter recently and she was just not liking it. (He said the only abnormal thing was her bladder was enlarged as if she was holding her pee). However, as much as I wanted to agree, I changed her litter over two weeks ago and this behavioral change was within the past few days. I'm not the expert, though, so I changed the litter back and still no improvement.

So, Thursday, it was right back to the vet. Bloodwork, X-Rays, nothing shows anything is wrong with my cat. After I broke down in the exam room, he suggested I leave her with them to push IV fluids because she was a little dehydrated and they would send her X-Rays to their radiologist to make sure they didn't miss anything.

$600 later and I have no answers. She is back home with me, but is still acting the same. Decreased litter box usage, won't really drink water, and does NOT want to be picked up. She also does not want to climb/jump unless she has to, which breaks my heart because she doesn't want to be held, so I can't help her.

I cannot afford to bring her back to the vet and I am at a loss for what to do for my poor baby. Can ANYONE shed some light on what this could be?

--

P.S. Some things I forgot to mention: she is spayed and is an indoor cat. She never goes outside alone (every now and then I let her out, but she is always supervised).

 

[talkingpeanut]

Is she spayed? Any fever?

 

[rinlynn]

Is she spayed? Any fever?

Yes, she's spayed. Almost six months ago. And no, no fever. Everything was normal.

 

[Columbine]

Everything you're saying describes a cat in significant pain. I know you've spent a ton at the vet already, but I really do think you need to look at a second opinion. It sounds like the initial problem was in her spine and/or back legs and paws, but as she's been avoiding seeing, she may well have given herself a UTI by now. An enlarged bladder is never a good sign, and warrants a vet visit in itself. I know a urine sample was initially taken, but things may have changed now.

The problem seems like it's pain related rather than a simple objection to a litter change, but it can't hurt to set up a box with her old litter, just to see if that helps at all.

She definitely needs to see a vet asap though. Urinary problems on their own are potentially life threatening if left untreated. The initial symptoms make me think of arthritis type changes, but shes very young for that to be the case.

I'm so sorry I can't be of more help. I really hope you get to the root of this problem very soon, and that she's soon back to her old self again

Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet
When You Can't Afford A Veterinarian
Arthritis And Joint Pain In Cats
35 Signs That Your Cat May Be In Pain

 

[the_food_lady]

Did Vet do xrays of abdomen? Any chance kitty is constipated? Cats who groom a lot are more prone to furballs and if they don't throw them up they come out in their poop and lots of fur in the poop can make poops hard to pass ,which can then lead to abdominal discomfort. Constipated cats will sometimes begin to associate their litterbox with discomfort and then might be inclined to avoid it, thus could lead to full bladder. Dehydration can lead to constipation. A diet of full dry food and never any canned food can lead to constipation. A good Vet should be able to feel a cat's belly and tell if they are full of poop, which of course can then be confirmed by an xray. Also, some curious cats are known to eat things.......hair elastics, small pieces of cat toys, etc.....which can of course bung them up. I'd ask if abdominal xrays were done......and I'd be asking about doing an abdominal ultrasound as well.......as some things don't show up well on xrays as on ultrasound.

Any changes to diet?

Pancreatitis can cause a lot of abdominal pain, too. The specific bloodtest for it is likely not one that's been done as it's not a standard test. It's the fPLI test. Here is info on feline Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the Pancreas in Cats | petMD I remember once having a cat who suddenly didn't want to be picked up, growled hissed, keeping more to herself, wanting to be left alone, sleeping more.....turned out she had Pancreatitis. Back then the specific fPLI test didn't exist and blood tests like Amylase and Lipase were just not accurate...so it was sort of a process of elimination to determine Pancreatitis. Ask your Vet about running the FPLI test for pancreatitis.

Does kitty have a limp at all? Is tail dragging down when walking or normally raised? Just wondering about possibility of kitty having fallen from a great height.....were xrays of spine done?

Have you noticed kitty's poops? Did they seem hard and small or normal?

You know, if you feel the need to get a 2nd opinion, you are well within your right to sEE ANOTHER Vet and request they get all of kitty's records from current Vet (or you can even request a copy of them all, to have on hand) so they can see what tests have been done, results, etc

I know you've spent a lot of money and bless your heart for pursuing this...but kitty is not right, something is going on here, kitty is in pain....and you need to get to the root of it ASAP

 

[rinlynn]

Everything you're saying describes a cat in significant pain. I know you've spent a ton at the vet already, but I really do think you need to look at a second opinion. It sounds like the initial problem was in her spine and/or back legs and paws, but as she's been avoiding seeing, she may well have given herself a UTI by now. An enlarged bladder is never a good sign, and warrants a vet visit in itself. I know a urine sample was initially taken, but things may have changed now.

The problem seems like it's pain related rather than a simple objection to a litter change, but it can't hurt to set up a box with her old litter, just to see if that helps at all.

She definitely needs to see a vet asap though. Urinary problems on their own are potentially life threatening if left untreated. The initial symptoms make me think of arthritis type changes, but shes very young for that to be the case.

I'm so sorry I can't be of more help. I really hope you get to the root of this problem very soon, and that she's soon back to her old self again

Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet
When You Can't Afford A Veterinarian
Arthritis And Joint Pain In Cats
35 Signs That Your Cat May Be In Pain

to be honest, that's what EVERYONE I was telling this to, prior to visiting the vet, was telling me, but he didn't find anything. She still goes, just not as often, and when he pushed the IV fluids, he claimed she was using it normally again. So I really don't know.

Thank you for your help though <3 Hopefully I can figure something out.

 

[rinlynn]

Did Vet do xrays of abdomen? Any chance kitty is constipated? Cats who groom a lot are more prone to furballs and if they don't throw them up they come out in their poop and lots of fur in the poop can make poops hard to pass ,which can then lead to abdominal discomfort. Constipated cats will sometimes begin to associate their litterbox with discomfort and then might be inclined to avoid it, thus could lead to full bladder. Dehydration can lead to constipation. A diet of full dry food and never any canned food can lead to constipation. A good Vet should be able to feel a cat's belly and tell if they are full of poop, which of course can then be confirmed by an xray. Also, some curious cats are known to eat things.......hair elastics, small pieces of cat toys, etc.....which can of course bung them up. I'd ask if abdominal xrays were done......and I'd be asking about doing an abdominal ultrasound as well.......as some things don't show up well on xrays as on ultrasound.

Any changes to diet?

Pancreatitis can cause a lot of abdominal pain, too. The specific bloodtest for it is likely not one that's been done as it's not a standard test. It's the fPLI test. Here is info on feline Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the Pancreas in Cats | petMD I remember once having a cat who suddenly didn't want to be picked up, growled hissed, keeping more to herself, wanting to be left alone, sleeping more.....turned out she had Pancreatitis. Back then the specific fPLI test didn't exist and blood tests like Amylase and Lipase were just not accurate...so it was sort of a process of elimination to determine Pancreatitis. Ask your Vet about running the FPLI test for pancreatitis.

Does kitty have a limp at all? Is tail dragging down when walking or normally raised? Just wondering about possibility of kitty having fallen from a great height.....were xrays of spine done?

Have you noticed kitty's poops? Did they seem hard and small or normal?

You know, if you feel the need to get a 2nd opinion, you are well within your right to sEE ANOTHER Vet and request they get all of kitty's records from current Vet (or you can even request a copy of them all, to have on hand) so they can see what tests have been done, results, etc

I know you've spent a lot of money and bless your heart for pursuing this...but kitty is not right, something is going on here, kitty is in pain....and you need to get to the root of it ASAP

She is not constipated. The only thing that has changed is how often she goes. She also does NOT like wet food. She never has. Has always been a dry food cat.

I unfortunately do not know what they took X-Rays off. She did fall off her cat tree recently, but my back was turned and I did mention it to the vet just in case it was related.

The other big problem is this cat acted like a SAINT at the vet. He was feeling her, squeezing her, moving her abdomen around and not a PEEP from her until she got overstimlated/tired of being touched. I'm still not 100% they believed me. So if anything IS wrong with her, she didn't react to his touching and feeling of her stomach and lower body.

But I'll keep that in mind. I think if I do go to a vet again, it won't be my current one. I can't afford to be told nothing is wrong when clearly something is.

 

[maggiedemi]

She won't eat any wet food at all? Not even something cheaper like Friskies Shreds or Pate? Canned food is so important for indoor cats to give them the moisture they need to keep urinary problems from occurring.

 

[rinlynn]

She won't eat any wet food at all? Not even something cheaper like Friskies Shreds or Pate? Canned food is so important for indoor cats to give them the moisture they need to keep urinary problems from occurring.

I believe Friskies was what I tried when she was a kitten, she just sniffs it and walks away. I got Fancy Feast after my vet suggested wet food for the same reasons as you guys, she just has no interest in it. Drinking water has never an issue for her up until this past week, she was always drinking from her bowl or the dogs'.

 

[margd]

It is so frustrating and discouraging to seek medical help at significant cost for a cat, only to be told the vet can't find anything wrong. You know your cat best and it seems pretty clear that something is wrong. I don't have any more suggestions to add to the excellent ones you've gotten already, just to urge you to take her for a second opinion as soon as you are able. Believe me, I understand the financial constraints!

I also wanted to welcome you to TCS, although I wish it were under better circumstances. It's a good community and I hope you stick around and join in. There is also a vast amount of information available on the site so it's really a tremendous resource as well.

Please let us know how your dear little girl does. Fingers crossed that this clears up on its own.

 

[rinlynn]

It is so frustrating and discouraging to seek medical help at significant cost for a cat, only to be told the vet can't find anything wrong. You know your cat best and it seems pretty clear that something is wrong. I don't have any more suggestions to add to the excellent ones you've gotten already, just to urge you to take her for a second opinion as soon as you are able. Believe me, I understand the financial constraints!

I also wanted to welcome you to TCS, although I wish it were under better circumstances. It's a good community and I hope you stick around and join in. There is also a vast amount of information available on the site so it's really a tremendous resource as well.

Please let us know how your dear little girl does. Fingers crossed that this clears up on its own.

Thank you <3 I appreciate it. I almost didn't take her back to my vet, but I have a severe case of anxiety disorder over here and it was just torment trying to decide if I should take her elsewhere or go back to my vet.

I will keep y'all updated. The only thing I can say, is that she doesn't seem to be getting WORSE, just...in pain.