Recovering from intestinal surgery

[Paperclip75]

The Bot Cat has the worst luck. About a week and a half ago he had emergency intestinal surgery to remove a linear foreign body.

just wondering if anyone has experience with recovery? He’s eating and pooping. Done all his drugs, but 10 days in is still pretty lethargic. Is that normal? His tummy is also weird and lumpy around the incision (which is healing well)...pic below. It doesn’t seem to hurt him when I touch it but I’m concerned . Emailed pics to the vet, too, but they’re closed for the night. Any ideas?

 

[Paperclip75]

Boy cat...

 

[cat nap]

I have no experience with recovery, ...but it does look like your Boy Cat has a Seroma.
He might have pulled some internal stitches....if he were active, and jumping, moving around and such.

I would have the Vet see him ASAP....since they would know what to do.
Poor guy. What did he accidentally eat to cause this?

 

[Paperclip75]

Thanks... I’m now really nervous that it’s a hernia or something that’s going to require more surgery ;( I had to max out my credit card to pay for the intestinal surgery and will be waiting on insurance repayment for a few weeks...

It might be he’s been too active. I’ve kept him in my room with nothing but litter box and food, my mattress on the floor, and low filing cabinet with tv. But I did catch him trying to jump up at a six foot high window once .
Ugh. I just want him to be well.

I don’t know if it’s fair to say he accidentally ingested something. He literally pulled a dress off the hanger and ate the strap while I was sleeping.

saromas are less dangerous than hernias right?

 

[cat nap]

No, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
I think they sometimes develop due to extra fluid from the healing process, and the Vets either leave them alone, or drain them.
I just don't know if they look at size, and could feel how large it is.

If it was something dangerous then his poop would look bad, and you said he was eating ...so more than likely he will heal okay.
It's just that because of the type of surgery...if he were my cat...I would want to be sure.
**Your Vet may just look at the photos and know what it is.

Also, it might not be because he was active, ...but just the way the internal stitches were done, or the normal way the cat's body heals.
Your Vet would or should offer a free re-check, anyway...so just mention that you've maxed out your budget.
They might even have payment plans and such...but I would just ask for the free re-check.

Uhhh...ate the strap. What was he thinking?
Is your Boy Cat like a kitten or young, and likes to eat weird stuff?
You might want to try and put some bitter apple spray or citrus spray on some of the things you want him to leave alone...but in the case of a dress strap...I'm not sure how that would be.

Wishing you the best. again sorry for the scare.
And yes, seromas from what I have read are a lot less dangerous than hernias.

Gosh, trying to jump 6 feet, ...must be like 3 foot jump to us humans.
It's hard to keep them from jumping when they feel well.

 

[pearl99]

Any news today?
My kitty Mooshoo had a seroma like that after her spay, the vet said it could also be a reaction to the internal stitches. It can go away on it's own with time, unless it's something that the vet needs to drain with a needle.
Hoping for the go-away-with-time news!

 

[Paperclip75]

Thanks! It wasn’t so much you who scared me as my own brain. I’m a worrier. Nothing back from my vet yet, but he seemed very much his normal self this morning (wants out of the room pretty bad). If I don’t hear from them soon, I’ll call. I know they’re really busy and everything is taking longer because of their physical distancing measures.

He was just in April a year and does eat every damn thing. I can’t leave him alone with toys because he’ll tear them apart and eat chunks like a dog. He chews the corners of towels off and the edges of reusable bags. Licks the fuzz off of fluffy blankets. I think it’s a comfort thing. He was pretty young when he was found. I’m super cautious about leaving anything lying around he will get at. It didn’t occur to me he’d be that determined

 

[Paperclip75]

Vet says she wants to take a look in person but didn’t have an appointment until tomorrow so it doesn’t seem to be an emergency...he still seems ok. Was super snuggly after being left at home all day (first full work day in a while, first work day at all since his surgery), lots of purrs. Ate good. Still wants out...

 

[cat nap]

Boy Cat is adorable looking.
Great thinking about that 'onesie' to keep him from licking the incision. Useful, practical and cute.
(He looks like he's trying to figure out if the light switch will open the door.
It's good you don't have those lever handles on your doors...since I think your cat would learn to open those in minutes.)

Is there a reason you have to keep him contained to one room after 10 days?
Is it because he wants to constantly play and jump,...being so young at one year old.
Or are there other animals that would bother him, and want to play and chase?

He was just in April a year and does eat every damn thing. I can’t leave him alone with toys because he’ll tear them apart and eat chunks like a dog. He chews the corners of towels off and the edges of reusable bags. Licks the fuzz off of fluffy blankets. I think it’s a comfort thing. He was pretty young when he was found. I’m super cautious about leaving anything lying around he will get at. It didn’t occur to me he’d be that determined

Besides the bitter apple or citrus, I'm not really sure what else you can put on objects and fabric that you don't want him to chew or eat.
Really good that you are super cautious and have to "Boy Cat proof" your home.
It's too bad that he doesn't just chew the objects and spit them out, versus eating them.

**Since you are taking him in to the Vet tomorrow, anyways, maybe you can ask the Vet to take a look at his teeth and gums, ...just to make sure that he does not have any issues there...such as inflamed gums or teeth that may be bothering him, causing him to chew more.

There is a "Search" feature in the top right, of this Site, and if you do a 'Search' for similar threads with titles of 'cats eating objects' or "pica"...then you might come up with more ideas to try.

But I am throwing a lot of info at you...so just take it in steps.
Concentrate on getting him well from his intestinal surgery, then take a break, ...and look at ways to get him to stop, or distract, him from eating non food items.

You're doing an amazing job already, by noticing the things he likes to chew.
Plus you noticed that he ate the strap, and took him to the Vet for that needed surgery to save his life.
I think being worried when our cats are ill is so natural, ...that I have to tell myself to breathe, be calm, and deal with things one by one.

(You're way better than me, since I didn't even notice my own cat was ill until she stopped eating, and using the litter box, plus lethargic all day for two days. She's a 5 year old female cat and had a partial obstruction at the end of April. After two Vet visits and a cat enema the Vet saw that she ate some sort of sponge pad, or scouring pad,...which shocked me, since she does not like any other foods except pate wet food and some dry. I'm not sure what type of sponge pad it exactly was, since the poop was not sent out for analysis, but it had to be something that constipated her, and caused her 'partial blockage'. I was lucky, that in my case the Vet did the enema and it worked.)

Thank you so much for your update, and all the best with Boy Cat on friday.
If you can, please update us after your Vet visit.
Will be thinking of you and Boy Cat and sending tonnes of healing vibes.
Hoping as Pearl99 mentioned ...it may just be one of those 'go away with time' things.

 

[Paperclip75]

It’s a combo of limiting his access to jumping places, etc, and my other cat. The onesies are a life saver. I feel so awful about the cone when it’s needed. He would definitely have the lever handles figured out as soon as he was tall enough, you’re right! My first cat even got out the front door of my parents house once because they didn’t believe he could get the door open and wouldn’t lock it.

As for his teeth, he was just in a month ago for a good cleaning and a gingivectomy because he gets super plaque build up and had some excess gum growth (which is typically a dog thing ), so he’s on hyper tooth care going forward too.

He’s also had a UTI/urinary blockage that had him on fluids for a couple of days, a scratched eye, a gross scabby abscess (the latter two from my other cat) and spent the first five ish months of his life with chronic diarrhea. It’s been a rough first year. I’m lucky he’s so sweet tempered since he’s so high maintenance.
Thanks for the support.
The vet said she pulls all sorts of things out of animals intestines . The kitchen scrubbie is one both of my cats go for if I don’t keep it in a drawer. Although the Girl cat just plays with it.

 

[cat nap]

My first cat even got out the front door of my parents house once because they didn’t believe he could get the door open and wouldn’t lock it.

Oh, wow! See, I've never even heard of the door thing happening, ...until I read a few threads on here, and they exactly said the same thing like your first cat did.
Some of these cats sound like they have 'unique awesome skills' like MacGyver or something.
(In past lives they must have been locksmiths or security guards with keys.)

He’s also had a UTI/urinary blockage that had him on fluids for a couple of days, a scratched eye, a gross scabby abscess (the latter two from my other cat) and spent the first five ish months of his life with chronic diarrhea. It’s been a rough first year. I’m lucky he’s so sweet tempered since he’s so high maintenance.
Thanks for the support.

Ah, sure. Now I know why you mentioned that Boy Cat has the worst luck.

Sit him down and tell him that you think it's time that his luck has to change.
Enough of the rough year, and now that he's older...he has to take it easy, ...and not get into much scrapes or trouble.
Mention to him about the 'nine lives of cats' , ...and explain that he should be spreading them out, and saving them up for later.

Seriously, though, I hope that Friday at the Vet...it all goes well, ...and his luck only gets better.

The vet said she pulls all sorts of things out of animals intestines . The kitchen scrubbie is one both of my cats go for if I don’t keep it in a drawer. Although the Girl cat just plays with it.

I didn't know that some cats were similar to dogs...in wanting to try and taste, chew, and eat weird stuff.
(My friend did think that if the kitchen scrubbie had food particles or the smell of food on it, ...then maybe it would be attractive like food,...but I still thought it would be strange for a cat to try and eat it.)

(Some dogs like my big lab/retriever mix...I could definitely see wanting to taste and eat it, since I caught him eating pizza napkins, cupcake paper shells, and other food wrappers...so with him...I do keep more of a watchful eye, and dispose of these things right away.)

It sounds like your Girl Cat is a bit smarter than your cute Boy Cat.

Anyhow, wishing only good healing vibes for Boy Cat, and that friday goes well.

 

[cat nap]

How did it go yesterday, (friday) at the Vet's P Paperclip75 ?
Hope Boy Cat and you are doing well.
Plenty of snuggles and relaxing.

 

[Paperclip75]

Girl Cat is definitely smarter than Boy Cat. Thanks for everyone’s interest. Our appointment was postponed due to an emergency. We got in today and the vet thinks seroma. Hernia is still a possibility but the ultrasound seemed to show fluid and she couldn’t find space to push it back in. Sooo I’m just to keep an eye on him for another week, keep him in his onesies and somewhat limited in activity.

 

[cat nap]

Glad that you were able to get Boy Cat in to see the Vet.
Good that she was able to do the Ultrasound, probably to check for size, margins, thickness measurements.

Hopefully, in a week's time, Boy Cat's body will be able to heal on its own, and you won't have to keep such a close eye on him,...though it does sound like you might have to install some cameras, ...with motion detectors...just to see what he gets up to.
All the best healing vibes for Boy Cat.

 

[Paperclip75]

Hi again

just wanted to update in case anyone is wondering or dealing with the same concern. The lumpishness gradually reduced over the next few days and by the time we saw the vet again, just over a week later, it was gone. Incision healed well and he’s back to normal. Phew. ... except doesn’t seem to have made the connection between eating random things and the surgery ordeal. Doofus.

Bitter cherry stops him from some things but doesn’t seem to last very long so I can’t trust it when I’m not around. Just being hypervigilant, which is a bit tricky in a small apartment with lots of stuff and limited storage. Fingers crossed he grows out of it!