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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 17:05:35 GMT -5
Gomez has started acting out and I'm not sure how to go about fixing this.
About a month after I was gone having my surgery, he started pooping on the bathroom rugs. He doesn't do it all the time and if the rugs are gone, he doesn't do it. He also pooped all over them when we were in Chicago a couple weeks ago, leaving a hell of a mess.
I guess I should be grateful that he's doing it on something that is so easily tossed in the washer and not on the carpet. Also, he's only pooping on the rugs, not peeing on them.
Over the last year, he lost a hell of a lot of weight. The vet's checked him out and is clueless as to why the weight loss, no metabolic (thyroid, diabetes, etc.) problems. Because of this, I am letting him have anything he wants to eat and it's turning him into a monster. I've noticed the pooping happens when his chopped chicken (yep, I'm roasting off dozens of chicken thighs, chopping them up and storing them in baggies in the freezer) is gone. I don't want him to have any more than the 1/4 cup of chicken, he needs to eat some cat chow for other nutrients.
Up until my surgery, none of this was ever a problem. I almost think me being away for so long spurred it on. Now I need to figure out how to stop it.
Any ideas?
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on May 31, 2011 17:27:37 GMT -5
Actually, you might Google a "raw food diet for cats" and see if that helps. The only nutrient in cat chow or wet cat food that cats need is Taurine ... otherwise, they are true carnivores. And for cat food, I'd recommend a grain-free, low carb food.
At some point, you may want to confine him to just one room or one part of the house, or keep plenty of rugs around in his favorite poop places. You could also speak with your vet about kitty prozac ~ which might help if this is behavioral/psychological.
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on May 31, 2011 17:28:45 GMT -5
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Post by Peace Of Mind on May 31, 2011 17:32:20 GMT -5
I think he's telling you to stay home or else. It sounds like you are being punished. Sorry you are dealing with this and I hope he is OK.
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steff
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Post by steff on May 31, 2011 17:34:53 GMT -5
Kitty prozac has been a life saver when it comes to my meanie Miss O. We had serious issues with her dominating the little doggie and him just trying to say "HEY, I live here too ya know" by marking everything. So we hit it from 2 fronts, we had the little doggie fixed and put Miss O on kitty prozac. Did wonders for her nasty attitude. She's on it probably once every 2 weeks now and we watch much closer to see when their play fighting/chasing has turned and Miss O is out to get him.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 17:44:39 GMT -5
Actually, you might Google a "raw food diet for cats" and see if that helps. The only nutrient in cat chow or wet cat food that cats need is Taurine ... otherwise, they are true carnivores. And for cat food, I'd recommend a grain-free, low carb food.
Right now, I do feed him a high protein cat chow with little grain (grain is like the 5th ingredient in it). I did research what would be involved in making catfud, but it sounds like a pain in the ass. They just don't need taurine, but need additional fats and bonemeal and a few other nutrients as well.
Also realize that I have another cat who (fortunately) does not like human food, so he pretty much keeps his nose out of the chicken. Unfortunately, I'm treating Gomez's need to gain weight as a priority and I'm using kitten chow for hm. Collateral damage has been Gizzy gaining more weight than he should.
How old is he?
Good question. I got him at the humane society 10 years ago and he was a 'young adult'. That means he could be anywhere from 11 years up to 16. If he's on the older end of this, his weight loss could be associated with aging.
He is so painfully thin though......
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Post by ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ on May 31, 2011 17:47:04 GMT -5
Sounds like kitty was pooping in protest to you 2 recent absences. As for the weight loss, did the vet check out kitties kidneys as well? When my last cat was losing weight at an alarming rate, it turned out his kidneys were failing (not good). I don't wish to alarm you - he was 22 yrs old and it was his time - but you didn't mention your cat's age.
After you launder the bathroom mat and put it back where it usually is, sprinkle a little bit of cayenne pepper on it to deter him from using it for his business.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 17:54:58 GMT -5
Right now, my bathroom rug is in the washer, being washed for the second time this week (I just put it down clean last night). I've been home the last 2 days, so it's not only associated with my absence, it just started while I was gone.
I only have one litter box, for 2 cats. There is simply no room for another one and it's never been an issue before. It's the largest one that they make and is private. The cat poops on the rug that is just a little more than a foot away from the entrance to the litterbox.
Kidney function tests were ok. The only abnormality in the bloodwork that was done was a slightly higher neutrophil count. Vet said it could be a low level infection, so gave him antibiotics. Glucose levels, thyroid levels, etc. all were normal. She was stumped and wanted to do an exploratory sonogram, but I balked on that since she did not know what they were looking for. If he had any sort of tumor growth, by now it'd be palpable but I don't think that's the problem. I could take him back to the vet and have them redo the bloodwork and see if something else pops up. That may be an option since it's been about 8 months since the last batch of normal bloodwork.
He acts normal, not in pain. He eats well, drinks well. Sleeps a lot (but then, he's a cat!).
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Post by Peace Of Mind on May 31, 2011 17:56:44 GMT -5
I thought of that too, SL. Renal failure. I've lost three to that so far. Major weight loss was the thing that triggered something was wrong and all other tests came out fine.
Mich - I knew a nurse who saved his cat by injecting fluids into his cat every day and he snapped out of what ailed him. Just a thought. Having the vet do it is very expensive. I've tried it and it helped, but it was short lived. I didn't know it had to be continued and I didn't have any way to do it myself. Our vet just told us to inject sugar water in their mouth. The nurse actually used a needle for his kitty.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 18:00:48 GMT -5
I probably could try that.....I could even probably get a bag of saline from oral surgery. I've also done enough animal work that injecting him wouldn't be a problem.
The other thing that I was doing with him was giving him a couple of syringes of kitten milk each evening. At this point, I'm thinking I probably need to restart that. I had stopped when he started eating so much chicken.
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Post by Peace Of Mind on May 31, 2011 18:02:27 GMT -5
If he eats well and drinks plenty of fluids it could be a problem with his pancreas. Did they run tests for that? The exploratory sonogram would show a tumor or growth.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 18:04:51 GMT -5
Is your kitty showing any other signs of something being wrong. Maybe a little limp or strange crying?
Nope, he acts absolutely normal. When I get up in the morning, he meows at me until I work my way to the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot and get his chicken out. He munches on chicken while I shower.
While I'm getting dressed, he sits at the bedroom door and yells at me to get my ass in gear - it's time for his treats (he gets treats while I finish up my coffee). So by the time I leave in the morning, he's downed a handful of cat treats and 1/4 cup of chicken. The rest of the day, he munches on cat chow (I think I've got Nutro in there now).
I even considered that he might have issues with his teeth, but the vet says his gingiva and teeth look very good and there's not a lot of calculus on him.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 18:06:15 GMT -5
If he eats well and drinks plenty of fluids it could be a problem with his pancreas.
The pancreas makes insulin and if there were issues, it'd show up in his glucose levels. Those are normal.
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Post by Peace Of Mind on May 31, 2011 18:08:37 GMT -5
I'm so glad! Hopefully it's just old age then. I've checked - there is no cure.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 18:15:01 GMT -5
Age is the only thing I can think of what could be the issue. I talked to TD's sister, who's a vet, when I was out there. She said that once a cat reaches adulthood, it's very difficult to judge their age. He was a feral cat (who didn't act very feral) that someone brought in to the animal shelter. Since he's a black cat, I'm a sucker for black cats.
Gomez was never a large cat, at his heaviest he only weighed about 10.5 lbs. He was just under 7 lbs last time I took him to the vet and I suspect that he's even lighter now.
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on May 31, 2011 18:17:54 GMT -5
KMR as a supplement may be a good idea.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 18:20:12 GMT -5
That's what I'm using....
I snagged 3 10 ml syringes from the lab and put a small piece of tubing on the end of them. He'll suck on the tubing while I inject the milk into his mouth.
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Post by Mad Dawg Wiccan on May 31, 2011 19:09:56 GMT -5
My MIL lost her cat to cancer a few years ago. She started getting real skinny, even though she ate well. I took her to the vet, who took an x-ray. Turns out she had an abdominal tumor that was preventing nutrients from being absorbed.
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Post by Mad Dawg Wiccan on May 31, 2011 19:11:46 GMT -5
Mich, are you using kitten formula or cow's milk? Cow's milk can give cats diarrhea.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 31, 2011 19:25:06 GMT -5
Kitten formula....I know not to give them milk.
Not cheap stuff, but if it puts weight on him, I'll do it. I also think I'm going to put a glug of kitten milk on his chicken tomorrow morning.
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Post by Sharon on May 31, 2011 22:49:38 GMT -5
I have a cat who also poops on the bathroom rug about a foot from the litter box. This happens when she is constipated. She walks trying to go, usually accompanied by loud cries. If I hear her crying I know there will a mess to clean up. Our kitty is in the 11 - 12 year old age range. We have added a 1/4 tsp of benefiber mixed in with a small amount of wet food and that is helping.
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Post by Tennesseer on May 31, 2011 23:25:43 GMT -5
Are the rugs damp from the humans standing on them after a shower. Sometimes the moisture may simulate the moisture on the litter box. Also, why not pick up the rugs after the humans are done in the bathroom?
How new is the litter box? If it is new, the cat may not like it. Have you changed the type of litter in the box?
As for the weight loss-is it quite a bit? I have a number of indoor cats and take care of several feral colonies outdoors. I do notice the outdoor (and a few of the indoor) cats loose a bit a weight during the summer months. As they don't need the added fat in their food to keep them warm like they do in the winter time, they eat less food during the summer months, especially the outdoor feral cats.
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Post by share88 on Jun 1, 2011 2:20:43 GMT -5
For the weight - maybe some nutracal I think its called? Sort of a paste type stuff with a lot of nutrients. My vet gave it to me for the abandoned kitten I found.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jun 1, 2011 6:42:19 GMT -5
Are the rugs damp from the humans standing on them after a shower.
Not the favorite rug to poop on, which is in front of the sink. The one in front of the tub may be damp though - but that's not the preferred rug (even though I caught him doing it this morning).
Also, why not pick up the rugs after the humans are done in the bathroom?
An idea I've been kicking about, but it's easier to throw the rugs into the wash than it is to scrub dried on poop off the bathroom floor.
How new is the litter box? If it is new, the cat may not like it. Have you changed the type of litter in the box?
I bought a new litterbox last fall and still use the same type of litter I've used for the last 4 years or so. The new litterbox was exactly the same as the old one.
As for the weight loss-is it quite a bit?
Gomez weighed about 10.5 lbs at his heaviest. Last time I took him to the vet (it would have been in early Nov.) he weighed just under 7 lbs. I want to say 6 lbs, 14 oz. So he's lost 1/3 his body weight. He didn't regain any over the winter. I did notice that he spent a LOT of time under his quilt this winter (he's one of those cats that will go under covers rather than lie on top of them), so he does not have sufficient fat to keep warm. Not so bad now that the weather's warmer.
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Post by CarolinaKat on Jun 1, 2011 7:25:31 GMT -5
Mich,
Try turning the rugs over with the fluffy side down. This kept mine from going poop on the 'fluffy' side instead of in the litter box. Granted, they were ~5 weeks old when this worked. You could also try using the bathmats that are basically just a towel (easier to wash).
Unfortunately keeping weight on Senior cats can be very hard. My friend's cat had to go on a meat-only diet, he prefered chicken and pork. His body couldn't handle ANY grains, so processed food was out. She would give him the equivalent of a kitty multivitamin (I think the vet gave her) to make sure he was getting all the nutrition he needed. Amos didn't gain much weight back, but he stopped loosing it.
Best of luck for your little boy
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Post by pig on Jun 1, 2011 7:32:48 GMT -5
Take this for what it's worth from someone who went through this. Our cat did the same thing to us. It began when we left for vacation. The cat was cat sitted by a trusted person so it wasn't alone. However, the cat kept doing it everytime we would leave for more than a day. We brought her to the vet and the vet said it was anxiety and wanted to put the cat on expensive anti-depressant medication. I think it sounds like an emotional/mental issue with your cat. That is not easy to fix. I'd get rid of it. Good luck.
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Post by cael on Jun 1, 2011 7:53:05 GMT -5
My MIL lost her cat to cancer a few years ago. She started getting real skinny, even though she ate well. I took her to the vet, who took an x-ray. Turns out she had an abdominal tumor that was preventing nutrients from being absorbed. This happened to one of my old kitties (actually, both, but in one we didn't catch it until it was too late ) The vet put him on steroids (as a cream we rubbed into his ears) to keep his intestines from getting too swollen so he could absorb his food, and he had another good 2 years before it developed into a full-blown tumor. He was 16, so had a good long life.
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Post by mmhmm on Jun 1, 2011 7:59:55 GMT -5
One thing you could try is to get another cat box. The rule of thumb is one more cat box than there are cats. Might work, might not. Sounds like the cat might have been traumatized by your long absence and got into the habit of showing his displeasure by pooping on the rugs. Now that it's become an ingrained habit, it will be hard to break at his age without just removing the rugs. The weight loss may well just be age. I've an old Siamese who's recently lost a good deal of weight, as well. Knowing kidney problems are common in cats (especially, older males), we checked that along with everything else. So far, so good; however, his renal tests were borderline. Giving fluids intravenously will help them stay alive for a bit of time longer, but I haven't chosen to do it in the past. As long as the cat is getting along well, eating, drinking and behaving normally (for a cat!), I just love 'em. I can't see putting a cat through daily fluid replacements to buy a few months. They don't understand, and don't much like it in my experience. When the renal failure gets serious, I let them go. It's what I'd want for myself.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2011 8:17:29 GMT -5
I would get rid of that particular matt and get a new one. Even with washing her scent would not be completely out of it. No matter how it started, she now thinks that is an alternative cat box.
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Post by Bluerobin on Jun 1, 2011 8:23:46 GMT -5
Isn't there one of those restaurants in the area that use cat meat?
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