Hiding Under Bed After The Vet

[Caspers Human]

Casper just got home from the vet today. He had to stay overnight due to obstipation/megacolon. He came home today and has been under the bed ever since.

A couple of days ago, Casper went off his food and wasn't going in his litter box. I called the vet in the morning and took half a day off from work to take him in.

Initially, we thought it was a flare-up from his urinary crystals but his urethra wasn't blocked and his creatinine levels were low. (0.9 mg/dl) The vet palpated his abdomen then ordered an X-ray. We discovered that his colon was blocked a good, six inches worth!

After an overnight stay and three enemas, Casper pooped it all out and he's home again, safe and sound, apparently none-the-worse for the wear. We brought him home this morning and he, pretty much, headed right upstairs and dove under the bed. Don't blame him! I would probably do the same if I was him!

So far... So good... I guess...

Well... Casper's hind end is covered in poop. He's used the litter box once or twice and I think the enemas still haven't completely worn off.

So... We've got a poopy puddy-tat who needs a cleaning. Casper's going to get a bath whether he likes it or not, even if it's only his hind end. We can't have a sh*tty kitty dragging his dirty bum all around the house. Besides, how's a cat supposed to recover if he's all dirty and can't clean himself? Then there's the matter of his medication (cisapride) which Casper's supposed to take every day for the next week.

After all this, the cat is still hiding under the bed.

If Casper has to come out from under the bed I can and will extricate him, if need be, by simply upending the bed.

The question is: Should I? How long should we wait before going in after him?

Casper's girl-human (his main human) is worried and wants me to go in now.

Personally, I think we should wait until tomorrow before going in after him.

What do you think? Where do you draw the line? When is it time to upend the bed?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Is he eating at all?
Gosh, I don't know, on the one hand I'm thinking to leave him but yet it probably isn't good to have that "stuff" on his skin either... Granted it's not as bad as urine, I don't think?

 

[1 bruce 1]

I would pull him out, be quiet and matter of fact about it, and give him a butt-bath (only on the areas that are a problem), dry him off best you can and then leave him alone, offering food, water (per your vet), and your visits. He's probably still upset from the actual visit and procedure and wants to lay low. Smart guy
If the problem parts are cleaned up, he'll probably finish cleaning up anything you missed. If he wants to hang out under the bed, let him as long as it's not causing a problem.
We don't want to stress them out with a bath after a vet visit, but leaving them with their back ends covered in poop isn't exactly a stress free experience for them. Clean up what you can and whatever you miss, he'll probably finish up for you.
I hope Casper feels better very soon

 

[Caspers Human]

Well, he came out last night. I gave him a chance to walk around a bit then scooped him up and headed for the bathtub. He cried the whole time!

The good thing is that we have a handheld shower nozzle on a hose so I was able to wash just his hind end. I wish I had three hands, though! One hand to hold the nozzle and the other two to hold a wet, soapy cat!

I got him mostly clean. At least, he won't track crap all over the house. He should be able to clean up any parts that I missed by himself.

The worst part, actually, was getting him dried off! I, pretty much, had to sit on him in order to make him hold still long enough to get dried off.

Last I saw, he was sleeping on the sofa. (Haven't gone downstairs yet. Don't wanna disturb him too much.)

We put out some canned food for him, last night. It has a dose of Miralax in it... per vet's instructions. His water bowl is full. His litter box is clean.

I guess, now, it's time to let him sleep it off and see how things go.

Thanks for all the advice and support.

 

[di and bob]

Watch the Miralax if he is already having diarrhea! I'm sure it is to finish cleaning him out, but you don't want another poopy butt! i give Miralax in a beaten egg yolk and it is accepted well that way. Remember he most likely won't go now for a few days, he is cleaned out. The best way to prevent constipation is to make sure he is drinking enough water/liguid. Offer broths, lactose free milks, and have water sitting around in several bowls for him to check out. A fountain is great to remind them to drink with the noise and the fascination cats have with running water. Canned punpkin is a great fiber to keep on hand, mix a tablespoon in with his canned food very so often to keep him regular, non flavored yougart works well too. Or simply add a little water to his canned food. Not much just enough to wet it down. He sounds like he is doing better, it is not unusual at all to have a cat hide for a day or two aftyer a vet visit. I had one stray that hid for two weeks!

 

[Furballsmom]

Last I saw, he was sleeping on the sofa. (Haven't gone downstairs yet. Don't wanna disturb him too much.)

 

[danteshuman]

I would go buy unscented baby wipes to clean up his next accident, just in case he needs it. Now they sell cat bath wipes that you can order online but if you need the wipes today, you need them today. Or use a wash cloth you don’t mind tossing. Get the wash cloth damp with warm water and wipe wipe wipe.

I would let him hide for now provided he is eating/drinking/taking his meds. However if he is not then I would block his under the bed access and give him a box in it’s side with a towel draped over half to three/quarters of the entrance. That way he still has a safe spot, just not under the bed. Lastly I always give my cats a couple treats after they take their medicine/clip their nails etc. this makes the whole process easier plus it helps the de-stress quicker because they know it is over.

 

[Caspers Human]

Casper is back under the bed, again. He's been there all day.

Casper's Girl-Human said that he threw up a couple of times, overnight.
It was mostly fluids and bile. Little to no food in it.
Casper might have taken a couple-few licks of his canned food but doesn't seem to have touched much else.

Later, last night, Casper's Girl-Human rustled his bag of treats and he came a-runnin' but he didn't eat any. He just sniffed and went, "Meh..."

He's got his regular bowl of water and it's been freshened up. The bathtub faucet drips water. He often drinks from the drippy faucet so I don't bother getting it fixed. (Unless it gets too bad.) I think we should put out another bowl of water next to his food dishes. (His water bowl and food bowls are in separate places.)

At this point, I guess we'll just let him sleep it off, under the bed, and come back to check on him every couple of hours just to be sure he's okay.

If he doesn't come out, at least for a little while, I'll consider blocking the bed and giving him some place else to hide.

But, right now, I guess we have to play the "Wait and See" game.

 

[Furballsmom]

He needs to eat, seriously and he's having a little trouble since he came running but then didn't.
Try these, he really needs to eat;
Kitten-Rescue.com
Try baby food, ham, beef or chicken flavored, no onion or garlic.
Try spreading his food out on a paper plate (seriously, no idea why this works but it seems to ).

If these things, cheddar cheese, reddi whip, goat milk, don't work, I'd call the vet.

 

[Caspers Human]

He's out and carousing the house, right now.

He drank some water from his regular bowl.

His regular water bowl is up on a table, in the breakfast nook, next to the kitchen. He normally jumps up to a stool, then to the table top to drink from the bowl. That's where HE wants it so that's where we keep it for him.

He does have other water sources where he doesn't have to jump up. Since he chose to jump up to the table to drink and got down by himself tells me that he's physically okay.

Just a few minutes ago, I was having a cannoli and I offered him a lick of cannoli cream. (The traditional, riccotta/cream kind and NOT the chocolate kind.) He sniffed and seemed interested but went, "Blech!"

Casper virtually never eats human food so that's not out of the ordinary. He might have a lick of butter or a taste of Marmite/Vegemite but that's about all. Even then, he has to be in the mood.

I think his digestive system is still "off."

Casper's Girl-Human is offering him some more canned food, right now.

Oh, yeah... I did pick up a package of wet-wipes made specifically for cats when I was at the pet store, yesterday. I went there to get some cat shampoo. The wet-wipes were there on the shelf next to the shampoo. I thought that they might come in handy so I grabbed a package.

I think he's recovering... but slowly...

Still watching and waiting...

 

[Furballsmom]

Keep in mind when the last time is that he ate, and maybe either finger or spoon feed, syringe feed if you have to or ask the vet for an appetite stimulant.
Depending on whether he ate anything while at the vets, you don't have a lot more time before he starts into the danger zone for hepatic lipidosis.

How Many Days Can Cats Go Without Food? - Upgrade Your Cat

 

[Caspers Human]

Well, Casper seems to be on the mend! (Sigh of relief!)

He ate a few kitty treats last night and he nibbled on his regular, dry food this afternoon. He's been drinking water and going to the litter box on a somewhat-regular basis.

Last night, Casper's Girl-Human was able to coax him to take his pill.
She waited until he was calm, lying on the sofa. She petted him for a minute then opened his mouth and slipped the pill in and coaxed him to swallow. Down it went with hardly a struggle.

I got some Braunschweiger (liverwurst) from the store, just in case he needs some enticement to take his pills.

Casper is sleeping on the bed, right now... in one of his regular spots.

Fingers crossed... Here's hoping Casper will pull through, none-the-worse for the wear.

 

[Furballsmom]

So, not to be putting too fine a point on this but your cat has had hardly any calories or nutritional intake since a couple days prior to Friday
.
Will you PLEASE, I'm begging you for your cats liver's sake, get some unflavored Pedialyte or make some kitten glop and get it into this cat by whatever means necessary

 

[Caspers Human]

I already got the kitten gruel.

It will be going down the hatch by hook or by crook.

 

[Furballsmom]

You ROCK !!!

 

[Caspers Human]

Casper just ate his usual allotment of kitty treats plus about half of a slice of liverwurst.

He’s also been nosing his dry food bowl but he flared off because I was watching him. He doesn’t like to eat from his food bowl when people are watching. He likes to eat in private, probably a leftover behavior from when he was living outdoors... fear of others stealing his food.

The gruel is still at the ready, though.

He is napping on the sofa, now, next to his Girl-Human. He “made biscuits” on his favorite pillow then rolled over and went to sleep.

Making progress... bit by bit.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[danteshuman]

I’m glad to hear he is eating!!! I would buy a couple of baby food jars (chicken or meat but cats live the chicken.... make sure it is onion/garlic free.) I would also buy a syringe and 1 bottle of unflavored pedialite. If your cat does not eat, starts eating less or gets dehydrated I would mix half pedialite and half baby food .... then slowly syringe feed him. You can look up how to see if your cat is dehydrated or not on the Internet.

Lastly my bud recently passed from asthma and pancreatitus. I would take your cat to the vet and find out why your cat is not eating. My signs that my cat had pancreatitus? He was eating slightly less, that is it!

 

[Caspers Human]

I have been making regular phone calls to the vet to keep them updated on Casper's progress.

He did have a pretty badly distended colon. (i.e. Megacolon.) I saw the X-ray.

The vet said that his colon should be no bigger 'round than his spine as viewed on the X-ray. Casper's colon was more than three times the size it should have been. There were three large masses of fecal matter impacted (obstipated) in his colon, a good six inches in length.

He was THIS FAR >.< from needing surgery. The vet said that if an enema didn't unblock him, it would be surgery for sure.

It took three enemas and four big poops to get everything out. Luckily, everything did come out or else it might have been curtains for Casper.

Casper is a very shy cat. Getting sick, being packed up in a carrier and being driven to the vet is enough to put him in virtual shock for a couple of days. Having a thermometer shoved up his bum, being shaved, getting blood drawn, being locked in a cage far from home overnight and having hoses shoved up his backside really threw him for a loop!

Casper has only ever bitten or scratched me once. That was the first time when we took him to the vet to get his microchip put in. I held him while the vet did the deed. He reached around and chomped my hand pretty good.

This cat virtually never makes noise. He was provoked by another cat, one or two times. It's a red letter day when Casper even meows.

When I called the vet, the next morning, before we went to pick Casper up, she told me that she tried to pet him and he growled and hissed at her and took a swipe at her!

I have never, ever seen Casper take a swipe at a human! This is WAY out of character for him! Casper must have felt some EXTREME stress to behave like that.

Yes, I am concerned about Casper eating like he should but, given the stress he's been under, I understand why he's not eating.

Since my last post, Casper took another pill and ate a little bit more.
As long as he keeps eating, okay. If he stops eating, I've got some kitten gruel and a turkey baster on standby.

I just, now, heard him scratching in his litter box. There's another good sign.

As long as he stays on an upward path, Casper will be okay.

It's not so much the medical issues that worry me. It's because, out of the three cats I have owned and six that have lived with me, Casper is the most skittish, anxious cat I have ever known. If he was as bold as "Spike" used to be or as rambunctious as "K.C." used to be I'd have no problem scooping him up and making him take his medicine.

I am just afraid that the stress of this whole affair is harder on Casper than the medical stuff.

 

[Furballsmom]

Braunschweiger

love this stuff by the way LOL
Your kitty has been through the ringer!
Try putting some of his kibble on a paper plate - it seems to help kitties to eat and if you aren't, try some music MusicForCats . com or the app Relax My Cat might help to speed healing.