What is wrong with Calico this time? The vet wasn't sure today....

gothic_amethyst

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First off, I wanted to say Hi. It showed I hadnt been on here since August 10th 2006! I can't believe it's been this long! I bet noone remembers me now!!

Well here's the story and the problem. It's gonna be long cause I feel a small background would be better:

Her name is Calico and she's around 5 years old. Fixed and otherwise healthy except for what happened last summer. My uncle was remodeling the inside of a house he bought and wanted me to take her until he was done. Well the first week she hid and I called him and he said not to worry that she always does that when he brings her into a new house (such as moving) I left food and water in ever room she had access to and a litter box in the 2 main rooms. She still hid. Well after a week 1/2 I got really worried and even though he said she's hid for months at a time something told me to find her that I didnt think she'd come out to eat. I searched and ended up finding her hid behind the washer. I called and called and finally she came out. It was a disturbing image. The once overweight beautiful calico that I knew had let herself waste away to where I could see her hip bones. I took her to the vet that day. They said she had fatty liver disease most likely as I thought caused from the change in environment. She went from single 40's Bachelor to pregnant me, my husband, our friends and our 3 cats!! Well long story short we had to feed her with a large suringe some nasty 'super food' through a tube in her neck and we really thought she would die. She pulled though and within a week was walking around and doing better. She's been totally fine lately except for this week which is why I'm writing....

There have been NO changes in her environment, food or otherwise all year. Suddenly this week she began sleeping on the couch all the time instead of with me. I didnt think much untill I noticed she was drinking more that usual and meowing at me when I ate. That sounds like nothing, but then she started to sleep on the rug by the door and one day she peed so much she soaked it and she pooped hard rock like about an inch each.....then this morning the same thing, except the urine was tea colored and a good 8 ounces of it. She has NEVER in the whole year I've had her NOT used a litter box....Well I took her to the vet figuring she had a UTI or kidney problem. The guy said:
No fever
No infections
She 'looked' normal externally
Blood tests showed elevated Lipase possible developing into diabetes.

So basically 89$ later they still dont know what's wrong and sent her home for me to watch her for signs of anything else.

What do you guys think?? Sound at all familiar? I know the dark pee cant be good and the fact that she's started to pee places she never has before. My house is clean and there are 3 LARGE litterboxes (actually storage containers), they are all fixed, shots, and de-flead (vet drops), there is auto matic feeders of food and water in 2 rooms.

Thanks!
 
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gothic_amethyst

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Originally Posted by cloud_shade

What test did they run? Was it a blood test or a urinalysis?
OOps I cant believe I forgot that with all those details!! Sorry!
They took a tube of blood from her neck.
 

cloud_shade

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I'd probably have them do a urinalysis too since the urine was dark. They may be able to determine if there are red blood cells, bacteria, white blood cells, or other unusual susbtances in the urine causing it to be dark and causing her discomfort.
 

EnzoLeya

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Oh my goodness, I wish I knew something to add. I'm so sorry for you and your kitty. That is so strange that she would willingly starve herself
 
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gothic_amethyst

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Originally Posted by cloud_shade

I'd probably have them do a urinalysis too since the urine was dark. They may be able to determine if there are red blood cells, bacteria, white blood cells, or other unusual susbtances in the urine causing it to be dark and causing her discomfort.
Now that I think about it why didnt he do a urine test!
I feel so stupid that I didnt think about that myself!! He said to give it a week and moniter her and bring her back if she's acting wierd. If she is I'll make sure he tests that. Thank you for bringing that up!
 
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gothic_amethyst

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Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

Oh my goodness, I wish I knew something to add. I'm so sorry for you and your kitty. That is so strange that she would willingly starve herself
God I know! It really worried me and made me wonder about her sanity. I've been depressed though so I understand how she felt. I guess in her mind Danny died or something...She eats just fine now thankfully
 

jean44

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I'm sorry to hear that Calico is ill.

How dark was her urine? Dark yellow to brown colored urine could be caused by excess bilirubin and is an indicator of problems with the liver or bile ducts. Dark urine can also be caused by blood and may result from cystitis- bladder inflammation. She really needs a urinalysis as soon as possible. I'm surprised the vet didn't suggest one given her behavior.


As you said, the fact that she is peeing outside the litter box indicates a UTI of some kind. If peeing is painful she is probably associating the pain with the litter box and choosing to pee elsewhere. Poor girl.

Do you know what her blood glucose level was? Elevated BG would be an indicator of diabetes. Based on my brief research an elevated lipase level may indicate pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or kidney disease.

Good luck to you and Calico... I hope a solution to her problems is found and she is feeling better soon.
 

mzjazz2u

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Hi Amber! There are a lot of people here who remember you! In fact, some were just asking about you. I had emailed you a few times long ago and caught up on some news but when I went back to your site a few weeks ago, I couldn't find a link to send you a message anymore. I don't know what to tell you about your kitty. But here's some for her. I hope you hang around a bit now! Please?
 
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gothic_amethyst

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Originally Posted by Jean44

I'm sorry to hear that Calico is ill.

How dark was her urine? Dark yellow to brown colored urine could be caused by excess bilirubin and is an indicator of problems with the liver or bile ducts. Dark urine can also be caused by blood and may result from cystitis- bladder inflammation. She really needs a urinalysis as soon as possible. I'm surprised the vet didn't suggest one given her behavior.


As you said, the fact that she is peeing outside the litter box indicates a UTI of some kind. If peeing is painful she is probably associating the pain with the litter box and choosing to pee elsewhere. Poor girl.

Do you know what her blood glucose level was? Elevated BG would be an indicator of diabetes. Based on my brief research an elevated lipase level may indicate pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or kidney disease.

Good luck to you and Calico... I hope a solution to her problems is found and she is feeling better soon.
Well to me it looked like lipton or nestle tea or stagnant water color. I should've took a picture lol...yeah about the liver: due to her fatty liver disease that's why I wanted the blood test done so that I could make sure that whatever was wrong wasnt't related to the last disease she had. I was so worried that it had weakened some of her organs. They said they worried about diabetes and that her glucose was alittle bit but not enough yet to confirm diabetes. UTI Yeah that's what I thought...that or something related to the FLD she got over. Next time I go to the vet I'm leaving if this guy is the only one to see her. He's a really old guy, but the guy doesnt really like cats and he just wierded me out anyway. Was walking around talking to himself the chart said possible UTI and he looks at me and goes whats UTI stand for? I was like OMG! Then he forgot to do a urinalisis! I'm so mad I forgot, but the guy was so wierd I wasnt thinking!!
Yeah I know she's got to be hurting or something. She's ALWAYS used her litterbox. She acts fine though other than that and sleeping more on the couch than with us in the bed like she used to.

The tests they did as shown on my reciept were:

*Alkaline Phos.
*ALT-SGPT
*Venipuncture
*Glucose
*Lipase
*CBC

Not sure if that will help or not.
 
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gothic_amethyst

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Originally Posted by mzjazz2u

Hi Amber! There are a lot of people here who remember you! In fact, some were just asking about you. I had emailed you a few times long ago and caught up on some news but when I went back to your site a few weeks ago, I couldn't find a link to send you a message anymore. I don't know what to tell you about your kitty. But here's some for her. I hope you hang around a bit now! Please?
Hey! I remember you! I wondered if you were still here or would remember me! People asked about me?
Yeah the site's under MAJOR construction right now. It's being converted into my business photography site as I have the time to work on it. It's ok I'm hoping she'll be ok or that I get MY vet next time instead of the older guy.Read my last reply for what I'm talking about. Yeah I plan to be here more now that I'm starting to have time again!!
Thanks for
 
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gothic_amethyst

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Just an update on Calico. Sorry It took so long to post, I wanted to make sure before I posted. After the vet visit I called my uncle and explained things and told him that it would be best for her if he came and picked her up. That way we could rule out behavior being the cause for her problems. Sofar so good. He said she's been acting fine and doesnt seem like anything is wrong to him. I hope to be able to go visit her soon and be sure for myself. I'll let you know! Thanks for your help! -Amber
 
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