Lois is "smacking" again!

So - after we got the bloodwork back and the vet said all was well, turns out she was a bit constipated - it seemed like things were heading back to normal with Lois. Started the wet food, finished the I.V. fluid, she's still on the laxitive twice a day...but now she is "smacking" a lot again!!! The poop is there but still looks somewhat round and harder then our other kitty's -- admittedly, it's hard to tell whose is whose!

We think she gets dehydrated from not drinking enough water - we have two of the "fresh" water bowls - one upstairs, one down -- she is usually fascinated with drinking from the faucets, gets in the shower after we're out to drink the water in the shower, etc -- is there anything we can do to encourage her to drink??

Do you know how to do the " pinch test " for dehydration?

Have you looked into getting a water fountain? Many styles are available at most pet stores , feed stores and online.

I agree! Since she likes to drink from the faucet, Lois is a perfect candidate for an automatic water fountain. Many cats prefer to drink from moving water, and fountains filter the water making it taste better, which may encourage her to drink more. I've had 3 different fountains and so far have liked the Catit dome fountain the best, though it's difficult to clean.

They range in price - as high as $60 - but if price is a concern, Petco has one on sale right now for $15.99!

Here's a link:
http://www.petco.com/product/109056/...t=OnSiteSearch

You can't go wrong with a water fountain. Good for UTI prevention too. To me they are invaluable for my cats health!

Definitely - drinking fountain!

If you feed her wet food at all, I'd also consider adding a little bit of canned pumpkin (not spiced! - maybe the babyfood kind if it has no additives) and some water to what she eats.

We mix water into the wet food we feed our cats. They freed feed on dry food, but we feed them one wet meal a day, and we make it like a sauce to help increase their water intake.

The pumpkin will safely add a little fiber (and moisture) to help regulate her.

We have two of the "fountain" water systems and neither interests her right now that I've noticed - she used to be SERIOUSLY obsessed whenever we turned on faucets and she would open the shower herself to get in and stand under the dripping shower head after we got out -- isn't doing that either. She is behaving normally in every other way -- purring, cuddling, playing, vet said the lab work was great, etc -- sharky, how do I do the pinch test? I know how it works for my horse, but a kitty's skin is naturally looser than that anyway...

You can add water to her canned food. Most cats on a canned diet will not drink any water at all. Start with just a little bit of warm water stirred into the food, to see how much she will tolerate.

My Jennie is prone to constipation and is on an almost completely canned (grain free) diet now thanks to advice I read here. (some high quality kibble for snacks). I add almost 1/4 cup of warm water to every canned meal she gets. At four servings a day, she is getting almost a full 8 ounces of water, in addition to the water in the canned food.

I don't know Lois's history, has the constipation been a problem for long? If it has been, I recommend you have an x ray done to check for a megacolon.

Originally Posted by CalicoLois

-- sharky, how do I do the pinch test? I know how it works for my horse, but a kitty's skin is naturally looser than that anyway...

Click to expand...

Not sharky but the pinch test works the same for cats, horses, dog, cows, even to the time frame. It even works on humans on the back of the hand

Sorry, everybody, I've been out of town on business and just got back. Hubby has been monitoring Lois - her behavior is normal in every dimension. She doesn't seem to be dehydrated - did the pinch test, etc -- but she is SMACKING LIKE CRAZY.

I think our vet is as dumbfounded as I am -- but I'm going to have her re-examined and soon!