HELP- cat peeing/pooping! need advice about medicine

I am at wits end. Let me explain her history a bit (if I can keep it short!)

I originally rescued Heidi as a baby kitten- used to feed her feral mom on my porch and Cali got pregnant before I could get her trapped to have her spayed. Anyway, I found Heidi a home. Unfortunately, the stupid owners didn't want her after a year (originally complained that she wasn't very affectionate like their other cat who I also rescued then complained later that she was too affectionate. I was like how can poor Heidi win with you guys?!). I had to rescue her from their home in a horrible way so that was very traumatic for her. At that time, i was already fostering another cat so I found an acquiantiance who said she'd foster Heidi. After a while, she decided to keep Heidi which thrilled me. HOWEVER, after another year, she called me out of the blue and told me I had to take her back. When I asked her why, she said she didn't have a job and couldn't keep Heidi - two cats were too many for her. I offered to pay for Heidi's food/medical expenses until she got a job- I didn't want to put Heidi through the trauma of finding another home. At that point, she threatened to put Heidi to sleep if didn't take her! At that point, I knew she wasn't in a good home and immediately took her in intending to foster her only.

It tooke me TWO MONTHS before she'd let me touch her. That's how terrified she was. It BROKE my heart seeing her like that and I decided to keep her because I felt it was unfair to put her through trauma of adjusting to another home. It took her a LONG time to adjust to my cat family and THEY adjusting to her. I love her DEARLY. She's one of the sweetest cats ever and is EXTREMELY ATTACHED to me....

I noticed she tend to pee/poop whenever I am out of town but it would stop after I took her to the vet and got an antibiotic shot. THe last time this happened was about 6 months ago. I started putting waterproof mattress covers on my couch and chair to protect them from urine/poop then after a few weeks, I stopped because there were no more peeing.

I went out of town for a buisiness trip recently and when I got home, she peed/pooped on the couch so I took her to the vet. She got an antibiotic shot and improved for a few days then went back to peeing/pooping on the couch so I've started giving her oral medicine (based on Vet's recommendation since she tested positive for a bacterial infection). I started putting waterproof mattress covers on furniture again for the last couple weeks.

Unfortately, she peed/pooped on the couch today AGAIN and this time the pee seeped through the cover to the base of the couch!

Now my question is- this is the name of the medicine I'm giving her - Carafate Elixer - give 1 cc by mouth twice a day. Is this strong enough? I have an older medicine called -metronidazole - give 1 ml by mouth twice daily for 14 days. That medicine expires 1/1/10 so I don't know if it's too old??? should I try that instead?

If she doesn't improve in a few days, I'm taking her back to the vet. *sigh* Dreading that cuz she FREAKS out whenever she sees the carrier. I still carry many deep wounds from the last time I took her. She pretty much turns feral.

I just want to get this resolved so she'd feel better, stop peeing/pooping and I can have a NICE SMELLING HOME with a NEW COUCH (it's to be delivered in a few weeks but I want to get a good plastic cover FIRST before I bring the new couch in).



Sorry this is soooo long!!!

I'm not familiar with Carafate Elixer, however metronidazole (aka Flagyl) is commonly given for giardia/loose stools.

When you say bacteria infection, are you talking a UTI? Has she had her urine tested? I just want to be sure we're all on the same page & I'm understanding you correctly (it's late, and when I get tired I baffle things easily ).

Do her litterbox problems only occur when you are gone/after you come home? Have you tried Feliway? Rescue Remedy? Sometimes those can really help a jumpy/nervous cat. What about trying Cat Attract litter?

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I'm not familiar with Carafate Elixer, however metronidazole (aka Flagyl) is commonly given for giardia/loose stools.

When you say bacteria infection, are you talking a UTI? Has she had her urine tested? I just want to be sure we're all on the same page & I'm understanding you correctly (it's late, and when I get tired I baffle things easily

).

Do her litterbox problems only occur when you are gone/after you come home? Have you tried Feliway? Rescue Remedy? Sometimes those can really help a jumpy/nervous cat. What about trying Cat Attract litter?

Click to expand...

I have the same questions!! This Carafate Elixer sounds like a natural remedy of sorts, and not an antibiotic... I never heard of... Metro is for the loose stools/colitis, giardia... It will not take care of an Urinary infection... If she stoped peeing after you took her to the vet, and then the problem came back but it went away again with antibiotics, IMO it would suggest it is medical but the treatment is NOT working.

At this point I would probably look for a second opinion; take her to a different vet. That sounds medical to me... Poor girl needs to be treated ASAP, IMO...

*sigh* Ok- I'll call the vet tmr and talk to her about the medicine and ask why she's giving me these since this is for a UTI (from what I understand- I remember she said it was a bacterial infection.) and change. I have amoxiclyn. Should I use that for now??

I am sooo pissed now. POOR Heidi.

You said the antibiotic shot helped? Why not ask the vet, since the cat was just in, if this could be treated as a possible UTI - without bringing her back in and getting clawed up. Ask about putting her on a script urinary food. After two weeks of treatment then get her back in for a urinalysis.

Do not use old antibiotics of any kind. The amoxi, once mixed with water, has a shelf life of ~two weeks.

How is the kitty? Did you get the correct medicine from the vet?