Something is wrong with my baby

I will try to get to the point quickly. I ended up leaving my cat Frankie in my fathers care because my husband had triple bypass surgery. And the distance from our home to hospital was quite a distance. Anyhow, I left my dad with care instructions for Frankie and checked up on both of them daily. I even made it my business to go visit Frankie because he was depressed from me not being around. Well, two nights ago I was able to bring Charles (my husband) and Frankie back home. Charles is doing well and Frankie is acting.... different. I am a first time cat owner and I am quite a paranoid mama. I monitor Frankie as if he was a new born which he isn't. He is a 2 year old male that has been fixed.

The day I was bringing Frankie home in his cat carrier... ( he hates the cat carrier ) he was pretty mad at me. And he ignored us both for majority of the ride. An hour into the ride Frankie starts meowing without stop and I thought he was just begging me to let him out of the cat carrier. Then we both smelled the reason for his crying. Frankie had to use the bathroom and ended up doing a number 1 and 2 in his bag.

I got him home.... cleaned him up... and let him go about his business.

The point to this thread is this.... Frankie hasn't peed yesterday or none today. He is still drinking water and he is still eating like he always has. He is also doing this stretching thing when we walks.... which is normal for him.,., but he seems to be doing it more often. I have an appointment for the vet tomorrow.

I don't know if Frankie is acting different because he is tired of being moved around and is pissed with me.... or if he has a urinary tract infection or something more serious.

The web scared the crap out of me so I just wanted to see if anyone has had a similar experience with their cat. I am still waiting for Frankie to pee. He has pooped but no pee.

OH and one last thing.... he has been going under the bed into my box spring. A new behavior. He actually made a hole so he has a new hiding place.

I know this thread jumps around a lot and I apologize for that. I am just trying to calm down cause I believe something is wrong with Frankie. Thanks

Additional info... he still comes running if I shake his bag of treats... he still is playing with his laser pointer.... and his litter box is clean with new litter. Maybe I am just being paranoid???

I know from your other thread that Frankie clearly missed you, so it could be from the stress of everything new in his life. I know that my cat got sick from stress when my brother and his family visited us for 2 weeks with 2 toddlers that she was deathly afraid of. I did take her to the vet because like you, I'm a worrier. She did turn out to be a little dehydrated and got some fluids to make her feel better, but nothing was seriously wrong. She was just stressed out and didn't feel well as a result.

It's good that you're taking Frankie to the vet to make sure it's nothing more serious, but if he's eating and drinking normally, I wouldn't be too worried just yet. Try not to worry too much. He could pick up on that.

vball91 said:

I know from your other thread that Frankie clearly missed you, so it could be from the stress of everything new in his life. I know that my cat got sick from stress when my brother and his family visited us for 2 weeks with 2 toddlers that she was deathly afraid of. I did take her to the vet because like you, I'm a worrier. She did turn out to be a little dehydrated and got some fluids to make her feel better, but nothing was seriously wrong. She was just stressed out and didn't feel well as a result.

It's good that you're taking Frankie to the vet to make sure it's nothing more serious, but if he's eating and drinking normally, I wouldn't be too worried just yet. Try not to worry too much. He could pick up on that.

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I can see where he would be stressed out. Moved from place to place in that cat carrier is stressful in itself, not to mention being taken from his home to a new and unfamilure place. Only to begin to get comfortable at my dads and he is moved again. I am keeping a very close eye on him though. He is looking out the window now like he doesn't have a care in the world.

This is very typical behavior for a cat in a new environment.  Even though your home isn't "new" to him, he's been away from it, so it's "new" all over again.  He is stressed and readjusting to the sounds, smells, and people all over again.  I would get a Feliway diffuser and run it 24/7.  Give him some time and be patient with him to get acclimated again.  As long as he's eating normally, playing normally, and using the box normally, then he's fine.  You can do things like sit on the floor and play with him, don't pick him up, let him come to you, and don't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do.  Provide him a safe place like a box with a hole cut out of it and close up the opening he's made in the box springs.  Also, remember cats will pick up on your stress, so try to do some things to reduce your stress and it'll help the kitty.

Hope your husband is doing well in his recovery.  My hubby had triple bypass surgery in 2011 and is doing great now, but the stress of the situation and recovery on me was hard and it was hard on our kitties since our schedule was all out of whack.

stephanietx said:

This is very typical behavior for a cat in a new environment.  Even though your home isn't "new" to him, he's been away from it, so it's "new" all over again.  He is stressed and readjusting to the sounds, smells, and people all over again.  I would get a Feliway diffuser and run it 24/7.  Give him some time and be patient with him to get acclimated again.  As long as he's eating normally, playing normally, and using the box normally, then he's fine.  You can do things like sit on the floor and play with him, don't pick him up, let him come to you, and don't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do.  Provide him a safe place like a box with a hole cut out of it and close up the opening he's made in the box springs.  Also, remember cats will pick up on your stress, so try to do some things to reduce your stress and it'll help the kitty.

Hope your husband is doing well in his recovery.  My hubby had triple bypass surgery in 2011 and is doing great now, but the stress of the situation and recovery on me was hard and it was hard on our kitties since our schedule was all out of whack.

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Wow... It is amazing how much people have in common. And here I thought I was unique...lol. Frankie is being Frankie with his lovable self. The only thing that is worrying me is that he still hasn't peed. That is my only concern. I was told that cats are able to hide when they are in distress, so now I wonder if he is suffering in silence. Thank you for the hope.... I will be glad when my husband AND cat are back to their normal selves.

Now that another day has gone by, has he peed?  If not in his litter box, is it possible he has peed elsewhere?  If he is eating and drinking normally, then he should have peed by now.  Is he going into the box and NOT doing anything?  I'm just wondering, because sometimes stress can cause a UTI, and we don't want that. 

So...just checking.

mrsgreenjeens said:

Now that another day has gone by, has he peed?  If not in his litter box, is it possible he has peed elsewhere?  If he is eating and drinking normally, then he should have peed by now.  Is he going into the box and NOT doing anything?  I'm just wondering, because sometimes stress can cause a UTI, and we don't want that. 

So...just checking.

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I did take Frankie to the vet today. And Frankie is perfectly fine.... it seems that the problem was never Frankie, it was me over reacting. The vet suggested that the tap water Frankie was drinking at my dads house and the water he was given to drink here was the reason behind his lack of peeing. He wasn't drinking it.....

Well, since the trip to the vet Frankie has peed in his litter box not just once but twice. I never thought him peeing would make me smile. I love that little/big guy so much and just didn't want him to be ill in any type of way and me not notice it.

Hooray!  Is he calming down and returning to his normal self?  And yes, cats can hold it for a LONG time when in a new environment!

That is great news! And I'm like you. I would rather overreact a little and have it be nothing than not react and miss something. So glad that Frankie is ok. I'm sure he'll be back to his normal self in no time now that he's home with his people whom he loves.

Better to be safe than sorry, that's my motto!  I'm so glad everything is okay

Great bees. I had a similar problem while cat sitting my grandpa 's Kitty a few yrs ago -and now I see or hear about it all the time in my work. Granpa had cancer and was so bonded to this cat that they rarely left one another!! When he arrived home from the hospital, grandpa -then aged 80, was very upset to see his cat NOT recognize him. The Kitty had also been sleeping with me and Ny brood so he had to readjust to all these smells again. And chemist and clinic smells are scathe for a cat -and this one was not curiously scared of visiting the vet BUT he once bit a friend of mine in her medical clinic when she wanted to see the beautiful Siamese!" So as best as I fouls ascertain, he meowed in a way that almost said terr (I think I am scared but do jot whoever you are to know it) . His eating was sn too -it was stressful for both of them and admiiedly, I was not overly happy either. It took DAYSCfor him to realize who grandpa was but that came after he had old clothes on and was in his own bed. The next time post chemist, I brought older typical clothes with lots of scent from the Kitty on them and the reunion was fine. Oh the things we learn....