The trouble with poop: a cat mom worried about her baby

Okay, guys, I'm at my wit's end here.

I have a two year old tabby named Gnash. He was a rescued kitten and we took him in from the family that rescued him. Things have always been a little bumpy with him. We had trouble getting him to eat at first, he has some aggression issues, etc. But the current problem that we are having with him has me worried sick.

He acts as if he scared of his own poop. This has been a relatively recent develop, over the last two or three months. He will start to go in the box and then halfway through start running around like crazy. He slings poop everywhere.  Over the last few weeks, he has started holding it until he can't anymore. He won't poop for two or three days, and then when he can't hold it anymore, he will go in the bed. This doesn't stop him from running around halfway through, though.  And today, when I realized he had to go, I took him to litter box and shut the door to the room it is in. I stayed in there with him for 30 minutes or so, and finally he went to the box and tried to use it. He couldn't, and went beside it. He pooped a little and then started running around the room as usual. I stopped him and tried to calm him down, and finally he sat down in an awkward and uncomfortable way, like he was hiding his butt. He was wide eyed and his hair standing up. When he had calmed a little, I raised his tail and noticed there was a piece of poop stuck to him. I removed it with toilet paper, and after a few minutes, he was fine again and normal as ever.

I have consulted a vet about this. She did a check up on him and checked his vitals. She said he was very healthy, but maybe a little fat.

He has access to several litter boxes, he eats Science Diet Adult food. He doesn't have parasites or blood in his stool, and his stool is solid. The only problem that I can find is that sometimes I find bits of MY hair in his poop. I tried moving my brushes and stuff up higher, out of his reach. This doesn't seem to have solved the problem.

I'm really, really worried about him. Although he seems like a healthy, happy cat otherwise. He plays, loves, eats, and drinks like normal. Only when he tries to poop do things get weird.

Appreciate the help, guys,

Cole

Interesting. Caveat... not an advisor, just a guy who reads too much about cats.

I remember reading SOMEWHERE about a kitten that had eaten some tinsel and when the owner saw it coming out, they pulled it out.

After that day the kitten behaved exactly like yours. Guessing that the sensation of the tinsel being pulled out is, well, scary in someway... so scary that it left an impact. Cats are superstitious, and if something scares them enough, they will continue to act as if it is still happening.

That much being said, the article said they had a happy ending, through some behavioral process they desensitized the kitten so that it eventually stopped running from its own poo.

I genuinely wish I could remember where I read that and what was done (it might even have been HERE). But it does sound like he feels something inside when he is going (like your hair - because it would be long, not like a hair ball) or he associates going with something he previously felt.

I cannot for the life of me remember how it was solved, but it CAN be solved. I hope someone else here knows the answer. He needs to feel comfortable in his skin in some manner when doing his business.

I hope I have helped even though I don't remember the answer. Maybe a second opinion because it really sounds like he feels something inside... to confirm it isn't anything dangerous there and just your hair (which feels spooky to him).

Good luck, if I ever come across the article about the tinsel, I'll try and find this thread to post the solution.

OH WAIT, I FOUND IT!

http://www.perfectpaws.com/xmas.html

Hope there is something helpful in this... but remember, just a guy that reads too much! LOL

Did the vet do an x-ray or any other imaging tests? Human hair can become a problem, especially if it's long. Has constipation been ruled out? Many of the symptoms you are describing could fit constipation especially as it sounds like he's on an all dry diet.

Have you tried a Feliway diffuser or some of the other anxiety/stress reducing agents such as Spirit Essences?

You know, honestly, we were given advice from Banfield that they thought it was probably an anxiety thing related to the hair. However, after that problem was cleared up, we took the time and worked with him and he used the box again fine for a few days. Then he was back to acting like his poop was out to get him.

I haven't had a vet do an x-ray or anything yet, but he has an appointment coming up next week and we're going to check him out a little further. So I'm hoping that it isn't a health problem, that it's actually a behavioral issue. I would rather have him healthy and difficult than unhealthy, you know? But, we'll see.

I hope the vet visit diagnoses his poop issue, and that it's either an easily treatable medical issues like most cases of constipation OR that it's an easy to address behavioral issue. If you want to learn more about feline nutrition which I think is a key component to overall health, I would recommend this site written by vet: http://www.catinfo.org/ I know most people think Hill's Science Diet is good food, but it is way too high in carbohydrates from all the grains and starchy vegetables as are most dry foods.

I had a cat that ate a piece of carpet thread once.  He ran around the house with his poop chasing him.  When we finally stopped laughing long enough to catch him we cut it at his anus.  Didn't try pulling it, I've heard that is very dangerous.  He passed it next time.  I don't know how something would get caught and not pass, without causing a blockage.  I guess it's possible but it doesn't sound likely  Heck, I had a dog pass a brillo pad once (ouch).

I agree with vball91.  Dr Pierson has a very good site that was extremely helpful when I had a cat diagnosed with diabetes. Even if you don't go her favored route it is still very good info.  

On the subject of Hills Science.  Hear are the all the food ingredients (most to least)  from their "healthy advantage".  I stopped when I got to chemicals and supplements:

Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Animal Fat (preserved mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Powdered Cellulose, Brewers Rice, Chicken Liver Flavor, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil

Got to love that chicken by-product meal, Yum, yum.

Watch out for gluten.  It's grain protein and your cats body can not metabolize it efficiently, if at all.  Problem is it is protein, so it is counted as such, even if it is of no use to your cat.

The 7th ingredient, chicken liver flavor, it is key to getting your cat to eat all that other junk they wouldn't normally touch. Fool your cat into thinking all that flavorless junk is liver.

Now your paying good money for that cr*^.   For that kind of money you can get good pet food with lots of real meat and none of that gluten, grain stuff. Trick here is to read the ingredient label, if it doesn't sound good it probably isn't.

I have long hair, and every once in a while one of the cats had the "poop chasing the cat" problem. After this happened a couple of times, I decided to keep my hair tied up at home, and that resolved the problem.

...and while that may have led to the issue, honestly, given the description, it sounds like he's in pain. He starts in the box (or used to), and then goes flying.... and got to the point where he wouldn't go to the bathroom.

I realize you said his stool is hard - but is it too hard? Is it potentially that there's an element of constipation going on here? Have you tried using an osmotic laxative (like miralax) to see if that helps him move his bowels? I wouldn't suggest a fiber, as that will just bulk the stool - which it sounds like will NOT help this problem.

I do think x-rays, at a minimum, are in order. I think it's important to rule out intestinal or colon problems; perhaps polyps, or thickening that can cause motility issues. I'm not saying this isn't behavioral... but even in the Kitty Christmas tinsel story, it sounds to me like kitty was in pain from having the (sharp) tinsel pulled out of his bottom. Yes, the litter box retraining and rewards most likely helped - but it could just as easily have been that it took a few days for the problem to resolve, and the damage in his colon healed. Perhaps it was inflamed and sore.

If this were my kitty, I'd want imaging diagnostics done. Depending on what they found, I would think treatment options would include potentially an enema, to make sure everything is cleared out. Perhaps fasting for a day, to give his system a bit of a break and a chance to "reset." I'd take him off the dry food and put him on wet food - or at least add some wet meals to his schedule. I'd consider miralax, to see if the problem is related to constipation.

And though this is a fiber, it is primarily soluble fiber, so won't bulk the stool. I would give him a mixture of slippery elm bark powder and George's Aloe Vera Juice (George's is best, because it does not contain the latex, which is toxic to cats). This is an anti-inflammatory, very GI-healing mixture that is safe to use. When our Chumley had painful GI problems, it was the first thing the vet had us do to help relieve his GI tract irritation.

Here is information on Slippery Elm Bark Powder: http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm (I buy loose powder from the local health food store, it's much cheaper than in capsules. But pure SEB is available in capsule form).

This is George's aloe vera juice - it's available at many local health food stores or at Whole Foods:
Even if the problem started as pain, then became behavioral - given he now holds his bowel movements for 2 - 3 days, we can safely assume that his GI system is irritated.

I hope you're able to find a resolution! :rub:

Thank you, guys, so much! I'm actually thinking it might be a problem with him not being able to digest his food. We kept the dry stuff from him and fed him wet stuff the last two days. Interestingly enough, today he pooped in the box. He wasn't happy about it at first, I had to take him into the bathroom and sit with him a while. However, after about five minutes he went to the box and did his thing. It was a lot softer looking than his previous expulsions, so I kind of suspect that may have been the problem.

Definitely going to rethink his diet now. And still gonna see the vet probably. Just to be safe.

But seriously, thank you guys so much for the advice and the help. I was really worried about it.

That is GREAT news! Oh I'm so happy the switch is making him feel better! :bigthumb: