How to deal with a old and sick 'under the bed' cat?

that guy · Jun 15, 2014

I have a 19 year old make cat who has arthritis, pancreatitis, IBD, and renal failure who is starting to hide under the bed for hours at a time. One of the issues with this is I need to give him drugs and I can't do this when he is under my bed. He is at the point where he gets a 100ml sub-q each day and he really needs this or he dehydrates fast. I have tried so many things with this cat and he has gotten much better over the years since this started but he still throws up. This comes on fast so he doesn't have much time to move which means he also throws up under my bed. Down side to this is it is hard to clean and because he sleeps under there I don't want to use harsh cleaners.

The last few weeks this has been worse and he is getting sub-q's at 21:00 - 22:00 whereas before they were around 17:00 - 18:00. He is a good guy and he always comes for a sub-q and he has only missed them a few times so basically I wait on him. I go and check on him when I am home and he is under the bed every 30 - 60 minutes and he is either just hanging out or he is having some kind of IBD/Pancreas/renal failure flair up and is not feeling well. The only place he can get to that is out of reach of the evil humans is under my bed but I am sure any refuse that is given be used to thwart the evil drug giving humans.

He is a smart cat and knows these things are coming and doesn't really put up a fight but he tries to do these things on his schedule which is fine. Stress is bad for a cat in his condition and there are no external stresses where he lives and no other pets (his sister who he lived with his entire life with did pass away a few years ago) other than those he makes for himself. He has beds, chairs, cat beds, floors, and a cat tower to sleep in and they are all easy for him to access so he doesn't have a problem getting to them. When he isn't under the bed he does use them but makes himself scarce around drug time. Let's face it, 19 years is pretty old for a cat so he does spend a lot of time sleeping but he is still active to some degree and happy to pet most of the time if he is feeling okay.

ivv

He gets pain meds twice a day with a small syringe into the cheek pouch which are done early in the morning and early in the evening. If he doesn't get these then he feels more body pain and if he has a flare-up these would hit him harder which can also add stress and make other things worse. He gets 0.45cc of Pepsin once a day through a syringe and this is his most hated drug. They have this in some kind of soft pill which he ate for a bit and then wouldn't eat them anymore. I don't usually mess with his food because he has to eat (he is a 7lb cat that eats 3 - 6 cans of food a day (85 gram cans) and is pretty much skin and bone. The other drugs I can hide in milk/tuna water/cheese/butter and as long as his stomach is doing well he will eat them at some point. The last is the sub-q which is heated to about 97 degrees which seems to work for him. It is usually fairly event-less although there are some bad injections from time to time but usually it there may be a flinch or he doesn't even seem to notice. The last few weeks he has also been taking many trips to the vet to be rolled onto his back and then have laser therapy for his guts to see if this would help him with his throwing up. It didn't and if anything he is throwing up more now than he did before. He is on day one of not throwing up after two days of throwing up.

Given that how should I address this? It isn't good for him hanging out somewhere avoiding getting drugs or so I think. Sometimes he feels really bad and he doesn't always have stomach noises so it is not obvious other than he can't get comfortable. If he is feeling really poorly then usually I leave him alone unless he has been throwing up then I may give him a sub-q which usually helps with this. So when he is not feeling good I don't have a problem with him hiding somewhere but he shouldn't be using it all of the time. I can either leave things how they are and work with it, block my bed off and give him nowhere to hide, or block my bed and give him a cat box or something that he can hide in that is not my bed. He had a cat box before but he spent too much time in it so I slowly started taking it away at random times and only put it out for him when he is not feeling well and doesn't want to go under the bed.

I'm sorry for the long read and if you made it this far thanks but I think too much information is better than not enough.

jmljml19 · Jun 15, 2014

I have a suggestion for you to try if you want him to perk up some. I read about this product (just bought it and am waiting to try it out with my cat with kidney disease and low appetite) and most all the reviews are very positive about it helping with the affects of renal failure including low appetite, vomiting and dehydration so I think this might help you in your situation. http://www.petwellbeing.com/products/cat-kidney-disease?gclid=CJyL4raq7b4CFaVQOgodJVQAIg

catwoman707 · Jun 16, 2014

I would suggest blocking off under your bed, but definitely replacing that spot with another for him, he obviously has times when he isn't feeling well, and as we all know, hiding is a clear sign of this.

You are doing alot for him, I love that.

Remember too, he is an old guy and wants to sleep, and sometimes not want to be out and about, just his little spot, where he can sleep or not feel well anytime he wants, yet you will have easy access to him when he needs something like meds or subs.

renstwin · Jun 16, 2014

You may consider assessing the cats overall quality of life. There is a great one online that I had to use. If the cat is that chronically ill you may be slowly watching a decline the cat may not recover from.

When you reach the point that you are trying to help the cat, but the only person feeling better is yourself, then it may be time to think about some decisions that need to be made. Is the cat still enjoying life? Is the cat maintaining body weight? Is the cat hiding more than usual? Can he easily use litter box and move about? Is he in pain more often than not?

Both cats I have had to put to sleep spent increased time hiding, and in spots that were not normal napping spots.

I mean it's great that you have done all this, but to what extent is it great for the cat? It's only great for him if he's still having a good life.

Good luck with your kitty.mi can see you love him very much. 19 is a grand age for a cat.

cocheezie · Jun 16, 2014

I have a similar problem with a sick cat that never leaves the 2nd floor and doesn't leave the bedroom all that often. She's also a scaredy cat. Her safe place has always been under the bed. Her places are few. On the bed, under the bed, the window, a chest with a blanket on it. To solve the throwing up under the bed problem, I bought a big shower curtain and put it on the floor under the bed. I then put a cat bed in one corner under the bed and her favourite plush blanket folded up in another corner under the bed. If she's not feeling well or is scared, the need to be under the bed is greater than the idea of walking on a shower curtain.

I used to put food and water under the bed for her in case she didn't feel like coming out, but can't any more because she's on special food and it has medications in it. Now the food is on the other half of the chest so that my other cat can't get at it. The shower curtain is easier to clean than the floor. I'd suggest buying a decent shower curtain. The cheaper ones have chemical fumes and smell horrible.

white shadow · Jun 16, 2014

Hi That Guy !

I want to let you know that it's really heartwarming to read your story of how well you're managing his health, how caring and respectful of him you are.

I might have one idea for you.........

He gets 0.45cc of Pepsin once a day through a syringe and this is his most hated drug.

I'm 99.999% sure there's a typo there and that you meant Pepcid ...(Pepcid AC)...the antacid. If that's correct, did you know that Pepcid AC comes in an injectible format that can be given through the sub-q line ?

Here's a clip from the famous CKD 'bible'

Famotidine Injectible

There are two types of famotidine injectible. There is a 10mg/ml strength without preservative, which is available in 2ml vials. Because it contains no preservatives, this has a short shelf life (it is intended for single use in humans). There is also a 10mg/ml strength available in a 20ml size vial. This contains a preservative and can be re-used, though it should be kept in the fridge.

You can use the injectible either by injecting it directly into your cat, or if your cat is on sub-Qs, by adding it to the injection port of your IV line. It is safe to take it out about 30 minutes before using it so it can warm up a little before use.

Thriving Pets sells the 10mg/ml injectible form of famotidine in a 20ml size, so if you want to give the usual famotidine dose of 2.5mg, you would give 0.25ml. If you enter the word "tanya" (without the ") in the promotional code box, you will receive a 10% discount on orders over US$55. Shipping is free for orders over US$55 after the discount.
http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#famotidine

If switching to the injectible is doable for you, it would certainly make a difference - for both of you.

Personally, I wouldn't be denying him the safe space under the bed (thought I might try offering an available alternative that he still might just be curious enough to try out...). I like cocheezie's idea of a shower curtain (there are fabric ones too). I once used a 4x6 foot carpet/rug which I'd gently and slowly pull out from under the bed with the cat in his bed on top (it worked!)

Hope something in there will help !

@jmljml19 - if you want true, actual, real-life "reviews" of products like that, the ONLY place to get them is sure to be from people who you know are for real and will be honest with you. There is a specialized online group of people like that, people who have been successfully managing their kidney cats' health for years, and I'm sure they'll give you the "real goods" on any of these 'miracle solutions'. Info about that group and a link to them is right here: http://www.felinecrf.org/tanyas_support_group.htm

There are a lot of snake oil salespeople around capitalizing on our vulnerabilities when we're desperate to help our kitties....and, people are paid to run around and write "reviews"....(we frequently see some of them "drop by" here - they are the one-post-wonders who praise a food or a drug that happens to get mentioned on the forum...)

that guy · Jun 16, 2014

My guy is doing much better today, he is still sleeping in my room but he is not going under the bed all of the time. He did not eat from 14:00 on Sunday until about 10:00 this morning other than a few bites here and there. The issue has been worse for the last few weeks and the only thing that has changed for him is getting laser therapy. I was going to take him for a session on Saturday but cancelled because he was not feeling well and I did not want to drive him to the vet in that state. He ended up coming out of it in the early afternoon and then did well for the rest of the day and he was social and did well overnight. He was not eating as well the following day and by afternoon he was in the room and had little appetite. He came out of the room earlier on and hung out in my lap for over an hour and then started eating again. He has been sleeping around but hasn't really gone under my bed today. The few times he did I think he thought some medicine was coming so he went and hid. As a habit I try not to give him meds in the room so he kind of thinks of it as a sanctuary.

I don't really know how you assess the quality of life for an animal. We are talking about an animal that is well past his prime and in nature chances would be really good that he would have already been taken out. I can see he is stiff when he walks but he still jumps up onto chairs and tables when he wants and has no problem getting on the bed. I built boxes for him to jump onto so he can get on his cat tower easier without trying it in one jump. He can go downstairs but typically doesn't and I can see how he changes from the bottom stairs to the top ones so he is showing his age. Other than pain meds and a Cartrophen shot once a month (I gave him one Sunday morning) there is nothing I can do for him. He is able to curl up and lick his butt as well as what was mentioned above so I don't think he is doing too bad but I can see the difference without the pain meds each day. The pain meds also help when he has attacks which can be really long like the one he had the other day or it can last an hour or two and then he is fine. He also throws up large amounts of water with some food but this doesn't always happen with the attacks he has when he hides under the bed. I would say 75% - 80% of his time he is feeling fine and does cat things and seems fine and the other part his is either having some kind of attack to some degree or he throws up. When he throws up he can be feeling bad or sleeping and then it comes on fast and usually between 30 - 60 minutes he is feeling better and eating. He is certainly not a kitten but overall I don't think he is doing so badly that he has to be put down.

Although he is old he still enjoys life most of the time I am trying to do whatever I can to make life easier for him. All of his dishes are raised and there are night lights all over the place and everywhere he goes is easy to navigate. He uses the litter box and he can be shakey at times but he doesn't seem to have problems. He has stabilized a lot since this all started a few years ago but the throwing up and stomach attacks are the one thing that has stayed consistent. I have tried so many things with this cat and the laser treatment was pretty far down my list so I am not sure what I can do to help him. Surgery is an option to find out exactly which of his issues is causing this. I didn't really want to have him cut up when he was 17 and I like it even less at 19 but I don't want to do that to him. His quality of life is the real issue and once he stops being happy with his situation I will know it is time because I keep him around for him and not me. In my opinion we only have one try in life and when it is gone it is truly gone so I don't want to write him off unless it is needed.

To the point of the thread I am still not sure what to do with him. I was thinking one of those covered beds may be a good idea and then leave my bed alone so it was always an option. I can always buy the bed and the next time he has an attack I can see which he chooses and go from there. I don't really want to block it off and he usually doesn't throw up under there other than the last few weeks. He has been having the laser treatments the last few weeks so I guess I can say they didn't really work. I will have to see how things work out with him and see if he stops going there or not on his own. I think he has been hanging out there a lot the last few weeks is he has been feeling crappy the last few weeks. I went through my logs and in the last 12 days he has thrown up on 6 of them. His weight is pretty good, when he was younger he was around 11 lbs and he is now 7 lbs thanks to the IBD I imagine. He was less than that and has gained some back and maintained it.

You were correct, I meant to say Pepcid. I did check with the vet about it and she has basically said the stuff was very expensive, neither version (with or without preservatives last all that long) and it was better to put it straight into the stomach instead of watering it down in the sub-q. I have read through all of the popular IBD pages and tried as many of the suggestions as I could. I was interested in reducing the number of things I had to put in him but the Pepcid was supposed to be better when done through a syringe.

Thanks again for the help and Scratchy says thanks as well. He has been doing well most of today and was out in the sun between the clouds and had a good day.

betsygee · Jun 16, 2014

Scratchy is lucky to have you! You could just let him do his thing--but maybe put a sheet or something on the floor under your bed for his accidents. Is there anything that brings him out--my sick girl (who's passed now) LOVED treats. Even when she was not feeling well and was hiding under the bed, the sound of the treat bag being shaken brought her out. I felt bad 'tricking' her but it got her out, she ate a bit, and then I could give her the subq or meds she needed.

mrsgreenjeens · Jun 17, 2014

My old girl spends lots of time under the bed too. (She is also a kidney cat

.) Luckily, our floors are tile, so it's a little easier to clean under there, but still definitely hard to reach. So be it....if she's more comfortable under there, I'll let her be under there. Sometimes she even eats there, although lately she comes running out and will eat on a little rug at the foot of the bed.

Ok, as to quality of life...here is a chart you may find helpful, although the question about pain is kind of hard to answer FOR them: http://www.veterinarypracticenews.c...olumns/bond-beyond/quality-of-life-scale.aspx

As to the vomiting, have you tried Slippery Elm Bark Syrup, since the Pepcid doesn't seem to be working well? It's a more natural "fix", and isn't bitter like the Pepcid. My girl will sometimes just lap it up from her bowl, and for those times when she doesn't, I give it to her in the form of Vet's Best Hairball and Digestive Aid treats. All my cats love these "treats", and they seem to work very well at making Callie feel better.

that guy · Jun 17, 2014

Thanks for the tips, he was doing well today until I gave him his Pepsid then he was ticked off and went under the bed and cried for a bit. Unlike the last few weeks I went and pet him while he was under the bed and then he came out and went into his cat bed. He has been good today and ate most of the food I left out for him and when I got home he ate a 57 gram container of food and was bugging me for more. To alleviate this issue I gave him his Pepsid and he didn't want food anymore and went into my room. For a small guy he sure eats a huge amount of food at time and it is hard to say wait a bit and let this settle. I wish his issue was as easy as him over eating but sadly it is not.

I haven't tried the Slippery Elm Bark because of his meds and this product inhibits the absorption when it goes into the stomach. Because he can be hard to get meds into when he is not feeling well I was kind of avoiding this but maybe I should try it now. I have tried most of the 'vet' approved drugs and treatments which all fail other than sub-q's and the steroids which help him gain weight and maintain it.

I bought Scratchy a cat house today and he has checked it out but hasn't tried it yet. I was hoping for one with a removable lid but most of those are more cages than a hiding spot for the cat. This one feels like it has a memory foam bed and it looks like an old school pup tent made out plastic covered foam. I think what he really wants is to hide somewhere where hands can't grab him and take him away or screw with him.

Poor guy, I just went and checked on him and I can hear his stomach chugging away but he seems fine and this 40 minutes after giving him an antacid. I am going to have to try the SEB and see if it works any better for him. I'm not sure why I didn't try SEB before, it suggested in Scratchy's main thread and I looked into it but I must have put it off for some reason and then forgot.

white shadow · Jun 17, 2014

I do want to reply to something you said earlier about the Pepcid. I wasn't going to, because I didn't want to appear to be pushing a point, nor in any way offending.

But, hearing more about how he so objects to it and the suggestion of SEB, I am going to go ahead and simply put this out there for you.

You had said

Pepcid... I did check with the vet about it and she has basically said the stuff was very expensive, neither version (with or without preservatives last all that long) and it was better to put it straight into the stomach instead of watering it down in the sub-q

First, on the cost piece. From the dealer's website referenced in the 'bible', a 20 ml bottle costs $30.....and, at the "standard" dosage (2.5mg) a bottle will produce 80 doses (you use .025ml for each dose). So, it's for you to decide whether 80 doses for $30 is expensive...now, there are shipping costs to be added in there.It might be worthwhile to shop around in your community for local pharmacy prices for it....

On the shelf life.....just ask the pharmacist to read out the expiry date of his/her stock. Then do the math to see how long the bottle will last.

On what your Vet said about 'better into the stomach' and 'watering it down'.........I'm sorry, and I do not want to offend, but, that simply is not accurate. Pepcid does NOT work by neutralizing the existing acid in the stomach.....it works by blocking the production of acid - to do that, it needs to get into the bloodstream and reach the nerve centre responsible for acid production......if you give it by mouth, it must be first digested, then metabolized by the liver and then into the blood - that isn't going to happen quickly (maybe not at all if he vomits it out). The fastest working mode is the injected, second fastest is by sub-q...and, the slowest, most prone to error, is directly into the stomach. Perhaps the Vet thinks Pepcid works like other, common neutralizing antacids, Tums, Pepto etc. It does not.

Use of Acid Blockers (Histamine H2 Antagonists) Back to Page Index

F amotidine (Pepcid AC)

Ranitidine (Zantac 75)

Cimetidine (Tagamet)

This is a group of medications which can be most effective in controlling excess stomach acid, which can greatly reduce vomiting and nausea and increase appetite.

Most of these medications are thought of as antacids, although in fact technically speaking they are histamine H2 antagonists that block the production of stomach acid rather than neutralise it. Because they are long-acting, they are generally a good choice for treating stomach acid problems.

http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#treatments

The SEB isn't an antacid, but it will coat the gut and is known to ease the discomfort associated with acid and nausea....but, it will not stop the production of acid.

that guy · Jun 18, 2014

I don't think I was clear enough, I wanted to reduce the amount the cat was injected so when I was taking to the vet I was talking about giving the meds with the sub-q. Putting it in the vein is the quickest because no matter what happens to it the drug most be transported through the blood system to get to its target such as the kidneys or liver or whatever. When you give drugs through a sub-q with 100 ml of fluid all of this must be absorbed through osmosis which is done through the outer muscle and then into the blood. It takes a cat about 6 - 8 hours to absorb everything so the drugs can take a while to pulled into the blood system and it is usually done in smaller amounts over a longer time. When drugs go into the stomach it takes about 20 - 30 minutes for them to be absorbed because they don't need to be broken down like food. Like a sub-q it is absorbed into the blood system and then transported to the kidneys or where ever it is processed. If I gave him the Pepcid by itself like I do with his B12 shots and his Cartrophen then it would be absorbed faster but I would also be giving him multiple injections a day which he wouldn't like. At this point I don't feel the Famotidine is really working because he still throws up a lot so I am thinking I will try SEB for a bit and see how this works.

Not a good day for Scratchy today, he has been doing really well the last few days and when I got home I found he had not eaten much of the food i left out for him. I checked around and sure enough he had thrown up again and it was under the bed once more. He had some food later in the day and went to my room then started making noise so I went and pet him as he was standing at the end of my bed like he was going to go under it. After a bit he came and went into his new house and I don't think this is going to work. Because it is shaped like a pup tent it is narrow at the top and wider at the bottom which makes it harder for hime to turn around in it. Looking at the different ones they had I may have to buy a cat carrier and then pad it so it will be easier for him to turn around and he can stretch out a bit more in it.

This cat defies every treatment out there but he still keeps kicking. I went through the quality of life thread and he is not even close to being put down yet. I hate giving him all of these drugs and injections and he hates as well but there doesn't seem to be a better way. For Scratchy B12 shots, pain meds, and sub-q's have made the biggest difference in his quality of life.

micknsnicks2mom · Jun 18, 2014

That Guy said:
I don't think I was clear enough, I wanted to reduce the amount the cat was injected so when I was taking to the vet I was talking about giving the meds with the sub-q. Putting it in the vein is the quickest because no matter what happens to it the drug most be transported through the blood system to get to its target such as the kidneys or liver or whatever. When you give drugs through a sub-q with 100 ml of fluid all of this must be absorbed through osmosis which is done through the outer muscle and then into the blood. It takes a cat about 6 - 8 hours to absorb everything so the drugs can take a while to pulled into the blood system and it is usually done in smaller amounts over a longer time. When drugs go into the stomach it takes about 20 - 30 minutes for them to be absorbed because they don't need to be broken down like food. Like a sub-q it is absorbed into the blood system and then transported to the kidneys or where ever it is processed. If I gave him the Pepcid by itself like I do with his B12 shots and his Cartrophen then it would be absorbed faster but I would also be giving him multiple injections a day which he wouldn't like. At this point I don't feel the Famotidine is really working because he still throws up a lot so I am thinking I will try SEB for a bit and see how this works.

Not a good day for Scratchy today, he has been doing really well the last few days and when I got home I found he had not eaten much of the food i left out for him. I checked around and sure enough he had thrown up again and it was under the bed once more. He had some food later in the day and went to my room then started making noise so I went and pet him as he was standing at the end of my bed like he was going to go under it. After a bit he came and went into his new house and I don't think this is going to work. Because it is shaped like a pup tent it is narrow at the top and wider at the bottom which makes it harder for hime to turn around in it. Looking at the different ones they had I may have to buy a cat carrier and then pad it so it will be easier for him to turn around and he can stretch out a bit more in it.

This cat defies every treatment out there but he still keeps kicking. I went through the quality of life thread and he is not even close to being put down yet. I hate giving him all of these drugs and injections and he hates as well but there doesn't seem to be a better way. For Scratchy B12 shots, pain meds, and sub-q's have made the biggest difference in his quality of life.

my snick has IBD and CKD too. sometimes when snick has a more severe flare up she'll throw up the pepcid 1/4 tablet. not sure if this might be the case with your boy, but it might be something to think about and/or discuss with your vet, if it could be the pill form of the pepcid that's harder on your boy's tummy. i know that during IBD flare ups chunky and hard foods (including dry cat food) can be more upsetting to their tummies/gastro systems, so maybe the pepcid in the pill form could be causing upset...?

micknsnicks2mom · Jun 18, 2014

That Guy said:
My guy is doing much better today, he is still sleeping in my room but he is not going under the bed all of the time. He did not eat from 14:00 on Sunday until about 10:00 this morning other than a few bites here and there. The issue has been worse for the last few weeks and the only thing that has changed for him is getting laser therapy. I was going to take him for a session on Saturday but cancelled because he was not feeling well and I did not want to drive him to the vet in that state. He ended up coming out of it in the early afternoon and then did well for the rest of the day and he was social and did well overnight. He was not eating as well the following day and by afternoon he was in the room and had little appetite. He came out of the room earlier on and hung out in my lap for over an hour and then started eating again. He has been sleeping around but hasn't really gone under my bed today. The few times he did I think he thought some medicine was coming so he went and hid. As a habit I try not to give him meds in the room so he kind of thinks of it as a sanctuary.

I don't really know how you assess the quality of life for an animal. We are talking about an animal that is well past his prime and in nature chances would be really good that he would have already been taken out. I can see he is stiff when he walks but he still jumps up onto chairs and tables when he wants and has no problem getting on the bed. I built boxes for him to jump onto so he can get on his cat tower easier without trying it in one jump. He can go downstairs but typically doesn't and I can see how he changes from the bottom stairs to the top ones so he is showing his age. Other than pain meds and a Cartrophen shot once a month (I gave him one Sunday morning) there is nothing I can do for him. He is able to curl up and lick his butt as well as what was mentioned above so I don't think he is doing too bad but I can see the difference without the pain meds each day. The pain meds also help when he has attacks which can be really long like the one he had the other day or it can last an hour or two and then he is fine. He also throws up large amounts of water with some food but this doesn't always happen with the attacks he has when he hides under the bed. I would say 75% - 80% of his time he is feeling fine and does cat things and seems fine and the other part his is either having some kind of attack to some degree or he throws up. When he throws up he can be feeling bad or sleeping and then it comes on fast and usually between 30 - 60 minutes he is feeling better and eating. He is certainly not a kitten but overall I don't think he is doing so badly that he has to be put down.

Although he is old he still enjoys life most of the time I am trying to do whatever I can to make life easier for him. All of his dishes are raised and there are night lights all over the place and everywhere he goes is easy to navigate. He uses the litter box and he can be shakey at times but he doesn't seem to have problems. He has stabilized a lot since this all started a few years ago but the throwing up and stomach attacks are the one thing that has stayed consistent. I have tried so many things with this cat and the laser treatment was pretty far down my list so I am not sure what I can do to help him. Surgery is an option to find out exactly which of his issues is causing this. I didn't really want to have him cut up when he was 17 and I like it even less at 19 but I don't want to do that to him. His quality of life is the real issue and once he stops being happy with his situation I will know it is time because I keep him around for him and not me. In my opinion we only have one try in life and when it is gone it is truly gone so I don't want to write him off unless it is needed.

To the point of the thread I am still not sure what to do with him. I was thinking one of those covered beds may be a good idea and then leave my bed alone so it was always an option. I can always buy the bed and the next time he has an attack I can see which he chooses and go from there. I don't really want to block it off and he usually doesn't throw up under there other than the last few weeks. He has been having the laser treatments the last few weeks so I guess I can say they didn't really work. I will have to see how things work out with him and see if he stops going there or not on his own. I think he has been hanging out there a lot the last few weeks is he has been feeling crappy the last few weeks. I went through my logs and in the last 12 days he has thrown up on 6 of them. His weight is pretty good, when he was younger he was around 11 lbs and he is now 7 lbs thanks to the IBD I imagine. He was less than that and has gained some back and maintained it.

You were correct, I meant to say Pepcid. I did check with the vet about it and she has basically said the stuff was very expensive, neither version (with or without preservatives last all that long) and it was better to put it straight into the stomach instead of watering it down in the sub-q. I have read through all of the popular IBD pages and tried as many of the suggestions as I could. I was interested in reducing the number of things I had to put in him but the Pepcid was supposed to be better when done through a syringe.

Thanks again for the help and Scratchy says thanks as well. He has been doing well most of today and was out in the sun between the clouds and had a good day.

have you thought about something like an armarkat cat bed? the ones i have are foam with soft/plush cloth covering and they're like a cave, with a removable cushion in it for kitty. mine are (i think) 22 inches in length. i like them because there's enough space in them for my cats to stand and turn around, yet they're also a cozy and private spot for them.

that guy · Jun 18, 2014

Thanks for the tips, Scratchy gets his Famotidine through a syringe, it is not too bad but he sure doesn't like the taste. Some does drip out and sometimes he has thrown up not too long after getting it but I think he gets most of it.

Thanks for the tip on the bed as well, I see they have this one and it looks really nice...

http://www.armarkat.com/armarkat-cat-bed-c30hml-mh/

When Scratchy is standing he is about 20" head to butt and that bed is 20" square so it would work well. His current bed is about 17" long and he fits in it well enough although he has to curl up or his head kind of sticks out. They also have some nice cat towers with the levels close enough that he doesn't have to jump. He is doing a little better now but avoiding his sub=q, took 4 kinds of food to get something he would eat but he is eating which is all that counts sometimes.

that guy · Jun 22, 2014

A little update on Scratchy, he has thrown up a few times under the bed since the last post. His new cat house is still too small and the other ones I have seen are not big enough for him either. I went back to PetSmart where I bought his other house and got him a small/medium dog kennel which is a good fit. It is too tall for him but the floor is big enough so he can stretch out and have his butt on one end and his head at the other if he wants. They had some nice thick bed pads that feel really good and it is soft so I got one of these for the floor. He has not had any stomach issues in the last few days since I bought it but he has been using it. He went under my bed today after he got his Pepcid but I checked on him shortly after this and he was back in the kennel. I covered the side so it is darker but left the back open for ventilation and have been trying it with a towel covering the opening and without it and he seems to like it either way.

I guess I will see on his next attack and see how he deals with it and can go from there. He was limping a lot yeterday evening and he was having a little trouble getting over the front lip of the kennel so I may cut this off to make it easier to get in and out of it. This is the first for the limping and it seems to have diminished a lot so I will have to keep an eye on this as well.

betsygee · Jun 22, 2014

Scratchy is a lucky cat to have you taking such good care of him.

How to deal with a old and sick 'under the bed' cat?

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Just what part of meow don't you understand.

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats

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Just what part of meow don't you understand.