My IBD kitty left me a tootsie roll - I'm mystifed

OK I'm just in the kitchen, the three of them are behind me and I turn around and there's a nice firm piece of stool on the kitchen floor.

Now I have been finding poop very occasionally on the floor for his entire life, its almost as though he can't control his bowels and one just slips out.

Another thing he's always had a problem with is touching near the base of his tail.  If you are petting him sometimes (but not always) he'll react as though a bolt of electricity went through him and cry out and smack you with his paw. 

This was just happening while he was sitting in front of me on the desk.  It's odd, the hair was raised on his lower back, near his tail, sticking straight up.  I've started to take notice of it since all the hair along his spine would stand up when he was really sick and he had to eat standing up.  This was also when he couldn't jump.

Is it possible he has some sort of pinched never problem?  Does anyone know how you would find that out?  Thanks!

There were 4 times in the past few months that my loyal box user cat Krissy, who also has IBD/pancreatitis, has left me the exact same thing.

It's very clear to me that it is directly related to how she is feeling, because she has never, not in all of her nearly 13 years, left me any gifts on the floor.

It's been over a month now since the last time, and when it was happening she seemed to not be feeling as well as she normally is.

Must be some relation to discomfort in the box, so they think if it's not done in the box the discomfort might not be there.

I can't believe I was standing right there and I didn't see him assuming the position, that's why I wondered if it came out independent of his planning on it.

I would think he was in pain, but he runs and jumps normally.  In fact when he was standing on my desk, something on the floor caught his attention and he jumped down to pounce on it.

I just hate to think of him having back pain and me not doing anything about it.  I was just reading though and MRI's are more than $2,000.

Woah, 2,000.00...........jeez.

I wouldn't think he needs one anyway unless there is something else wrong that isn't related to his IBD.

Yeah I certainly wouldn't spring for it at this point.  He's an odd bird compared to his brother and sister, doesn't like to be petted - hell duck his head if you try.   If you talk to him he'll purr up a storm and he's the first to come and snuggle on me in the morning, but he definitely doesn't plant himself on my lap like his siblings.   I always put this down to personality, but all this has made me wonder if he has some back pain or discomfort.

Well if he ducks his head then I would say it's his personality, rather than back pain since it wouldn't hurt him to be pet on his head.

That's what I thought, but then I thought well, maybe that's because he knows your going to run your hand down his whole body.  I guess I'm going to try not to worry as long as he's acting OK otherwise.

Reba, is there a small animal neurologist you can get to? This is a question you can just ask your regular vet, as most specialists of that nature require a referral.

It wouldn't hurt to take him to the vet and have an X-ray done. My Cali has the same issue with being touched at the base of her tail and also has what looks like a mohawk running down her spine. After having an X-ray done she was diagnosed with severe arthritis in her lower back (arthritis usually appears quite clearly on an X-ray). The dr started her on weekly adequan injections and gabapentin to help with any nerve pain that might be present. These 2 treatments have drastically improved the quality of her life. If you think there's a chance your kitties in pain I would def visit your regular vet for at least a check up.