Cat Bowel Gas

Hi All

Artie has been having a lot of bowel gas lately. It seems to have increased since he had his last dental with 2 premolars extracted. He went though a tuff phase with not eating before and after the dental...but he has pretty much been consistent with his food intake for about 2 months now.

I can feel the gas in his belly. He also burps at times. I can also hear the gas when he poops. 

He has also been leaving little 'presents' all around the house, even on my pillowcases...a schmear.  Gross but I know it is not his fault

He is always washing his bum. 

Artie has IBD and is on a lot of meds; prone to constipation. 

He is on prendilosone, Pepcid, cisapride (twice daily) and miralax (1/8 tsp twice a day). He poops every 2 - 3 days--normal and a lot. 

Artie has an appointment with the IBD specialist at the end of June. 

He is also 12 years old.

He is eating Pride Rabbit. He is fussy and refuses all other Rabbit foods. He is allergic to chicken.

Could this be a sign of the IBD worsening? Or his getting old? I free feed him, changing the food out 2-3 times a day. He eats from 2-almost 3 cans a day. 

He has also slowed down a lot since his dental/b-day, at the same time. 

Any ideas?

Thanks

From his symptoms, I would guess that he is taking in air with his food, which causes the burping and gas. There are feeding trays to slow down how fast the cat eats and that might help. The Miralax softens the stool a lot and may be causing the "presents" and smearing. Talk with your vet, but my guess is that he doesn't need the Miralax.

Good luck. It's not pleasant to have a stinky cat around!

I thought it was either the Miralax or the fact that he cannot chew all that well.

I do mash down his food, with a fork. He does not care for it really getting ground down with the food processor. 

Artie eats very slow. I kind of feel he is getting some air in when he eats. I am almost about to try an old phone book under his mat and food. I will do that now. 

Problem is he has had so many issues. I hate to add more. 

His poop is at a good consistency so I hesitate to cut back on the Miralax.

thanks

He definitely doesn't have any worms or parasites?

My recently adopted cat had terrible gas when I first got her and she had both parasites and worms. Since being treated she hasn't had any gas at all.She never had diarrhea from it and she was also leaving little presents... imagine finally getting a minute alone with hubby only to roll over and put my hand in poo.. talk about a mood killer.

Just thought I would throw that out there just in case. Probably not the cause since he is burping? 

Good Luck!  It's hard when they don't feel well.

I wonder if you could try with simeticone, the same as for  colic human babies.

It can be used for kittens with bloated tummies - common with bottle fed orphans - so perhaps here too...

Be sure its not worms first.  And preferably, your vet doesnt mind.  As you do have access to a vet, no?

what about slippery elm? I have heard this used for stomach issues-I don't blame you for not wanting to cut back on the miralax. My older girls take miralax and it works better than canned pumpkin or at least its easier to get it in them with wet food than the canned pumpkin.

I don't remember when you last had an ultrasound on his belly-it doesn't sound like a reaction to the food.

Elavating the dishes helped my old kitty stop throwing up. someone threw out a computer table and It had these raised shelves with sides about 2" high so I put her dishes on this shelf. It seems to help.

That's no fun about the presents around the house. What does the vet think? Can you email them? Hoping you find an answer to a smelly issue. poor guy. Honeybee used to fart really bad when I first got her. we never did find out why-I think it was from change in diet from whatever everyone else was feeding her.

Thanks everyone.

I really doubt it is a parasite or worms because Artie is an indoor cat. He never goes outside. I have not seen any of those tiny flies, that sneak in through the window screens,  in here either. In Fact, I have not opened the windows for a few weeks because of my allergies.

I will run the simethicone and the slippery elm bark by my Vet, however I think she would refer me to the IBD Internal Medicine specialist. That one is hard to get in touch with, but I will try.

I do not think I will call today because, right now I have a sinus/allergy/BP type of headache raging. I have a meeting tonight also. I just came back from errands, took some tylenol, rinsed my sinuses, having a few peanuts and some water and then I will lie down.

I can usually (fingers crossed) quiet down a headache by lying down and resting.

I will try calling one of the Vets tomorrow. I just hate to because they usually say to bring him in...and he is not sick enough to put him through that stress.