Here's another novel from me; if you hadn't noticed I'm rather prosaic...but this one is about the health of my kitty.
First off, I have to find another vet - does anyone know of a good vet in the Northern VA area (just outside of DC)? I just don't think the current vet is taking enough time to get to know the cat or to answer my questions without making me feel silly. In the meantime, I thought I might get some help from you on this latest, disturbing development.
Poor Guimauve seems to have gone a bit incontinent. The first sign was a loose poo ball outside of, and around the back of, his litter pan two days ago. I assumed it was a 'hanger on' that had just dropped off since he has had trouble with his feces ever since I got him in Oct 01 (as a stray). But, a few minutes ago, he was sitting on the couch with me and when he got up I noticed another small present. At this point, I was watching him like a hawk. When he returned to the couch about an hour (?) later, I invited him up. As he started to lay down, I noticed a little poo ball hanging on his butt. On average, they've been about 1/2 inch but seemed to get progressively smaller. Has anyone had this happen to their cat?
Could this be due to something like an anal prolapse (I read about that somewhere)? His butt has often looked irritated - esp before and after a bowel movement. There is nothing hanging out (no tissue) but his butt sometimes looks a bit too puffy. I'm wondering if whatever is wrong has slowly built up over time and this is just the latest stage.
When Gui was first found he was checked out by a vet and vaccinated. Then, when he got to me (a friend found him), I took him to the vet for another exam, to be neutered, and to get the rest of his vaccinations.
The cat has had bad bouts of loose stools a few times (but still always made it to the litter pan) and has been back to the vet four times in a span of three months. He went to the vet because of loose stools, tapeworms (he had a ravenous appetite for a few months but wasn't getting heavy), to have a lump checked out and for a health certificate. At the last visit, in December, I told the vet that Gui still had a ravenous appetite but that he was starting to get a little heavy. The vet said to feed him a bit less or give him a diet food. At all of the visits, the vet said he didn't notice anything terribly wrong with Gui.
After the last visit, the cat seemed to be doing better; or at least that's what I thought. Looking back, perhaps the couple of times he had smooshed poo on his bum was a sign of things to come.
He's still too heavy but I switched foods in January and just started to get him down to 'normal' amounts of food in February.
Gui seems to be doing fine otherwise - he's eating, drinking, using the litter box (at least for weeing and major pooing), playing and relaxing. I guess part of me is in denial hoping it's just a fluke and that tomorrow he will be all better.
But, back to looking for a vet because I still want to take him in for a consult.
Thanks!
Vikki
First off, I have to find another vet - does anyone know of a good vet in the Northern VA area (just outside of DC)? I just don't think the current vet is taking enough time to get to know the cat or to answer my questions without making me feel silly. In the meantime, I thought I might get some help from you on this latest, disturbing development.
Poor Guimauve seems to have gone a bit incontinent. The first sign was a loose poo ball outside of, and around the back of, his litter pan two days ago. I assumed it was a 'hanger on' that had just dropped off since he has had trouble with his feces ever since I got him in Oct 01 (as a stray). But, a few minutes ago, he was sitting on the couch with me and when he got up I noticed another small present. At this point, I was watching him like a hawk. When he returned to the couch about an hour (?) later, I invited him up. As he started to lay down, I noticed a little poo ball hanging on his butt. On average, they've been about 1/2 inch but seemed to get progressively smaller. Has anyone had this happen to their cat?
Could this be due to something like an anal prolapse (I read about that somewhere)? His butt has often looked irritated - esp before and after a bowel movement. There is nothing hanging out (no tissue) but his butt sometimes looks a bit too puffy. I'm wondering if whatever is wrong has slowly built up over time and this is just the latest stage.
When Gui was first found he was checked out by a vet and vaccinated. Then, when he got to me (a friend found him), I took him to the vet for another exam, to be neutered, and to get the rest of his vaccinations.
The cat has had bad bouts of loose stools a few times (but still always made it to the litter pan) and has been back to the vet four times in a span of three months. He went to the vet because of loose stools, tapeworms (he had a ravenous appetite for a few months but wasn't getting heavy), to have a lump checked out and for a health certificate. At the last visit, in December, I told the vet that Gui still had a ravenous appetite but that he was starting to get a little heavy. The vet said to feed him a bit less or give him a diet food. At all of the visits, the vet said he didn't notice anything terribly wrong with Gui.
After the last visit, the cat seemed to be doing better; or at least that's what I thought. Looking back, perhaps the couple of times he had smooshed poo on his bum was a sign of things to come.
He's still too heavy but I switched foods in January and just started to get him down to 'normal' amounts of food in February.
Gui seems to be doing fine otherwise - he's eating, drinking, using the litter box (at least for weeing and major pooing), playing and relaxing. I guess part of me is in denial hoping it's just a fluke and that tomorrow he will be all better.
But, back to looking for a vet because I still want to take him in for a consult.
Thanks!
Vikki
