4 Months Lost, Finally Home And Won't Use Litter Box

[KATEJOHNSON]

(Apologies for the long back story) My two cats, Oscar and Charlie were inseparable brothers. They were strictly indoor cats and together, just the two of them, since birth. Charlie escaped his crate at the vets office back in July. We posted flyers, called shelters, walked the streets, went door to door, etc for a couple of months and not ONE person had even spotted him. We had pretty much lost hope of his return. Oscar had never been alone and spent all day and night wandering the house crying and seemed really stressed. We broke down and brought him home a young female kitten (Ava). They bonded quickly and Oscar went right back to normal. Some how, after 4 months, someone found Charlie a town away from where he was lost. He was in rough shape and had a nasty laceration from his chest, around his armpit, and to his shoulder blade. He weighed about 15 lbs when he ran off and came home about 3 lbs, nothing but fur and bones. I took him to an emergency vet appt and thankfully they said he would be fine with just some antibiotics and peroxide. I slowly introduced the cats back to each other, foolishly thinking the once inseparable brothers would be thrilled. Oscar immediately started chasing and attacking Charlie. The first couple weeks of Charlie being back home were somewhat of a battle, all 3 of the cats were unhappy. I kept a separate litter box and food/water dish upstairs since that's where Charlie preferred to hide. I thought he was using the litter box since it was needing to be cleaned every day (apparently from the other cats), until I found a MASSIVE pile of cat poop in the back of my son's closet behind some boxes. At this time, we already had 3 xlg litter boxes. I wasn't sure what to do so I bought a 4th xlg box and new cat litter hoping that would help. It didn't. I locked Charlie in a large room in the basement with the litter box and he still wouldn't use it. I set him in the box and scratched his paws in it, still nothing. He's been home for a month now and hasn't used the litter box once. All 3 cats have calmed down quite a bit and although they aren't necessarily buddies yet, Ava and Oscar have for the most part left Charlie alone. If they do start fighting, it actually seems to be Charlie starting it. They can all be together and fine and suddenly Charlie will crouch down and start hissing, then take off running. Oscar will chase after him hissing and batting at him. I have bought 2 different bottles of sprays from the pet stores that are supposed to calm cats and support emotional health. I use essential oils and have been diffusing (and applying to all 3 cats) calming oils, which has made a noticeable difference in their attitudes and their tolerance of each other. But Charlie is still peeing and pooping everywhere. (Apologies for TMI) It is both solid stools and diarrhea all over upstairs and in the basement (so far, he hasn't pooped or peed anywhere on the main floor, if that's relevant?). And it is RANCID, I am gagging while cleaning it up. I am out of ideas. I have a baby, a toddler, and an elementary age child at home. I can't keep following this cat around the house to scrub the floors 3-4 times a day. Basically all of our upstairs carpeting needs to be ripped out at this point. I love this cat and I was ecstatic to have him back home, but I can't afford the damage he's causing to the house and I don't have the time (or patience) to keep doing this. I know he went through a traumatic 4 months being lost outside and it will obviously take longer than a month to adjust all of the cats to the situation, but I NEED him to start using the litter box. SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE ADVICE OR A POSSIBLE SOLUTION!

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

I just realized, he did actually use the litter box the very first night he was brought home. He was brought home late at night and his wound was pretty nasty and oozing so I shut him in the bathroom with a litter box overnight until I could get him to the vet and he did actually use it more than once that night. And it was an old litter box that had been already used by the other two cats and he didn't seem to have any problems with it then. He was put on antibiotics for nearly 2 weeks, if that is relevant as well. (Also, all 3 cats are fixed)

 

[calicosrspecial]

Hi Kate,

Cats go outside of the litter box for a couple of reasons. Medical (pain, infection, etc) or behavioral.

How old is Charlie? How old are the others?

Do you know what tests the vet did after Charlie came back?

Given he has diarrhea and it is rancid I really want you to take him to the vet immediately and get a PCR diarrhea test if that was not done before. I want to rule out giardia and/or other parasites etc. Given he was outside it is very possible he picked something up. A PCR test is more expensive but is more comprehensive and I use them to get to the situation as quickly as possible. So let's take that as the first step. If he does have something we'll have to get the other two checked out as well.

If the PCR test comes back "clean" then we'll have to look into other medical causes for going outside. It could be internal pain. It could be pain in his paws. Is he urinating in the litter box at all? I would like the vet to check out everything to see if there is any medical explanation.

If we can rule out medical then we'll look for behavioral issues. It could be stress driven. It could be territorial insecurity. So what we would do is either slowly reintroduce them or if things are stable now then work to build their confidence (especially Charlie's) and to associate all of them with positive things.

We build confidence through play, food, height and love. Really good play sessions all over the house. Starting where he feels most secure and expanding to other parts of the house. After a play session feed either treats or a meal. This replicates the instinct of survival Hunt, Capture, Kill, Eat. As a cat hunts successfully they build confidence. We'll also want to get him up in the world in cat trees, etc. Up in the world not hiding. Also, we'll want to have scratching posts so he can "own" more territory by getting his scent on things. And a lot of warm and comfy bedding so they can hang out and be safe, secure, warm and comfortable. Finally, we want to be loving to the cats. Be calm and confident as cats take on our emotions. If you can safely (without being at risk of being hurt in any way) get them to purr especially when the others are around that is helpful to build trust and confidence. Give treats. Give eye kisses if petting is too risky.

Is it possible to have Charlie in a separate room for now? Just in case he has something. Also, I would ask you to keep the kids away from the cat for now. And also, please make sure you thoroughly wash your hands after cleaning up. Make sure to avoid stepping in anything as well. If you do use bleach to disinfect. When we find out the results from the PCR test we'll be able to relax this and/or deal with the results.

I am happy to help you through this. I am so glad you got Charlie back. It is an amazing story. Let's find out his health status and start ruling things out and moving forward. Cats want to use the litter box so instinct is on our side.

Please ask anything anytime and please feel free to share any information anytime. I will be with you every step of the way.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

Hi Kate,

Cats go outside of the litter box for a couple of reasons. Medical (pain, infection, etc) or behavioral.

How old is Charlie? How old are the others?

Do you know what tests the vet did after Charlie came back?

Given he has diarrhea and it is rancid I really want you to take him to the vet immediately and get a PCR diarrhea test if that was not done before. I want to rule out giardia and/or other parasites etc. Given he was outside it is very possible he picked something up. A PCR test is more expensive but is more comprehensive and I use them to get to the situation as quickly as possible. So let's take that as the first step. If he does have something we'll have to get the other two checked out as well.

If the PCR test comes back "clean" then we'll have to look into other medical causes for going outside. It could be internal pain. It could be pain in his paws. Is he urinating in the litter box at all? I would like the vet to check out everything to see if there is any medical explanation.

If we can rule out medical then we'll look for behavioral issues. It could be stress driven. It could be territorial insecurity. So what we would do is either slowly reintroduce them or if things are stable now then work to build their confidence (especially Charlie's) and to associate all of them with positive things.

We build confidence through play, food, height and love. Really good play sessions all over the house. Starting where he feels most secure and expanding to other parts of the house. After a play session feed either treats or a meal. This replicates the instinct of survival Hunt, Capture, Kill, Eat. As a cat hunts successfully they build confidence. We'll also want to get him up in the world in cat trees, etc. Up in the world not hiding. Also, we'll want to have scratching posts so he can "own" more territory by getting his scent on things. And a lot of warm and comfy bedding so they can hang out and be safe, secure, warm and comfortable. Finally, we want to be loving to the cats. Be calm and confident as cats take on our emotions. If you can safely (without being at risk of being hurt in any way) get them to purr especially when the others are around that is helpful to build trust and confidence. Give treats. Give eye kisses if petting is too risky.

Is it possible to have Charlie in a separate room for now? Just in case he has something. Also, I would ask you to keep the kids away from the cat for now. And also, please make sure you thoroughly wash your hands after cleaning up. Make sure to avoid stepping in anything as well. If you do use bleach to disinfect. When we find out the results from the PCR test we'll be able to relax this and/or deal with the results.

I am happy to help you through this. I am so glad you got Charlie back. It is an amazing story. Let's find out his health status and start ruling things out and moving forward. Cats want to use the litter box so instinct is on our side.

Please ask anything anytime and please feel free to share any information anytime. I will be with you every step of the way.

Thank you for your response! Charlie and Oscar are both around 2 1/2-3 years old. They were older kittens when I got them, but they were stray barn cats so their age was originally guesstimated by the vet. The night I got him home, he didn't have diarrhea and was using the litter box. When I took him to the vet the next morning, the main concern they had was the wound so they gave him an antibiotic shot and a oral Rx. They said he looked great considering the circumstances but gave him a wormer just in case. The first couple weeks he didn't have diarrhea either. All of the feces I found in the closet were solid stools. Even now, some times he poops somewhere and it's solid, and then later in the day it will be diarrhea, I don't understand it! It is not the other cats because I have separated him into a room alone and it's the same. It's only been about a week and a half that he's been off the oral antibiotics so I initially thought it was the medication that causing it, but now I'm not sure. Even the solid stools are rancid! I'm pretty sure he isn't peeing in the litter box either. Although I never found any wet spots or puddles in the upstairs, I have in the basement. They didn't run any tests on him at the vet, they said he looked really good besides being under weight and the wound-which they even said considering how long he was lost was surprisingly better than would be expected. He seemed pretty happy to be home initially. He was in good spirits and cuddly with everyone. It wasn't until we brought all the cats together and he and his brother started fighting that things went awry. I bought him a new cat bed that wouldn't smell like the other cats and lots of new cat toys and he doesn't seem very interested in any of it. He is very friendly with people and loves to be petted, he rolls around and purrs and rubs all over everyone; until the other cats come around. But they haven't been aggressive with him recently. They will try to come near him and sniff him out, or just walk by and he gets very defensive starts hissing/growling or runs away and hides. They have a large cat tower and free range of all 3 floors of the house. There are lots of high places and hiding places. They are now able to all eat together-meals and treats with no problems (unless Charlie starts it). His wound healed up really well and really quickly and he's been putting on good weight in the month he's been home. I have to take him back to the vet soon for his second round of shots, I will definitely talk with them about all of it and see what they say. Right now I have him locked in a separate room in the basement with 2 litter boxes, I just feel bad keeping him locked up away from every one and I worry that keeping him locked away from the other cats will cause them all more stress when they're together again.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

Ava is about 6 months old. She doesn't seem to care either way about Charlie. She's pretty laid back. Most of the issues seem to be between Oscar and Charlie. I know they are just cats and 4 months is a long time, but it really blows my mind to see them so hostile with each other when they've been together their whole lives and were once inseparable! I try to sit on the floor and go back and forth petting them all, and they all seem happy and fine. It's just random times that Charlie will get defensive for no apparent reason and start hissing and running, and vice versa with Oscar; he seems totally fine with Charlie now-sometimes they'll be sitting on the stairs side by side, looking out the window and the next Oscar is chasing Charlie down, sometimes just chasing, other times outright attacking him.

 

[calicosrspecial]

You are welcome. Thank you for the additional information, this is very helpful.

I still highly recommend doing a PCR test. It is a little expensive but can give us very important information.

Would it be possible to get a black light and check around the house to see if there any any areas that are being marked or gone on?

Cat urine is different so proper cleaning is essential. Here is a link that should be helpful. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-remove-cat-urine

I think we'll have to keep him separated and do a reintroduction. He has gone through a traumatic and scary time outside and we'll have to ease him into the household letting him know the other cats are not a threat. Having him separated is really a must now. He will get over it. Just make sure that you have comfy places for him, if he is ok to play with him. Give him good food. Talk to him lovingly. Just let him know he is loved and wanted. I had a cat with a health issue that I had to have isolated. The key is too make them as loved and comfortable as possible and then to slowly introduce them to the other cats so that they don't fear for their safety when around them (or vice versa). SO we will feed them on each side of a closed door. Then allow visual without physical access. Etc. Here are some links to the introduction process. I am happy to help through this process for as long as needed. The goal is to let all the cats know that no one poses a threat to them. We do that through associating them with good things and making every interaction as positive as possible. Also we want to build confidence through play, food, height and love. Which I am happy to explain more in depth.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-ultimate-yet-simplified-guide-to-introducing-cats

A Simple Little Trick to Use During New Cat Introductions

Cat Care

http://jacksongalaxy.com/2010/10/01/cat-to-cat-introductions/

I am still worried that there is a health issue going on. So I really hope you can get him checked out. Makes sure the vet checks everything, for inflammation in the GI tract, intestines, stomach, etc. paws included. And I really suggest a PCR test as it can rule out things or help us address an issue. He shouldn't be so stressed while being isolated that he isn't using the litter box. I take in ferals and every one has used the litter box immediately (as the instinct is to cover their scent). So I worry that he may have pain (maybe associated with his injury?) that could have a negative association with the litter box.

I would also try another box with a less scented litter in it. Maybe he doesn't like the scent or the texture? Try to hide the litter box a little as some cats like to have more privacy. That is why some choose a closet. But if he is isolated/separated he should be feeling safe and secure using the litter box in that room.

He could be stressed about his safety causing him to make. Or maybe he feels a lack of "ownership" of the territory. It could be a number of issues.

Is it possible the food could be causing issues? He may have an allergy to an ingredient.

Is he drinking enough? Or too much?

As of right now I think all of the above ideas are still possible.

Is he healed enough to be able to play? If the vet says yes then I would step up play with him. After a good play session feed treats or a meal. Makes sure he has a cat tree he can use in his room (as long as we know he does not have any health issues that would cause an issue with keeping it clean etc). I want to rule out giardia etc so we can add cat trees and scratching posts etc and not have to worry about cleaning etc. Finally, just be as loving and calm and confident around him as possible. But please do not put yourself at risk of being hurt in any way. Give eye kisses. Talk to him lovingly. If you can get him to purr that would be great (again not being at risk of being hurt in any way).

I really want to rule out any medical issues as much as possible. The PCR test is amazing and can help eliminate certain issues. Then a vet checkup to assess any pain issues, infection issues.

Then we will work on stress issues and introduction issues.

We'll want to be as calm and confident and loving to him as possible.

The good news is, we can get through this. A cat's instinct is to cover their scent by using the litter box. We talked about litter box privacy, litters (scent, texture). We'll try different things there.

And we'll slowly introduce him to the others so that he doesn't fear for his safety and they all are like "hey, I know that cat, they are cool".

And then food. Maybe something in the food is causing issues.

I will be with you every step of the way. This is entirely solvable. It is either medical or behavioral. And as we eliminate things we will get to the issue.

Please ask any questions, I am happy to help you through this.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

You are welcome. Thank you for the additional information, this is very helpful.

I still highly recommend doing a PCR test. It is a little expensive but can give us very important information.

Would it be possible to get a black light and check around the house to see if there any any areas that are being marked or gone on?

Cat urine is different so proper cleaning is essential. Here is a link that should be helpful. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-remove-cat-urine

I think we'll have to keep him separated and do a reintroduction. He has gone through a traumatic and scary time outside and we'll have to ease him into the household letting him know the other cats are not a threat. Having him separated is really a must now. He will get over it. Just make sure that you have comfy places for him, if he is ok to play with him. Give him good food. Talk to him lovingly. Just let him know he is loved and wanted. I had a cat with a health issue that I had to have isolated. The key is too make them as loved and comfortable as possible and then to slowly introduce them to the other cats so that they don't fear for their safety when around them (or vice versa). SO we will feed them on each side of a closed door. Then allow visual without physical access. Etc. Here are some links to the introduction process. I am happy to help through this process for as long as needed. The goal is to let all the cats know that no one poses a threat to them. We do that through associating them with good things and making every interaction as positive as possible. Also we want to build confidence through play, food, height and love. Which I am happy to explain more in depth.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-ultimate-yet-simplified-guide-to-introducing-cats

A Simple Little Trick to Use During New Cat Introductions

Cat Care

http://jacksongalaxy.com/2010/10/01/cat-to-cat-introductions/

I am still worried that there is a health issue going on. So I really hope you can get him checked out. Makes sure the vet checks everything, for inflammation in the GI tract, intestines, stomach, etc. paws included. And I really suggest a PCR test as it can rule out things or help us address an issue. He shouldn't be so stressed while being isolated that he isn't using the litter box. I take in ferals and every one has used the litter box immediately (as the instinct is to cover their scent). So I worry that he may have pain (maybe associated with his injury?) that could have a negative association with the litter box.

I would also try another box with a less scented litter in it. Maybe he doesn't like the scent or the texture? Try to hide the litter box a little as some cats like to have more privacy. That is why some choose a closet. But if he is isolated/separated he should be feeling safe and secure using the litter box in that room.

He could be stressed about his safety causing him to make. Or maybe he feels a lack of "ownership" of the territory. It could be a number of issues.

Is it possible the food could be causing issues? He may have an allergy to an ingredient.

Is he drinking enough? Or too much?

As of right now I think all of the above ideas are still possible.

Is he healed enough to be able to play? If the vet says yes then I would step up play with him. After a good play session feed treats or a meal. Makes sure he has a cat tree he can use in his room (as long as we know he does not have any health issues that would cause an issue with keeping it clean etc). I want to rule out giardia etc so we can add cat trees and scratching posts etc and not have to worry about cleaning etc. Finally, just be as loving and calm and confident around him as possible. But please do not put yourself at risk of being hurt in any way. Give eye kisses. Talk to him lovingly. If you can get him to purr that would be great (again not being at risk of being hurt in any way).

I really want to rule out any medical issues as much as possible. The PCR test is amazing and can help eliminate certain issues. Then a vet checkup to assess any pain issues, infection issues.

Then we will work on stress issues and introduction issues.

We'll want to be as calm and confident and loving to him as possible.

The good news is, we can get through this. A cat's instinct is to cover their scent by using the litter box. We talked about litter box privacy, litters (scent, texture). We'll try different things there.

And we'll slowly introduce him to the others so that he doesn't fear for his safety and they all are like "hey, I know that cat, they are cool".

And then food. Maybe something in the food is causing issues.

I will be with you every step of the way. This is entirely solvable. It is either medical or behavioral. And as we eliminate things we will get to the issue.

Please ask any questions, I am happy to help you through this.

Thanks so much again! I'll definitely talk to the vet about when I take him in and ask about the test. I will pick up a different kind of litter box-maybe a covered one for more privacy? and a different kind of cat litter. I'll keep him separated for now and try to find a better area to keep him that's going to be more comfortable long term. He's definitely healed enough to play. He doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain but I worry that maybe he is hurting somewhere? I'll definitely have the vet check him over really well. Thank you so much for the other information, I'll try all of this!

 

[calicosrspecial]

Ava is about 6 months old. She doesn't seem to care either way about Charlie. She's pretty laid back. Most of the issues seem to be between Oscar and Charlie. I know they are just cats and 4 months is a long time, but it really blows my mind to see them so hostile with each other when they've been together their whole lives and were once inseparable! I try to sit on the floor and go back and forth petting them all, and they all seem happy and fine. It's just random times that Charlie will get defensive for no apparent reason and start hissing and running, and vice versa with Oscar; he seems totally fine with Charlie now-sometimes they'll be sitting on the stairs side by side, looking out the window and the next Oscar is chasing Charlie down, sometimes just chasing, other times outright attacking him.

Scent is a big part of relationships and I am sure Charlie smelled differently when he came back. So that could be part of the issue. Sometimes medical issues can also cause a different scent as well that can cause issues.

We also had a change in a new kitten into the fold. Oscar may be trying to protect her as well.

Cats are complicated and relationships can change even when there is very little change in a household. But I truly believe that a confident cat is less likely to attack or be attacked so the more confident we can get everyone the more likely they will get along.

We will want to make sure every interaction between them is as positive as possible. If you sense that they may start a chase distract them. Avoiding a stare down or a chase etc is a positive. Even if the positive moments between them are short. And then we build on those positives. Then the more positive interactions there are the more trust will be between them. And they will fear less of each other and be more confident. That will be our goal.

Are they totally separated right now or do they currently have some access to each other?

We'll get through this, don't worry.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Thanks so much again! I'll definitely talk to the vet about when I take him in and ask about the test. I will pick up a different kind of litter box-maybe a covered one for more privacy? and a different kind of cat litter. I'll keep him separated for now and try to find a better area to keep him that's going to be more comfortable long term. He's definitely healed enough to play. He doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain but I worry that maybe he is hurting somewhere? I'll definitely have the vet check him over really well. Thank you so much for the other information, I'll try all of this!

You are very welcome.

I am leaning towards it being a medical issue. I am guessing something pain driven. But that is a feeling.

When he first came home were his stools real hard? Diarrhea can be painful and we often see cats go outside the litter box because of diarrhea. But constipation can also cause pain. There could be an IBS issue. An inflammation issue. But since he is going outside of the litter box for everything it could be paw pain, or pain elsewhere.

Since you don't see him in pain it could be internal. But usually it is pee or poop. So something could be causing both. It is a bit tricky. Sometimes a paw or leg or hip problem could be a cause. Did he ever cover in the litter box? But most of the time (but not all) we can see any issues with their paws or legs. Please let me know anything you see as anything could be helpful even small things.

It could be a traumatic experience that happened while he was gone. Something could have attacked him while he was going in the wild. It is just hard to know.

But we will work through this. A more private litter box could be helpful. Less scented litter could be helpful or litter that is easier on the paws. The building his confidence and his trust between him and the other cats. Ruling out anything medical is easiest so we will see what the vet says.

I am highly confident that he will not be separated for the long term. I would like to keep him in a place that is comfy but also easy to clean for now. Then once we get a clean bill of health we can move him into something that will be easier to start a formal introduction process.

The fact that they did get along since he has returned and that there hasn't been a scary fight means this will work. I will help you move through the steps so that we can reintroduce them. We'll get there, I am highly confident.

Please feel free to post anytime with information or questions. I am happy to help and get life for everyone back on track.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

You are very welcome.

I am leaning towards it being a medical issue. I am guessing something pain driven. But that is a feeling.

When he first came home were his stools real hard? Diarrhea can be painful and we often see cats go outside the litter box because of diarrhea. But constipation can also cause pain. There could be an IBS issue. An inflammation issue. But since he is going outside of the litter box for everything it could be paw pain, or pain elsewhere.

Since you don't see him in pain it could be internal. But usually it is pee or poop. So something could be causing both. It is a bit tricky. Sometimes a paw or leg or hip problem could be a cause. Did he ever cover in the litter box? But most of the time (but not all) we can see any issues with their paws or legs. Please let me know anything you see as anything could be helpful even small things.

It could be a traumatic experience that happened while he was gone. Something could have attacked him while he was going in the wild. It is just hard to know.

But we will work through this. A more private litter box could be helpful. Less scented litter could be helpful or litter that is easier on the paws. The building his confidence and his trust between him and the other cats. Ruling out anything medical is easiest so we will see what the vet says.

I am highly confident that he will not be separated for the long term. I would like to keep him in a place that is comfy but also easy to clean for now. Then once we get a clean bill of health we can move him into something that will be easier to start a formal introduction process.

The fact that they did get along since he has returned and that there hasn't been a scary fight means this will work. I will help you move through the steps so that we can reintroduce them. We'll get there, I am highly confident.

Please feel free to post anytime with information or questions. I am happy to help and get life for everyone back on track.

I did go get another xlg litter box-this one wit a cover to hopefully give him more privacy. I also got some fine/soft, unscented litter for it. I decided to put him in the upstairs office (he's already basically ruined this carpet anyway!) so he'll be secluded from other cats, but I'll be able to be with him often throughout the day-plus it's more comfortable than the basement. I brought up the new cat bed (which he's actually using for the first time finally!) I gave him food and water and also brought up some toys. We played and I gave him treats, he was his usual friendly, cuddly former self. He rolled around and purred and I would here and there put him in the litter box and scratch his paws in it. He didn't seem to mind and would come out still purring. We did this for about 20 minutes and I left the room for only a couple of minutes, just long enough to run downstairs and grab some things, and when I came back I walked through a soaked puddle in the carpet...so I guess that answers the peeing question. Right now, he is totally content and laying in the new bed, playing with a toy by himself. As far as pain, his left arm was the one affected by the laceration, it went completely up through his armpit. The wound initially went from the front of his chest, through his armpit, around to his shoulder blade on his back, currently it is only a small spot-maybe a 1/2 inch in length still right up under his armpit that has yet to heal. It doesn't seem to cause him any pain, I've watched him scratch around on the cat bed and the floor to pick up catnip and it didn't bother him at all. And when he did use the litter box on the first night, he did cover it.
And his stools in the beginning were solid, but not hard. Just appeared normal. Even now when he has a solid stool, it seems normal. And his diarrhea is runny, but thick-sometimes with whole pieces of cat food-is that even possible?? At first I thought it was vomit, but besides the solid food pieces, the consistency, appearances, and SMELL definitely resembles diarrhea. Is it possible for that to be vomit?! As far as food, we feed all the cats the Rachel Ray blend. Charlie has had lots of testing done before he ran off for a possible allergy, the vet initially thought was food. He and Oscar were originally stray barn cats and I brought them home when they were aprx 6 months old. After only a few weeks, Charlie had gotten a really nasty ear infection-lots of inflammation and oozing, it was pretty gross. The vet gave us ear drops and gave him a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot which cleared it up within a couple days. After a month or so, he had the same thing happen in the other ear. The vet gave him the same treatment-which cleared it right up-but suggested that maybe he has some sort of autoimmune disease. After a couple months, he started getting itchy ears and this time he started getting really scabby, inflamed sores around his mouth and on the front of his legs. We started taking him to a different vet to see what they'd say. They had no idea either and suggested it was food allergies. We switched the cats to a grain free food and stopped giving them canned food and treats. After a year and a half of having nothing but the grain free food, he still had these sores break out on his mouth and in his ears at random times throughout the year, in every season. They did blood work and we spent hundreds having them run tests. Everything came back negative-I can't remember what all they tested for but the feline leukemia and FIV all came back negative. They said they could do a biopsy on one of his sores to see if it came back showing an autoimmune problem, but that test alone was going to cost around $300 and after everything else we couldn't afford it. Every time he had a break out, he would get a steroid shot that cleared it up within a couple of days and he was fine. He went about 5 months without any break outs and then it started up on his ear again earlier this year (back in July, this is what I was taking him to the vet for when he ran off). It obviously cleared up on its own while he was running the woods because it was perfectly fine when he was found and has been fine since. But when it would flare up before, the sores were very painful for him, he would hide in the basement and not want to be around anyone, he seemed mopey and he would shed like crazy (the vet said from stress) but even then he never peed or pooped outside of the litter box-ever.
It's taken me about 30 minutes to write this (back and forth with the baby so I apologize that my thoughts are scattered throughout this thread!) and he recently went and laid inside the cat bed and has been sleeping and seems to be totally content. He has yet to use the new litter box so I guess I will have to check back in the morning to see whether or not he did throughout the night. Thank you again for all of your help so far!

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

Scent is a big part of relationships and I am sure Charlie smelled differently when he came back. So that could be part of the issue. Sometimes medical issues can also cause a different scent as well that can cause issues.

We also had a change in a new kitten into the fold. Oscar may be trying to protect her as well.

Cats are complicated and relationships can change even when there is very little change in a household. But I truly believe that a confident cat is less likely to attack or be attacked so the more confident we can get everyone the more likely they will get along.

We will want to make sure every interaction between them is as positive as possible. If you sense that they may start a chase distract them. Avoiding a stare down or a chase etc is a positive. Even if the positive moments between them are short. And then we build on those positives. Then the more positive interactions there are the more trust will be between them. And they will fear less of each other and be more confident. That will be our goal.

Are they totally separated right now or do they currently have some access to each other?

We'll get through this, don't worry.

This is what I was assuming as well. Charlie and his wound smelled sooo bad the first night he was found. I was gagging at the smell (the vet said most of this smell was coming from the matted, puss filled wads of fur around the wound-he shaved that fur off and it made an incredible difference) and I thought this probably had a lot to do with oscar’s initial reaction to him.
And whenever they are staring each other down, I do try to distract them or get in between them and pet them both at the same time and talk to them calmly. 8 out of 10 times they end up just walking away from each other so I guess that’s better than nothing.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

He pooped in the litter box last night! and he did cover it as well. I'm not seeing any piles of poop or puke so far this morning in the room so fingers crossed. He's very cuddly this morning and seems to be in good spirits-LOTS of very loud purring and snuggling. The poop in the litter box is solid as well. He's not very happy about being locked up, every time i open the door, I have to catch him mid air as he's trying to run out. But the other cats keep coming to the door from the other side and meowing and laying outside the door, is that a good thing? I did a little research late last night and found some info about cats vomiting up what looks like poop and it said that it's usually caused by a partial blockage from a hairball. My husband said one of the times he cleaned up what we thought was diarrhea, it had a lot of hair in it so now I'm wondering if this is the problem and it was vomit after all? As I'm typing this he's coughing and gagging like he's trying to get a hairball up. He's been licking/cleaning his wound for a month and all of the fur around it was falling out so it's definitely not unrealistic to think he had that had of a hairball. I'll see what i can find nearby for hairball treatment either way.

 

[calicosrspecial]

I did go get another xlg litter box-this one wit a cover to hopefully give him more privacy. I also got some fine/soft, unscented litter for it. I decided to put him in the upstairs office (he's already basically ruined this carpet anyway!) so he'll be secluded from other cats, but I'll be able to be with him often throughout the day-plus it's more comfortable than the basement. I brought up the new cat bed (which he's actually using for the first time finally!) I gave him food and water and also brought up some toys. We played and I gave him treats, he was his usual friendly, cuddly former self. He rolled around and purred and I would here and there put him in the litter box and scratch his paws in it. He didn't seem to mind and would come out still purring. We did this for about 20 minutes and I left the room for only a couple of minutes, just long enough to run downstairs and grab some things, and when I came back I walked through a soaked puddle in the carpet...so I guess that answers the peeing question. Right now, he is totally content and laying in the new bed, playing with a toy by himself. As far as pain, his left arm was the one affected by the laceration, it went completely up through his armpit. The wound initially went from the front of his chest, through his armpit, around to his shoulder blade on his back, currently it is only a small spot-maybe a 1/2 inch in length still right up under his armpit that has yet to heal. It doesn't seem to cause him any pain, I've watched him scratch around on the cat bed and the floor to pick up catnip and it didn't bother him at all. And when he did use the litter box on the first night, he did cover it.
And his stools in the beginning were solid, but not hard. Just appeared normal. Even now when he has a solid stool, it seems normal. And his diarrhea is runny, but thick-sometimes with whole pieces of cat food-is that even possible?? At first I thought it was vomit, but besides the solid food pieces, the consistency, appearances, and SMELL definitely resembles diarrhea. Is it possible for that to be vomit?! As far as food, we feed all the cats the Rachel Ray blend. Charlie has had lots of testing done before he ran off for a possible allergy, the vet initially thought was food. He and Oscar were originally stray barn cats and I brought them home when they were aprx 6 months old. After only a few weeks, Charlie had gotten a really nasty ear infection-lots of inflammation and oozing, it was pretty gross. The vet gave us ear drops and gave him a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot which cleared it up within a couple days. After a month or so, he had the same thing happen in the other ear. The vet gave him the same treatment-which cleared it right up-but suggested that maybe he has some sort of autoimmune disease. After a couple months, he started getting itchy ears and this time he started getting really scabby, inflamed sores around his mouth and on the front of his legs. We started taking him to a different vet to see what they'd say. They had no idea either and suggested it was food allergies. We switched the cats to a grain free food and stopped giving them canned food and treats. After a year and a half of having nothing but the grain free food, he still had these sores break out on his mouth and in his ears at random times throughout the year, in every season. They did blood work and we spent hundreds having them run tests. Everything came back negative-I can't remember what all they tested for but the feline leukemia and FIV all came back negative. They said they could do a biopsy on one of his sores to see if it came back showing an autoimmune problem, but that test alone was going to cost around $300 and after everything else we couldn't afford it. Every time he had a break out, he would get a steroid shot that cleared it up within a couple of days and he was fine. He went about 5 months without any break outs and then it started up on his ear again earlier this year (back in July, this is what I was taking him to the vet for when he ran off). It obviously cleared up on its own while he was running the woods because it was perfectly fine when he was found and has been fine since. But when it would flare up before, the sores were very painful for him, he would hide in the basement and not want to be around anyone, he seemed mopey and he would shed like crazy (the vet said from stress) but even then he never peed or pooped outside of the litter box-ever.
It's taken me about 30 minutes to write this (back and forth with the baby so I apologize that my thoughts are scattered throughout this thread!) and he recently went and laid inside the cat bed and has been sleeping and seems to be totally content. He has yet to use the new litter box so I guess I will have to check back in the morning to see whether or not he did throughout the night. Thank you again for all of your help so far!

Please never apologize this is very helpful.

It sounds like he was doing really well in the new room. Playing, purring. It sounds like he was content and happy.

Where in the room did he pee? Right in the middle of the room? Or just in front of the door? Was there pee in that carpet before that maybe the smell hasn't totally gotten out of the carpet?

It is tough to know if it is diarrhea or vomit. Vomit can be very rancid. And I wonder about the pieces of food in it. I am sadly not an expert on that but vomit can and does often have food in it. Now, maybe he is not digesting the food as well. So there might be something internal.

It is interesting that you were testing for food allergies before he got away. Some cats have a chicken allergy etc. A food allergy would be uncomfortable and potentially cause diarrhea and vomiting. Which can lead to more discomfort and a negative association with the litter box.

Given the history you mention I am thinking more and more it is a health related driven issue. I am just not an expert on health issues but I would really like you to copy this post and put it out on the Health section of the site to get people with more experience to help with this. Maybe people can help pinpoint and suggest solutions if it is food driven or autoimmune etc. And please continue talking to your vet about those issues and possibly different foods to try, etc.

I think we still can't rule out behavioral or even the potential of urine in the carpet making it seem like one big litter box to him.

How did he carry himself in the room when you came back in? When you were there he sounds like he was happy and feeling safe and secure. Does he walk around with his tail high? Is he out and about in the room? Did he jump up on anything or is he staying low to the ground or hiding? Just overall, how comfortable does he look when you come back into the room?

I think the vet is going to be really important in solving this issue. We will continue to do our part in building his confidence and security. Keep playing with him if you can and he is not hurting himself or in pain etc. I would try some different foods. Maybe a limited ingredient food, maybe something without chicken. Since he is separated it will be easier to have him on a different diet. But I would definitely get advice from the vet. Vets are usually good at consulting and helping without charging if you are a customer. And also, I would post this on the health section and see what others say.

Do you remember if the vet every said he has any inflammation in his stomach, intestines? If they feel "thick"?

I just want to say how amazing you are and how appreciative I am of all you do for Charlie. It is really special and I thank you so much for all the love you have for him.

I see there are other posts so I am going to respond to those in separate posts.

 

[calicosrspecial]

This is what I was assuming as well. Charlie and his wound smelled sooo bad the first night he was found. I was gagging at the smell (the vet said most of this smell was coming from the matted, puss filled wads of fur around the wound-he shaved that fur off and it made an incredible difference) and I thought this probably had a lot to do with oscar’s initial reaction to him.
And whenever they are staring each other down, I do try to distract them or get in between them and pet them both at the same time and talk to them calmly. 8 out of 10 times they end up just walking away from each other so I guess that’s better than nothing.

Yes, smells and sickness/injuries can cause issues between cats. Just as a cat that lacks confidence can be bullied an ill cat can also. So it is not surprising that there were issues when he first came home especially with the wound and the smell.

Just be careful getting in between them. I don't want you to get hurt in anyway. It is great that 8 out of 10 times they can be distracted and walk away. That tells me they WILL get along again. Not a question of if but when. I think that is very positive.

 

[calicosrspecial]

He pooped in the litter box last night! and he did cover it as well. I'm not seeing any piles of poop or puke so far this morning in the room so fingers crossed. He's very cuddly this morning and seems to be in good spirits-LOTS of very loud purring and snuggling. The poop in the litter box is solid as well. He's not very happy about being locked up, every time i open the door, I have to catch him mid air as he's trying to run out. But the other cats keep coming to the door from the other side and meowing and laying outside the door, is that a good thing? I did a little research late last night and found some info about cats vomiting up what looks like poop and it said that it's usually caused by a partial blockage from a hairball. My husband said one of the times he cleaned up what we thought was diarrhea, it had a lot of hair in it so now I'm wondering if this is the problem and it was vomit after all? As I'm typing this he's coughing and gagging like he's trying to get a hairball up. He's been licking/cleaning his wound for a month and all of the fur around it was falling out so it's definitely not unrealistic to think he had that had of a hairball. I'll see what i can find nearby for hairball treatment either way.

Terrific!! It is great news he used the litter box and covered!! Let's hope it continues.

It is great that he is cuddly and purring!! This is great and tells me he is feeling more secure. As is his desire to what to get out of the room. He can't fear the other cats if he wants to get out to them.

The fact the others are outside his door meowing and laying could be a good sign. How is their body language? How is Charlie's? If they seem calm and relaxed then it is good.

It is very possible that a hairball is causing him to throw up. Hair can be passed or vomited up so it is tricky to know.

Vomiting can be caused by hairballs or other issues. So I still think the vet will be key. Especially given the previous thoughts of food allergies or an autoimmune issue. I would talk to the vet before giving him any hairball treatments just to make sure it doesn't have any negative repercussions.

Please (if you can) keep posting anything that happens, any update. It really is like being a detective, looking at clues, seeing how he and the others behave, hold themselves, etc. Just keep an eye on Charlie how he walks around, how he acts, how he eats.

Thank you for the updates and for all you are doing for Charlie!! We will figure this out and get through this.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

Please never apologize this is very helpful.

It sounds like he was doing really well in the new room. Playing, purring. It sounds like he was content and happy.

Where in the room did he pee? Right in the middle of the room? Or just in front of the door? Was there pee in that carpet before that maybe the smell hasn't totally gotten out of the carpet?

It is tough to know if it is diarrhea or vomit. Vomit can be very rancid. And I wonder about the pieces of food in it. I am sadly not an expert on that but vomit can and does often have food in it. Now, maybe he is not digesting the food as well. So there might be something internal.

It is interesting that you were testing for food allergies before he got away. Some cats have a chicken allergy etc. A food allergy would be uncomfortable and potentially cause diarrhea and vomiting. Which can lead to more discomfort and a negative association with the litter box.

Given the history you mention I am thinking more and more it is a health related driven issue. I am just not an expert on health issues but I would really like you to copy this post and put it out on the Health section of the site to get people with more experience to help with this. Maybe people can help pinpoint and suggest solutions if it is food driven or autoimmune etc. And please continue talking to your vet about those issues and possibly different foods to try, etc.

I think we still can't rule out behavioral or even the potential of urine in the carpet making it seem like one big litter box to him.

How did he carry himself in the room when you came back in? When you were there he sounds like he was happy and feeling safe and secure. Does he walk around with his tail high? Is he out and about in the room? Did he jump up on anything or is he staying low to the ground or hiding? Just overall, how comfortable does he look when you come back into the room?

I think the vet is going to be really important in solving this issue. We will continue to do our part in building his confidence and security. Keep playing with him if you can and he is not hurting himself or in pain etc. I would try some different foods. Maybe a limited ingredient food, maybe something without chicken. Since he is separated it will be easier to have him on a different diet. But I would definitely get advice from the vet. Vets are usually good at consulting and helping without charging if you are a customer. And also, I would post this on the health section and see what others say.

Do you remember if the vet every said he has any inflammation in his stomach, intestines? If they feel "thick"?

I just want to say how amazing you are and how appreciative I am of all you do for Charlie. It is really special and I thank you so much for all the love you have for him.

I see there are other posts so I am going to respond to those in separate posts.

He peed under the computer desk in the exact spot that he left a pile of poop a couple days before so he must've still smelled it there. I didn't notice any wet spots in the carpet this morning so I hope that means that he is peeing in the litter box now too. As far as the food allergy, we changed his food a couple times eliminating grain, or chicken, or seafood; none of which made any difference unfortunately. The vet never found anything wrong with his stomach or intestines either. In fact, they never found anything wrong with anything! They said we may never know because it may be an allergy to something as ridiculous as dust. We tried all the food allergy testing, all the bloodwork/testing, by the vets request Oscar and Charlie were strictly to stay indoors and be on a monthly flea treatment just in case. Nothing seemed to make any difference, he'd have random flare ups in any season, any time of year, under any circumstances-just always at complete random. What I've always found odd about the whole situation is that Oscar and Charlie were born in my father's barn by a stray cat and they were always in that old dusty barn or outside the whole first 6 months of their lives. Their mother died when they were still VERY young and my step mom just fed them cheap dry cat food from the dollar store, nothing fancy at all; and Charlie was still very young, but hadn't ever had any sores break out on his face/ears until a month or two after bringing them home. But aside from the sores, he's never had any intestinal trouble before this.
As far as his behavior right now, he's a little jumpy when I first open the door (he tries to run out as I mentioned) and then pretty much just sits in the middle of the room, stays low. But once I call him over and start petting/playing with him, his tail is high and just walks around the room rubbing on every one and every thing.
We have a full/walk out basement and thats where the other litter boxes/food/cat tower/etc is at-so i thinking maybe I would shut Oscar and Ava down there and let Charlie wander the house for a bit and then shut Charlie back up in the office before I let the other two back up-alternate them a little bit. That way Charlie can come down and smell around, get used to the smell of the other cats-then when Oscar and Ava come back up, they'll be able to smell Charlie when he had been-get used to each others smells without having to be around each other?
I will try to copy and paste this into the Health forum, too. This is my first post on this site so I'm not sure how to do it yet but I'm sure I can figure it out.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

Terrific!! It is great news he used the litter box and covered!! Let's hope it continues.

It is great that he is cuddly and purring!! This is great and tells me he is feeling more secure. As is his desire to what to get out of the room. He can't fear the other cats if he wants to get out to them.

The fact the others are outside his door meowing and laying could be a good sign. How is their body language? How is Charlie's? If they seem calm and relaxed then it is good.

It is very possible that a hairball is causing him to throw up. Hair can be passed or vomited up so it is tricky to know.

Vomiting can be caused by hairballs or other issues. So I still think the vet will be key. Especially given the previous thoughts of food allergies or an autoimmune issue. I would talk to the vet before giving him any hairball treatments just to make sure it doesn't have any negative repercussions.

Please (if you can) keep posting anything that happens, any update. It really is like being a detective, looking at clues, seeing how he and the others behave, hold themselves, etc. Just keep an eye on Charlie how he walks around, how he acts, how he eats.

Thank you for the updates and for all you are doing for Charlie!! We will figure this out and get through this.

It's mostly Ava that sits outside the door and meows, but she only does it when I'm in there with Charlie so I thought she was meowing for me. When they do meow outside the door, Charlie just kinda perks up and looks over at the door cautiously and sniffs around the air-he doesn't freak out or anything. And Oscar and Ava have just been randomly laying outside the door and trying to sniff underneath it, with no major reaction one way or the other. Charlie still has about another week before he goes back to the vet for shots, but maybe I'll just try to call them and see what they recommend I do in the meantime.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

(Apologies for the long back story) My two cats, Oscar and Charlie were inseparable brothers. They were strictly indoor cats and together, just the two of them, since birth. Charlie escaped his crate at the vets office back in July. We posted flyers, called shelters, walked the streets, went door to door, etc for a couple of months and not ONE person had even spotted him. We had pretty much lost hope of his return. Oscar had never been alone and spent all day and night wandering the house crying and seemed really stressed. We broke down and brought him home a young female kitten (Ava). They bonded quickly and Oscar went right back to normal. Some how, after 4 months, someone found Charlie a town away from where he was lost. He was in rough shape and had a nasty laceration from his chest, around his armpit, and to his shoulder blade. He weighed about 15 lbs when he ran off and came home about 3 lbs, nothing but fur and bones. I took him to an emergency vet appt and thankfully they said he would be fine with just some antibiotics and peroxide. I slowly introduced the cats back to each other, foolishly thinking the once inseparable brothers would be thrilled. Oscar immediately started chasing and attacking Charlie. The first couple weeks of Charlie being back home were somewhat of a battle, all 3 of the cats were unhappy. I kept a separate litter box and food/water dish upstairs since that's where Charlie preferred to hide. I thought he was using the litter box since it was needing to be cleaned every day (apparently from the other cats), until I found a MASSIVE pile of cat poop in the back of my son's closet behind some boxes. At this time, we already had 3 xlg litter boxes. I wasn't sure what to do so I bought a 4th xlg box and new cat litter hoping that would help. It didn't. I locked Charlie in a large room in the basement with the litter box and he still wouldn't use it. I set him in the box and scratched his paws in it, still nothing. He's been home for a month now and hasn't used the litter box once. All 3 cats have calmed down quite a bit and although they aren't necessarily buddies yet, Ava and Oscar have for the most part left Charlie alone. If they do start fighting, it actually seems to be Charlie starting it. They can all be together and fine and suddenly Charlie will crouch down and start hissing, then take off running. Oscar will chase after him hissing and batting at him. I have bought 2 different bottles of sprays from the pet stores that are supposed to calm cats and support emotional health. I use essential oils and have been diffusing (and applying to all 3 cats) calming oils, which has made a noticeable difference in their attitudes and their tolerance of each other. But Charlie is still peeing and pooping everywhere. (Apologies for TMI) It is both solid stools and diarrhea all over upstairs and in the basement (so far, he hasn't pooped or peed anywhere on the main floor, if that's relevant?). And it is RANCID, I am gagging while cleaning it up. I am out of ideas. I have a baby, a toddler, and an elementary age child at home. I can't keep following this cat around the house to scrub the floors 3-4 times a day. Basically all of our upstairs carpeting needs to be ripped out at this point. I love this cat and I was ecstatic to have him back home, but I can't afford the damage he's causing to the house and I don't have the time (or patience) to keep doing this. I know he went through a traumatic 4 months being lost outside and it will obviously take longer than a month to adjust all of the cats to the situation, but I NEED him to start using the litter box. SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE ADVICE OR A POSSIBLE SOLUTION!

 

[verna davies]

It seems as if he has got out of the habit of using traditional litter. Try putting earth in the box, he might prefer that. Also you could try placing sheets of newspaper on the floor near the litter box, this sometimes works.

 

[calicosrspecial]

He peed under the computer desk in the exact spot that he left a pile of poop a couple days before so he must've still smelled it there. I didn't notice any wet spots in the carpet this morning so I hope that means that he is peeing in the litter box now too. As far as the food allergy, we changed his food a couple times eliminating grain, or chicken, or seafood; none of which made any difference unfortunately. The vet never found anything wrong with his stomach or intestines either. In fact, they never found anything wrong with anything! They said we may never know because it may be an allergy to something as ridiculous as dust. We tried all the food allergy testing, all the bloodwork/testing, by the vets request Oscar and Charlie were strictly to stay indoors and be on a monthly flea treatment just in case. Nothing seemed to make any difference, he'd have random flare ups in any season, any time of year, under any circumstances-just always at complete random. What I've always found odd about the whole situation is that Oscar and Charlie were born in my father's barn by a stray cat and they were always in that old dusty barn or outside the whole first 6 months of their lives. Their mother died when they were still VERY young and my step mom just fed them cheap dry cat food from the dollar store, nothing fancy at all; and Charlie was still very young, but hadn't ever had any sores break out on his face/ears until a month or two after bringing them home. But aside from the sores, he's never had any intestinal trouble before this.
As far as his behavior right now, he's a little jumpy when I first open the door (he tries to run out as I mentioned) and then pretty much just sits in the middle of the room, stays low. But once I call him over and start petting/playing with him, his tail is high and just walks around the room rubbing on every one and every thing.
We have a full/walk out basement and thats where the other litter boxes/food/cat tower/etc is at-so i thinking maybe I would shut Oscar and Ava down there and let Charlie wander the house for a bit and then shut Charlie back up in the office before I let the other two back up-alternate them a little bit. That way Charlie can come down and smell around, get used to the smell of the other cats-then when Oscar and Ava come back up, they'll be able to smell Charlie when he had been-get used to each others smells without having to be around each other?
I will try to copy and paste this into the Health forum, too. This is my first post on this site so I'm not sure how to do it yet but I'm sure I can figure it out.

It is possible he smelled the previous incident still. Here is a link to help with cleaning. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-remove-cat-urine

Did he ever go outside of the litter box before he escaped? Especially when he wasn't feeling well with his sores etc?

Do you know anything about the mother? Did she have any skin issues etc?

The fact he didn't have intestinal issues before tells me that either he picked something up while he was in the wild or the stress of being out there is still impacting him. Something like that. It doesn't sound like food is the driver of the problems (since he didn't have them before). Being injured probably really stressed him and it could still have a lingering affect possibly. And he did suffer from malnutrition that might also be causing his system some issues.

I still would like a PCR test to rule out any issues. It does seem like we are eliminating some things potentially.

How is his appetite? How is he drinking?

It is understandable he is jumpy when you first enter the room and the fact he is low tells me he is still suffering from a little fear and a lack of confidence. So I would really like to continue to play with him as much as possible (as long as he is not in pain or uncomfortable in any way or doesn't hurt himself any more). And after play feed either treats or a meal. And just keep showing him a lot of love, be calm and confident with him. Just try to let him know he is loved and wanted. Talk softly to him, get him to purr if you can safely do that without putting yourself at risk of being hurt. The fact he is confident with you is GREAT. That will help him a lot.

I think we should hold off on the site swapping for now (having Oscar go into the others territory etc). I just want to make sure he didn't come back with anything and to give him a little more time to build his confidence. So at some point we'll probably do some scent swapping (getting the others scent on an old shirt and having it by Charlie when he is enjoying himself so he can build a positive association and still feel very safe. And we'll watch his body language to see he is ok with their scent. Then we'll move into the site swapping. But I want Charlie to have more positive body language than his current situation before we move to those next steps.

Thank you so much for the additional information. His history. This is very helpful.

How long has Charlie been back now? It is still about 4-6 weeks, right?

Is Charlie gaining weight?

Has he been on any antibiotics etc and did you see any link between when he was on them and stomach problems?

He was gone for a while and lost a lot of weight and suffered a traumatic injury that is still healing. He went through a lot and had a lot of stress. So it could be a lingering issue. The fact he didn't have problems before with food and stomach/intestinal issues tells me it is probably not the food. Though it could be a little rich for him still given his diet while he was gone.

Let's continue to build his confidence and be as calm and confident and loving as possible (as I know you are). And let's see how he acts and if we see any improvement.

Please share anything and please ask anything. We will get through this.