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

[KATEJOHNSON]

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.

No he NEVER went outside of the litter box before, even with his sores. The first day I brought them home and indoors, I tossed him in the litter box and scratched his paw in it and he immediately used and never once went outside of it for 2 years!
I don't know ANYTHING about the mother. She was a pregnant stray that ended up having her kittens in my father's barn and ended up getting killed when they were very young yet, so my step mother would go out and feed them and bring them water so they'd survive. But Oscar is his brother from that same litter and he's never had any health issues whatsoever. He's only ever been to the vet for his shots and getting fixed, he's a super healthy guy.
Charlie definitely is still skittish. Even with me, when I first come into the room, I'll talk to him and slowly go over to pet him and he doesn't run away but he crouches down and ducks away from me, it takes him a minute to sniff me out before he comes around but instantly he's purring and rubbing on my legs. He's definitely still stressed and seems very traumatized. His personality before this was the total opposite. He was 100% trusting of a total stranger and wanted to cuddle with everyone 24/7. I hope he can get back to that, he was a very happy cat.
Charlie has been back exactly 4 weeks. He was nothing but bones when he came home and he's no where near the 15lb fat house cat he was when he took off, but he has for sure gained a couple pounds; or at least you can visibly see that he's gaining weight I should probably say.
He was put on antibiotics the very next morning after coming home. I took him to an emergency vet visit first thing in the AM (he was actually brought home to me in the middle of the night by the sweet family that found him). They gave him an antibiotic shot at the vets office and then sent us home with (about 2 weeks worth) of antibiotic pills. He ate the pills right up with no problem, but it definitely seemed to be after a few days that I started noticing the vomit (or diarrhea, whichever it actually was). He's been off the antibiotics for almost 2 weeks now and he's had no other medication since.
So far he's been doing really well today. I haven't found any poop (or puke/diarrhea) anywhere and I can usually smell it from across the house:/ So I'm hoping he's still using the litter box and I'm not missing something! The litter box DOES have poop in it, but it doesn't seem to stink like it was when he was pooping on the floor, I'm hoping that's a good sign. I did, however, have to run out today so there was nobody home for a couple of house and when I came back; still no poop but there was a wet spot of pee on the carpet in the room he's staying in. This time it was close to the middle of the room and not in any spot that he pooped before. I'm surprised honestly to find pee on the floor when he's now pooping in the litter box? Before I wasn't finding ANY pee on the floor and only poop so that seems odd!

 

[calicosrspecial]

I am so sorry for the delayed response.

Thank you very much for this, this is very helpful.

The history that he did use the litter before is very helpful. So at that time that wasn't any medical or behavioral issue. Of course, he had this traumatic episode so both medical and behavioral are on the table still. So we will continue to rule out medical and work on the behavioral.

It is very understandable that Charlie is still skittish. He went through a horrible incredibly traumatic situation. But it is GREAT that he warms up to you and starts to purr.

I would like you to walk in very calm and confidently (not slowly but not rapidly). Cats take on our emotions so the more normal and cool we act the more they do. I do this all the time with ferals and I am always amazed and how I carry myself helps put them at ease. Also, don't look at him right away, talk softly and lovingly to him when you enter the room. Then only approach him at his eye level or below, try not to stand over him. Let him initiate any contact on his terms and then let him purr and rub away.

I think we can absolutely get back to the cat he was. It will take time and love but I know you can build that trust again and build his confidence.

4 weeks is still a a very short time after such a traumatic experience. He was severely injured and suffering from malnutrition. So the trauma and stress he went through is very significant. I want to work on building hi confidence and trust in that room before we start expanding his territory and getting him to meet the other cats.

I am SO GLAD that he is gaining weight.

I am not a vet but antibiotics can be harsh so they can suffer from an upset stomach etc. So that very well could have been a source of the vomiting and/or the diarrhea.

The litter does neutralize the odor so it could be the litter or maybe his stomach is feeling better or normalizing. Let's keep an eye on it.

I am a little surprised that Charlie went on the carpet as well. It could have been a territorial issue. I would like to keep the other cats away from the door into his room if at all possible. It is possible one of the cats came out and he felt scared and stressed and went. Or maybe the carpet still has the scent and he is going on top of it. It could be medical (UTI, etc). So we'll try to eliminate potential drivers of it. So keeping the other cats away will help us understand if that is the cause. Cleaning the carpet with the proper cleaning solution. The vet appointment. It really is detective work.

Urine is usually medical pain/infection or territorially or stress driven. We continue to work on his confidence and feeling of security and see if that eliminates that. And the upcoming vet visit will tell us a lot as well.

Pooping outside of the litter box is typically medical issues and usually pain driven. We will learn a lot over the next weeks as well as through the vet visit. So if his stools are normal (not hard, not diarrhea, not going several times a day) and he is using the litter box all the time that tells us he is feeling better. If they are normal but he is going outside of the box then it is probably a medical issue or stress. If they are not normal and he is going outside of the litter box then it probably is pain driven or some other medical.

Unfortunately we have to keep monitoring and see how he responds and what he is doing that isn't what he should be.

So it is a little odd what he is doing but it is understandable because of the severe trauma he has gone through. I am so thankful for that family for caring and saving his life.

So I think we have a good game plan. Keep spending time with him, giving him good food, a lot of love. Be calm and confident with him. Keep the other cats away as much as possible. I really want to focus on him building his confidence and security. And then we'll work on integrating him. A confident cat is more likely to accept and be accepted. If you can play with him without him hurting himself then please step up play. If it is just feeding him, letting him rub and purr because he might rip open his sore then that is fine. But play is best to build confidence. And after play feed treats or a meal. And just talk to him lovingly, be confident with him.

I hope this makes sense. Please ask for any clarification and feel free to update or ask anything anytime. I have never seen a cat that hasn't responded to love and I can tell you have a lot for him. Charlie is one lucky guy!!

 

[pharber-murphy]

Poor Charlie and poor you! If the vet has checked him out and found nothing wrong, maybe Charlie just prefers pooping outdoors. Since he can't get outdoors, he's acting out his frustration. Do you have a leash? Perhaps you could take Charlie outside on a leash to do his business, then take him back indoors. I'm sure you don't want to lose him again, but I certainly understand how distressing it is to have a cat messing in inappropriate places!

BTW, we once had a male kitten who would poop anywhere but inside the litter box - it was runny and foul, too. But after he was nuetured, he started using the litter box and his poop was as normal as the other two cats'. I have absolutely no idea how that worked, but it did. If Charlie hasn't been fixed, perhaps this would solve the problem.

Good luck with Charlie. Let us know how it goes.

 

[rubysmama]

Oh, wow. Poor Charlie. If the poor boy could talk...

Charlie is probably still traumatized from his ordeal. It will likely take time for him to get back to normal.

How is his weight. Maybe eating normally again is upsetting his stomach, thus the diarrhea. Was he given pills for worms? And checked for an UTI.

Does the vet have any suggestions to get him to start using the litter box again?

I know you put him in a room in the basement and he still didn't use the litter box. I wonder if crating him would work. I read recently about keeping a cat in a crate to train them to (re)use the litter box. I don't know much about it, but it's something perhaps you could look into.

Sending vibes for things to work out for you and Charlie.

 

[lavishsqualor]

I second crating him. Get the biggest cage you can find, preferably one made for a large dog such as a great dane, and put him in there with his box for several days.

 

[rubysmama]

It looks like there's a couple threads about Charlie. I commented on the other one, and then found this one. It looks like you've been getting some good advice, and making changes. Hopefully things are improving. Poor Charlie, baby.

I am not a vet but antibiotics can be harsh so they can suffer from an upset stomach etc. So that very well could have been a source of the vomiting and/or the diarrhea.

I did wonder about antibiotics and the diarrhea. Maybe mention probiotics to your vet.

 

[verna davies]

A crate is a good idea. Perhaps you could borrow or rent one as hopefully you won't need it for long.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

Thanks everyone! Charlie has been fixed for about 2 years now. I did try crated him in a giant one I had in the basement and somehow he kept figuring out how to escape (he also busted free from his small carrier crate which is how he escaped at the vets and got lost in the first place!) It’s been about a few days and he is finally using the litter box! Hallelujah! I had to put him in a different room upstairs and get him (another) new litter box, this one with a cover for more privacy. I also changed the litter to a finer grain, unscented kind and it all seemed to do the trick! Though he was leaving solid stools all over the floor, I recently discovered what I thought was diarrhea was actually vomit! I started giving him a hairball treatment gel and he’s since been vomiting up huge hair balls (he’s been licking his wound clean like crazy and all the hair around it has fallen out so apparently he’s been swallowing it all)! He’s been doing much better the last couple days! He is gaining weight (at least you can visibly see that he’s gotten a little fatter).

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

I’m considering changing his name to Houdini because this guy can escape anything! I still have him separated from the other cats because although he and Ava seem to have adjusted fine, his brother Oscar has not been so welcoming with his return (which is crazy since they were inseparable before!) Charlie escaped his room upstairs and Oscar got him pretty good. I had to pull them apart and Oscar took off with a wad of Charlie’s hair in his mouth! I’ve been trying to do the site swapping and the sock thing to get them used to each other’s scents. Any other tips or advice for getting them back to loving each other again?! (All 3 cats are fixed-Ava is about 6 months and Oscar and Charlie are brothers about 2 1/2 yrs)

 

[Norachan]

Hi K KATEJOHNSON Wow, you were lucky to get him back after so long! The longest one of my cats was missing was 6 weeks. Poor Charlie sounds as if he had a rough time out there.

I think that the boys no longer recognise each other at all. Charlie must smell very different after being out for so long. Oscar now sees him as an intruder and is trying to defend his home against this strange cat that has moved in. Charlie is too scared to use the litter box that the other cats use. Cats mark their territory with urine and feces, so it's much more than just going to the toilet for them.

I think you need to keep Charlie either crated or in a room of his own for a while. Make sure the other cats don't go anywhere near him. Letting them use his litter box is basically telling Charlie "This is ours!" and he won't use that box for fear of upsetting the cats whose territory he has invaded.

You really have to go back to doing the introductions as if the cats have never met before. Before you do that I suggest you wait until Charlie is completely healthy, back to his normal weight and no longer suffering from stomach upsets. 4 months of surviving on what he could find will have taken it's toll on his stomach. It's no wonder he's having poop problems.

Don't be in any hurry to start the introductions. I'd wait at least a month.

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide

How To Safely Break Up A Cat Fight

 

[rubysmama]

Glad to hear things are going a bit better with Charlie. I'm still stunned that he was found after 4 months. He's a survivor, that's for sure.

 

[voyager]

One possible way to get them used to each other again, cage them both and place the cages next to each other just out of reach. I would think that after a few days they would be more tolerant of each other. Then, move the cages so that they are touching, so that contact can be made, and see how it goes. I think that a few days of this might make them more tolerant.

EDIT:
Another possible method is to cage the aggressive one and put him in a room with the prodigal son. A few days of that could also work.

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

VERY LATE UPDATE! Vet determined that Charlie had a bad stomach ulcer (most likely from his poor diet while on the lam 4 months). A 10 day oral antibiotic and he was good as new! Back to normal, using the litter box, no more vomiting, and getting along with the other cats again!

 

[KATEJOHNSON]

VERY LATE UPDATE! Vet determined that Charlie had a bad stomach ulcer (most likely from his poor diet while on the lam 4 months). A 10 day oral antibiotic and he was good as new! Back to normal, using the litter box, no more vomiting, andgetting along with the other cats again!

 

[rubysmama]

That's really great news! Thanks for the update.

 

[rubysmama]

Great news!

 

[calicosrspecial]

I am so glad he is doing better. Thank you for standing with him and helping him!!

 

[Norachan]

Thanks for the update, I'm glad he's doing better now.