Another Piper the pooping cat update

[fitzy819]

This is an update to this thread http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=213486

Thank you everyone for your wonderful advice already!!! I'm in nursing school and this week has been a rough one so I'm sorry it took me so long to update.

Soooo, we have had two more incidents since I posted last. *sigh* After the last incident my husband and I thought we had things figured out. Most of the time when these problems occur we noticed it when my husband was the only one home (or I had gone to sleep early in another room) and he was on the computer (the same room her litterboxes are in) and she was let out to roam the house. She is usually very timid around my husband for some reason so we thought maybe she was too scared to poo in her litterbox while he was in the room, even though she will pee in there no problem. Seemed like a good theory so we put out another box where she could go without him watching if he was in her room.

Well, that theory held water until tonight. I was sitting on the couch and Piper started crying and crying and crying. I went and picked her up and held her a little and she just seemed uncomfortable. Then she passed gas. Ok, not to be vulgar but this was a can of beans, person sized fart. I swooped her up and took her to the litter box but she didn't go, just kind of sat there for a while, and I noticed that on the way to the box a little bit of runny stool had dripped on the floor. I left her in her room and as far as I know she still hasn't gone potty yet. (Another random little observation, I noticed some dried stool on her bed this morning also. I thought was was very odd too that she would get the place where she sleeps and feels comfortable dirty)

Soooo, after all that I really think I'm going to take her to another vet. I really like our vet but they don't seem to be taking me seriously while still taking all of my money. Her crying like that before that happened just doesn't seem like nerves to me, it sounds more like there is something medically wrong even thought vet says things are normal.

Any opinions? I'm going to start calling different vets tomorrow but I really just can't bring her in until next payday because we have spent so much on nothing already. Can cats get IBS? This really seems to be very random and usually doesn't effect her in any way. She seems to have a very healthy appetite and has be putting on weight which is great since she is so small. She is very playful and has even started to enjoy cuddling more. She is so normal 90% of the time and then will just get these random bursts of explosiveness. I'm still trying to stay patient and positive until we can get to the bottom of this but whew, this is exhausting for the both of us.

 

[darlili]

Oh, I've been there - and it is exhausting - and great for you to be in nursing school, but that's very stressfilled itself.

I agree that it may be time to see another vet - and others will no doubt be along with suggestions about the poo situation. But, yes, cats can get IBS, and a lot of times it's food-related. I'd suggest keeping a diary of date and time of the 'events', as well as any changes in the environment, food, etc (just like you guys figured out that she might still be shy about your husband and added the other box - that, IMO, was great work on your part!)

Even switching food too quickly can bring on a case of the runs, or too many treats, or a food being too rich, can create gas etc. Some cats apparently can eat nails with no problem - but some, like my boy, do have delicate tummies. And food that works for Cat A may not work for Cat B.

Sharky is the food guru here, and can no doubt suggest some foods or probiotics you might try to make Piper more comfortable. But I think it's a great idea to start interviewing some new vets as well - whenever a kitty is going outside the box, it's something to take seriously, and it can be really hard to diagnose. Bless you for your patience - lucky Piper to have found your family.

 

[fitzy819]

I didn't even think about writing everything down, duh, haha. I will start doing that for sure. I have read online that sometimes a bland diet can help soothe irritated stomachs, do you know anything about that? What I have read says a cooked, dry meat like chicken or beef and a carb like steamed rice or potatoes then. I might ask the vet about something like that until I can get her in maybe.

 

[darlili]

I'd check with the vet on the phone, just to be safe - but I've also read that sometimes little chicken - just simmered til completely cooked - with a little white rice can sometimes soothe the tummy - almost like with humans! But IMO check with the vet's office - that way they're totally in the loop if something works or doesn't work, and can tell you how long to try something before you could expect to see results.

Someone told me about the diary deal - again, like with humans - it can be hard to see patterns but sometimes just writing it down will trigger some thoughts. It's like when you, as a nurse, will be questioning patients - sometimes a thing that doesn't seem all that striking to the patient will be key to you in diagnosis.

 

[carolina]

Hi there!
Yes, cats can get IBD, however that doesn't strike me as IBD... Your cats seems to be constipated... IMO this can be very food related.
I do have a kitty with IBD, and for me it is a reverse struggle, with diarrhea... Lots of diarrhea... Right now thank goodness it is completely under control through diet and medication... I don't really struggle with constipation, never have...

What are you feeding her?

 

[laureen227]

Java had a similar problem not long after i acquired her [she was a stray]. 1st it was the awful gas - she used to sleep on my shoulder & it was

! then came diarrhea.
basically, she had some kind of bacterial infection. after TWO rounds of antibiotics plus a round of probiotics the problem went away.
of course, so did the shoulder sleeping - i think she was having cramps & my body heat was comforting.

 

[fitzy819]

Originally Posted by Carolina

Hi there!
Yes, cats can get IBD, however that doesn't strike me as IBD... Your cats seems to be constipated... IMO this can be very food related.
I do have a kitty with IBD, and for me it is a reverse struggle, with diarrhea... Lots of diarrhea... Right now thank goodness it is completely under control through diet and medication... I don't really struggle with constipation, never have...

What are you feeding her?

Well, when she has her episodes it is very very smelly diarrhea and it is never in the litterbox, its like it hits her and she cries and then has to go right where she is. She has never vomited and has only gained weight since we got her and she isn't lethargic at all... so the random diarrhea is really the only thing. When we have gone to the vet her stool checks and blood work came back neg- for whatever they tested her for and the vet said that since she was gaining weight well (she was VERY underweight when we got her) not to worry about it and it should all subside.

Oh, and she is getting wellness grain free canned and a nutro mixed with a little bit of wellness core in dry (trying to make a switch to core very very slowly) but she doesn't eat too much of that. She gets her canned twice a day and she knows her schedule for her feedings already and will be waiting for me at the fridge when its feeding time

.

Originally Posted by laureen227

Java had a similar problem not long after i acquired her [she was a stray]. 1st it was the awful gas - she used to sleep on my shoulder & it was

! then came diarrhea.
basically, she had some kind of bacterial infection. after TWO rounds of antibiotics plus a round of probiotics the problem went away.
of course, so did the shoulder sleeping - i think she was having cramps & my body heat was comforting.

Do you remember what test they ran to find out what she had? I just want to see if the vet already did that or not.

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by Fitzy819

Well, when she has her episodes it is very very smelly diarrhea and it is never in the litterbox, its like it hits her and she cries and then has to go right where she is. She has never vomited and has only gained weight since we got her and she isn't lethargic at all... so the random diarrhea is really the only thing. When we have gone to the vet her stool checks and blood work came back neg- for whatever they tested her for and the vet said that since she was gaining weight well (she was VERY underweight when we got her) not to worry about it and it should all subside.

Oh, and she is getting wellness grain free canned and a nutro mixed with a little bit of wellness core in dry (trying to make a switch to core very very slowly) but she doesn't eat too much of that. She gets her canned twice a day and she knows her schedule for her feedings already and will be waiting for me at the fridge when its feeding time

.



Do you remember what test they ran to find out what she had? I just want to see if the vet already did that or not.

You should get her tested for giardia and TF.
Just so you know, Wellness Core can be too much for some kitties, especially kitties with a sensitive intestinal system. If it was me, that is not the food I would be feeding her.

I do feed my boy a grain free diet, but not as strong as that one... Since Bugsy is allergic to Chicken, I Feed him either EVO Salmon and Herring or Orijen 6-fish. Right now I am starting to mix both of them, coming from 100% EVO.
I highly recommend Orijen as a grain free diet; it is also easy on the tummy... much much easier than core... It is a bit hard to find though, I am not sure where you are; if you have a Pet Supplies Plus around, that is where I buy it, and they can also order other brands for you, such as ACANA. ACANA is Orijen's sister brand, and another excellent choice, IMO.
Of course you can also re-introduce grains... Since there is the risk of her having IBD, stay clear of wheat and corn, but rice and oatmeal are ok if you prefer to go that rout. I would also stay away from soy, as it is an allergen, and your kitty might be sensitive to it.

 

[laureen227]

Originally Posted by Fitzy819

Do you remember what test they ran to find out what she had? I just want to see if the vet already did that or not.

nope. just remember the vet called it a 'bacterial intestinal overgrowth'. don't know if it even had a name. goodness knows what she'd been eating before i adopted her - she was in the parking lot of the school where i worked at the time.

 

[fitzy819]

Well, wish us luck, we are about to go try out the new vet today. I HOPE we can finally get to the bottom of this. Got to run before piper breaks out of her carrier lol.

 

[carolina]