Mati Is Crapping Outside The Box For Weeks

[missbliss]

The stools are darker, there was blood. I know she's doing this so I can see the problem and address it. I'm posting here to crowd source and figure out what is going on physically.

When she started looking iffy a few weeks ago, I took her to the vet with a stool sample. Blood showed high esophills - urine was ok. Stool sample showed denseness (whatever, the vet lab didn't really do a good job on that - they should've looked more at depth). Anyway - vet says everything is fine except for the esophills - so basically I am at square one. Yes, Mati has a skin issue - constant scratching - fleas - can't find them anywhere. This is a chronic thing - she is itchy around her neck and the flakiness is down her spine. I changed her food to canned since yesterday - but whatever is causing the inner turmoil is still in residence in her cells and I need to address that.
The crapping outside the box is maddening. Can someone please share what this is sounding like? We lost our beloved Chi around the time this all started. Coincidence or not - it is still going on. We grieved together and Mati still misses Chi - we all do - intensely - but there is an underlying problem that's been ongoing, way before Chi passed.

Thoughts please. TIA

 

[jcat]

Did the vet day anything about the possibility of Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease

IBD can present in different forms depending on the type of inflammatory cells and the region of the gastrointestinal tract involved. The most common form of IBD involves an inflammatory infiltrate consisting of lymphocytes (small white blood cells) and plasma cells (cells that produce antibodies) and is called lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteritis. Enteritis refers to the small intestine. If the stomach is involved, the inflammation is described as gastritis, and if the colon (large intestine) is involved, the term colitis is used. Eosinophils are another cell type commonly present in feline IBD. Eosinophils may be present as the predominant cell (for example, eosinophilic gastroenteritis), but are more commonly seen as part of a mixed population of other inflammatory cells. Two less common forms of IBD are called neutrophilic and granulomatous.

Stomach and Intestinal Inflammation in Cats

 

[duckpond]

Grief for the lost friend could have something to do with it. I am sorry for the loss of Chi!

Has she been treated for fleas, and mites? I get drops from the vet sometimes that will take care of any of those little bugs.

What type of litter do you use? Nice Big box? how often do you scoop? I have a cat that will not use the box if it is not super clean.

What food were you feeding, and what did you switch to? If you only feed one type of protein, say chicken, it may be that she has a problem with that, developed an allergy? Maybe try a different brand, and a different protein?

If not better soon another vet visit may be in order?

 

[missbliss]

Did the vet day anything about the possibility of Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease


Stomach and Intestinal Inflammation in Cats

This could be. Except would it explain the skin issues?

 

[missbliss]

Grief for the lost friend could have something to do with it. I am sorry for the loss of Chi!

Thank you so much. Yes, it could be grief. Chi was like a mother to Mati.


Has she been treated for fleas, and mites? I get drops from the vet sometimes that will take care of any of those little bugs.

No treatment because I can't see them. What kind of drops. Am interested if they're natural.


What type of litter do you use? Nice Big box? how often do you scoop? I have a cat that will not use the box if it is not super clean.

We're using some sort of clay gravel cheap stuff because that's the only kind we can source. I change and clean 2 boxes every other day or so, no scooping just emptying, cleaning and refilling.

What food were you feeding, and what did you switch to? If you only feed one type of protein, say chicken, it may be that she has a problem with that, developed an allergy? Maybe try a different brand, and a different protein?

I feed her a variety. I bought her Arden Grange - 3 types - kibble - grain free, varied with some raw, some cooked chicken, organ meats, fish. Now have gotten her canned food - *Holistic* and *Precise* brands.

If not better soon another vet visit may be in order?

We're all vetted out at this point.

 

[duckpond]

This could be. Except would it explain the skin issues?

I dont know, this is just a theory i have been working on the past few weeks. One of my male cats that eats mostly wet food, and most of them contain sunflower oil, has developed really dry skin this winter. My other cats that eat wet foods, and dry with no sunflower oil, more chicken fat, fish oil, or no added fats dont seem to have this problem. I have for the last 2 or 3 weeks been working to eliminate the sunflower oil from his diet. I must say i am seeing an improvement in his skin. Less flaking and itching. I dont know if sunflower oil is a problem for some cats, but maybe for some? I am trying to eliminate all vegetable and seed oils as much as possible.

 

[di and bob]

If she is stressed from losing her companion it can manifest itself in many ways, she may not be drinking enough and is dehydrated, thus dry skin, or allergies, and even a dry house could cause it. Set out two boxes for now, side by side, one for peeing one for stool, she may not smell the other cat now and is confused. If the box or litter was changed, go back to the old. Get a cat fountain or set around several bowls of water to entice her. I had an elderly cat that had EXTREMELY dry skin, even to the point of bleeding, I got RESQ Organics skin treatment with manura honey on amazon and it helped tremendously. so research some topical treatments for cats. Good luck!

 

[duckpond]

We're all vetted out at this point.

The drops i use, are Advantage multi for cats, i get them from my vet. I dont use them all the time, but maybe two times per year i will use them two months or so in a row.

sounds like the litter box routine is good, if you can find a different litter may be worth trying a different brand once, just to see if it makes any difference. might, might not.

I dont know Arden foods. the other two i dont feed, but i know of them, and they seem to be good foods. If you are feeding fish that is sometimes an allergen to cats, maybe eliminate all fish for a few weeks and see if it helps. If you just switched to the canned yesterday i would give those a few weeks to see how it works. Holistic select, and precise holistic neither one seem to have sunflower oil, so i may have to try them

Best of Luck to figure it out.