need advise... hyperesthesia

[mermaidsblue]

hello everyone ! I am a cat lover .. over the past year, I lost my 20 yr old and 22 year old cat. It was so sad! On November 1st, I found a 2 week old kitten in my neighbors yard.. I bottle fed him and decided to keep him! He has been so great ..until 4 weeks ago when he all of a sudden he started to not use the litter box for his bowel movements. I took him to the vet ... I had his poop sent to lab as well as urine. All came back negative. Vet put him on antibiotics while waiting for results. He used the litter box once or twice in the last 4 weeks. When he has to poop he starts to look upset, starts biting his back side/tail, grooms back side in an obsessive way like he is being bit by fleas and he crouches down and moves around to hide. He will then poop here and there while travelling around the house in a crouched down position. After he leaves his poop all over the house, he then goes back to the obsessed grooming for a minute or two and then settles down. At this time, he does not groom enough to mutilate him self and I do not see any hair missing.
With reading some older posts on this site and doing research, it seems he has hyperesthesia. I need to get him to a neurologist for a work up. I have seen that some meds / combo of meds will work for some pets. I want to do the best for him and me ... its obvious that he is not happy when he has to go poop and then goes into this behavior. I tried putting him in room where litter box was and he jumped out and pooped on a table. I have three litter boxes for one cat in different areas of house and have tried different litters.
Can anyone give me any advice ? Has anyone had luck with meds and it helping the pooping issue ? So far, I have cleaned up 4 weeks of poo all over the house... I love him dearly but cannot continue with this on a daily basis. Any and all input is appreciated !
by the way... he is about 7.5 months old. he is neutered. he is indoor only... but goes out supervised on a leash. he is on flea meds and I do not see any fleas and he does not have any flea dirt. he is a little over 10 pounds. He eats mostly RAWZ chicken (can and dry). I did just get some freeze dried rabbit and he would not touch it. was going to see if he has an allergy to chicken.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Can you keep him contained in a room or two until this gets squared away? Can you post a picture? Granted big breed kittens are large already at an early age, but 10 pounds at 7.5 months seems possibly a bit much.

Are you sure he's not constipated? I would suggest trying a different brand of canned food.

 

[fionasmom]

Search Results for Query: hyperesthesia

The above are search results for TCS regarding hyperesthesia. My Chelsea had it, diagnosed by the vet. In her case, it was the classic non recognition of her tail, spinning in circles, huge dark eyes, inability to recognize me or come out of it unless I touched her with a pillow or gloved hands. It can present in various ways though, and I am not saying that your boy could not have it, or not have it as part of something else going on. Definitely consult with the specialist and take videos. None of this is going to happen in the vet's office.

Gabapentin is often used successfully, but I agree with the above post that there could be something else which is prompting these episodes which needs to be investigated as well. We aren't vets, but I also wonder if this could be related to the pooping or constipation/anal issue.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

If he doesn't act that way any other time, other than when he needs to potty, then I'm thinking it's not typeresthesia. But it's obviously something . I agree that taking some videos of him doing this routine would be very helpful for any Vet examining him to try to get to the bottom of it. When he does poop, is it normal in consistency? I'm just wondering if there is something wrong in that department and he's in pain or something ?

 

[iPappy]

Just another thought. Has the vet checked his anal glands to make sure they're not full or impacted?

 

[mermaidsblue]

Just another thought. Has the vet checked his anal glands to make sure they're not full or impacted?

hello ... yes they checked and they are perfectly fine !

 

[mermaidsblue]

If he doesn't act that way any other time, other than when he needs to potty, then I'm thinking it's not typeresthesia. But it's obviously something . I agree that taking some videos of him doing this routine would be very helpful for any Vet examining him to try to get to the bottom of it. When he does poop, is it normal in consistency? I'm just wondering if there is something wrong in that department and he's in pain or something ?

thank you ... I have some good videos of what is going on before / after going to the litter box. I think I have seen him do some of the obsessive grooming at other times but it is very short and far apart. He is not constipated ... I have been taking samples to vet too. The first time this happened he did have a bout of diarrhea and that is why the vet thought it was an infection. They also did an X-ray and said they did not see anything abnormal. Next step is neurologist I suppose. Just a lot for a young boy to be going thru !

 

[mermaidsblue]

Hi
Can you keep him contained in a room or two until this gets squared away? Can you post a picture? Granted big breed kittens are large already at an early age, but 10 pounds at 7.5 months seems possibly a bit much.

Are you sure he's not constipated? I would suggest trying a different brand of canned food.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh my goodness, he's gorgeous !! Wow!

 

[mermaidsblue]

ugh .. I got home from work today and he had peed on my cookie sheet on the stove and partially on the counter and spray all over the floor .
I will be dropping him off at the the vet tomorrow am to check for UTI

if its behavior or the hyperesthesia I don't know what I will do ... I don't want to lock him in a bathroom all day while I am at work .. that is no life for him

 

[Furballsmom]

Sending hugs to both of you!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

... The first time this happened he did have a bout of diarrhea and that is why the vet thought it was an infection. They also did an X-ray and said they did not see anything abnormal. Next step is neurologist I suppose. Just a lot for a young boy to be going thru !

What, exactly, did they x-ray? Did they send the x-rays to the radiologist to be read, or did the (regular) vet read them and maybe not as expertly as a radiologist would? Did they check his spine, tail and back legs with x-rays? It could be possible that he has an old injury (you found him outside at 2 weeks old, so I guess an old injury is possible) or even a congenital issue that, as his bones and muscles develop and grow during kittenhood, is becoming more apparent. X-raying spine, tail, hips, back legs could rule that in or out.

 

[iPappy]

hello ... yes they checked and they are perfectly fine !

It's very strange what's going on with him. I hope they are able to figure it out soon. I wish they could talk!