# Cat behaving worse after coming back from the vet...



## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

I am really worried right now about Snowy and I hope someone can help me  

Snowy has been feeling rather lethargic since Sunday morning. His appetite was was down on Sunday and all he did was sleep. I wanted to take him to a vet yesterday but it was a public holiday in my country and all the clinics were closed. Yesterday, his appetite was still very little but he seemed to have more energy and was walking about more. This morning, his appetite seemed to have improved (poop and pee were normal too) but I still decided to bring him to see a vet just in case. 

The vet I usually take Snowy too is about 20 minutes from my house. But I wanted a second opinion as to why Snowy seemed to get sick so often so I decided to try this clinic that was almost 2 hours away from my house but is highly recommended by a couple of my friends who had pets too.
When we reached the clinic, Snowy seemed fine. Vet said he had a bit of fever but everything else looked good. She only gave me some pills to help increase his appetite and told me to just keep Snowy under observation.

However, it has been 6 hours since I reached home and all Snowy do is sleep. I tried to wake him up to get him to eat but he gave me this weird cry that I had never heard him made before. He hasn't eaten or drank anything since I took him to the vet 10 hours ago. I am wondering could the long trip stressed him out? Is that why he is behaving like this? All he do is sleep and he keeps letting out this cry when I try to touch him. He seems to be in a worse shape than this morning and I am really regretting taking him on such a long car ride now 

What should I do? Should I just let him be? Or try taking him to the usual vet tomorrow morning? Please help...


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Did the vet inspect his inside his mouth and did you tell him/her that Snowy may have stomatitis? Cats with pain in their mouths usually do not want to eat, no matter how hungry they may be. I wish there were more answers to give you, but anytime you go to a new vet, all old records from the previous vet should also be printed out and shown to the new vet so that they can find more clues and possibly run more diagnostic tests if needed. If all you mentioned were his lack of appetite and his slight fever, that's very little to go on.

I'd say he needs to be vetted again, I'm so sorry your trip was 2 hours away.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

He appears to be showing pain when you touch him. I would go back to your first vet again, as he should be eating by now. The car ride may have stressed him out, but he should not be worse the next day as you've said. He should not go without food for much longer. Something is going on. Did the vet run any blood tests on him? Check his heart? I certainly hope the vet will be able to diagnose what is going on with "Snowy". Good luck!


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

The vet didn't give any antibiotics for the fever? I would definitely go to your vet, who knows Snowy's history, tomorrow. Don't second-guess yourself about the long car trip, though. That was a big effort to get Snowy the best vet care possible. Maybe ultimately it wasn't worth the trip, but that doesn't change your intent. Fingers crossed that there will be a simple solution and that Snowy feels better very soon - please keep us updated.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you to everyone who has replied. 
Snowy seemed much better this morning. He ate some of his dry food and is drinking his water. Still wouldn't eat his wet food, but I will try again later in the evening.

About the vet visit yesterday, I did ask about the stomatitis problem but the vet said the same thing as the first vet. Apparently, the vets here refer to ulcers in the mouth as stomatitis. Snowy still only has that one very small ulcer near his lower right jaw, but the vet said it seems to be healing nicely. His gums are also not as red as before anymore. So as long as I continue to brush his teeth daily and use the gel he will be ok. Everything else in his mouth is fine. 

I also did ask about doing a blood work...but the vet said since Snowy is only a year old, she doesn't think he needs it yet. And he did seem very healthy at the vet yesterday. When I first came in, his temperature was 39.5 degrees which was slightly feverish. But the doctor measured his temperature again later on, and it went down to 39.2 degrees which was normal. So she said Snowy might just be feeling stressed from the car ride.

I touched his body again last night...and he doesn't seem to be in pain anywhere. The vet did say he seemed to be a bit constipated as she can feel some hard stools so she gave me a laxative to help him poop (I fed him the laxative this morning). He only cried yesterday every time I tried to wake him up to give him his medicine or wet food.

He was walking about this morning when I woke up so I didn't take him to the vet. I really don't want to stress him out more with another car ride. But I will continue to monitor him closely and if he still refuses to eat his wet food later on, I will definitely bring him back to his original vet tonight. 

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied once again.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine, 
I'm so glad Snowy is doing better!
Sending him Healing Prayers, and sending (((HUGS))) for you,
Sharon


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Oh I'm glad he seems better. Let's hope he continues to improve.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Hope it all works out!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Just a quick update about Snowy...I am happy and relieved to say that he finally ate his wet food just now!!! I was so happy I almost cried ;_;
He only ate about half of his usual portion but nevertheless I am just so relieved. He barely ate a spoonful yesterday and this morning after all.
I am also relieved because the wet food he ate just now wasn't his usual wet food. I bought some Wellness canned food at the new vet yesterday and I am so glad Snowy seems to like it. Gonna slowly transtition his wet food from Super Cat and Fancy Feast to Wellness from now on


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Yay! I know what a relief it is when your kitty finally starts to eat again! And I also know how happy I was when I was finally able to take FF out of the rotation (it took 4 years )

Did he poop? Constipation can make kitties really uncomfortable. Mine went to the emergency vet a couple of years ago because she was so constipated, and twice recently, she had to spend the night at the vet. All 3 times, they gave her an enema. And the stress of the visits probably didn't help. I don't know what kind of laxative your vet gave, but if you have Miralax there, you can dissolve it in water and add it to wet food. It doesn't have any smell or taste. It worked very well for over 2 years, until an ear infection made her stop drinking water. I also add some water to her wet food so that she gets as much water as possible.


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Glad you found something Snowy likes to eat!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Yes, he peed and pooped this morning 
Thank God...I have never been happier to see cat poop XD

This is the laxative that was given to me yesterday:










It's really funny coz they gave me a syringe and told me to use it when I want to give the laxative to Snowy. But the consistency of the laxative is so thick that I can even get the syringe to suck it! So I ended up having to scoop the laxative on my finger and feeding it directly to Snowy yesterday. 
Is this brand ok though? Should I switch to Miralax? I am going to Singapore this weekend and I can try looking for Miralax there. 

By the way, how often does a cat have to poop to be considered normal? I told my vet that Snowy used to poop once a day, but lately it's more like once every 2 days. And she said that that's not good...that not pooping daily is considered as constipation already. She said I should give him the laxative if he doesn't poop daily. Should I?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
Once a day, for a poo, is normal!
If you can find the Miralax, it can be given on an ongoing basis, you certainly don't want him getting constipated...
Snowy is such a little cutie!
Sharon


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

I've rarely a constipated cat (they're on wet/raw diet), but I do put in more water to their wet food and mix, just because it's what I've always done and so they always stay hydrated, even though they've got a water fountain now. Cats normally get their hydration with their meals, so I'm trying to replicate that. My 2 cats have one stool at least once every 24 hours, too.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

So if Snowy continues to poop only once every 2 days, I should add Miralax to his food everyday? So pooping once every 2 days is indeed bad for cats?
I will try adding water to his wet food from now on. How much water do you add though?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, start with a 1/4 teaspoon of Miralax once a day, if that doesn't get Snowy 'regular' up it to twice a day, am & pm.
Miralax is a 'dose to effect' laxative, so you can up the dosage, or lower it, till you find what works best for Snowy.

Most of us add a couple of tablespoons of water to the canned food each time we feed them.
I also keep water bowls throughout the house, so they don't have to go out of their way, to get a drink!
Hope this helps,
Sharon


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

I add about a tablespoon's worth of water to their canned food, but it may not be necessary for all cats. I just do it to ensure they get more water intake.

I don't think having stools every other day is a bad sign, you just need to spot Snowy defacating and examine his behavior and the stool itself. If it's very hard and seems to be straining when he eliminates, that's a sign he's still constipated. If his stool is firm but not rock hard, he's fine. You can feel his stool using a paper towel or napkin, plastic baggie, etc, but it would need to be fairly fresh. Shape can also help identify constipation. Round marble like stools tend to be hard; little logs tend to be the normal shape for cats.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Some kitties also seem more prone to constipation, and often, it seems that once they have one bad case of constipation, it seems to make them much more likly to have it again...
Canned food and water generally do the trick for normal kitties, but sometimes, a little extra help is needed for some cats!
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you everyone who has replied! 
I will try to look for Miralax in Singapore. Hopefully they sell it there.
I will also add water to Snowy's wet food from now on.

But is anyone familiar with the laxative the vet gave me above? If I cannot get hold of Miralax, do you think it's ok for me to continue using it?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, can you list the ingredients on what you got from the vet?
It will help to decide if it's more for occasional use, or if it can be used regularly...
S.


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

I found this for you, if it's not on the label already, you may not want to use it daily. Miralax, as far as I know, can be used indefinitely without affecting cats, and may indeed be a good back up, in case Snowy continues to be irregular. 

http://www.ethicalagents.co.nz/ProductPDF/laxapet.pdf


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi Sharon!
I am at work now but I will list the ingredients for you when I get home tonight!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

I removed the white label but it doesn't list the ingredients at all. It only says the same thing as those shown by TabbCatt above.
But indeed it doesn't seem to be safe for daily use. I will only use in case of emergencies and I shall look for Miralax in Singapore this weekend. Hopefully I will be able to find it...crossing my fingers...


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
Here's a picture of a 'generic' Miralax product, so if you can't find the Actual Miralax, you may be able to find a Generic version! 
Make sure the ingredients are the same!
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Sharon,
This might be a stupid question to ask but would I find Miralax in a pet shop or a pharmacy?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine,
Not a stupid question! It will be in a pharmacy!
S.


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## KsKatt (Jul 6, 2014)

If there is a Walmart there, Walmart seems to be all over the world now, they would have it.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Brilliant idea KsKatt!:thumbup:
And from what I found...There is!
S.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hope this works!

http://m.yelp.com/search?find_desc=walmart&find_loc=Singapore

https://insideretail.asia/2015/03/23/walmart-china-to-add-30-stores/


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Oops! I didn't know the one screen shot thingy...would be soooo huge! Sorry!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you all so much for the help! If it can be bought at a pharmacy, I'm pretty sure Guardian or Watson would have it


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Just another thought! 
If you don't make it to Singapore often, you may want to get a Big container of it!
Since it can be used indefinitely, without problems! 
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi everyone,
I got back from Singapore yesterday and I am sad to say that they don't sell Miralax in Singapore. Tried going to several pharmacies and none of them have it 
Also, ever since I took Snowy to the new vet last Tuesday, even though he has been eating and drinking fine, he seems somewhat depressed to me. Not his usual perky and cheerful self. He cries every time I try to carry him, and he doesn't jump around anymore.
So I took him to his usual vet last night after I reached home. As it turned out, the vet told me that Snowy hurt his back coz he was yelping in pain when the vet touched him there. She said that was why Snowy seems down coz he was in pain, and why he always cry when I try to lift him. She also said the pain is what made it hard for him to poop. She gave him an injection and some medication, and told me to keep Snowy as dormant as possible for the next week or so so he can get as much rest as possible. I am gonna continue to monitor him tightly of course.
He seems to be a better mood this morning and was walking about more. Doesn't cry as much too when I carry him. I really hope my poor baby will recover soon. 
But I really just wonder when did Snowy hurt his back...he only seems to start crying after I came back from the new vet after all. He was totally fine at the new vet last week. Could he have injured himself in the car ride? I am just so confused. But nevertheless, I am glad I brought him to his usual vet last night.
Thank you so much to everyone who has read and replied to this thread! Your advice and comments are really highly appreciated


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## KsKatt (Jul 6, 2014)

cpr34 said:


> He seems to be a better mood this morning and was walking about more. Doesn't cry as much too when I carry him. I really hope my poor baby will recover soon.
> Thank you so much to everyone who has read and replied to this thread! Your advice and comments are really highly appreciated


It would have been interesting to see an e-ray.
If Snowy cries even a little bit when you carry him, why are you carrying him? Anything that causes any amount of pain could be doing damage.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

I asked about an x-ray but the vet said to see how he reacts to the medication first. Well I had to carry him and put him on my lap to feed him the medication. I used to carry him to cuddle with him but I don't do that now of course.


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## KsKatt (Jul 6, 2014)

Ah, simply to get her in your lap for medicating. Hopefully very soon you'll be able to pick her up with no issue. It's so hard when they hurt and can't tell us where. So frustrating and sad.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
How is little Snowy doing?
Sending Healing Prayers for him, and (((HUGS))) for you,
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi Sharon!
Thank you for asking 
Snowy has been doing GREAT ever since he got back from his usual vet. I think the medications are working well. His appetite is back to normal and he is running and jumping around again  (But i still try to keep him as dormant as I can....very hard to do so though haha...)
He even kneads me again the past 2 days...something he hasn't done in like almost 2 weeks!
I am so glad to have my baby back to his old self...and I think I will just stick to his usual vet from now on


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