# My Cat is having bowel movement problems! Please Help...



## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Hey.. I wanted to try to get some information from people who may have experienced this with their cat or knows something about it before i went to the vet because I am a college student and i cant afford the vet right now!! 

It has been five days and my cat has only had 2 bowel movements. He didn't have one at all for three days. He is urinating quite frequently and I have been giving him laxatone daily for a week now. I've tried pumpkin filling but no luck with that, he hates the taste. He's lethargic and doesn't want to play. He cries to go outside all the time even though he has been an indoor cat since birth with occaisional trips outdoors. Almost two months ago I changed his diet to the Hill's prescription diet feline c/d. I still feed him some wet food, occaisionally 2-3 packs a day. (which is overdoing it i know). 

He has been grooming himself reguarly, if not more than usual. I was worried this may be hairballs since he is a long haired cat, but I groom him daily 1-2 times and i lastnight i bought some treats that should eliminate hairballs. It has been a day and a half since his last bowel movement. 

Another point, i just recently moved and he has a new litterbox (even though after the move i kept his old one for a couple of weeks). He uses it to urinate and his bowel movements have been in there, I just wondered if he would hold it or anything if he didn't want to use it? Please let me know if anyone has any ideas or suggestions because its going on 6 days and I'm worried to death about my baby kitty!! He is a male, approx 1.5 years old, neutered, up to date on shots. 

Thanks, Ally[/color][/size]


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

One more thing I forgot to mention... he has lost some weight, before we moved he weighed 14.5 pounds. Not sure what he weighs now but its very clear he has lost some weight quite rapidly. But I have also cut him way down from his food intake and treats (almost half because he was being overfed too much), so I guess maybe that is why he has lost some weight?


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

LOL one more thing I forgot to mention.. He also has a congested sound in his chest sometimes when he may be laying on his back or when you pick him up. Not sure if this will help given the other symptoms but hopefully so!! I have to be sure to tell all problems or signs to be sure! Maybe im just really worried but I need advice! Thanks again..


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## Annissa (Dec 9, 2003)

I'd head to the vet. My cat Sabby had bowell problems a couple weeks ago and it was pretty bad.

Also, don't feed your cat pumpkin pie filling. Just pure canned pumpkin, or even better, unflavored psyllium powder. My cat hates pumpkin, too.


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## Rita (Apr 10, 2004)

I second going to the vet immediately. I don't want to alarm you by telling you what happened to my cat because I didn't notice she was sick early enough. Some of them hide it so well it's very hard to see when something really bad may be going on. Better be safe than sorry. I'd start calling the all the local vets and asking them how much they want for a visit. In my area I have found some vets charge 3 times more what others charge. You may be able to find one that's not too expensive. Good luck!


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## queen of the nile (Aug 16, 2003)

Rapid weight loss means you MUST go to the vet. This could be the result of several different ailments.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I agree with the advice given. Please take him to the vet ASAP. He might have a blockage. That could be life threatening. I know what's it's like to be broke and in college. I had four children when I went, and once I had to use part of a student loan to pay the vet's bill. They're our babies, and we have no choice.


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Well.. I can't get in to see the vet until 2:30 tomorrow!! Thank you guys so much for the advice. Does anyone know what i can do for him until then? It seems he is in some pain. He did have a bowel movement today! I could tell it was real dark and hard then part of it was orangish and more normal than it has been. But the clinic will hold a check for me thank goodness! hehe.. I can't believe how much weight he has lost. I have some pics of him if anyone is interested! They aren't very good quality but thought i'd share him with u guys!! 

http://www.sugarpie.netfirms.com

I will let you guys know how his visit goes!  Good luck to all ya'll and yer kitty darlings


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## Annissa (Dec 9, 2003)

What a cutie! He reminds me of faile's Cujo. I hope he's ok and that everything turns out all right at the vet's.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Yes, he _does_ look like Cujo. He's a beautiful cat. I hope the vet is able to clear this us quickly! I would hesitate to suggest anything. I think you need to ask the vet. I wish you the very best.


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## Lilly (Nov 8, 2003)

I just wanted to say good luck, hope everyting turns out ok. Keep us updated.


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Hey guys, thank you so much for the support - its great. Sugar pie seems to think so too  but on the other hand, i think he is in some pain or doesn't feel to well. I was unsuccessful on finding the psyllium powder!  and i was wondering maybe if i should feed him dry or wet food? Or no food? he has yet to use the litterbox since about noon today and before that it was yesterday evening. He has eat under a cup of dry c/d and 2 packs of soft food. Wondered what i could try to ease his belly pain for the night! I hate when my kittypie is sick  Thanks again guys! This is an excellent forum btw!


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## Annissa (Dec 9, 2003)

I found psyllium powder next to the Metamucil (metamucil is psyllium, but it also has other ingredients) at Walgreen's. It was a kind with no sugar so it was safe for diabetics (my cat has diabetes). Check ingredient labels on the brands of fiber supplements at your local drugstore to find just plain powdered psyllium.

I'm sorry...I have no suggestions on what to feed your cat in the meantime. I hope everything comes out ok at the vet's. Please let us know how it goes.


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## kitkat (Sep 22, 2003)

Good Luck Cujo's twin!! :lol:


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Thanks guys! Sugar pie has just been laying around i can tell he don't feel good. I can't wait until 2:30 so maybe we can start making him feel better. He still hasn't pooped since noon yesterday but he has urinated like 4 times or so. Thanks Annissa for where to locate the psyllium powder! I'm going to head and get some. Do i just sprinkle it on his food? And yea he does favor Cujo! hehe anyway... I will let you guys know how the vet visit went. And as for a grooming question, can cats increase their grooming? He can't stop grooming, he will lay back n take a bath. Maybe it takes his mind off of the pain ? 

Thanks to all of you who have been such great help! Just hearing the advice from ppl that know what they are talking about is great, instead of just hoping everything is okay!! BYE


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## Annissa (Dec 9, 2003)

First find out from the vet if his bowell problems are caused by a lack of fiber in his diet. If not, then you don't need the psyllium powder at all. If so, find out from your vet how much to give him, then just sprinkle it on top of his food.

I found out the hard way that too much fiber is just as bad as too little. :? 

Good luck at the vet!


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Okay... Is there any other questions I should ask the vet? And should i take a poop and urine sample to the vet with me?


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Ahh.. 2:30 is never going to get here! 3 more hours. Sugar pie is acting nervous to all sounds n stuff, which is very unnormal for him. I dunno if im just a worried mom or if his condition is getting worse! I'm going to call the vet and let them know if i can get in any earlier that would be great! Sugar pie has never been to this vet before, i hope she's good! It's at an animal county hospital. I checked around and all the other vets are 10-15 minutes away and are approx five dollars cheaper. So i figured a closer one would be easier on both of us!!


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## Lilly (Nov 8, 2003)

It defanetly sounds like something is wrong, I can understand your worry. Luckily it is almost 2:30, so you can get him to the doctor.

Good Luck! We will send love and well wishes your way.


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Well, sugar pie is feeling better thanks to some antibiotic/b-12/anti-inflammatory shot. After sugar pie has completely shed a small elephant and i was picking hair outta my mouth, we got to go in. He was so nervous but he was cool. The vet did the series of touching prodding poking in every single corner of sugar pie's body, she came to conclude after (and i quote my vet bill) a Urinalysis, Cystocentesis :? and a fecal floatation that he had a urinary tract infection, low protein, constipated maybe with some gas. 

She went on to explain how the urinary tract and bowels could possibly relate to one another or it could be from a hair ball or object in him. She said he could cough it up or pass it sometime as long as the meds help. After asking me if i wanted to do blood work and send the urine to the lab (which alone cost 70.00) i was like no i think ill pass for now.. GEEZ how do they sleep at night?? Anyway after thinking i found a decent cheaper vet for saving me a drive for 15 miles my bill turned out to be $92.00 !! OMG you guys have no idea how bad of a dent that put in my financial life. Anyway... maybe it was worth it, as long as sugar pie feels better i guess.

He is feeling better as far as his attitude. He isn't nervous or anything. he's chillin. The vet gave me some stool softeners and Amoxicillin (If i send off the urine lab work, it will tell me which anti biotic he should get, does anyone know about this?) and told me to keep giving him laxatone and after his first loose poop (hehe) i stop the softeners and laxatone. 

Well, as i look back at that 92.50 im like geeezzz but oh well what can i do now? I can look for a cheaper place to go. (Even though ivenever had a better vet than her she was great)

Thanks to everyone for advice and kittyTLC


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## queen of the nile (Aug 16, 2003)

Hey that's not so bad. Vet bills can run up very quick. It cost me $80 to go to the emerg. vet when my gerbil had a baby get stuck during labour. I do not regret the expense one bit (although she has since passed on).

As for sending the urine off to the lab, this will determine what exact bacteria are present causing the bladder infection. She gave you a broad spectrum antibiotic that will kill a large range of bacteria. If the vet knew exactly what bacteria were present, she could tailor the treatment to your cat's situation. The only problem with not sending the pee to the lab is that there is a chance that the broad spec antibiotic is not effective on the particular bacteria in your kitty's system. I think the risk is small, but I am not sure (I think there are certain bacteria that are much more likely to be causing the infection than others).

I'm very glad you took your baby to the vet. Bladder infections can be very painful! Yeah it sucks that it costs so much, but what else can you do? I think that lab work costs the same wherever you go, but I'm not sure...


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## Superkitties (Jan 30, 2004)

Thanks for updating us on Sugar Pie's condition, hope it clears up soon now. Yeah, I understand what a major dent to the finances that was, and bless you for taking your kitty in.
I hope that you get lots of kitty kisses as you're dining on Top Ramen :wink: .


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

We kitty mothers all know about Ramen Noodles! Filling, cheap, and tasty! I actually eat them when I'm not pinching pennies!

I'm so glad you took Sugar Pie to the vet. If she doesn't improve as quickly as the vet expects, identifying the exact "bug" will help immensely. Another week on Ramen noodles. It's worth it, though. Good luck, and keep us informed, please.


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Okay guys... The vet suggested i get a second litter box that is like his 1st one because i bought a new one on april 21 and i dont think he likes the room we put it in and i wondered if he could be holding it? I got another one to put where we first had his located when we moved in. The vet told me if i thought he was in pain to give him half of a baby aspirin no more than twice a day. i gave him half of one lastnight and one about an hour ago. We also gave him his 1st dose of amoxi and a stool softener. So he has had 2 stool softeners and a dose of laxatone since yesterday evening. 

He still hasn't pooped!! :shock: the last bowel movement was yesterday around noon. He has ate enough food that should have made him pass something because since he was a kitten he always would eat and within an hour he would have a bowel movement. He had pee'd twice in the box when i got up this morning and nothing since. 

He is pretty much passed out right now from the baby aspirin and you can hear him grunt every now n then and he also will cry out a little meow too. I saw his stomach like twitch a couple times and thats when he cried out. Whats wrong with him! If anyone knows whats going on just so i know maybe this is normal ? Thanks guys for your reassurance and advice!!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I think you should speak to the vet again. If we suggested something else, and there was a twisted bowel- or a blockage, for example, you could do great harm to sugar pie. Did the vet take x-rays,? Why the baby aspirin for abdominal pain? I never heard of that before. Did he have a fever? That would explain it. Poor Sugar Pie! I hope he gets relief soon.


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Jeanie said:


> Did the vet take x-rays,? Why the baby aspirin for abdominal pain? I never heard of that before. Did he have a fever? That would explain it. Poor Sugar Pie! I hope he gets relief soon.


The vet did not take x-rays but i had requested to wait and see what the medicine does for him. His fever was 101.5 which is normal. She didn't exactly say where the pain might be but if he seemed in pain to give him half of a baby aspirin because she had forgotten to prescribe me pain meds, which the baby asp is cheaper. 

He pee'd about an hour ago, and still no sign of any poop!  He has slept most of the day and a few minutes ago he was laying in his litterbox room as if he wanted to use it. I think he is in some pain because i can just read my baby's eyes sometimes. If they are in pain do they squint their eyes and lay on their stomachs with their feet under them kinda? 

I had read that if cats are in pain they will they in the praying position ? Come to think about it, he has laid that way for quite some time now that i've noticed. Not the only way he's laid but the majority. I think maybe he has been sick longer than i have thought. I dont think the litterbox is a prob cuz he used it earlier.. But my question is about the grunting sounds in his chest? If anyone has any ideas about this let me know? In the meantime, what are some questions or points to tell or ask my vet? I am going to call her soon. Thanks again... <3


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

I talked to the vet and she said try giving him some tuna because he hasn't ate today (Why i didnt think of that earlier who knows?) But this would maybe stimulate a bowel movement. He pee'd again earlier and the vet told me to force him water so he won't get dehydrated. So far i've managed to get 6 cc's.. working on about 50. she said 10 oz of water a day is needed for maintence. 

Soo.. i am concerned why he will lay in front of his litterbox (ive seen him do it twice) and the grunting sounds coming from his chest(which the vet said that could be working up a hairball) Has anyone experienced the passing/clogging of a hairball- im guessing its fairly large i dunno. With the frequent urinating i didnt know if that could be related to hairballs or not?? Well just thought i'd update anyone who was watching on my baby sugar pie!! he is not in very good spirits! i'm waiting to see if they can set up some of his blood work on payments $$ they are open on tomorrow morning until noon so if he by any change gets really bad ill take him in anyway. 

ok u guys im sorry i write so much but i have to vent out and seek advice since this is my 1st cat and we are a year and halfinto it now!! thanks again


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Don't worry about that! We want to know how he's doing. I'm wondering about the pressure on his bladder. Did you ask about that? Could it be an impaction low in the bowel?


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

I'm not sure... he still hasn't pooped since yesterday around noon (it is 10:35 pm here) so that is almost 36 hours and he ate enough to have made his bowels move plus he has had 3 stool softeners since yesterday at 4. I wasn't sure what to ask because i dont know how it all works! but they open at 8 in the morning, please if you have any questions i should ask inform me, it would be so helpful and could poss save sugar pie alot of pain or worse 

when i give him his amoxi liquid med he starts slobbering really bad.. is this from the bad taste or what ? Bc it is all over his chin and ive got the majority of it off not that worried bout that as much as the reason to it? thanks again... im gettingreally worried about him..


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Still no signs of poop, its late im so tired, sugar pie is mad at me bc ive had to give him medicine and i know he hurts when i have to pick him up to give him meds.

I got to thinking about maybe how long he has been hurting and he used to run as if he was running away from something then would stop and lick on his side usually in the same spots. He did that more i noticed a couple of weeks ago and even over a month ago or more. I feel so bad, and if he hasn't had a bm by the morning im going to call the vet again and see what she says. Any suggestions on questions to ask her would be great!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Ask if it's possible that she has an obstruction or tumor. Ask if a fleet enema would be helpful. Don't give her one without getting permission. If its' only an impaction, that might help. However, if this has been going on for a long time, you should tell the vet. I think you'll have to get xrays! She could have an obstruction that could kill her! X-rays don't cost as much as your kitty means to you alive and well, I'm sure. Let us know, please!


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Hey... Sugar pie had his 1st bowel movement in about 52 hours or so today at around 1 pm ( it is 10:17 pm now) he has only urinated once since then and has been eating well. I figure its healthy for him to eat and it is canned so it was water in it to help stop dehydration. should i still give him a bit of water myself? The vet says they can't do anything else until blood work.. I am going to try to take him monday-tuesday maybe even wednesday.. i grad college saturday things are so hectic right now. i have 4 finals before wed but im going to get him there asap. 

any other advice? He is really hungry- thought maybe the amoxi and where he wasnt eating is makin him hungry. should i restrict him to soft food only? his hard food is c/d. So do u guys suggest to do the blood work or an xray cuz ill only be able to do one or the other for right now. Thanks again!


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

I wondered with all of these problems how many times is "normal" for him to use the bathroom. He is eating well and still on stool softeners 1x/day. He hasnt urinated since 3-4 am it is 2:30 pm now.. i have been giving him water because id feel safer knowing he doesnt get dehydrated.. i am just taking all precautionary steps bc im afraid his condition could get worse. Thanks for all who have helpedme this far!


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## drjean (Jan 6, 2004)

Wet food is best for constipated cats, because dehydration is a big factor. You may need to add a pinch of fiber (rice bran or powdered psyllium) to it to maintain the correct stool consistencey.

Fleet enemas are DEADLY to cats; they are fatal in minutes. Never give an OTC enema to a cat! Let the vet handle that one!

It's generally not worth the struggle to give cats water by mouth; you don't get enough in there to make a difference. You can add a little warm water to the canned food. But if dehydration is an issue, it's better to learn how to give subcutaneous fluids, or have the vet do that for you.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean


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## allyally (Apr 28, 2004)

Just wanted to update you guys on sugar pie's condition.. he usually urinates 2-3 times atleast daily, and has a bowel movement once every 2 days. He vomited the other day with a hairball.. i didnt know how bad hairballs could be for him. I've groomed him up myself, trimmed some extra hair off, etc. i noticed today he had a lot of hair in his b.m. is this normal? First go-round with hairballs. any suggestions?? 

Thanks to all who've been a great help!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

My deepest apologies for the misinformation.  I was told to use a fleet enema when my cat became severely constipated. Since that was some years ago, I can only assume that new information has been discovered, or that the contents have changed. Please listen to Dr. Jean.


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