# licking lips, opening mouth - symptoms of illness?



## spirite

I feel like I read in a thread that licking lips and repeatedly opening the mouth could indicate illness, but I don't remember what illness. 

Last night, Miss Celia ate only a tiny bit of wet food and later vomited up a little clear liquid. At some point either overnight or this morning, she vomited up some dry food, VERY unusual for her. She did eat a little dry this morning, but I think she had vomited before that. She seemed nauseated and wouldn't eat wet food, although she looked like she was hungry and was licking her lips. 

She slept all day and woke up only because I was vacuuming. A few minutes ago, she was licking her lips and stretching her mouth open with her head tilted to the side, as if she had something in her mouth or was trying to get rid of some taste. There doesn't seem to be anything in her mouth though.

Any ideas about what could be causing this? I'm so worried. 

I don't think she could have gotten into anything. She was licking a plastic bag last night but I looked at it and it doesn't seem like she ate any of it.


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## zuma

I don't know about opening the mouth, but my vet told me that licking of the lips indicates nausea. Which makes sense with the vomiting. Hope she feels better!


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## spirite

Thanks zuma. She's definitely feeling nauseated. It's the repeated opening of the mouth that's worrying me. Could she have something stuck around the back of her teeth or in her throat? She does sometimes do this when she's constipated, but she did poop at some point either last night or overnight. She's stopped doing it - only did it a few times when it looked like she was going to come eat. 

I'm wondering if I should bring her to the emergency vet. She's already so stressed, and the last time I was there, I came back without Margaux. But I don't know if this is serious or not.


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## Mochas Mommy

Licking lips is nausea. Does she appear to be gagging when she opens and closes her mouth?

I hope she feels better soon.


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## spirite

No, it didn't seem like she was gagging. More like what you do if you have peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth. 

When I think about it, she has seemed uncomfortable for a couple of days - last night she moved away a little after I was petting her for a while. She's on the back of the couch but has shifted position a couple of times. The last time she did this, she was seriously constipated. She hasn't pooped a lot over the past week, but she has been pooping. Maybe there's still a lot of poo that needs to come out?

And maybe I'm overreacting because of Margaux. It doesn't seem like it's a cause for the emergency vet, but I'm not sure what to watch for. She looks so unhappy, but a trip to the emergency vet isn't going to make her any happier. The last time she was there, she developed a UTI from the stress.


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## Mochas Mommy

Do you have any canned pure pumpkin that you could feed her? That may help things move along?


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## spirite

She wouldn't touch the canned pumpkin last time I tried it. 

She's alert but doesn't want to move much. 

I think we're going to the emergency vet. I don't know if she's so uncomfortable that it's worth stressing her, but if she's still like this tomorrow and it's constipation, she's probably going to need an enema. 

Poor baby. The last thing she needs is more stress. But I don't know if I'd be able to sleep tonight if I didn't take her in. Even if it's not an emergency, I'm not going to be able to stand seeing her so miserable.


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## Mochas Mommy

Poor girl.....I hope it is a quick and easy cure for her.


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## Dumine

Her discomfort, nausea and lack of appetite are all typical signs of an opstruction. Whether that is caused by constipation or a foreign body, the end result is still the same. If she doesn't pass it naturally whithin the next 24 hours, you'll have to take her in. 
I second the pumpkin, if you can get her to eat any or other soft food with a high moisture consistency. Hopefully it will soften the stool and she can pass it on her own.


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## spirite

Thanks guys. 

We just got back from the emergency vet. She's not constipated, though they did get some poo out of her. They found nothing in her mouth or throat, didn't feel anything in her abdomen and said it might be worth it to have bloodwork done again, even though she had it done on Tuesday, just to try figure out what's going on. But I declined. I really don't feel like anything could have changed from Tuesday, especially since the lack of appetite has been going on for a while.

She got fluids, Cerenia and famotidine, and she's looking much perkier now and is even asking for food. I wish I could give her some, but the vet said no food or water tonight. If she's not significantly better by Monday, then the next step might be x-rays or an ultrasound. But I'll worry about that tomorrow. I'm just glad to see her up and moving around.


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## 10cats2dogs

Ohhhh Spirite...
Poor Celia...hope her tummy stabilizes soon...
(((HUGS)))

http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm


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## Mochas Mommy

Poor Celia! Lots of prayers and good thoughts for her speedier recovery!


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## Speechie

Prayers of healing for Celia, and hugs for you. I hope she's feeling better very quickly


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## spirite

Thanks. 

After looking perkier last night and wanting food this morning, by the time I was ready with her food, she didn't want to eat.  I put out 3 kinds of wet food and 2 kinds of dry. No interest. I sprinkled some Fortiflora on 1/4 of a 3-oz. can of wet food; she essentially licked off the Fortiflora and left most of the food. Can I give more than 1 packet of Fortiflora in a day?

I forgot to mention that although the vet said that she wasn't constipated and that they got some stool out of her last night, she had a one nice long poo soon after we got back, a little bit softer than usual. I didn't see anything that was unusual in it, though honestly I didn't look very closely, because I wasn't expecting to see anything. She had a bit stuck to her fur, maybe because it was a little soft. 

She just went back into her bed to sleep. Since she did poop and pee, I don't think it's urgent. She doesn't look miserable like she did last night, so I'm going to try to get her in to our regular vet tomorrow. 

Ugh.


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## 10cats2dogs

Spirite, 
More (((HUGS))) for you and Healing prayers for Celia...
I do understand the worry, all to well...
Sharon


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## Mochas Mommy

I think you are only supposed to give one package of Fortiflora a day...not sure if you can exceed it. But Mystik, the little thief, stole a couple packages when we had them for her when she was sick. She ripped them open behind the couch and licked it all up....no side effects we seen (except cranky Mommy who had to clean up after). 

Have you tried any Slippery Elm bark? We used the capsules and just sprinkled it on their food...helped coat the tummy and digestive system...appetites returned quickly.


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## spirite

Thanks 10cats. I remember when Snickerdoodles wasn't doing well, and Mochas Mommy, when Mystik was sick, and not being able to figure out what was wrong. It's so frustrating. 

Well, I only have one packet of Fortiflora left (the vet had given me two), and neither Petco or my local pet store carries it. She came and asked for food a little later, and she ate a teeny bit. She's not licking her lips anymore, so I guess the famotidine helped. It doesn't seem to have a smell, so I'm going to try crushing some up and sprinkling it in her wet food. Maybe I'll get Periactin tomorrow too. 

I haven't tried Slippery Elm Bark, but I'm going to the natural foods store tomorrow and will pick up some L-lysine too. I've been meaning to for eons and just keep forgetting. 

That little Mystik! I can't imagine Celia ever trying to open a little packet. Your kitties are so mischievous - I've forgotten what it's like to have curious little ones around. It cracks me up to hear about their antics!


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## spirite

Well, she's come for food several times. 3 times, she took a few licks, but the other 3 or 4 times, she's done the opening and stretching mouth thing and walked away. I noticed that she'd eaten a bit of the dry food earlier while I was out. I put some more out, but she hasn't eaten it. So she's hungry, but still nauseated apparently. 

I haven't seen her drink any water either, so I'm concerned about dehydration. She got fluids at the emergency vet, so that's about 24 hours ago. Even if I can't get a regular vet appt. tomorrow, I'm thinking I should at least get her in for some subQ fluids.


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## Mochas Mommy

Poor Celia. Hoping she feels better in the morning.


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## laurief

Famotidine and slippery elm can both interfere with the absorption of some other meds and supplements, so separate them from each other and from other meds/supplements by 2 hrs.

Periactin (cyproheptadine) can be a very effective appetite stimulant for many cats, but it doesn't work for all of them. I recommend starting it at a low dose of no more than 0.5-1 mg (1/8-1/4 tablet) once daily. Higher doses can make some cats REALLY hyper, vocal, and anxious.

When feeding inappetant cats, esp. those experiencing nausea, offer a small amount of a single food every few hours. Offering larger amounts of food or a variety of foods all at once can easily overwhelm the senses and exacerbate nausea. If you were feeling nauseous, the last thing you'd be likely to want would be a smorgasbord of food rolled under your nose. But you might be able to handle a few sips of soup or a cracker or two, right? Same principle.

Laurie


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## TabbCatt

Oh geez, so many things happened, I'm so sorry Spirite! :-(

Sure hope Celia's appetite returns soon. Cats are always such s challenge to figure out...and wouldn't you know, it seems to happen on a weekend, too. :-(

Sending positive thoughts to you and healing vibes to Celia.


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## 10cats2dogs

Patty,
When was the last time Celia had a good dental check?
If she's got a bad tooth, or infected gum, that could be making her sick, and feel like not eating...
Poor Celia, missing Margaux, and all the normal routines they had...
Do you have a heating pad, you could set on the lowest setting for Celia to lay on?
Keeping her body temperature stable might help her feel more 
comfortable...
Have you tried meat only, baby food?
(((More HUGS))) and Healing prayers, 
Sharon


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## spirite

Thanks again everyone.



laurief said:


> Famotidine and slippery elm can both interfere with the absorption of some other meds and supplements, so separate them from each other and from other meds/supplements by 2 hrs.
> Laurie


Thanks for that info Laurie. Periactin worked well after the vet visit last Tuesday, but pills are hard to get into her. Maybe I can hide it in a bit of cheese. Good point about too many food choices. I did take them all away after this morning and have been putting one out and letting her sniff and decide whether she wants to eat it or not. If not, I've been waiting until she comes back and asks for food again - sometimes it's just a few minutes later, sometimes a couple of hours.

TabbCatt, of course - it's always a weekend...Thank goodness it was quiet at the emergency vet so she we didn't have to wait long at all.

10cats, she had a dental at the end of October and had a tooth extracted. The vet last Tuesday and the emergency vet both looked in her mouth and didn't see anything - though maybe some things wouldn't show except with a really thorough exam? But she did eat some dry food today, and more than any of the wet food. Maybe dry is the kitty version of crackers or toast. I'll pick up a jar of chicken baby food, although last time she was sick, I bought two different kinds of chicken, nothing added except chicken broth, and she wouldn't touch that. 

I actually have the pad from a heated kitty bed - the outside foam frame on one fell apart, and then I got rid of both in my effort to de-flea, except for the pad. It should fit under the new bed, though I'd have to run the cord out somehow. Maybe just cut a hole in the cover - thanks for the idea!

Ooh, I just heard a crunch! I think she's eating.


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## spirite

Alas. She ate about 8 pieces of kibble and then wandered off. 

Still, this is progress from yesterday. I'm just worried about dehydration, especially since she isn't eating the wet food.


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## TabbCatt

Spirite, i just remembered the bone broth recipe. Do you think Celia would go for it? It's just very time consuming is all, but seems very nutritious....


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## TabbCatt

Here's the thread: 
http://www.catforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=307474


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## TabbCatt

I guess you could also freeze it for later, when you need it again, but I'd prolly do a small version of it with maybe a Cornish hen if you're not sure Celia would lap it up.


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## Speechie

Sending you love and healing vibes !! 
It's so hard when they are off


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## laurief

DEFINITELY use the heating pad to warm her up if her body temp is low. Sub-normal body temp is a real appetite killer.

Cyproheptadine is a small pill, and when you cut it into 1/4's (a typical cat dose is 1/4 pill), it's just a tiny piece that's easily hidden in a small piece of cheese or a little piece of a Pill Pocket. I give cypro to three of my old kidney cats every day.

Laurie


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## Mochas Mommy

Hoping Celia is feeling better tonight.


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## 10cats2dogs

Patty,
How is Miss Celia doing??
(((HUGS))) and lots more Healing prayers headed her way...
Sharon


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## spirite

Thanks again to everyone for your concern and suggestions.

TabbCatt, thanks for thinking of the bone broth recipe - I really appreciate it. Since you say the broth is labor-intensive, though, I'm going to hold off for now. I'm going to be unhappy if I make the broth and my fussy one turns up her nose, especially since things are getting a little crazy with Christmas coming up. However, I'm sure it will come in handy one day! 

I'll sneak the heating pad in when Celia leaves her bed. Her body temp. was normal at the emergency vet, but it can't hurt. She is a kitty, after all.  

We have an appt. at the regular vet tomorrow. She's definitely more comfortable and more energetic since the emergency vet visit, though still not eating much. She's still spending quite a bit of time in her bed, but she's also up and about. She's come to ask for food a zillion times, but then only eats a tiny bit. Still, this is improvement. She's no longer showing any overt signs of nausea.

I'll get some Periactin (bought cheese today just for that purpose). I also bought slippery elm bark and l-lysine, but those I can only get into her if she's eating her wet food, so I'm going to try the Periactin-in-cheese first. I sprinkled some Fortiflora on wet food this morning. She licked all the Fortiflora off and left the rest of the wet food. :x 

I spoke to the vet today, and we're going to take x-rays (of what, I don't know) tomorrow and go from there. I just feel like something is going on, and I don't want to find out six months from now that there was something that could have been diagnosed if we had dug a little deeper to begin with, or that she had been suffering all that time. That's what I'm thinking about Margaux - that I should have asked the vet to look further, because I knew something was wrong, regardless of what the bloodwork and exams said. My brother and sister-in-law lost their 11-year-old kitty last month. He had cancer, and they didn't know until the very end.


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## 10cats2dogs

Patty,
The heating pad will make Celia happy, I don't know of a cat yet, no matter their age, that doesn't like some extra warmth!
Especially our Seniors-They LOVE it!
Try a bit of food, with the Fortiflora MIXED into it, her nose will tell her it's there, but she's going to have to eat the food, to get her "fix"! Worth a shot anyway!
Also a "Calming" collar might help her, I think Feliway makes them? I know Sentry (?) does...just another thought, to possibly try...

Praying all goes well tomorrow, and we get to share in some good news with you!
(((HUGS)))
Sharon


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## spirite

Tonight, I tried mixing a little in and sprinkling some on top (I only gave a part of the packet this morning - we are trying to out-sly each other). That did get her to have to "dig in" to the food, but she will only eat up to a certain point and then she stops. She even left some of the Fortiflora that got stuck to the dish. 

I have a collar here that I've never used. It's still in the package so should still be good. It's the NurtureCalm collar: NurtureCALM 24/7 Pheromone Collar: Anti-anxiety Item for Pets | For Cats, Up to 15 Inch Neck

I'm just afraid to do anything that will stress her. I'm supposed to be Zymox-ing her and haven't had the heart, with her not eating. I'll try the collar tonight, but I feel like she's going to resist mightily. For such a sweet and docile kitty, she's hugely resistant to certain things and much stronger than she looks, lol.


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## 10cats2dogs

Patty,
Is Celia used to wearing a collar?

If not, you will definitely want to be around to supervise her!
Make sure the collar is tight enough, she can't easily hook a paw under it, or get her jaw caught by it!

If she's used to wearing a collar, you shouldn't have any problems!

To start with, just take the collar out of the package, and let her check it out for a while!
I hope it works for her!
Sharon


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## TabbCatt

Yes, my G is a collar houdini, but once that collar was on snug (able to put about 2 fingerbreadths in), the collar had been staying put. 

About the bone broth, it's not so much labor intensive as it's simply time consuming. Basically you cook the bones over very low heat for several hours to as long as a day! If you don't have a slow cooker/crock pot, leaving it on a stove unattended can be dicey. I just thought it may help Celia with her water intake if she was not up to eating her food, as it seems to be quite nutritious for any animal. And using a smaller bird would mean less time for the bones to break up, etc.

Anyway, I'm glad she's eating a bit at a time. Continuing to cross my fingers for you both and you get a definitive diagnosis very soon. It's always so hard to treat an unknown... :-(


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## laurief

Slippery Elm doesn't have to be mixed into food. In fact, it's best given on an empty stomach (though it can be mixed into food, if desired). You can give it in a capsule, but the preferred method is to make slippery elm syrup (see link below for recipe - VERY easy and quick to make - takes only 3-4 mins). You give it orally with a needless syringe. I highly recommend slippery elm syrup. I've used it with my cats, dogs, and horses. It is very soothing to the GI tract. It might really help your girl turn the corner.

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Holistic Treatments

Laurie


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## 10cats2dogs

Patty,
How did vet visit go?? All Paws Crossed for some good news...
Sharon


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## spirite

Well, nothing really on x-rays. Possible very slight thickening of the walls of the heart, but the only abnormal lab result last week was a low T4 (0.6 with reference range being 0.8-4.7), which the vet said was likely due to the fact that she hasn't been feeling well or eating. 

She was a little dehydrated, got fluids, a Cerenia injection, a dose of Periactin, and a mega dose of some kind of Laxatone-ish product. There wasn't much stool in her, and she wasn't constipated, but she hadn't pooped since we got back from the e-vet (about 66 hours). She *just* went to her litterbox and had very liquid-y and stinky poo, so I guess the Laxatone worked. LOL. 

10cats, Miss Celia hasn't ever worn a collar. I have it out and will try to get her to play with it before I put it on. It's a pain to buckle, even without a kitty to work around, because it's relatively stiff. I snipped the end off at an angle so hopefully, it'll slip it into the buckle more easily.

TabbCatt, I saw another thread where bone broth was mentioned and followed the link someone posted (doodlebug?). I had no idea it was becoming all the rage among humans too!

Laurie, thanks for the link - I should be able to handle that recipe.  I just noticed that the capsules I bought have cellulose, so I hope that doesn't interfere with making the syrup. The Periactin she got today seems to be working, though the results aren't as dramatic as they were last week. Maybe I'll continue the Periactin for a couple of days and hold off on the slippery elm. 

She's eaten about 1/3 - 1/2 of a 3 oz. can today, so that's good. But I don't yet know if she'll eat normally without being given Periactin or Fortiflora. I didn't give her any Fortiflora today, because she was eating some food on her own, and I don't want her holding out for it.

If she's not back to normal by the end of this week, I don't know what the next step is. So I'll just assume that she'll be back to normal.


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## Mochas Mommy

I'm happy to hear that she ate today...hopefully she is on the upswing. Sending healing wishes her way.


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## 10cats2dogs

Awww Patty...It's enough to drive you bonkers, isn't it...

I'm praying Celia continues to eat, even if it's only a little at a time, if you're consistent with multiple "little meals" throughout the day, it will keep her system stabilized, and get her in the "habit" of eating again...

I think it's just going to take patience and Love to get her over this hurdle... You're both dealing with lots of feelings right now...
Celia, in her way, and you, in yours...
It will slowly get better for both of you...
(((HUGS))) and Prayers, and petpets for Miss Celia...
Sharon


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## 10cats2dogs

Patty,
How is Miss Celia doing tonight?
I hope she's eating more!


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## spirite

Oh, well that would be too easy... :| She had a few licks of wet food this afternoon, slept through guests and loud conversation for 3.5 hours, ate a little kibble, then just a little while ago refused wet food even though I mixed some Fortiflora in. 

Do you think the lack of appetite could be due entirely to grieving?? Even my father, who's not all that sensitive to moods, noticed that she's depressed. She was looking so forlorn on the bed a little while ago - didn't even acknowledge me as I talked to her, just stared off into space.


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## 10cats2dogs

Patty,
It could very well be due to grieving....
How does she act around Mr. Casper now?
Any chance you could foster a kitten? That might spark her...
Meanwhile, keep giving her lots of attention!
It's so hard, not to worry...
(((HUGS)))
S.


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## Mochas Mommy

(((((((((Hugs))))))))

So sorry Celia is taking so long to recover!


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## spirite

*not even keeping water down today *

After a day of eating almost normally, uesday evening Celia showed signs of not being hungry again. She ate maybe a little kibble yesterday morning but nothing since then. She vomited a tiny bite of bile this afternoon, then twice threw up the water she drank. 

I gave her a little wet food with some Fortiflora. She ate it all, but when I offered her more, she did the lip-licking thing. But just now, she came to ask for more. We'll see if she keeps it down.

She looks very uncomfortable again, shifting position a lot. But she's peeing and pooping fine. This has been going on off-and-on for 4 or 5 weeks now. Anyone have any ideas what on earth could be going on?? I guess the next step is an ultrasound at this point?


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## zuma

Have you tried pepcid? It seemed to help Leelu when she had bouts of nausea before the IBD diagnosis. Poor Celia and poor you!


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## 10cats2dogs

Oh No...Spirite, I'm sorry Celia's back to not doing well...
A food allergy? IBD?...there's so many possibilities...
(((HUGS)))
Sharon


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## spirite

zuma, I have Pepcid and know that either that or Cerenia, or maybe both, have helped in the past, but I don't know if I can get it in her. I tried putting 1/4 tablet in some cheese last time, but she showed zero interest. I don't have a pill shooter, and strangely, for a very sweet kitty, resists mightily having anything done to her that she suspects is not petting or brushing. Maybe I can crush it and sneak it into her wet food if she asks for more. The smell of the Fortiflora should be enough to mask any smell or taste the Pepcid might have.

10cats, that's funny - I thought about food allergies for the first time today, specifically the BW chicken dry that she's taken to eating. It was Margaux's favorite, and she never liked it, but then NV Instinct changed their formula and she's been eating the BW and the Instinct. I'm pretty sure the BW and Instinct are both grain-free, and all of the wet foods are as well (Merrick's Purrfect Bistro, FF classic pates, and Dave's 95%). And I don't think it's chicken, since she eats FF chicken without a problem. ??

I've been bad about keeping track - relying on my memory, which is a bad idea. I'll start logging what she's eating. 

Going to go see if there are any vomit piles anywhere.

And eeks, sorry for the typos in the previous post.


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## TranquilityBlue

Yeesh, this sounds like an all around confounding situation. I don't have anything to offer besides sympathy, but I hope Celia feels better soon  give her a chin scratch for me


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## Mochas Mommy

Poor Celia.
Hopefully her tummy calms down soon!


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## zuma

I could give Leelu the pepcid straight with a bit of fortiflora powder right on the pill. She would eat it just like that, it must not smell like much. Might be worth a try?

Careful though, many cats react a bit to the fortiflora itself, though I think it's mostly diarrhea not vomit/inappetence.


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## TabbCatt

Oh no spirite...

Just when you think you found the cause... 

Crossing fingers Celia is ok and she's better soon.


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## spirite

Thanks TranquilityBlue, Mochas Mommy and TabbCatt for your good wishes. 

zuma, thanks for the tip. I will definitely try that. Did you just put it in Leelu's food dish? 

Celia seems to have kept down the wet food, which is weird, since she vomited water not that long before eating. She's gotten Fortiflora 2 or 3 times before, and fortunately, that seems to be one thing that she's tolerating well. I only give about 1/3 packet at once. 

Something is definitely funky with her digestive system. 

Sigh.


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## zuma

Yup, I just put it in the empty food dish and a bit of powder right on the pill. She thinks it's a treat. Lol


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## spirite

Well last night even the smell of Fortiflora seemed to nauseate her. She was very uncomfortable, meatloafed, and couldn't sleep.  When I got up, she had eaten about 1/4 c. NV Instinct (rabbit) kibble and a few Wellness Kittles (chicken) treats that I left overnight. She seemed better, not uncomfortable, in the afternoon. A little while ago, she ate a decent amount of Dave's (tuna & chicken) with her Norvasc and slippery elm bark mixed in. Since she seemed ok, I decided not to push my luck and try to get a Pepcid in there. 

But then a bit after eating, she started to look a little nauseated and uncomfortable again. I don't think it's the Dave's; both she and Margaux were eating a lot of it, and these issues didn't start with Celia until after Margaux passed away. 

Given that her last meal before she started to not feel well again was the BW and Instinct kibble, and she's eaten the Instinct for quite some time, my current suspect is the BW kibble. If she continues to be ok for the next week, then I think the mystery's solved. If not, I'll cut each of the other foods one at a time - but that would be odd; she's eaten them for quite some time. 

Fingers crossed that this is the end of it!


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## Mochas Mommy

Awwww poor Celia! This tummy upset needs to go away and leave her alone. Poor girl has been through enough lately. 

Sending good vibes her way.


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## 10cats2dogs

Praying it's just a food allergy that developed! 
(((HUGS))) and Prayers!


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## spirite

Thanks guys. Sharon, I remembered that your vet mentioned alfalfa as a possible allergen. Both NV and BW have alfalfa, so I compared the other ingredients and researched some other possible causes. I came up with barley, potato and sweet potato as common sources of food intolerance (I also learned there's a difference between food allergy and food intolerance - intolerance shows in GI issues only, allergy primarily in skin issues but sometimes GI issues as well). 

So we'll see.


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## 10cats2dogs

The alfalfa, because it's high in a number of minerals, is what some cats can have problems with, as far as bladder issues go...crystals, Inflammation, etc...


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## TabbCatt

Oh wow, I guess BW is getting a bit more sketchy, I don't know. Or maybe Celia is very sensitive to certain items? Ugh. Such a mystery to solve!

Well wishes continuing on for you and Celia both, spirite. Hope you find and end this mystery illness that's been ailing your girl once and for all!


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## spirite

It could be the BW - I had opened a new bag fairly recently. Maybe it was bad? I'm trying to remember if I opened it before Margaux passed away or not. I still have the bag so maybe I'll contact them to see if they've had any complaints.


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## zuma

This sounds a lot like what Leelu and I went through last May. Nauseous, hunching after eating, vomiting, not terribly sick but but healthy either. Has the vet brought IBD up as a potential culprit? I know that stress can bring it on, so I think the grieving could have been the trigger. Maybe go for an ultrasound? 

I'd also start her on a novel protein, something she hasn't had before. If it's 'just' food allergies that'll help her too.


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## spirite

zuma, Miss Celia is a very easily stressed cat to begin with, so IBD wouldn't surprise me. Is that what the diagnosis was for Leelu? Celia's had colitis and a UTI, both brought on by stress. The vet didn't bring up IBD, but I haven't taken her in since this most recent bout started. 

She ate a decent amount today, but she's eating more kibble and not as much wet as she usually does. She still seems slightly nauseated after eating wet food, and it doesn't seem to matter what kind. 

I'm going to wait to see if it's an intolerance to the BW dry - if so, it would most likely be to potatoes or barley, two things that aren't in Instinct dry. If she's not completely better in the next week or so, then an ultrasound is where we're headed. I'd like to try out a couple of other proteins, but she only likes smushy pates. Maybe I'll see what other flavors Dave's has.


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## zuma

Yes, Leelu was diagnosed with IBD. She also used to be a super picky eater, randomly going off a certain food she loved just the week before. Now on the pred she's turned into a garbage can and will eat anything. Pred stimulates her appetite for one, but I think she's also just feeling better overall. 
Anyways keeping my fingers crossed, it's 'just' the BW.


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## 10cats2dogs

Spirite, 
Is Miss Celia doing any better??
(((HUGS))) and Prayers, 
Sharon


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## spirite

zuma, that's why Celia got so fat in the first place - the pred. Alas, she's still a picky eater. :roll:

Well, she has eaten well today - between 1/3 and 1/2 of a 5.5-oz can, spread over 4 hours and 3 mrrrrrs to let me know she wanted more, and I haven't seen any signs of nausea. 

However. When I got home, she wasn't in her usual spot, and there was no response when I called her (which caused me a minor heart attack). She was in my bedroom, where she had pooped on my bed. I later found evidence of scooting (a couple of tiny poos and a smear). Right after I walked in, she assumed the "I'm about to throw up" position and threw up a little water or bile.

Then I discovered that someone had peed on the bathroom rug. Again. I threw one rug out a couple of months ago and thought Margaux was the culprit, but now I wonder. It might have been Casper, because something in that area had Celia's attention a couple of days ago. I only smelled it today though, when I turned the rug over while vacuuming. 

So this leads me to think that:

1. she may have an intolerance to something in the BW, either barley or potatoes, since her appetite seems to be back 
2. she's slightly constipated (the poop on my bed, scooting)
3. she is unhappy that Casper was here (the pee on the rug, if she was indeed the guilty party)
4. she is unhappy that I'm back to work and was gone for 7 hours today, which hasn't happened since before Margaux passed (vomiting water - it really seemed forced)

I'll give it a few more days to be certain, but I'm pretty reassured that she's ok medically, aside from a possible food intolerance, a little constipation, and maybe arthritis. Everything else might be the result of stress, and loneliness. Somewhere I'll post about the new behaviors...

Thanks for asking!


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## TabbCatt

Oh dear, so I guess Celia still isn't really 100% :sad:
But I suppose the good news is that you have some sort of idea now what could be causing her to feel ill, and have some kind of direction.

I am still trying to find out more things about EFAs in cats...I hope you know it also benefits older cats with arthritis, as well.

Sending good thoughts to you and Celia! Hope we can get to the bottom of this mystery.


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## doodlebug

spirite said:


> 4. she is unhappy that I'm back to work and was gone for 7 hours today, which hasn't happened since before Margaux passed (vomiting water - it really seemed forced)


Did she have food available while you were gone? Cats with digestive issues often need many smaller meals and will vomit liquid when their stomach gets empty for too long. Using some Pepcid or slippery elm syrup may help too.


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## spirite

Thanks TabbCatt. Pretty soon Celia's food is going to have more supplements than actual food, lol! Her food already has Norvasc and slippery elm bark. I think I'll get away without having to add famotidine, since she doesn't seem nauseated anymore, but the l-lysine is waiting in the wings and now potentially an EFA. She'll definitely be healthier than me. 

I'm pretty convinced that a lot of it is stress related. And I keep forgetting to get a Feliway diffuser, which I think will help. 

She has taken to putting me to bed every night. :luv She comes upstairs and chills on the pillow next to me for a bit, and then just before I fall asleep, she gets up and goes back downstairs. But she has also taken to waking me up virtually every morning, walking back and forth around me, sniffing my face, and mrrrr-ing from all angles. So I drag myself out of bed and go downstairs to feed her or play with her, and do you know what she does when I get down there? She climbs into her bed and goes to sleep. 

!


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## spirite

doodlebug said:


> Did she have food available while you were gone? Cats with digestive issues often need many smaller meals and will vomit liquid when their stomach gets empty for too long. Using some Pepcid or slippery elm syrup may help too.


Gah. Totally forgot to come back to this thread.

Thanks doodlebug. That's something I wondered about too. But I left her some kibble that morning, and she had eaten all of it when I got back. Maybe she needed more?

I gave her slippery elm bark (just the powder mixed into her food) for about a week, and it seemed to help, but then she seemed constipated (she pooped on my bed twice, and then under the coffee table), so I went back to Miralax. There haven't been any further issues with vomiting, and she's pooping in her box. 

She ate her wet food well for a couple of days, but since yesterday I've been getting the ew-my-food-has-cooties face off and on. I don't know if she's really not feeling well, or if she's holding out hoping for Fortiflora (forget it, cat), or if she's just taking advantage of the situation and being fussy.


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## 10cats2dogs

Spirite, 
How is Celia doing in general now?
Besides, still being a fussy little Diva with her food! 
(Prayers, that is all it is).
S.


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