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Thread: Worried...about my cat

  1. #31
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    In the vet's defense, when she called yesterday to give me the test results she asked if he'd been pooping normally and I said yes - because for two days, he was. But you're right, I need more information. The vet is closed now but I just e-mailed them asking 1) if what he'd been through was enough to rule out things like IBD, lymphoma, etc.; and 2) for help getting him started down the road of figuring out what, if anything, in his food is causing the problem. I'm trying to remember that the vet knows what to look for and how to find it, but much like when I'm experiencing an episode of HA, I'm worried that something was overlooked or not given the attention it should have been. I'm doing everything in my power not to engage in catastrophic thinking, but it's so hard!

    The good news is that I can finally get his antibiotics into him, since he likes the Pill Pockets I bought. So maybe that will help.

  2. #32
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    It’s hard with cats. It’s in their nature to cover up if they’re feeling bad. You have to rule one thing out at a time. Those pill pockets are the best. I use them with my cats too
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  3. #33
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    Sorry you're no further forward, although I think your email to the vet was sensible. If the tests can rule out the IBD/lymphoma etc, you can look at other things.

    (Long side note: If you go down the food allergy route, Royal Canin does a hypoallergenic kibble made from hydrolysed soy protein. It was helpful for us as an emergency option, but it's expensive and my cat had diarrhoea with it, until I insisted on her having some meat. Paid a fortune for a venison-based wet cat food and she wouldn't touch it, so I fed her small amounts of venison alongside the kibble. As Carys said, grain can definitely be the culprit, and one of the first things to consider. Also, if the US is the same, most "normal" cat foods contain "meat and animal derivatives" which means all sorts of bits of ground up animal. I was advised to try single sources of "novel protein", so just one protein (not a mix), and ideally something your cat hasn't had before...eg rabbit, venison, even crocodile etc! Diets should always be introduced slowly, and give each protein a while e.g a month. Some people suggest rotating single protein sources once a month, but I don't)
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  4. #34
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    The vet confirmed that the blood tests were NOT enough to positively rule out lymphoma or IBD. She did say that they didn't show things commonly associated with lymphoma (I assume feline leukemia or FIV, both of which are commonly seen with lymphoma). She said that since this appears to be an acute thing, the best thing to do is to continue giving him the anti-diarrheal and see how he reacts to it. He seems to be doing well with it so far, as things looked normal yesterday, but he also had two normal days last week before reverting, so I'm not getting my hopes up. If it continues, or comes back after he's done the course of medication, we'll investigate a prescription diet and/or an abdominal ultrasound.

    Something did occur to me, though, and I can't decide if it's good or bad. It's not a regular occurrence, but it's not unusual for him to have a tiny bit of something left on him after using the litter box that needs to be wiped off. It never registered with me as something to worry about, but suggests that maybe he does have soft stools more often than I'm aware of. This might sound like a complete cop-out but I'm not the one who typically empties the litter box. I work during the day and my husband works nights, so he's home and cleaning the litter box is just one of the things he does while I'm at work. It's possible that this has been going on longer than I know, possibly even with blood. The only reason I saw the blood this time is because it was on the floor, and whenever I've seen it in his stool, it's because I went looking for it, since lately I've been sifting through his litter like I might find gold nuggets. I never would've noticed blood if not. So if this has been going on for several months, and he's not showing any ill effects like lethargy, weight loss, etc., it's probably not something sinister, right? Everything I've read says that cats with lymphoma who don't get treatment typically don't last longer than 2 months, and it's been longer than that. If he was sick, he'd be showing something else, I would assume.

    I'm so sorry. I never thought I'd be spending hours talking about my cat's poop on an online forum. Thank you all for being so patient and understanding!

  5. #35
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    No worries. We all go through this! Glad he's still doing okay.
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  6. #36
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    Quote Originally Posted by ckelley116 View Post
    Something did occur to me, though, and I can't decide if it's good or bad. It's not a regular occurrence, but it's not unusual for him to have a tiny bit of something left on him after using the litter box that needs to be wiped off.
    When Socrates was having stomach and stool issues, that would happen occasionally. Especially when he bolted out of the litter box like he was being shot out of a cannon! After we switched to the sensitive digestion food, things calmed down and I haven't seen it happen again. His stool is totally normal. He used to puke more too (hairballs mostly) and shed pretty heavy, and now, hardly at all. Between the new kibble and continued raw chicken (he's been on that since he was 8 weeks old), his coat is beautiful and he doesn't shed as much. He turned nine last Thanksgiving and while he's certainly more chill these days, he still gets ramped up and runs around like a crazy cat a couple times a day. All I can definitely say that was when he wasn't feeling good, it was obvious beside the poo. If your boy is behaving normally, it doesn't lend itself to anything serious.

    Definitely hear what your vet has to say but before you go for a prescription food (pricey), check out some cat/pet forums and do a little research. I garnered some really good info that proved quite beneficial.

    Positive thoughts and meow...
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  7. #37
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    Hey everyone. Just an update that Marley seems to be doing well. He takes his last dose of metronidazole today (he'll be sad not to be getting those yummy salmon pill pockets anymore!) and I haven't seen much of anything concerning in his litter box. Or much of anything, period...metronidazole may have backed him up a little, but I find it preferable to blood! Hopefully he does, too. I guess over the next few days I'll see how he does once the medication is worked out of his system, but for now, he's doing great

  8. #38
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    That's great news. Fingers crossed the metronidazole has sorted whatever it was. Thanks for letting us know
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  9. #39
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

    Glad to hear this

    Positive thoughts
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    "Eat. Drink. Enjoy the work you do. Be thankful for the blessings God gives you in this life. Live, love and seek out the things that bring your heart joy. The rest is meaningless... Like chasing the wind." King Solomon

    The best help is the help you give yourself! http://cbt4panic.org/

  10. #40
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    Re: Worried...about my cat

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