What's up with our cat?
June 21, 2009 4:40 PM Subscribe
Cat gone crazy? If so, what to do?
Anon because it's personal
Background: We have two cats, a male short hair named A, and a female long hair, called B. A is older. A&B have grown up together and have never been separated. We've had them for almost a year. We got them from a military guy who had to give them up due to shipping out. He was their only owner before us. They were skittish at first when we brought them home, often hiding and refusing contact. Over time they become affectionate, seeking us, sleeping in the same room, etc, etc. A, the male cat, has adopted our 18 year daughter. B, the female cat has adopted my wife. I drift between the two. Both cats were fixed long before we got them.
We are three humans, a married couple with an 18 year old daughter who's room is on the second story. A, the male cat, spends much of his time up there with her, though he'll come down to eat, go the bathroom and hang out with B, the female cat and us for a while before going back upstairs. B, the female cat, never goes upstairs. She stays downstairs, choosing to hang out in certain spots for a couple of weeks (our bedroom, a chair in the living room, the dining room table) before moving to a new spot.
About a week ago, our daughter left for the summer to visit other relatives. A, the male cat who had adopted her and spent most of his time upstairs, has come downstairs and though obviously sad, has stayed downstairs for the company. B, the female cat, has kept up her usual personality, hanging out with "her brother" and just generally being herself.
Until four days ago. When we came home, she was nowhere to be found, when usually she's somewhere visible and greets us when we get home, with either meows and/or following us around. She didn't seek us out all and never showed up anywhere. By the second day, after looking around I realized she was upstairs, hanging out in the bathroom. She NEVER goes upstairs, it's unheard of. Now she's refusing to come downstairs at all, seemingly even to eat or go to the bathroom. I left a small dish of food for her in the bathroom and she's barely touched it. She's alert and appears interested when I wave string in front of her (a favorite game). She's ok with being petted, but if you try to pick her up or some such, she'll move away. This morning she's started peeing on the bathroom floor, without a litter box. The upstairs does not have have AC, so it's stifling hot up there, especially for a long hair cat.
We had another female cat (different breed), who seemed to do something similar. That previous cat, C (also fixed), was content to stay indoors until at some point she eventually decided going outdoors was the thing to do and from then on she stayed outdoors. One day we found her dead by the side of the house, for no apparent reason. She was from the pound and had a common disease from cats get in the pound (which I can't recall at the moment), which we think killed her.
To sum things up:
1. Everything was fine up till four days ago.
2. Now normally affectionate and healthy eating cat is shunning contact and not eating much.
3. She is fixed.
4. She stays in the un-air conditioned upstairs, in a bathroom, drinking from the toilet, eating little and has taken to peeing in the bathroom where she's staying, though she isn't sitting in the urine and is in fact as far from it as possible.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for what's going with this cat?
Anon because it's personal
Background: We have two cats, a male short hair named A, and a female long hair, called B. A is older. A&B have grown up together and have never been separated. We've had them for almost a year. We got them from a military guy who had to give them up due to shipping out. He was their only owner before us. They were skittish at first when we brought them home, often hiding and refusing contact. Over time they become affectionate, seeking us, sleeping in the same room, etc, etc. A, the male cat, has adopted our 18 year daughter. B, the female cat has adopted my wife. I drift between the two. Both cats were fixed long before we got them.
We are three humans, a married couple with an 18 year old daughter who's room is on the second story. A, the male cat, spends much of his time up there with her, though he'll come down to eat, go the bathroom and hang out with B, the female cat and us for a while before going back upstairs. B, the female cat, never goes upstairs. She stays downstairs, choosing to hang out in certain spots for a couple of weeks (our bedroom, a chair in the living room, the dining room table) before moving to a new spot.
About a week ago, our daughter left for the summer to visit other relatives. A, the male cat who had adopted her and spent most of his time upstairs, has come downstairs and though obviously sad, has stayed downstairs for the company. B, the female cat, has kept up her usual personality, hanging out with "her brother" and just generally being herself.
Until four days ago. When we came home, she was nowhere to be found, when usually she's somewhere visible and greets us when we get home, with either meows and/or following us around. She didn't seek us out all and never showed up anywhere. By the second day, after looking around I realized she was upstairs, hanging out in the bathroom. She NEVER goes upstairs, it's unheard of. Now she's refusing to come downstairs at all, seemingly even to eat or go to the bathroom. I left a small dish of food for her in the bathroom and she's barely touched it. She's alert and appears interested when I wave string in front of her (a favorite game). She's ok with being petted, but if you try to pick her up or some such, she'll move away. This morning she's started peeing on the bathroom floor, without a litter box. The upstairs does not have have AC, so it's stifling hot up there, especially for a long hair cat.
We had another female cat (different breed), who seemed to do something similar. That previous cat, C (also fixed), was content to stay indoors until at some point she eventually decided going outdoors was the thing to do and from then on she stayed outdoors. One day we found her dead by the side of the house, for no apparent reason. She was from the pound and had a common disease from cats get in the pound (which I can't recall at the moment), which we think killed her.
To sum things up:
1. Everything was fine up till four days ago.
2. Now normally affectionate and healthy eating cat is shunning contact and not eating much.
3. She is fixed.
4. She stays in the un-air conditioned upstairs, in a bathroom, drinking from the toilet, eating little and has taken to peeing in the bathroom where she's staying, though she isn't sitting in the urine and is in fact as far from it as possible.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for what's going with this cat?
She needs to be checked over at the vet.
posted by dilettante at 4:47 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by dilettante at 4:47 PM on June 21, 2009
Your cat not eating is very serious. A cat can have liver failure in only a few days of not eating. Four days is way too long. This is an emergency and you need to get her to the vet tonight.
posted by fritley at 4:58 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by fritley at 4:58 PM on June 21, 2009
When a cat stops eating AND starts hiding away AND breaks litter box training, it's vet time three times over. Please take her to the first available vet.
posted by maudlin at 5:01 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by maudlin at 5:01 PM on June 21, 2009
I am no expert but I agree, a call and visit to the vet are in order. The sooner the better.
In the meantime, to make her - and you - feel better, can you put a temporary litter box in the bathroom for her? You can use an old shoebox in a pinch, it's a little small but it'll do the job. Of course make sure it's as far away as possible from her food (maybe even put the food up on the vanity and the litter box on the other side of the bathroom?). I would also put a fresh bowl of water in there for her - to me, toilet water just sounds gross, even if it won't hurt her.
If she keeps going on the bathroom floor (after the vet clears her) I have found success with the puppy training pads (in fact, human "incontinence protection" works similarly but are cheaper). I have a two-year-old male cat who is currently dealing with some anxiety issues (a new dog moved in down the hall) and the vet and I are working with a behaviorist to improve his urinating habits. In the meantime, though I have found that these puppy training pads are awesome - if he goes, he has something to "cover up" with and all I have to do is roll up the pad and throw it away. It's convenient and much less clean up for me.
I'd also clean up the mess with an enzyme cleaner to make sure that she and male cat don't re-mark the same spot when they're back to normal.
Good luck, and I hope she is OK!
posted by MeetMegan at 5:01 PM on June 21, 2009
In the meantime, to make her - and you - feel better, can you put a temporary litter box in the bathroom for her? You can use an old shoebox in a pinch, it's a little small but it'll do the job. Of course make sure it's as far away as possible from her food (maybe even put the food up on the vanity and the litter box on the other side of the bathroom?). I would also put a fresh bowl of water in there for her - to me, toilet water just sounds gross, even if it won't hurt her.
If she keeps going on the bathroom floor (after the vet clears her) I have found success with the puppy training pads (in fact, human "incontinence protection" works similarly but are cheaper). I have a two-year-old male cat who is currently dealing with some anxiety issues (a new dog moved in down the hall) and the vet and I are working with a behaviorist to improve his urinating habits. In the meantime, though I have found that these puppy training pads are awesome - if he goes, he has something to "cover up" with and all I have to do is roll up the pad and throw it away. It's convenient and much less clean up for me.
I'd also clean up the mess with an enzyme cleaner to make sure that she and male cat don't re-mark the same spot when they're back to normal.
Good luck, and I hope she is OK!
posted by MeetMegan at 5:01 PM on June 21, 2009
Nthing the vet. Cats often hide or retreat when not feeling well. Also, while the not eating maybe secondary, ie a symptom of something else going on, just a short time without food can result in hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver diseae), so the sooner she goes the better.
posted by lovermont at 5:11 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by lovermont at 5:11 PM on June 21, 2009
Ugh, the link got borked. Here it is: hepatic lipidosis.
posted by lovermont at 5:12 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by lovermont at 5:12 PM on June 21, 2009
Here's a good link to assess whether or not your cat is in an emergency.
posted by MeetMegan at 5:45 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by MeetMegan at 5:45 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
honestly I would consider going to a 24 hr clinic right now if you are in a time zone where your regular vet isn't open.
posted by advil at 5:47 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by advil at 5:47 PM on June 21, 2009
Vet. Now.
Cats are notoriously good at hiding their discomfort when something's wrong. When they finally do start showing symptoms, it most certainly means there's something amiss. Even if nothing's wrong, she needs to be checked out.
posted by cgg at 5:48 PM on June 21, 2009
Cats are notoriously good at hiding their discomfort when something's wrong. When they finally do start showing symptoms, it most certainly means there's something amiss. Even if nothing's wrong, she needs to be checked out.
posted by cgg at 5:48 PM on June 21, 2009
She's alert and appears interested when I wave string in front of her (a favorite game). She's ok with being petted
Those are not the symptoms of a sick cat. Give her some new (to her) food. I she eats it, that's even more evidence against something pathological.
posted by Neiltupper at 5:56 PM on June 21, 2009
Those are not the symptoms of a sick cat. Give her some new (to her) food. I she eats it, that's even more evidence against something pathological.
posted by Neiltupper at 5:56 PM on June 21, 2009
Neiltupper, I disagree. I had a cat with a large tumor on his heart. Up until the day I finally had to put him to sleep, he showed interest in the chipmunks outside the window. He followed them with his eyes and batted the glass. I even sent the vet away that day, although I knew he was suffering. The next day, he couldn't move his head. A cat can hide very serious illness quite well.
I hope this kitty has already been seen by a vet by now.
posted by clarkstonian at 6:53 PM on June 21, 2009
I hope this kitty has already been seen by a vet by now.
posted by clarkstonian at 6:53 PM on June 21, 2009
Piling on, but.. sick cat. Vet now. A change in eating, litterbox habits, or location/personal habits are individually causes for concern that warrant a trip to the vet. All three mean vet NOW.
posted by bedhead at 8:47 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by bedhead at 8:47 PM on June 21, 2009
...Those are not the symptoms of a sick cat.
Neiltupper,
I'm sure you mean well but, like clarkstonian, I have to disagree.
We've very recently been through a strikingly similar situation (a sad outcome). Counter-intuitively, our cat showed all sorts of alert behavior side-by-side with the worrying symptoms. Our super vet took pains to explain that this was typical, and she gently made me see that loving owners are not very good at diagnosing their cats.
Having said that, I wish you luck. If you can, let us know the outcome?
posted by Jody Tresidder at 6:13 AM on June 22, 2009
Neiltupper,
I'm sure you mean well but, like clarkstonian, I have to disagree.
We've very recently been through a strikingly similar situation (a sad outcome). Counter-intuitively, our cat showed all sorts of alert behavior side-by-side with the worrying symptoms. Our super vet took pains to explain that this was typical, and she gently made me see that loving owners are not very good at diagnosing their cats.
Having said that, I wish you luck. If you can, let us know the outcome?
posted by Jody Tresidder at 6:13 AM on June 22, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by annathea at 4:43 PM on June 21, 2009 [5 favorites]