My cat can't tell me when he's feeling better. How will I know?

June 27, 2012 12:24 PM

My cat is sick. He's been to the vet. I'm still concerned. Hope me.

So, two days ago I took my cat, Mister, to the vet because he hadn't used the litter box in a day and he seemed to be listless, a bit swollen in his belly, and not himself at all. I figured he was blocked and that was a VERY BAD THING. I was right. Not only was he blocked, but he has a UTI, a tapeworm (I have no idea where he picked that up since he's an indoor cat, but they dewormed him), and he was constipated. So, he stayed at the vet's and they pumped him with fluids, then sent him home with a stool softener and antibiotics.

He's going to the bathroom, but it's frequently and small. I'm not seeing any blood. He's eating. We bought the prescription dry food for urinary problems since he refused to eat the wet stuff, but he's eating his normal wet food as well. He normally gets wet in the morning and dry in his feeder ball throughout the day. I never actually see him drink, but the water's disappearing so I assume he is. We got a fountain for him but it looks like he's ignoring it. He plays a bit when we dangle something in front of him, so he's not listless anymore.

Here's my question. He's still acting a little bit off aside from the frequent & small urination. Right now, he's under my bed, which is a new thing. Normally, he would be perched on one of the several perches we have under our windows for him. Since he came home yesterday though he's been on the floor. The only improvement in that is that yesterday he didn't even leave the living room and today he's branched out to the kitchen and our bedroom. But he still hasn't left the floor. So with the not perching, seeking dark spaces, and the frequent urination, I'm a little worried. How long should I wait for him to resume normal behavior before I start to worry? The vet didn't make a follow up appointment.

posted by patheral to Pets & Animals (25 answers total)

What antibiotics was your kitty given, and for how long a course?
posted by Perodicticus potto at 12:28 PM on June 27, 2012

Response by poster: He's on Clavamox 125mg 2X a day for two weeks.
posted by patheral at 12:30 PM on June 27, 2012

As long as he is eating and peeing, give him several more days to get back to his usual self but keep an eye on him. My cats hide when upset and the visit to the vet was upsetting. If he gets worse in any way, call the vet, and if he stays the same it still won't hurt to call to see what the vet says. He is a handsome kitty, hope he feels better soon.
posted by mermayd at 12:42 PM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

I think you should post this to Whole Cat Health - just copy and paste this over there. They know pretty much everything about cats. Don't delay. Good luck.
posted by watercarrier at 12:42 PM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

When cats are ill, they hide. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's a catastrophic illness, just that they feel really crappy -- so, as a protective measure, they hide. It reduces the risk of not being able to outrun larger predators because they feel crappy.

If you've had your vet for a while and they've done well by you and kitty, then, yes: you need to give it a day or two more.

If this is a new vet and you feel that maybe they weren't thorough, then calling another vet (a cats-only vet is always a good backup) and getting an over the phone consult for next steps.

Also: cats are just weird. I've had my excellent vets at the Cat Hospital of Chicago explain to me that there is a lot we don't understand about how their bodies work.
posted by gsh at 12:48 PM on June 27, 2012

Oh poor kitteh.
I have seen the dark side of a block 2 times with Melon. Plus 2 UTIs. The tapeworm might have been from a mouse. Or more specifically, the mice fleas. Do you have mice? Any chance of mice? It happens.

So what you have described is not out of the range of weirdness for any cat I have known who has been blocked. Melon did not want to run and jump for a week or so because, as I am guessing, the catheter site was uncomfortable. He also had a few accidents which were not his fault. His urethra was weak. So I might pick up some Anti Icky Poo and get ready for that. Melon hid and was grumpy and did not jump or run for a while. His little belly was tender to the touch--he let me know it!-- and he was sad and not playful. But he came around as he peed more frequently, regularly, and with more, uh, vigor.

I found Royal Canin wet to be excellent and Melon eats it up. He is very picky, too (he isn't orange, he's golden.) I have tried a few times to do a natural, a raw and other diets. Others may have luck with this. I have had...another block and 2 UTIs. So we are on prescription for the rest of Melon's life. And only that. He does not get treats or anything else. So it might be a good idea to try to get Mister off his favorite wet and onto prescription. Just a suggestion.

Feel free to MeMail me. I have done this one. Ugh. Poor baby, and poor you!
posted by oflinkey at 12:51 PM on June 27, 2012

IANAV, just doing work experience in a vet's surgery. I actually watched a cat being tested for a UTI today, and it did not look fun. (The urine sample must be taken directly from the bladder to ensure it isn't contaminated.) It seems quite possible that Mister is still shaken up from his vet visit, especially if they kept him overnight.

Regarding the frequent urination, I would phone the vet's office and ask whether it is normal for him still to be doing this after two days of treatment. Also ask whether you should bring him in for a follow-up at some point. Again, IANAV or anywhere near.

Beautiful cat, BTW!
posted by Perodicticus potto at 12:53 PM on June 27, 2012

I went through this just last month with our cat Darwin, minus the tapeworm, and it definitely took him a couple days to start acting normal or peeing regularly again. Part of that was he turned out to be allergic to Clavamox (puking), but, as our vet pointed out during an anxious phone call a day or two later from me, the cat's had a rough time of it recently, especially with catheterization which is a large tube in a small hole and so his urethra is likely swollen and still painful. So it doesn't sound unusual to still be urinating frequently/in small amounts or to be kind of out of it a couple days after.

Darwin hated Royal Canin's Urinary S/O wet food, but digs on Hill's C/D, so try a different food if you or his vet think it's important he be on a prescription food. Also a really easy way to up your cat's water intake is to mix in a bunch of water with the wet food (we probably do half water/half wet food). HUMUNGOUS PEES!
posted by radiomayonnaise at 1:02 PM on June 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

Oh, poor Mister! It does sound like he's doing better though. The non-listlessness and the territorial expansion are both important, strong indicators of feline rebound: they show he's no longer consumed by inner physical distress, and is consequently getting his confidence back.

The dry food for urinary problems is really not that great (high carbs, low water). You might start serving Mister his regular wet food for supper as well. Bonus meals never hurt patient morale!
posted by feral_goldfish at 1:09 PM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oh radiomayonnaise is so right! Mix water into the wet. Each wet feeding, my boys get a quarter can of wet with almost a whole can's worth of water in it (we have worked up to this point), so it is like soup. They seem to love it, it is slightly gross, but Melon's peeing is ace.

Also, I have a Drinkwell, which everyone likes.

/radiomayonnaise, did you ever try the Royal Canin bits in gravy?
posted by oflinkey at 1:22 PM on June 27, 2012

Response by poster: One of the reasons we give Mister dry food as well as wet is because he loves this Slim feeder and it seems to help him with his losing weight because he has to bat it around to get anything out of it. He's seriously obese again after staying with my friend for a few months.

The vet says the prescription food would balance out his Ph or something? and help keep him from getting a UTI in the future. I've upped his wet food intake lately and lowered the amount of dry food he gets. He won't eat the prescription wet food at all, but he loves this dry stuff.

I hadn't thought to mix water with the wet food though. I'll have to try that.

Thanks for the answers. I'll try not to panic and just keep an eye on him. The main reason I knew something was wrong a few days ago was because he didn't come on the bed and wake us up in the morning. It worries me when he's not acting himself.
posted by patheral at 1:26 PM on June 27, 2012

Give it another day, and call the vet tomorrow if not seeing an improvement. The extra peeing is really just from the IV fluids, and the compulsion to seek quiet, out-of-the-way spaces is normal. He should start feeling a lot better once the antibiotics have begun to take hold. He's been through a lot, and extra rest is going to be his primary need. But call the vet if you're concerned. A good rule of thumb is: bad things get worse. If he's staying stable, not getting worse, things are probably going in the right direction for him. But you're wise to keep an eye on it.
posted by Miko at 1:36 PM on June 27, 2012

Clavamox makes my cat very, very nauseated. He sits hunched up and occasionally pants because he feels so queasy. IIRC, it's a common side effect. You might call your vet and ask if you could switch to another antibiotic, or if they have any other ideas (adding something good for his tummy like fortiflora or an anti nausea med).
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 1:54 PM on June 27, 2012

You really need to read this about what to feed and how to treat your kitty with any UTI.
posted by watercarrier at 1:58 PM on June 27, 2012

Poor guy.

I'll echo that your kitteh is probably still not feeling tip-top and is just keeping a low profile. Think about how you'd feel if it happened to you.

Keep an eye on him. As long as he's drinking water he'll be okay, it's the dehydration that's harmful. If he looks like he's losing weight, it may be dehydration, so keep an eye on him.

Does he like to play in the sink? Our kitties do, this gets them drinking more water.

I'll send out positive kitty vibes to your beautiful boy.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:00 PM on June 27, 2012

FWIW, whenever we took the late great Sparky to the vet he'd hide and act not at all like his normal self for several days afterward. He truly hated going in the car, not to mention having the doctor do things to him. His normal routine, without fail, was to wake Dad up at 7:05 every morning and that's one main reason we knew that he was off his feed after a trip to the vet (one visit involved a two-day catheterization at the vet's when he was blocked up with that feline urinary thing). Dad would try and coax Sparky out of hiding with a can of human tuna, usually an irresistible treat, but Sparky was stubborn. We guessed that part of the problem was, other than us forcing him into the hated car for a hated trip to the vet, us also having to force pills down his throat (he was far too savvy to fall for the "hide the pill in the cat food" ploy). It always took several days for Sparky to return to normal behavior after a trip to the vet no matter what he'd been treated for.

Hope Mister is back up to speed very soon!
posted by Oriole Adams at 4:11 PM on June 27, 2012

We've had two cats get UTI in the last few years, and they both took some time to bounce back. The younger especially, presently oddly. She was eating, drinking and using the litter box, but somewhat less than normall, played when we dangled her favorite toys, and seemed *mostly* normal, but something was still off and she started sleeping in places where she'd never slept before. She improved steadily over about a week. My other cat is elderly and is VERY traumatized by vet visits, so she always acts upset and hides for a couple of days after a trip. I'd say it doesn't seem unusual, given what he's been through, but if he doesn't show improvement, I'd have him seen again. Poor sweetie, I hope he's feeling all better soon!
posted by upatree at 7:31 PM on June 27, 2012

Clavamox must be given on a full stomach, are you doing that? He could easily be feeling gross from the antibiotics if he's getting them on anything less than a full stomach
posted by biscotti at 9:50 PM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Slim Feeder makes a perfectly sensible reason to keep giving him dry food -- great photo of Mister on the hunt! Glad you are also boosting the wet:dry ratio (which is more valuable than the specially-marketed-to-vets food), and kudos to you for keeping such a watchful eye on his routine. Everyone evaluates the degree to which your cat is not-quite-himself as consistent with being on the mend (especially given that things are getting better or keeping stable, not getting worse), so I reckon you're quite right to stay vigilant, but stop worrying -- and pat yourself on the back for being so vigilant before & saving his life.
posted by feral_goldfish at 9:31 AM on June 28, 2012

Response by poster: A few hours after I posted this, Mister jumped up on our bed and slept for a little while. He also joined us on the bed last night, and perched on one of his perches for a while last night. So he's not keeping to the ground anymore. That's a good sign. He's also paying more attention to the birds outside, whereas on Tuesday and yesterday morning he didn't give them much mind at all. He also put up a bit more of a struggle when I gave him his stool softener this morning (it's liquid, 2cc's and I need to squirt it in his mouth... and I dunno if any of you have tried to give a 21 pound cat medicine, but it's not easy ^_^). I guess that means he's feeling better.

He still won't go in the TV room for some reason, and that used to be his favorite perching area. I'm not worried like I was yesterday, just noting that he's still not back to his usual self. Thanks, everyone, for easing my mind.

Thanks so much for the water in the wet food suggestion. He really likes that. He's still using the litter box frequently, but the amount has increased.

Also, I didn't know Clavamox needed to be given on a full stomach. It's not on the bottle, and the vet said nothing. *sigh* Well, now I know.
posted by patheral at 11:54 AM on June 28, 2012

Response by poster: New thing (in case anyone's reading this still), Mister seems to be getting along just fine. He's eating well, playing, chittering at birds outside the window, and seems to be his normal self except one thing. He's suddenly become very clingy. I'm unemployed at the moment so I stay at home a lot, and where I go, he goes. He follows me from room to room and lays down in whatever room I'm in for a while before he'll wander off to eat or do whatever it is that kitties do, but for the most part he's right under my feet. He scratches at the door when I'm in the bathroom. He's even taken to hopping up on the desk while I'm on the computer, which he has never done before. All of this underfootedness is very much a new thing. If I leave for a while, it intensifies.

It's worse at night. Instead of coming in to poke me in the face once or twice a night, it's five or six times!

I'm exhausted!

This is not a good thing for me because I'm already tired all of the time due to fibromyalgia. I need my sleep. If I close the door though, he'll scratch and cry, then neither I, my guy, or the neighbors will get any sleep. Better I alone suffer than the whole building. *sigh*

I'm wondering if this new behavior is a temporary thing or if this is something he'll get tired of.
posted by patheral at 9:49 AM on July 2, 2012

I think you'll be OK. My Lulu kitty always is super clingy right after she feels better. She's had 2 UTIs recently (and yes, she's on wet food only now) and both times she avoided me and stayed hidden before suddenly becoming velcro kitty and demanding I not be out of her sight via various methods of meowing and placing herself on my lap so I couldn't get up.

After a few days, she went back to her usual alternating pattern of love and disdain.
posted by skittlekicks at 10:10 AM on July 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

Just in case Mister is still waking you up at rates that are hazardous to your health: consider blowing $40 on a compressed air can with motion detector, to be placed in front of your closed bedroom door. I have no personal experience, but such a device worked great for Jackson Galaxy on his reality teevee show, My Cat From Hell. The cats ran away from it to go brood silently elsewhere.
posted by feral_goldfish at 3:19 PM on July 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Well, he's stopped waking me up every two hours, but he's still way clingy. In every other way, he seems bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but I can't leave the room without him following me. Right now, he's up on the desk in front of the monitors, and that's very much a new thing (just started this past week or so since he got back from the vet's). I'm not overly concerned, but it is getting tiresome to be overly vigilant about not stepping on him whenever I turn around...
posted by patheral at 3:41 PM on July 10, 2012

Hmm .... Mister's combination of vigor and cling reminds me of a friend's cat (the late Cleveland) who had crawled up under the hood of the family car seeking warmth from the motor, and was accidentally transported to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner. There he staggered out from under the car in horrible condition, and my friend nursed him back to health. Cleveland reciprocated with sudden new devotion, including keeping him company all night at his writing-desk. Going to the vet can't have been fun, but perhaps Mister nonetheless has some inkling that your prompt action and subsequent care fixed the thing that was Horribly Wrong. So he feels inclined to stick close to you, in some mix of gratitude and superstitious self-protection.
posted by feral_goldfish at 10:31 PM on July 25, 2012