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Cat Declining, please help
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  2009-10-23 5:38 AM |
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| 2009-10-23 5:39 AM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2009-10-23 6:53 AM in reply to: #2475031 |
Pro 4612    MA | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help I am sorry to hear that. Little Tiger is doing the exact same thing - she is 17 1/2. Nothing you can do - I have a litter box that has an "opening" for her to climb in which seems to work ok for a while. Lately I think she just gave up. By nature she would go toward the litter box. If she feels like it she would climb into it, but too "lazy" to position herself properly. So stuff would drip outside of the box. Many times she just crap on the floor, or the couch. Argh! You have no idea how much time I spend cleaning everyday. I am *this* close to kicking her out of the balcony. But she has been with me for 15 years. Other than that, she seems fine, eats well, roams around, wakes me up at night... you know, the usual cat stuffs. |
| 2009-10-23 9:44 AM in reply to: #2475031 |
Pro 5011 Twin Cities | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help First have her vet checked. Then...try multiple boxes. Put one on each level of your house,m near where she spends most of her time. Also: try a different type of box, uncovered v. covered, challow v. deep, etc. You might alos consider changing litters. Could be she doesn't like the texture/scent anymore. Don't vary all that stuff at once, obviously, but try them...just like peopple, cats likes and dislikes change as hey age. |
| 2009-10-23 9:52 AM in reply to: #2475031 |
| New user 110 Parker, TX | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help We had a similar issue with our 19 yr old cat and she also had a problem jumping up on our bed. We got arthritis or joint medicine and started putting it in her food and she only does it on occassion now. We also put down absorbents around the cat box just in case. We picked up the mats that drew her attention, not sure if they think it feels like the cat box or what. We figure she only has a little time left and we're not going to accelerate that. We'll tolerate it, because she is part of the family. |
| 2009-10-23 10:01 AM in reply to: #2475031 |
Veteran 561 Arden Hills, MN | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help Agree with others that first thing is take her to a vet. Could be just a bladder infection. We also had some good luck with this product: http://www.healthypets.com/catattract.html The key though is that you have to buy a non scented cat litter. Good luck. |
| 2009-10-23 12:06 PM in reply to: #2475563 |
| Master 2380 Beijing | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help DB - 2009-10-22 11:01 AM Agree with others that first thing is take her to a vet. Could be just a bladder infection. We also had some good luck with this product: http://www.healthypets.com/catattract.html The key though is that you have to buy a non scented cat litter. Good luck. We had an old cat that did this. When my wife first adopted her, she would crap outside the box. The vet concluded she was "mad about something" and gave her some valium. After a few days, the cat "forgot" and started using the box normally. Much later in her life, she started urinating in random places. She was also down to 6 lbs, didn't have much of an appetite, and was generally not "with it." We put her down. You have to balance the desire to live (yours and hers) with the agony of going forward (yours and hers) |
| 2009-10-23 12:10 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help Sorry to hear about kitty. Ours is 18 years old, and has taking to howling in the middle of the night. Not for very long, but enough to wake us up. Haven't had a full night's sleep in a long time  That said, he's been around nearly half my life, and unless there was a quality of life issue, I would never think of putting him down for an older cat behavioral issue. Just the thought that he's closer to the end than the beginning rips my heart out.Still, he's an indoor/outdoor cat, and still jumps fences, so he's got some oomph in him Anyway, x2 on the vet. Older cats tend to get kidney problems, may be related ? no idea, but worth a check Edited by ChrisM 2009-10-23 12:11 PM |
| 2009-10-23 12:18 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2009-10-23 12:25 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
Extreme Veteran 3177 | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help I am sure the vet will check this but anytime I hear of an older animal with Urination issues I usually think first of Kidney problems. If they vet does not check this I would definately ask about it as well. Good luck that is a very satisfied looking cat. |
| 2009-10-23 12:28 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
Champion 5495 Whizzzzzlandia Silver member | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help DrLeah here on BT is a vet and might be able to help you as far as what questions to ask your vet on Monday. Meow! |
| 2009-10-23 12:29 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Champion 4942 Richmond, VA | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help I'm not a cat person, so that this with a grain a salt, but I thought this thread was liable to get pulled for being unbelievably insensitive. The first post is about what to do with a cat that is getting older. The second post is a sleeping cat - i.e. put the cat to sleep. Then, upon realizing you posted the picture, figure you were giving us a picture to go with the story. Glad to see I misinterpreted the second post.
Sorry to hear about the problem. Can't speak to the cat, but we had a dog go through cancer and loose bladder control. In addition to all the sprays to get urine out of the carpet, a trick my wife used was to play fabric softener sheets on the carpet, that seems to draw out any lingering odor. |
| 2009-10-23 12:36 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Pro 4089 Without house | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help x whatever on the vet. My cat is only 11 1/2, but she's been vomiting more. She doesn't have any obstructions or anything, so the vet took some blood work. I'm still waiting to hear back, but he said that it's very common for cats to have decline in renal and liver functions as they age. ETA: Mine posted after you mentioned you were taking her to the vet. I would also recommend (as another poster did) the absorbent pads (puppy pee pads?) and put them where she's been going. You can find them in the pet aisle or at any pet store. I put them under my litter boxes (I have 3 for 2 cats) because on of them (the older one) likes to lift her backside while she's going. I have covered litter boxes, so it doesn't spray on the walls, but the pads help just incase anything leaks out. Edited by maggyruth 2009-10-23 12:47 PM |
| 2009-10-23 12:53 PM in reply to: #2475972 |
| Veteran 561 Arden Hills, MN | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help ChrisM - 2009-10-23 12:10 PM Sorry to hear about kitty. Ours is 18 years old, and has taking to howling in the middle of the night. Not for very long, but enough to wake us up. Haven't had a full night's sleep in a long time That said, he's been around nearly half my life, and unless there was a quality of life issue, I would never think of putting him down for an older cat behavioral issue. Just the thought that he's closer to the end than the beginning rips my heart out.Still, he's an indoor/outdoor cat, and still jumps fences, so he's got some oomph in him Anyway, x2 on the vet. Older cats tend to get kidney problems, may be related ? no idea, but worth a check I can relate. My cat of 15 years paces at night. He falls asleep with us then around midnight starts walking across our heads (or simply standing on them). Then he proceeds to start knocking stuff off the nightstand until either my wife or I decide to kick him out. Then about 2 hours later he starts crying outside the door so I let him back in. Wash, rinse, repeat. |
| 2009-10-23 1:03 PM in reply to: #2475512 |
| Pro 5169 Burbs | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help mmrocker13 - 2009-10-23 10:44 AM First have her vet checked. Then...try multiple boxes. Put one on each level of your house,m near where she spends most of her time. Also: try a different type of box, uncovered v. covered, challow v. deep, etc. You might alos consider changing litters. Could be she doesn't like the texture/scent anymore. Don't vary all that stuff at once, obviously, but try them...just like peopple, cats likes and dislikes change as hey age. x2. great advice. could be as simple as a urinary tract infection. |
| 2009-10-23 1:58 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Master 1993 Riverside, IL | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help Firstly...sorry about your kitty. I'm sure the visit to the vet on Monday will answer many of your questions. I do have to agree with the poster that suggested "kidney problems". It's a very common problem in older cats. We lost one of ours due to kidney failure and she was displaying similar behavior (peeing/crapping outside the box). But the one symptom that clued us in, was that she was drinking an incredible amount of water, her last few days. Keep on eye on her water consumption and be sure to report that to your vet. I truly hope it's nothing serious, but given her age...be prepared for anything. |
| 2009-10-23 2:40 PM in reply to: #2476234 |
| Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help nscrbug - 2009-10-23 11:58 AM Firstly...sorry about your kitty. I'm sure the visit to the vet on Monday will answer many of your questions. I do have to agree with the poster that suggested "kidney problems". It's a very common problem in older cats. We lost one of ours due to kidney failure and she was displaying similar behavior (peeing/crapping outside the box). But the one symptom that clued us in, was that she was drinking an incredible amount of water, her last few days. Keep on eye on her water consumption and be sure to report that to your vet. I truly hope it's nothing serious, but given her age...be prepared for anything. Good point, one thing that caused us to take him in was he was drinking a lot more than usual. He did have beginning stages of kidney disease. |
| 2009-10-23 2:58 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Pro 4174 Keller, Texas | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help Sounds like older pets and sleep deprivation go hand in hand. Dodger is 15 and can sleep during that day for hours and hours. At night, she is usually good for about 2-3 hours before she needs to go out. And, it's not just going out, it is go out, get a little snack (handful of food) then go out again. This is the only way we can get her to go back to sleep. I am sure we created this pattern, but now have to live with it in order to get any sleep. She at least is good about alternating who she wakes up. But, even with the loss of sleep and occasional accidents, she is family. I thought about it a few days ago that Dodger has been with me for 1/3 of my life. All we can do with our older petsis love them, despite their little issues.
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| 2009-10-23 3:25 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2009-10-23 3:54 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Champion 6285 Beautiful Sonoma County | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help I second the advice to try different types of litter boxes and litter, and to put them on every level. If she has arthritis, it might be painful for her to go downstairs, or to get there in time. When my Little Girl had a (thankfully) temporary spinal injury, she couldn't get downstairs to pee and eat. I put a smaller, temporary litter box in an upstairs bathroom for her, and that immediately stopped her from peeing where she shouldn't. Going outside the litter box is one of the biggest signs cats can give that something is wrong. Don't assume it's laziness. What if you were old and it was painful to walk around, how would you feel if you had to climb up 10 flights of stairs just to go pee? |
| 2009-10-23 5:00 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Regular 152 | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help My cat is doing this very thing. She's almost 17. I have spent the last two years trying to figure it out. I've tried EVERYTHING! The vet conducted several tests and Samantha is a very healthy cat .... she just doesn't like having to go out the pet door into the garage to the litter box every single time she needs to go. My current solution is to budget the purchasing of puppy pads for the next several years and just live with a senile feline. I have also started putting her outside while I work. She has been a total indoor cat for 15 years so this was scary, but she has found a lovely, shady spot under the pampass grass to ponder her sudden banishment. At night, she goes into the garage while I sleep, and she can spend the in-between times on my lap, under my feet, on the book I'm trying to read, etc. I can't/won't put her down since she is healthy. When that time comes, I guess I'll just look forward to purchasing new carpet in an effort to soothe my grief. Btw, she is favoring my hallway right now so that is the only place I have to protect. I don't know what I'd do if she was going any and everywhere. Edited by up4challenges 2009-10-23 5:03 PM |
| 2009-10-23 5:57 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Royal(PITA) 14270 West Chester, Ohio | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help I feel your pain. I have a 3 year old male that won't share his box with the other 2 cats in the house. He's been on cat antidepressants for 2+ years and it hasn't helped. He will pee on the floor, just cause. He will poop right in front of the box--that I just freaking changed! I have tried different litters, locking him in the powder room with a box to minimize the messes.....and I still steam clean carpets every month. Get her checked to be sure she doesn't have a uti, pretty common. Other thoughts, is there any medication you can get her for her arthritis? A cat version of motrin? It may help the mobility to help her in & out of the box. |
| 2009-10-23 6:13 PM in reply to: #2476774 |
| Veteran 458 , Wisconsin | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help QueenZipp - 2009-10-23 5:57 PM A cat version of motrin? YIKES!!!! Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as motrin (ibuprofen) have an incredibly low margin of safety in cats (and for that matter - dogs too). Gastrointestinal ulceration and kidney failure are common side effects. Please do not administer any human medications to your cat. Just FYI BT pet owners - ACETAMINOPHEN (TYLENOL) IS LETHAL TO CATS!! - even one tablet. Cats lack the enzyme that humans use to metabolize the drug. Please never administer a medication to a pet without consulting a veterinarian. Edited by SpottedCow 2009-10-23 6:15 PM |
| 2009-10-23 8:33 PM in reply to: #2476800 |
| Royal(PITA) 14270 West Chester, Ohio | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help SpottedCow - 2009-10-23 6:13 PM I wasn't suggesting giving that out of a person's bottle. I was using that as an example of something to check with the vet about. Most human food and meds are pretty lethal to animals from what I understand so I wouldn't give anything to my pets that the vet didn't okay--any more than I'd give something to a child that didn't have specific dosing for the age and weight of the child. Thanks for the warning on the meds, makes you think about making sure any pills dropped on the floor don't get left there so the cats don't eat them accidenatlly!QueenZipp - 2009-10-23 5:57 PM A cat version of motrin? YIKES!!!! Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as motrin (ibuprofen) have an incredibly low margin of safety in cats (and for that matter - dogs too). Gastrointestinal ulceration and kidney failure are common side effects. Please do not administer any human medications to your cat. Just FYI BT pet owners - ACETAMINOPHEN (TYLENOL) IS LETHAL TO CATS!! - even one tablet. Cats lack the enzyme that humans use to metabolize the drug. Please never administer a medication to a pet without consulting a veterinarian. Edited by QueenZipp 2009-10-23 8:33 PM |
| 2009-10-23 9:48 PM in reply to: #2475031 |
| Pro 3932 Irvine, California | Subject: RE: Cat Declining, please help My cat Casper is now 18.5 and arthritis and senility have set in big time. He will often pee or poop outside the litter box, not to mention throw up pretty randomly. But then he'll be fine for a week or two before the cycle repeats. I've just chalked it up to old age. After all, in human terms, that's roughly 95 years old or thereabouts... Now, my vet HAS given Casper injections to help with the arthritis and general yuckiness he might be feeling-- a cortisone type shot (some kind of steroid) to reduce inflammation and ease pain. Casper also has a lot of itchiness, and these shots help calm that down too. Might be something you could ask your vet about. Anyway, best wishes to your furry feline friend! I have no doubt he's well-loved and that you'll make the best possible choices for him. |
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