Conference misery::feline

    I don't like this.  Just based on my cat owner intuition, not on
    any concrete knowledge.  How confident are you in your vet?  If
    you aren't totally confident, I would consider promptly taking Pumpkin
    to a different good vet in your area, perhaps someone can suggest a
    vet.                                                  
    

    I've had a couple of cats with a constipation problem. Both were
    overweight, and the "fix" was to add some fiber (bran) into their
    diets.
    
    As for the "light" food causeing the problem, I think that it usually
    has the opposite problem, since the "filler" is usually a fiber.
    
    I hope Pumpkin will feels better.
    
    Deb

    I don't like the idea that she was laying beside the 
    litterbox and seems in pain!!  PLEASE keep your eye
    on her closely and as Karen said if you don't have
    faith in your vet it might be worth seeing another
    one.  If you do have faith...just make sure that if
    she is not better tomorrow that you follow through
    with the Xrays.  It could be many things...such
    as just a bad case of constipation or a blockage.
    
    I've also had a kitty (Van Gogh) who had a major problem
    with constipation.  After months of trying to resolve
    the problem with multiple laxatives (mineral oil, laxatone,
    pumpkin, metamucil etc)...we ended up going to Tufts
    and he was diagnosed with Megacolon and had to have
    80% of his intestines removed.
    
    Please keep us posted......we're thinking of you and Pumpkin!!
    
    Sandy 

    Regarding confidence in my vet.  I've been taking the girls to the
    Nashua Animal Hospital now for about 4 years and have been very happy
    with them.  This is the first time that I have seen this particular
    veterinarian though, normally I see Dr. Bishop.
    
    My intuition tells me that it is more than constipation too.  If she is
    constipated, how can her bowels not be 'full'?  That's been nagging at
    me.  Also, Pumpkin typically has the healthiest bowel movements that 
    I've ever seen on a cat :*)  Not that she couldn't have an occasional
    problem.  
    
    I'm going to zip home and check on her now (the beauty of working one
    mile from where you live).  I will follow up with x-rays and fluids if
    she isn't any better by morning.  I won't hesitate to call Fallon
    Animal Clinic (where she used to go) if I feel I need a second opinion.
    
    As a side note, I did receive a phone call from someone who told me 
    about an illness that her cat had a couple of months back.  Her
    description of the symptoms and the way that her cat acted sounds 
    a lot like Pumpkin.  X-rays and bloodwork ruled out a blockage and
    infection.  After a couple of days at the vet (getting fluids and 
    antibiotics) her cat went home - it appears it was a virus.
    
    Thanks for the thoughts and ideas.  I'll keep you posted.
    
    Sharon
    
    
       

    one mode thing. Did the vet try to express her bladder, to rule out a
    blockage? Female cats CAN block, although it is unusal.
    
    Deb

    Deb -
    
    Pumpkin "expressed" her own bladder :*)  Everytime we visit the 
    vet I need to wear my "vet clothes" (old jeans and a sweatshirt).
    Poor thing gets so nervous that she pees all over.
    
    A urinalysis is being done on her as well since she so willingly
    made the donation.  I should have those results this afternoon.
    
    Sharon

    When Van Gogh was constipated...he would attempt
    to go to the litter and try to poop and almost fall out of
    the litter trying because he was pushing so hard.
    
    And then when he got completed constipated...he would
    completely stop eating and act very lethargic.  At no
    point did he cry out in pain.....
    
    Please keep us posted......
    
    Sandy
    
    

    I noticed that you said that his bowels were not full but they still
    suspected him being constipated.  Why didn't the doctor give him an
    enema?
    
    Faith

Pumpkin update...

She is acting more like herself - eating normally, sleeping with me,
laying around the house in her funky, boneless positions.  Friday night
before I went to bed she was laying more comfortably - I even got her to
eat about a teaspoon of baby food and a little canned food.  Saturday 
morning she was acting her "normal" self, a little on the quiet side, but
more like herself.

I'm still a little worried though.  I kept a close eye on her input/output
this weekend and noticed that she didn't have any bowel movements.  You 
can normally set your clock to her morning "output" ritual.  If she 
hasn't gone by this evening I'm going to call the vet to see if I can 
take her in again.

I did discover that the girls LOVE Laxatone.  I put a little glob in their
"treat" dishes and they eat it right up.  They probably figure that if it's
in their treat dishes it must be good  :*)  

Since I still don't know what caused this episode I decided to modify the
diets again to include a little canned food at night and dry in the 
morning.  Their diet probably has nothing to do with what happened, but 
Pumpkin and Sammie sure aren't complaining.  

Thanks for the well wishes and words of wisdom.  I'll keep you posted on
how Pumpkin is doing.

Sharon

    I'm not sure how to put this delicatly, but I'll try.
    
    Has the cat got a fevor? I know that when Niky recently had his, dspite
    the fact that he was drinking lots of water, what he passed into the
    litterbox was very hard. And he seemed to be straiing a bit to pass it.
    
    Deb

    Yes, she had a fever on Friday.  I was surprised because her nose is 
    usually dry and her paws hot when she is feverish.  Friday I checked 
    both (nose wet, paws cool) but she still had a fever.
    
    Friday I found 1 really dry poop in the box.  Today I found 1 tiny
    poop that could've been from her, but I was in the shower when it was
    done so I don't know who did it.  
    
    Pumpkin is pretty distinctive when she goes to the bathroom.  She
    mades a mound of litter and goes to the bathroom on top of the mound.
    She doesn't cover it (whoever gets the most grossed out first - Sammie
    or I, usually goes in and covers it :*)  When she's done she has a 
    ritual of bunching up a towel that I put under the litter box.
    The towel has been untouched and there have been no uncovered poops in
    the box other than that tiny one.
    
    I did notice that she drank a lot of water last night.
    
    If I can get in to see a doctor tonight I suspect that we'll be making
    another visit.
    
    Sharon

    IMO, hard dry stools are a symptom of a fevor, but not definitive
    proof, nor is the nose/paw pads/ears (although hot ears are the best
    indicator).
    
    I'd like to suggest that when you see your vet you ask that s/he
    teaches you how to take the cat's temp. It could help in giving the vet
    a phone diagnosis.
    
    Deb

    My vet called to check on Pumpkin, but I missed her call.  We are
    now playing telephone tag (she's it).
    
    Good suggestion on learning how to take a cats temperature.  Pumpkin 
    has always had a chronic URI and is sick quite often.  I'm surprised 
    that I haven't learned this skill sooner.
    
    Sharon
    

    >Good suggestion on learning how to take a cats temperature.]

    further suggestion. If you learn to do this, always have at least two
    thermometers. They break easily, usually at night right after the
    stores have closed. And they come cheaper in the two pack.

    Deb

    Have you added any new plants recently?
    
    Cats love to chew on plants, but many common house plants are poisonous
    to boo-boos. Usually not fatal, but can cause constipation, irritation
    on the bowels, the kind of thing you are describing.
    
    Perhaps a plant you've had around, but just now being chewed on?
    
    Just a thought.
    
    -Paul
    

    I cross my paws for you too.
    
    My vet used 1/1 cc (cubic Centimeter) of paraffine oil from a syringe
    into cat's mouth in case of stopped poop.
    
    If it was really hard, another half cc 'from the bottom hole' helped. It
    is intoxic, and makes the 'way out' and the poop clump itself
    lubricated and easier to drop for the cat.
    
    Do not do it yourself (only if in very need) let the vet teach it to
    you first.
    
    Keep posted.
    Nat
    

    Well, after 4 days of eating normal and no bowel movements whatsoever,
    I brought Pumpkin back in to see the vet last night.  
    
    After massaging the bowels quite extensively and determining that she 
    was constipated, I took Pumpkin home w/a stronger laxative to try.  
    The doctor wanted to use the enema as a last resort since it's a 2 day
    process and can quite tramatic to a cat.  
    
    Once we got home, I strategically placed a litter box on each floor
    and fed Pumpkin her dinner.  I planned to give her the laxative 
    after she ate.  Lo and behold, right after she ate her old routine
    kicked in and she FINALLY went to the bathroom.  She was soooo proud
    of herself - you could tell by looking at her that she felt better.
    She was so frisky!
    
    I don't know if she went to the bathroom because the time had come,
    or whether the massaging done by the doctor helped to move what was
    in the bowels.  The doctor mentioned that she could feel about 8 inches
    of hard stool and that is pretty much what came out.
    
    Pumpkin feels better so I feel better.  It still leaves me wondering
    what brought all this on.  A simple virus?  A change in her diet?
    I'll just have to see if this occurs again in the future.
    
    Sharon

    well, I'm glad Pumpkin seems better. 
    
    Deb