Litterbox Issues

[Prairie Mom]

.... and it just struck me were on a tortoise forum and worrying about being nerds... pretty sure it goes without saying at this point doesn't it??

Word up! ...snort, chuckle, chuckle

 

[Delilah1623]

Yay! I'm glad she's doing better!! How is she today?

Just got home from work and there is no poop on the floor and a solid poop in the box!!! Woohoo!!!

 

[Prairie Mom]

Just got home from work and there is no poop on the floor and a solid poop in the box!!! Woohoo!!!

I've never wanted to celebrate CAT POOP so much in my whole life!!! Keep it up, Starla!

 

[Delilah1623]

It's amazing how excited animal people can get about poop!

 

[Delilah1623]

Puke now.... not poop )=

 

[Prairie Mom]

Puke now.... not poop )= View attachment 107645

Keep your head up. Starla's guts have gone through A LOT with all the diarrhea, plus different medicines, and different foods. Sorry to be graphic, but during October we had a horrible virus go through our family that made things come out of both ends of the kids (mainly diarrhea). My daughter developed all kinds of intestinal cramping, pains, and nausea because her insides were "upset" for about a week and a half. She even developed weird aches in places that made us worry she had appendicitis and her doctor even put her on an appendix watch and forbade travel etc for a week. Our doctor told us that all this weirdness, pains, nausea etc...could simply be caused by your guts having gone through so much discomfort from diarrhea and illness.

Any way, I'm telling you this to try to convince you not to panic, catch your breath, and see how things progress. Hang in there and love that beastie for me!

 

[Delilah1623]

You guys have been amazing so I wanted to post an update and maybe some feedback too.... The shot kind of worked... After about 2 weeks her stool started getting softer again and has gotten progressively worse. She is pooping in the box about 25% of the time. She was being really consistent but that is also getting worse. She has not improved enough that I give her free rein of the house. She has a large bathroom and walk in closet to herself but spends most if her time trying to get out..... her sister and her can't stand each other anymore. I let her out for a bit at night and all heck breaks lose. I feel like I am coming back full circle to where I started.... do I keep up with the injections and keep her locked up? Am I being selfish by keeping her here? Am I being selfish to consider letting her go? I wish this was easier.

 

[leigti]

I'm sorry to hear that there hasn't been more consistent progress.can she get the shots more often if they were working? Ask the bat about any other treatment options that may be out there. But if you have run out of options it is not selfish to consider letting her go. It is one of the hardest decisions anybody has to make. you have to consider her quality-of-life, if she is constantly stressed and miserable then it may be time to say goodbye. if she does seem to have quality of life then keep her a little longer. only you can make that call and nobody should judge you for it no matter what you decide.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Hi Delilah I've been gone a lot and just wondering how things are going? How are you and Starla doing?

 

[Delilah1623]

Hi Delilah I've been gone a lot and just wondering how things are going? How are you and Starla doing?

About the same... she is still having loose poops outside the box. Not explosive like it was. It's all wearing me down really.

 

[Prairie Mom]

About the same... she is still having loose poops outside the box. Not explosive like it was. It's all wearing me down really.

Well, I'm glad to hear that it isn't as explosive as it was. Hopefully SHE is more comfortable at least. I can only imagine how disheartening this must be for you! Seriously! To be worrying about your kitty and then this is a difficult problem for the humans to live with too! I think you are such a great cat Mom! I seriously have so much respect for you. Hang in there. Starla is so blessed to have been rescued by her as a kitten and throughout her whole life.

 

[smarch]

[QUOTE="leigti, also in my opinion, let her eat whatever she wants to. That prescription food from the vet's is just crap. [/QUOTE]

When my kitty got sick with a URI and refused to eat for days the vet gave us 2 cans of special food to get him started eating again, essentially just really fancy extra yummy smelling food to make him actually want it. But they also basically said anything he'll eat, so for a little while "table scraps" turned into table meals, he doesn't like chicken flavored cat food, but certainly likes real chicken!

Also I hope this little kitty feels better, I mean the steroids worked maybe its a thing with them needing to be more frequent.. but I haven't ever had to deal with steroids so maybe that's bad advice and they really can only get so much so often.
The siblings probably no longer get along since one is sick and "not herself" and when people are sick or in pain we get irritable. don't know if that's applicable but I hope for the best <3

 

[Delilah1623]

The hard part is she acts totally normal.... just the diarrhea everywhere is not something I can deal with. I think I've posted pictures before so people get the scope of the problem and not just that it's a soft stool here and there. It would literally be all down my hallway and across my bed. All over the living room curtains. It's so frustrating.

 

[Delilah1623]

Between the weather (minus 6 today), the cat, breaking up with the boyfriend permanently and the new job I am just worn out. Anyone live somewhere warm that needs a house keeper or nanny? I am ready for a long vacation.

 

[leigti]

Between the weather (minus 6 today), the cat, breaking up with the boyfriend permanently and the new job I am just worn out. Anyone live somewhere warm that needs a house keeper or nanny? I am ready for a long vacation.

Definitely time for a vacation. it sounds like you have done what you can for the cat. didn't you say she was an older cat? I don't remember, but could she be moved to an outdoor cat, when it is not 6° outside? I think I told you I had a cat wants with some issues that I thought I would be able to handle but couldn't. He was born with a very Mel formed front leg. otherwise I thought he was fine. But when he was about two years old he started peen on everything, he didn't even know he was doing it. I couldn't move them outside because of his one leg, and I couldn't give them to anybody because of the urination problems. I spent a lot of time and money at the vets but they ended up telling me that there was not much they could do and that he probably had other issues that would show them so soon enough. So I had to put him down. I was devastated, I don't believe in putting animals down for convenience but I didn't know how else to give him a decent life. and I just couldn't have my house ruined, that sounds sort of petty but it's true. I still feel bad, and I am embarrassed to even admit it but sometimes we have to make hard decisions like that.

 

[jaizei]

Between the weather (minus 6 today), the cat, breaking up with the boyfriend permanently and the new job I am just worn out. Anyone live somewhere warm that needs a house keeper or nanny? I am ready for a long vacation.

Can you cook?

 

[Delilah1623]

Can you cook?

Amazingly actually.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Between the weather (minus 6 today), the cat, breaking up with the boyfriend permanently and the new job I am just worn out. ...

This is a lot for even the strongest people to handle!
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“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death." - Thomas Paine