Max went to the vet 2 days ago

[meow2u3]

Max went to the vet 2 days ago with a severe case of constipation caused by the fact that he's a fat cat who's 7 pounds overweight. His constiption is so bad that he's become incontinent; he pees in the litterbox OK, but he soils the floor because he can't make it to the box in time.

The vet weighed him in at 25.7 pounds--he gained almost 6 pounds in 8 months! He weighed 20 pounds in April, but then he refused to drink from a bowl. About 4 months later, he started pudging out and crapping on the floor, with stool so hard you might as well be able to break a window throwing it. He won't drink from the faucet in the sink and I couldn't afford to buy a pet fountain.

Instead of the constipation getting better, it got worse. He kept pudging out; he kept straining to go; and he kept leaving "pellets" on the floor I kept waking up to. I decided he's suffered enough and I took him to the vet 2 days ago. The vet said the reason he's so constipated is that he's overweight and that I overfed him for years. He gave him an enema, kept him an hour, and still he didn't go--the constipation had to have been that bad! He put him on a prescription diet food that sets me back $43 a month, as if I could afford it on a fixed income. He also gave me some stool softener that I have to give him every 12 hours for 2 weeks, and once a day thereafter.
He x-rayed him, but I haven't gotten the results yet.

I guess I have to buy a fountain to get him to drink water. This rotten cat is putting me in the poorhouse!

[CurtEastPoint]

1. They can be a challenge but we love them anyway. I know what you are going through.

I haven't had that problem, though. I wish you and Max well!!

[shenmue]

2. Hugs

[meow2u3]

3. I just bought him a pet water fountain today

and he isn't even drinking from that! What the hell do I have to do to get him to drink his freakin' water? Shove it down his throat?

[Auntie Bush]

4. Maybe put something flavorful in the water.

Something that won't go bad. I don't have a cat so I have no idea what cats like...but good luck and have a Happy New Year.

[Freddie]

5. Let him drink out of the (flushed, clean) toilet if he wants to

Many cats consider that the finest source of water.
Also, if he's eating canned food he might he getting enough liquid from that.

[meow2u3]

6. No matter what I'm doing, it's not working

It seems as if he's completely obstipated. He's still passing hard stools involuntarily and in inappropriate places, i.e., the floor, despite 5 days of kitty stool softeners. I've just about maxed out on my CareCredit and cannot afford any more vet care.

[haele]

8. Is he used to running water? If not, he'll need time to get used to it.

I found ice cubes in the water helped when I introduced a running water fountain to my four. The cold, fresh water worked. IME, a bit of tuna water (from packed tuna cans) served in a clean jar top next to the fountain also works to get a cat to start getting used to the idea of a water fountain, but they can't have a lot of it; it's not very healthy to use for more than a treat.

Haele

[OrwellwasRight]

13. Have you tried letting the bathroom sink drip slowly? Many kitties love that.

If you are afraid about wasting water, you could collect it and refuse it.

[meow2u3]

14. I got a $20 fountain and that seems to have worked

Both my cats have gotten used to drinking from it.

[OrwellwasRight]

16. OK, I thought you said they weren't using the fountain.

My bad.

[meow2u3]

17. The cats got used to it

[haele]

7. Does he like plain yogurt?

A teaspoon a day (half in the morning, half at before bed-time) is what I give Princess, our elderly girl, when she's having extra-hard droppings (and straining) or when she's going through her puking cycles. She eats mainly dry food (easier to feed four cats with dry), so the puke is to be expected when she's stressed and scarfing down her food to keep the other cats from trying to eat her portion too.

Two of my four fur-girls are little piggies (Kali and Eris), and everyone is now fed a small amount at one time. We try and hide some other food after the morning feeding to start an "enrichment and exercise" routine to get the sisters to start exercising more if they want to eat more; my husband tells me the Goblin (still a kitten) tears around the house at lunch trying to find the kibble mice I hide before going to work, with Princess delicately following in her wake in case she drags out and bats it her way.

Anyway, the stool softener is critical at this point. You might be able to spread out the prescription diet some as the constipation eases by supplementing half a low calorie serving of normal cat food with some plain yogurt.

Haele

[meow2u3]

9. I got news from the vet yesterday

The vet called me about the x-rays and found a big, round ball of crap in his colon that's keeping him from going. He suggested I use Metamucil, about 1/8 tsp. in his canned food in the morning. I got the Metamucil, tried putting it in his food, and he wouldn't eat the damn stuff! So I tried Plan B: mix 1/8 tsp. Metamucil in 5ml water, put it in a 10ml syringe, and shoved it down his throat--it worked, so far.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Best wishes to you and Max. Hope you'll see good change right away.

[meow2u3]

11. I have good news and bad news

The good news is that he's finally going #2 in the litterbox. The bad news is that he's spitting out his medicine.

His diet and the fountain seems to be getting results, but not as fast as I'd like, but he's no longer pooping on the floor.

[Fla Dem]

12. Small steps. I know it's inFURiating, but at least it's progress!

[meow2u3]

15. Now I have another inFURiating problem

Max is spitting out his medicine! The meds, which have a thick, syrupy consistency, have gotten all over his fur. He was good taking his medicine the first week, now he's saying no! How the hell do I give a stubborn 25lb cat his full course of stool softener so he doesn't become constipated again?