I decided I am going to try to get Solo in for a vet appointment tomorrow. Kevin (my BF) and I went out of town for two nights and came home today and there was only 1 pee in 1 box between both of his boxes, which for him is less than he normally goes.
I just hope I can get him in tomorrow because it is my last day off for the week
I also wanted to talk to my vet about confusion/depression. On and off he has these spouts of excessive meowing, like he doesn't know what to do with himself. I find it odd and it really seems to upset Solo. Its like he doesn't know what is going on sometimes, or doesn't know what to do with himself. I thought it was anxiety all along and have feliway diffusers all over the place, calming liquids, herbal sprays, you name it. For a while I did think everything was helping, but over the last few weeks he seems to be acting and feeling weird again. I can tell the difference between his meows. He has these happy churps that he does when you pet him or he is happy to see you, or if he is getting treats. He also has excited meows when he sees a bird outside. But the meows that concern me are long, loud, and deep. He usually will pace around, stop, cry, then pace more...it really looks like he is confused? This is honestly something he has done right from the first day we got him. My breeder suggested getting him a companion..
I did talk to a vet about this once before, and they said it is just behavioral and he is doing it for attention. They suggested more play time and attention for him, and to ignore his meowing. It is hard to ignore him sometimes though :\ I hope there is something that can help him. Oh, and I am planning on asking for antibiotics even if they don't think he has a UTI, because I am pretty sure he has one and I would rather be safe than sorry. Is this a good idea?
Poor Solo! Might his change in behaviour have something to do with his change of litter habits? If he does have a UTI, it might be upsetting him in more ways than one... I don't have much experience on the subject tho! Its good to eliminate any medical reasons first, and I would think a bout of antibiotics would help even if they didn't find anything. Hope all goes well at the vet and you get some answers.
So sorry to hear about this Alisha, I hope that you find a solution soon. Bonkers sometimes comes to me, puts his front paws on the couch and meows. He looks so concerned, but I can't figure out what he wants, weird.
Please let us know what happens tomorrow!
Alisha, I understand your concerns, sometimes it would be so good if they could talk. It is good that you are taking him to the vet to get him checked out. Maybe while you were out he didn't eat or drink much as he missed you.
As for the meows, Coco does exactly the same, its almost like she's shouting at me for some reason and is really trying to tell me something. I usually play with her or get up to see where she wants me to go. Sometimes its like she's telling me it time to go to bed now, lol! Sometimes, its because she wants a window open or some fresh air,lol. She does it before an after using the litter tray as well, and likes her poop to be cleaned out and her bottom checked straight away. Alot of the time she will wait until I come home before she uses the litter tray. Like you I find it hard to tell if it is normal behaviour, and I hope that having Snowdrop will help her in some way. I think a companion is good for cats, and it is good having another cat to compare their behaviours and personalities.
I hope it all works out at the vets, keep us posted.
Sounds like he probably does have a UTI and you may find he has peed somewhere else in your place. As for the meowing, it could be his personality. Simone will sit and just meow at me and I try playing with her, or giving her a treat or anything to get her to be quiet, but she won't sometimes. With her I'm pretty sure it is an attention thing, however, sometimes I think they can be trying to tell us something too. My cat Simon had always been a quiet cat, and then about 2 months before he died, he became a little vocal and both hubby and I commented on it, but I wasn't a member of a forum where I could ask, and he seemed to be fine otherwise so we ignored it. Now I wonder if he wasn't feeling well and was trying to tell me something. I regret I didn't take him to the vet just to find out, not that the vet would have even found anything as he'd had a check up just 4 months before he died.
NO, I don't think Solo is dying, but I think he could be trying to tell you something isn't right if you don't think it's his "normal" meowing for attention or something. You're doing all the right things - taking him to the vet. Hope all checks out well and you get some antibiotics for what is probably a UTI.
I hope you get your answers for this soon, Alisha. You're such a good mom to Solo.
Louise, I just luv reading your stories about Coco Dior. How sweet that she meows to tell you to go to bed. Shiloh did that too. :-) And once he even meowed (and for this particular meow sound I would always say....should me what you see) and he led me to the laundry room, to show me something had tipped over on the floor and it bothered him. lol
Without taking a urine sample, the vet decided that Solo most likely has a UTI and gave him an antibiotic shot with steroids for inflammation, and sent me home with some antibiotics as well. He determined this because as he was palpitating Solo's bladder and abdomen, he cried out in pain which indicated it was tender, plus he said it felt swollen.
I also discussed Solo's sudden meowing and confusion, and he said it might be his anal glands. Some cats will wander and act strangely because they cannot express their anal glands... so he emptied them and pretty much I just have to wait and see if he seems like he feels better or not. This guy seems pretty good!
(05-10-2010 06:51 AM)TeresaK Wrote: [ -> ]Sounds like he probably does have a UTI and you may find he has peed somewhere else in your place. As for the meowing, it could be his personality. Simone will sit and just meow at me and I try playing with her, or giving her a treat or anything to get her to be quiet, but she won't sometimes. With her I'm pretty sure it is an attention thing, however, sometimes I think they can be trying to tell us something too. My cat Simon had always been a quiet cat, and then about 2 months before he died, he became a little vocal and both hubby and I commented on it, but I wasn't a member of a forum where I could ask, and he seemed to be fine otherwise so we ignored it. Now I wonder if he wasn't feeling well and was trying to tell me something. I regret I didn't take him to the vet just to find out, not that the vet would have even found anything as he'd had a check up just 4 months before he died.
NO, I don't think Solo is dying, but I think he could be trying to tell you something isn't right if you don't think it's his "normal" meowing for attention or something. You're doing all the right things - taking him to the vet. Hope all checks out well and you get some antibiotics for what is probably a UTI.
I can only hope Solo's meowing was from him trying to tell me he feels uncomfortable. If expressing his anal glands stops him from meowing so much, I will start doing his glands myself haha... I don't have a problem with that because it was a routine thing for me when I was a dog groomer. I am still a little worried that he has anxiety or confusion. We'll see.
Alisha, Menou was restless before we got Bubba. He settled down and seemed to be a lot more content when we got the baby. Actually, that's why we decided to get a second one. Now the only time he acts upset that way is when Bubba is shut in another room. It had gotten to the point where we couldn't go outdoors without him crying for us to come back in with him.
I'm glad u took him to the vet. I must ask, what is in their anal glands that they cannot get out? poop? or something else? I had no idea.
(05-10-2010 04:35 PM)lisapelican Wrote: [ -> ]I'm glad u took him to the vet. I must ask, what is in their anal glands that they cannot get out? poop? or something else? I had no idea.
Anal glands fill with fluid. I really have no idea what the purpose for this fluid is other than for the dog or cat to express them when extremely upset of scared. Have you ever seen a very frightened cat or dog, then suddenly smelled a nasty fish like odor? That is the anal gland juice...gross. These glands are supposed to be naturally expressed a tiny bit each time a normal poop passes, however, some cats and dogs cannot do this well on their own so the glands fill up and become very irritated, and in some cases, compacted (which is a painful infection pretty much).