Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi all. I have two rescue cats, my ginger boy, Pickle only has one eye and is too scared to go out in the day because I live in a maisonette and to get to our garden he has to go out the door down the pathway I share with the other people. They go to bed around 9 ish and Pickle will start looking out our cat flap around that time to see if the coast is clear. He is out all night collecting pigeon feathers for me.

I took him to the vets yesterday because he was losing his back legs and stumbling (He's only four.) and spinning around as if to wash his bum then runs off. I thought maybe he had some poo stuck in his intestines but the vet said no his tummy is nice and soft and she can't feel anything. I have Pro-Kolin.

By the way, I was so annoyed I couldn't go in with him yesterday due to "covid". My boy is scared of people and they told me after that he was just really stiff throughout and they took his temperature, which would have freaked him out, without my permission but I guess they had to do it.

But anyway, I've tried putting garden earth in the litter tray but he didn't like that. This has just started and I think it's because I was using the wood litter which he doesn't like (his previous companion told me this but I'd forgotten) so have now gone back to using regular litter.

Has anyone heard of this before? I'm worried that it can't be good for him keeping his p and p's in all day.

Thanks.

have you any reason to think he wouldn't use the tray if he was desperate? my 13 year old girl only pees twice in 24 hours, and poos around every 36 hours, so there may be nothing to worry about

the important thing though is to make sure he has access to a tray 24/7 if he needs it

Is this cat FIV+ ? I seem to remember you were offering a FIV+ cat a home a while ago.

As far as the tickly bum goes I think most of my cats have done this once in a while without any concern, but it would be a worry if they did it a lot or seemed upset about it, so a lot depends on the how more than the fact, if that makes sense. Is it a new thing for him?

Do you have just the one tray for the two cats? And when you tried the wood pellets was there any choice of litters or was it just that or nothing? Our two trays are checked daily, usually there's one poo but not always and on average 3 pees which are now small, no bigger than a satsuma, in a clay based clumping litter. Do yours have a clumping or non-clumping? That might also make a difference with a multi cat home.

Slightly more concerned about his back legs stumbling. This doesn't sound like constipation to me, more like a nervous or muscular problem. Did the vet say anything about that? Why the Prokolin if there isn't a constipation issue? I would think of the spinning round as if to clean off a poo not as a poo problem but as something back there causing him pain or discomfort. Maybe I'm getting the wrong picture entirely but at this stage it sounds like the vet has looked at the wrong problem?

Hi Mollycat, no the HIV stray I homed for 7 years died peacefully aged around 10.

It is a new thing for him, I've had him for around a year. I think after reading the replies here, I will put another dirt tray in another room with clumping litter. The litter tray he has now is non clumping.

And yep I think the vet just checked his tummy. This was a new vet and I didn't much like her. He has only done the spinning thing once and his legs seem ok now but I'm keeping an eye on him.

I asked for the Pro-Kolin to help soothe any issues he might have.

Thanks both.

Multiple trays are always a good idea, let us know how you get on?

I certainly will. He still hasn't used the trays. I'm concerned about what caused his shaky legs but he is walking fine. I have to pluck up the courage to stroke the base of his spine today to see if it's gone completely.

Hi all. So there is nothing wrong with Pickle when I stroke him down the length of his spine and he hasn't wobbled on his back legs for a couple of days. But I've noticed sometimes when he turns his body around he gets wobbly. It doesn't seem to be bothering him but it's very strange. I really don't know if I should prod him to see if it happens again so I have more information. He's as happy as Larry but I'm a tad concerned it might be something that if I don't sort out now for him, might get worse? I guess I'm going to have to play some games with him to see his body turning and what happens.

could he have a mild case of ataxia?

Kay thanks, I didn't think about that. I will get him playing today and see what happens.

Ok so I've felt where the problem is. If I get Pickle from behind with both hands and squeeze both sides of his stomach in front of his hip joint, on the left side he growls and stumbles. Then he gets up, stretches and walks around as if all is fine. So I'll chat to a vet about him tomorrow.