Cat Chat Feline Forum

Please can someone help me? We have a 5 year old indoor very loving moggie. 4 months ago she started pooing on the floor (still weeing in the litter tray), and 3-4 times a week she is sick up to 8 times in one day. We've had all the tests from the vet - he's confirmed there's nothing physically wrong with her - just a stress issue (when she was younger she licked all the fur off her stomach and back and this was also diagnosed as a stress issue). We've had an animal behaviourist out and followed all her advice, but nothing has worked. We cant cope anymore - I end up being physically sick when I clean up the cat sick - and my husband isn't prepared to live like this anymore and is talking about euthanasia. Its affecting my marriage and I don't know what to do. Is there anybody out there that could take her for a couple of weeks to give me some respite, or anybody that could offer her a loving home?

Thank you

I'm sorry to read this. Can I ask you what advice the behaviourist gave you? Did she give any tablets, pills, drops to give to your kitty?
Could the vomit be a bowel disease or a pancreatitis?
Sometimes these issues go unnoticed even to vets and need some special tests to assess the problem.
Ask your vet if this is the case, ask them to have these tests and tell your husband to be patient for some more days.

You really have my sympathy on this one it's horrible when you keep having to clean up after them, and never know what you will find when you get home from, work, going out etc.

Like Antonio says, we could do with more information as to what the behaviourist said, and do you know what is causing the cat the high stress levels. If nothing else the stress it is causing between you and your partner will be aggravating the situation, cats are far more empathic to household members than a lot of people give them credit for, if you are stressed out, the cat believes there is something to be stressed about and the whole thing snowballs.

My first thought is, if no one you know can offer a foster home, could you afford a cattery for a couple of weeks. It would at least give you a bit of rest and a chance to try and work out what the problem is. If the cat then starts to behave itself in the cattery, you would know for certain that the problem was something in the home. If you can't afford a cattery, do you have a spare room that you could use for the cat and keep it confined while you are out, at least then you would know the cleaning was confined to that one room and you might even be able to get some plastic sheeting you could put down to make cleaning easier.

The first obvious question is can you think of any changes to the home that occurred shortly before the problems started. Has there been any additions to the household, or has anyone left it? Has there been any work done? Is there any chance of a strange cat coming into the house, or if the cat is an indoor only one is there a chance it has been seeing another outside that has it worked up.

Next is the litter tray and litter itself, did the behaviourist suggest a change of tray and litter type, is the cat going next to the litter tray, and just not wanting to use it.

As far as the sickness goes, a change in diet to specially formulated for sensitive stomachs might help, also I remember people on here mentioning that they have had medication of their vets to help with constant vomiting, you might want to ask you vet about that possibility.

I do hope you can sort something out, the thought of having to have a pet pts due to behavioural problems is one I hate, at the very least if you can work out what is stressing it, if there is no other option then it can be rehomed to a place where it won't have that stress.

Hi and welcome. Sorry to hear about your problems. I'm afraid it's a fact of life that with cats (or any other animal) children or even partners, you're going to have some mess to deal with at some point. Doesn't stop you cursing though - I know it doesn't stop me, when I'm bending down trying to mop up cat sick with a tissue (because the kitchen roll is hiding) and notice someone's left a nice brown lump in front of the litter tray ... and my feet are bare ... arrrggghh grrrr!

I had (and hope I don't have again) a similar problem with my youngest cat, also six, when she too refused to use the tray for her motions. I realised that it was because she didn't like the litter, which was 'fragranced'. No matter how clean and vigilant I was, the tiniest trace of wet obviously brought out the smell and disgusted her and though she'd wee in it, she preferred to leave a pile on the new kitchen mat. I'd bought the litter for its clumping properties, and hadn't realised about the 'fragrance', and although I couldn't smell it myself, when I changed to an unscented brand, she used her tray again like a good girl. When I tried a new litter because it was flushable, she took against that too and the favourite brand had to be restored ... I hope they never discontinue that brand!

As for the sick though, that really isn't normal. Could it be an allergic reaction to a certain food (sorry if this has already been suggested) or something as simple as a furball? One of mine used to get sick regularly but since I started giving her furball treats (only bog-standard Whiskas) she's much improved. Paws crossed!

If you're really determined to rehome her, it could be a good idea to post your area on this thread and also read the section on 'cat shelters near you' in the hope that there might be a local vacancy, or waiting list, although sadly most of them - all - are bursting at the seams.

Hope this augments the good advice you've already been given and I do wish you well with her and hope you don't have to have her pts - all the very best with her.