Starr's A Very Sick Little Boy

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi, as some of you know Starr's been having a lot of diarrhea lately. I knew that something was wrong with him but I just thought that it was due to food allergies. I brought him to the vet today intending to have an allergy test done on him. The vet said that allergy tests can be very inconclusive so it would be better to do an ultrasound on him. I agreed and I had to leave him for a while because the vet was booked solid and would have to do it later in the day.

I just got back from the vet and Starr has a kidney infection in both kidney's and the walls of his colon are also thick so he may have colitus.:( He's now on amoxicillin liquid 1ml 2 times a day and metronidazole tabs 250mg which are cut into 1/4 tablets and given 2 times a day. I should see some improvement within 5 days. If I don't I need to call them.

After he's off of the meds, I have to give him some yogurt that has the active cultures in it to help put back the good bacteria into his intestinal tract. If he's still having problems then he'll probably also need to change his diet. The vet just wants to do one thing at a time so we know what's working. I sure hope that the meds will work and that he won't also need a diet change. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks.

[DrKym]

Poor guy! Glad that he is on meds and hope he will soon improve! Sending lots of healing energy and another candle lit.

[Killearn Kitties]

Poor little Starr! We will certainly be sending lots of healthy vibes Starr's way. I hope you manage to get his problems sorted out.

[CultureJunky]

Poor Handsome Boy Starr! I hope you start to feel better on your medication and that you get through all the fuss which probably seems annoying to you. Your meowmie is doing her best to help you, I am praying for you Starr, and no doubt Nakita is watching over you know from the Rainbow Bridge with all the others from here, Kasha, Moose, Shemp and all the rest who have left us.
Get well soon Starr!

[Catty1]

Baby boy, I hope you are feeling better soon!

My Oscar loves his plain no-fat yogurt, and I hope you lap it up too!

Hugs and scritchies to you, sweet Starr! :)

[jenluckenbach]

Poor Starr. :( Some guys just get all the bad luck, and Starr has had more than his fair share. Hope he feels better SOON.

[jennielynn1970]

OH, poor Starr! I hope that the meds will cure the kidney infection, and that the yogurt will make his poor tummy and all feel better. It's so hard when they are so small and vulnerable and all we want to do is make everything alright.

My thoughts are prayers are with you.... Hugs to you and to dear Starr boy.

[catmandu]

We Are Saying Prayers For Starr, That That Dear Little Meezer Will Be Well Soon, And Be Back To His Healthy Happy Self.
Shemp And Moose Angels Are There To Comfort Thier Little Friend.

[jazzcat]

Poor Starr, he's been through so much. I'll be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers. I really hope the meds work quickly and our sweet little guy feels better soon, once and for all.

Healing hugs and scritchies for Starr.

[wolflady]

Oh gosh, poor Starr! :( Hopefully the meds will help clear this problem up. Healing prayers on the way.

**hugs**

[phesina]

Poor little Starr! That's not fun, diarrhea and a kidney infection and possible colitus. I hope the meds are making him well and he will be back to normal soon.

Prayers and healing energies being sent,

Pat

[DJFyrewolf36]

Poor Starr! Prayers on the way for a speedy recovery. Get well soon, little guy!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Oh my, Tracey! I came on looking for an uppydate because I knew Starr had an appointment today, but I never expected anything like this! I'm sure you didn't either. :(

The good news is that you are a very diligent meowmy and instead of just letting the diarrhea go, you wanted to find out the cause and thus found the infection and inflammation. Poor little Starr - and poor you!

I sure hope the meds work and that's all it is so he doesn't need the change in diet also, but I agree with your vet about trying one thing at a time. My vet suggested the same with CJ because then you know what does work and what doesn't in order to narrow down the cause.

{{{hugs}}} to you and gentle smoochies to Starr.

[kuhio98]

Poor Baby Boy ~ He sure has been through a lot, hasn't he? (And you too). Many prayers for your blue-eyed baby boy.

[Logan]

Gosh Tracey, you have really had your hands full, lately. I will definitely keep Starr in my prayers (and you, too).

Logan

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks so much everyone.:) I know he must be feeling awful but just by looking at him he looks like a healthy cat. Cats sure can hide their illnesses and pain very well. I gave him his first dose of meds at 8pm and he sure didn't like it. I hope he'll learn to cooperate more in the future.

[heidiv]

Oh Starr we are all praying for you here in Wisconsin..... You poor poor baby get well soon! Keep us all updated on his progress..Thanks

[kimlovescats]

I'm so sorry to hear about Starr! :( That diarrhea is just the worst in kitties! The Metronidazole seems to be the best thing for it, I hope you don't have any trouble getting it in him! Hugs and gentle kisses to baby Starr!

[AmberLee]

Oh, poor Starr. And poor you. {{{hugs}}} and ~~~ healing vibes ~~~

How is your hand?

[shais_mom]

Gosh!
Poor lil guy!
I hope he feels better asap!

[Barbara]

Poor little Starr boy! I hope you take your meds and feel better soon.
At least it sounds as if the meds can cure the infection? I am so sorry that Starr and you have to go through this again.

[AbbyMom]

Poor widdle Starr. Hope you feel better soon. Sending prayers and heading vibes your way.

[ChrisH]

Poor little boy. Prayers & positive thoughts on the way.

[smokey the elder]

Starr, please be a good patient and take your meds. I hope he feels better. Digestion problems are the pits.

[trayi52]

Poor Starr, and poor you, hope you can get his meds down him easily. I will be sending good thoughts and prayers to the both of you.

Get well soon, Starr.

Willie

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Poor Starr....! He is in my prayers from now on!!

http://users.pandora.be/bernardgabriels/images/smilies%20915%20cat_in_bed.gif Get better soon, STARR!!

[gini]

Tracey, you really have had a time of it lately. I hope you see a huge improvement in Starr this week.

[Randi]

Oh Tracey, I'm so sorry to hear about Starr's problems. I do hope the medicine will take care of it - and you are able to get it in him. Try to do it when he's relaxed.

Sending lots of healing vibes and gentle scritchies to Starr.

((((hugs))))

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks again for all of your prayers and well wishes. Starr actually seems to be feeling a bit better or I'm just imagining it. It took me about 10 minutes to try to get both of his meds into him. Even though I wrapped him up in a towel like a burrito he was still a pistol and was kicking and trying to bite.:eek: The pill became mush and he started foaming at the mouth because of the bitter taste so I don't know how much he got into him. The other med is pink liquid which he again barely swallowed and it dripped all down his chin. I just hope that I was able to get enough of it in him.

My hand has already healed and I'm now off of the antibiotics but the bad memory is still there so I'm trying to be very cautious around Starr. It's hard for me to get him to open up his mouth. I even tried blowing on his nose to get him to open up but no luck. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks again.:)

[Grace]

For the pill - this is what I do with most of my cats. They all love shrimp, so I cut a half inch piece, put a small hole through the middle, and push 1/4 of the pill inside. Put these in the food dish - gone in a flash.

I don't know how many whole pills Starr gets in a day. Charley had to have 2 total recently, so I gave him just 2 pieces of shrimp with pill in middle at a time. I wanted to make sure he actually consumed each piece. Takes a bit more fussing, but it did work.

If not shrimp, maybe chicken?

Liquids can be messy, but even if it drips a bit about the mouth, he will lick it off eventually.

[RobLynn]

I don't know what it would do to a cat, but I've got colitus, and IBS, and it's a life of hell.

I certainly hope Starr feels better.

[kb2yjx]

Hey Starr, you need to cooperate with your poor Mom who is really trying to help you get better!!! Take your meds like a good kitty!!! Hope Starr feels better very soon!

[heidiv]

You may have already tried this but in case you haven't my vet gave me some treats that you put their medicine into them and they are heavily scented and they don't even know that you have placed their medicine into it. My older cats just love them.


http://thesiamesestore.com/default.php?cPath=30_45

They are called Pill Pouches...... Here is a website and your vet might carry them. I hear you Paris NEVER shows aggression until we have to pill her or give her liquid meds....... Like you said she is a pistol!!! Good Luck I completely understand the battle that you have to go through every single time you try to pill them.

[Randi]

The first times I had to give Fister pills, it was impossible. I also cut it up and put inside a shrimp - the first one went down, but he could still taste it and wouldn't eat the rest. I also crushed them and put in his food, but the result was no better.

Eventually, I learned that while he was sitting relaxed in the window, I could sneak up from behind and lean over him, as I had got used to when cuddling, and then, putting my arms along each side of him, I managed to get his mouth open with one hand and drop the pill in with the other. Now, doing it this way, you have to make sure his mouth is closed until he swallows! To help this, you stroke his throat gently a few times. He may fight a bit, but if you keep him locked in the position, there's not much he can do. ;)

OK, I must admit, a few times Fister has managed to spit the pill out, but I kept putting it in and succeeded at last. :D

Good luck!!

Hope Starr will feel better soon!

[Barbara]

I'm afraid it takes two people to pill Tigris. I have not the slightest idea how I could manage all by myself. I messed with him two weeks ago- just in playing - and had my thumb slit two inches long :(

Good luck with Starr.

[jennielynn1970]

Wow! I've been lucky with most of the cats I had to pill. Thankfully my skittish ones haven't been sick so I haven't had to pill them. My foster, Mac (now at the bridge) had to have thyroid meds twice a day. He literally came and sat on my lap and waited for his pill. He was a perfect gentleman.

[emily_the_spoiled]

I have discovered the "joys" of pill pockets. You can get these at your local PetSmart and they are a life saver. I have to pill Oliver 3 times a day so my medical bills would be quite high if it weren't for these things :D

[Freedom]

Dear Starr, I hope the meds help and you start to feel better. But the meds wont' work unless you TAKE them!

Tracy, I use a pill syringe / dispenser for some of my cats (not all of them let me use it). Here is the web site for the one I have.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/pill/Class//T1/D34FD+0115+0112/EDP/7980/Itemdy00.aspx


They also have the pill pockets, which some other PT'ers have recommended; I haven't tried those yet.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/shopay00.aspx

With Vita, I have to keep changing methods, as she gets used to one and then foils any attempt for it to work! She has the fastest tongue east of the Mississipii! And she can hold a pill in her cheek for half an hour then spit it out, ptouey! I find them . . . eventually. :rolleyes:

Good luck with Starr, hope for both of you that Starr gets well fast.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) I'm already using the pill syringe or else I wouldn't have any fingers left. I still have to give him his meds again at 8pm tonight. I sure hope that things go better this time.:) I've heard about pill pockets but I've never used them and I think that my vet does carry them.

[kimlovescats]

I feel your medicating pain, Tracey! Bobo needs medicine right now and he is one of the worst I have ever had to medicate! First thing, I have to get all of his claws clipped!!!! I'll need help just to do that!

Good luck with Starr, I hope the little guy gets all better SOON! ;)

[krazyaboutkatz]

Starr seems to be acting like he's feeling much better because he's been friskier than normal. He's still having diarrhea though because when I was cleaning out the litterboxes tonight, there was a fairly large pile of it.:( At least he's now been able to make it to the litterbox. He also did a big pee on Sunday night so I hope that his kidney infection is also starting to clear up.

Last night I had the pill in his mouth but I didn't realize it so I opened up his mouth and out popped the pill and it was very mushy so I just had to try to push it in again with the pill syringe. This morning things went a bit better so I'm hoping that things will go even better tonight. Hopefully I'll see a big improvement by Thursday or possibly Friday since Sundays meds didn't go down well.

Thanks again for all of your concerns. I'll continue to keep you updated.:)

[jennielynn1970]

Thanks everyone.:) I'm already using the pill syringe or else I wouldn't have any fingers left. I still have to give him his meds again at 8pm tonight. I sure hope that things go better this time.:) I've heard about pill pockets but I've never used them and I think that my vet does carry them.


I would check PetSmart and Petco first, you may find them much cheaper there. They come in Chicken and Salmon flavors. They might still have beef flavor, but not sure. They had revamped.

My one guy likes to eat them just so, no pill, lol. Hopefully Starr will like them as well!

[rosethecopycat]

Open wide now, Starr. ;)

Try using Benebac instead of yogurt. Available at Petsmart.
It is meant to do exactly what the yogurt does, but it is a small volume, you can squirt the tube in his mouth. Then repeat after 3 days.

I put butter on the end of the Pill Popper, just enough to get a good taste, and help it go down easier.
It's always a good idea to 'chase' any pill with a syringe of water. If the pill gets caught in the throat, some certain types can irritate the esophagus.


Best prayers and Meezer songs for Starr.

[emilysgk]

I hoe Starr gets better soon and that he dont have the diarhea problems for too long. Im sure you will figure out a solution for it.

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

Poor Starry Kat!!

Be a good kitty now Starr.. and let your meowmie give you your medicine...

I know its yucky stuff.. but it will make you feel better.!! *kisses* for you Starr!! and {{hugs}} for you Tracey! Hope he is feeling better soon!

[Barbara]

Rose, that idea with the butter on the pill popper sounds good to me. Tigris is used to get his pills in French liver paté. A co-worker has good success with goose fat, so Starr you see there are quite some kitties who are able to get the best out of a situation even like this ;)

I am glad to hear that you pooped in the box and had a good pee :)

[kb2yjx]

Good boy Starr!!! See what has happened now that you started taking your pills!!! You sound like you are feeling better and used the litterbox, too!!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks again everyone.:) Since Starr loves wet food, I decided to roll his pill in it and them I squished it into the pill syringe. Well it worked like a charm and Starr gulped it down. He even swallowed all of his pink liquid medicine too.:) I hope that this method will continue to work. No diarrhea in the boxes this morning but I still have to clean them again tonight so we'll see.

Edit: Unfortunately I found a couple piles of diarrhea tonight.:(

[ramanth]

Get better lovely Starr!! *hugs*

[krazyaboutkatz]

Medicating Starr last night didn't go too well.:( This morning I decided to put his pill in some petromalt which he loves and it worked. I was then able to get the pink liquid medicine down him too.:) Tonight on my way home from work I'll try to find the pill pockets at Petsmart and I'll also look at the benebac.

There was more diarrhea in the litterbox and I also noticed that Starr was having a little problem eating. I looked at his gums and one area is already red and inflamed again. He just had his teeth cleaned on Dec.26th.:( I would also think that the amoxicillin that he's on would help his gums because I've used this in the past for both Sunny and Storm. Starr also seems to want too drink a lot of water. Please send some more good vibes his way. I don't think he's out of the woods just yet. Thanks.

[Barbara]

Oh my- the red gums sound like an auto-immune thing. I am so sorry.

And it looks as if each trick for pilling him works only one time.

I hope Starry boy gets better soon. How does he behave?

[wolflady]

Gosh, poor Starr! :(
If you get pill pockets, be sure to look at the ingredients before you buy. We used to sell them at the vet's office where I worked, but then we discontinued selling them because of the ingredients in them. There was a lot of beef product in the pill pockets, which can be an allergen. If Starr has a sensitive tummy, you may want to avoid the pill pockets.

Some stuff I've "hidden" medications in include cheese (like soft spreadable cheese you can form around the pill), turkey hot dogs, and stinky wet food.

Since Starr likes the petromalt and wet food, can you continue pilling that way, or is it usually a one-time thing with each pilling?

I hope he gets better soon!

**hugs**

[Kirsten]

I'm very sorry that I didn't see this earlier!! Poor boy!! :(

Please Starr, be a good boy and take your meds! These pills will make you feel much better!

Kirsten

[Catsnclay]

Oh Tracey!!


Poor Starr!! I don't normally come into this section, but I had some extra time today - good thing I did, I know I'm late though! :rolleyes:

When Lucky was sick and I had to pill him with a HUGE horse pill x3 a day it was a mess!

Then (ok I know thisis going to sound crazy.....) Lucky & I had a long heart-to-heart talk. I took him into the bathroom, looked into his eyes and told him that he needed to take the meds to make him better. I wasn't trying to hurt him, and we both needed to get through this together. Believe it or not I truly think he UNDERSTOOD me!!!!!

YOU need to be calm, they pick up on our feelings VERY well. So if you are nervous, it will make Starr nervous.

I used to put Lucky on the closed toliet seat, his back to me and off to the left side (I'm right handed) then, I gently but firmly pulled the scruff of his neck - which automaitcally pulls his head back and opens his mouth. Then with the pill in my right thumb & first finger, I placed my pinky on his lower jaw, and pretty much threw that pill right down his throat. They don't choak or gag, but you have to do it firmly and quickly.

Remember, if you are nervous, Starr will react - so do it with authority!!!! It will get easier every time.

Lucky was on his meds for 6 months, after a month I looked at him and said "Pill time" and he walked with me into the bathroom and jumped up on the toliet!!! :eek: he knew exactly what to do!!! What a good boy!

Oh, I forgot to mention this, but close the bathroom door, and make sure no other kitties are in there to distract you both.

Good luck!

[gini]

Tracey - just stopping by to send you and Starr some good healing thoughts!

You sure are getting good advice from everyone.

Hugs to you.

[kb2yjx]

Continued healing thoughts and prayers for Starr and (((hugs))) for MOM!!

[jennielynn1970]

Oh Starr!! Please take your pills and get better! You're such a handsome boy, and we want you around for so much longer!! Know that your mommy is doing this to make you better, so don't fight her because she'll get more upset!

Tracey, hugs to you, and hope all will go smoother! Can you crush the pill up in baby food or in something like yogurt, or baby sweetpotatoes?? My sick guys loved that stuff.

Hugs!!

[jazzcat]

Poor Starr! I just wanted to pop in and check on our little guy. I had hoped to find a better update.

Lots of prayers and good vibes on the way.

[rg_girlca]

Oh gosh Starr. Come on sweetie, you HAVE to get better. Please don't give your meowmie such a hard time on taking your medications, be a good boy, okay.

Tracey, have you tried scruffing Starr to give him his pill. I know that catnapper/Kim had a video on how to do this.

Prayers and positive thoughts on the way that Starr gets well real soon.

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} for the worried meowmie.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks again everyone.:) I bought some chicken flavored pill pockets and some bene-bac too. I looked at the ingredients of the pill pockets and it doesn't have any beef products listed so it should be okay. It also has some enzymes which will be good for him which are lactobacillus acidophilus,lactobacillus lactis, and lactobacillus casei. The first and third ones are also in the bene-bac. I won't start the bene-bac until he's done with his meds.

He loved the chicken pill pocket so it went down smoothly. It seemed a little chewy and I was concerned that he might have problems chewing it and spit it out but he didn't. The pink liquid meds then went down well too. The only problem that I had was trying to catch him. He's so quick that it took me longer to catch him than to give him his meds.:rolleyes: The litterbox waste looked better tonight too. There were some mushy poops but not as bad as before. I sure hope that he's finally on the road to recovery. Thanks again.:)

Storm goes to the vet this Sat. morning for his annual exam and a urinalysis so I'm going to ask the vet about Starr's red gum problems. I also just started adding liquid oral care to their water and it's supposed to help fight plaque, gum disease, and odor causing germs. I sure hope it works.

[Catty1]

Good news....that acidophilus really helps tummies! Especially if antibiotics have been at work...they kill good and bad bugs, they are VERY democratic! ;)

Hugs to the dear boy, and I hope he's back to eating full time soon!

[jazzcat]

Glad to hear the pill pockets worked. Hope Starr continues to take them and improve.

[AmberLee]

Whew, keep up the good healing work, little Starr-shine.

~~~ healing vibes ~~~ showering upon all your darlings.

[emilysgk]

I hope Starr continues to improve, its good to hear that he is already getting a little better.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks again everyone.:) He took his meds again this morning without any problems but I noticed a big pile of diarrhea in the litterbox.:( He didn't even bother to cover it up. I sure hope that the meds kick in soon.

[Barbara]

I'm so sorry. Could it be that the infection is more on the pee side and that the diarrhea is a different story?

[kb2yjx]

Can you get the acidophilus capsules from a health food store? Whenever one of the cats was put on an antibiotic, I would always open one cap and sprinkle the contents on the food(wet) at both meals, that seemd to help with the loose bm's....Glad to hear that Starr is getting better taking his meds!!!

[rosethecopycat]

Pill crushing is another option.
Then you can put it in his wet food, or cream cheese.

I know Starr is a very bright boy. Snowy does the same 'run away' routine when he knows I'm coming after him, luckily I have the bigger brain, and can plot in advance.

Keep taking your meds, Starr.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Tonight Starr's pink liquid went down well but he ended up tasting his pill in the pill pocket and spit it out. I had to rewrap it and put it in the pill syringe. I forced it in his mouth and made him swallow it. He wasn't very happy.:( Now he'll probably stop eating the pill pockets.:( I may have to try the petromalt again. Ziggy enjoyed eating some of the left over pill pocket crumbs. I didn't find any diarrhea in the litterboxes tonight. It seems that everyone peed instead.

[Barbara]

Starr is too clever for his own good. Try liver pate if you can get it. May work one or two times.
Oh my!

[kb2yjx]

You certainly have a challenge on your hands!!!

[Don Juan's mom]

I'm wondering if the "little talk" with Starr to explain about his medicine would help, too. One time when I had to take Don Juan to the vet for an injury, and Dr. J was getting ready to take his temperature THERE :eek: , I looked him in the face and said, quietly, "I know you don't like this, but the doctor needs to do it to make sure you're not sick." He STILL didn't like getting his temperature, but he made less of a fuss about it. :rolleyes:

Poor baby. I'll ask St. Francis to keep an eye on little Starr.

Liz

[krazyaboutkatz]

I was able to get Starr to eat the pill pocket both in the morning and evening even though he really didn't want it tonight. I had to put it in his mouth and make sure that he chewed it and swallowed it. He's been the most difficult patient that I've ever had other than my RB Pepper.

There wasn't any diarrhea in the litterboxes this morning but there was a little bit in one of them this evening. This is still an improvement because it's happening less often. Since I'll be taking Storm into the vets tomorrow for his annual check up and urinalysis, I'll talk to the vet more about Starr. He may want Starr to continue with the meds for a longer period of time or we may even change to different meds. I'll update you some time tomorrow. Thanks again for all of the continuing concerns.:)

[Barbara]

Kisses for Starr :)

[krazyaboutkatz]

Starr took both of his meds this morning and I noticed that there was some mushy poop in the litterboxes so this is a slight improvement. I talked to the vet and he wants to do a urine culture on Starr to make sure that the antibiotics are the correct ones so I'll bring him in tomorrow at 11:20am. He didn't really say why his gums would be red and swollen so soon after having his teeth cleaned.

[kittycats_delight]

How did I miss this thread? I am sorry Tracey. I must have been in another world. Poor Starr. I hope he continues to get better and continues taking his meds.

Hopefully the vet can tell you more about the red & swollen gums tomorrow when you take him in.

(((((((((HUGS))))))))) to you and prayers and pawsitive thoughts for Starr.
Here's hoping the meds are the right ones for him and that all is well for Starry boy very soon.

Michelle, Vixen & Phoenix

[jennielynn1970]

Glad to hear that Starr is feeling somewhat better. Hope the vet has positive words tomorrow and that Star is on his way to feeling much better! Hugs to you and Star-boy!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Starr went to the vet for a recheck and the vet looked at him with the ultrasound again but didn't charge me for this. He said that his ureters looked dilated so there may still be a problem. His colon and kidneys looked much better. He took some urine for a urinalysis and possibly a urine culture if needed. I'll start giving Starr some of the bene-bac tonight to help build up his good bacteria so hopefully his poops will start looking better. I'll probably have the urinalysis results in a few days.

[Killearn Kitties]

Best wishes to you Starr, sweetie! I'm glad that most things are looking better. Fingers crossed for the rest!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi everyone.:) I just wanted you to know that Starr's urinalysis results were normal so he's finally off of any kind of medication. I'll continue to give him the bene-bac every 3 days for a while. The litterboxes didn't have any diarrhea or mushy poos in them this morning and the slightly mushy poops tonight were much more formed than before so I know that Starr's doing and feeling much better. Thanks again for all of your concerns.:)

[Taz_Zoee]

Great News!! Glad to hear Starr is doing much better!! :D

[Catty1]

Awww. how great - hug that little guy for me! :)

[trayi52]

Glad to hear Starr is doing so much better! That is such great news!

Willie :)

[Barbara]

Oh- this is REALLY good news!

Now this calls for new Starr pictures :)

[Randi]

I'm glad to hear Starr has improved, and hope he'll continue to get better! :) To pill a cat can be hard work, and I agree that it's best to it when you're both relaxed!

Kisses and scritchies from me.

[jazzcat]

I'm so glad to hear the good news Tracey!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) Starr started having more runny diarrhea again.:( Tonight he was using the litterbox while I was home and I could hear him squirting it out.:( I gave him more bene-bac tonight even though it says to give it every 3 days. I'm also going to start giving him yogurt daily too. If after 2 weeks he still hasn't improved then we'll start him on a new diet. I've already spoken to the vet about this. I sure hope that something will help my baby boy.

[jenluckenbach]

Prayers for Starr.

[gini]

Tracey, I know how draining this can be when you worry over your kitties.

I hope Starr will respond soon to the meds and be his old self again.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Well this morning Starr managed to poop in the hallway, kitchen, and both living room and dining room.:( Some of it was very mushy and some was somewhat formed. If this contniues, I know I won't be able to wait 2 weeks before trying a new food for him. It's just so frustrating to see some improvement and then to go back to square one in a matter of days.:( Thanks for the continued prayers.

[jennielynn1970]

Awe... Poor Starr! I hope that you and the vet can figure something out shortly. You'll both be in my thoughts and prayers. Take care, hugs... Jennie

[Don Juan's mom]

Well this morning Starr managed to poop in the hallway, kitchen, and both living room and dining room.:( Some of it was very mushy and some was somewhat formed. If this contniues, I know I won't be able to wait 2 weeks before trying a new food for him. It's just so frustrating to see some improvement and then to go back to square one in a matter of days.:( Thanks for the continued prayers.

Ugh! Poor baby. Poor mom! :(

Liz

[krazyaboutkatz]

Starr decided to poop on the carpet this morning again. This time his poops were much firmer though which is a good sign. They looked black,tarry, and were very sticky so it was very hard to clean them up. Some of them were embedded in the carpet. He even pooped on top of the dining room table.

I keep talking to him and telling him that I'd really appreciate it if he'd poop in the boxes and that this would make me so proud of him but he just doesn't get it. It looks like it's more of a behavioral problem than a can't get to the litterbox in time problem. I may need to contact Nancy again. He also hates the yogurt so it's a battle to spoon some of it in his mouth.

[kb2yjx]

Any chance, did you report the tarry, black stools to the vet?? In humans, that is signs of an old blood in the GI tract OR too much iron supplement.

[wolflady]

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry that you're going through this with Starr. :( Was yesterday and today the only times Starr has not used the litterbox, or has he gone outside the boxes before? I can imagine how frustrating this is. Continued prayers for you.

**hugs**

[jazzcat]

Oh wow, poor you and poor Starr. I'm sorry to hear he is doing this. Do you think he associates bad things with the litter box? Do you think a new box in a new location, at least for a little while might help him?

[krazyaboutkatz]

No, I haven't called the vets about Starr just yet. I don't know how Starr would be getting too much iron because I don't give my cats any kind of vitamin supplements. I was just giving Starr some bene-bac and just started the yogurt too.

Starr has gone poop outside of the litterbox many times and I always thought that it was a behavioral problem. It started and got worse while I was painting my condo in June and July because the cats had to be cooped up in either my bedroom or my roommates bedroom. I used to use all covered litterboxes but have since taken the covers off of 2 of them because the pet psychic,Nancy Efrusy, said that Starr feels claustrophobic. It seemed to help for a while.

The litterboxes have been in the same place since July and I'm very limited as to where I can put them. I also haven't changed litter and Nancy said that he's fine with the litter. I added some fresh litter to all of the boxes this morning because I've also noticed that sometimes when they get a little on the low side that Starr will go outside of the box. Hopefully this will help. I have 4 litterboxes that I'm currently using and I'm scooping 2 times a day.

I used to also have 2 back in my bedroom but they really didn't get used very much so after I painted I decided not to put them back in use. I also keep my bedroom door closed when I'm not at home so the cats can't go in my room. I still have a bunch of junk and paint supplies in my room that I need to sort through and put away so until this is done I won't keep my bedroom door open unless I'm home. I think I'm going to contact Nancy again to see if Starr will let her know what's going on. Thanks again for all of your concerns.:)

[Barbara]

I am so sorry. Do you think it would help to add a little bit of fat (like cream) to the yoghurt.
We have 10% fat Greek yoghurt here- and the kitties are crazy about it.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I don't even think that the yogurt is helping him.:( This morning there weren't any messes on the carpet but when I came home this evening I smelled something. Starr had pooped on his placemat and it's back to diarrhea again.:( There was some more in the litterboxes so I guess that by adding some new litter it's helped him use the boxes. I gave him a little more yogurt and some more bene-bac. He actually likes the bene-bac. I think I'll call my vet tomorrow to let them know what's going on. I also e-mailed Nancy but I haven't heard a reply yet. I've also noticed that when Starr has diarrhea that he doesn't eat as well. I think that his tummy may be hurting him.:( I'm ready to go ahead and try a new diet. Hopefully something will work.

[Cataholic]

Tracey,
Forgive me if I missed this already, but, I was reading this am, kind of quickly, as Jonah will wake up any minute.

Anyhow, Georgia is going through what sounds very similar to Starr's issues. Somethings I have discoverd. Amoxicellin **CAN CAUSE** loose stools. So, sometimes it can be complicated by the antibiotic. Georgie needs calm. All the time. Monte had to go live with my mom because of his stressful nature. Georgie is now on the metronidizale AND the pred, to help things calm down. So far, it isn't working. Diarhea can be caused by a hyper thyroid. Has Starr been tested specifically for that? I made the mistake of switching foods from SD to Hills, as another herd member was having UTI issues. So, it is possible Georgie's condition is made worse by the food change.

Just some thoughts from my experience. I hope Starr gets better.

[emily_the_spoiled]

One of my guys had similar problems this past summer. It turned out that he had feline irritable bowel syndrome. Of course he was fussy enough not to want the prescription food :rolleyes: so I ended up converting almost everyone over to a raw diet and that seems to have done the trick. I think that by removing the preservatives and dyes in commerical cat food it helped alot. There are also some holistic cats foods out there with no graing (e.g. Evo by Innvo). So you might want to give this approach a try...

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) I just found out the Petsmart carries a very good allergen food called Natural Balance Venison & Green Pea Allergy Formula For Cats. I think I'm going to try this for about a week before I call my vet. I really don't want to have to put Starr on steroids either because this will compromise his immune system which is already a weak one. Here's the link:Natural Balance Venison & Green Pea Allergy Formula (http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/allergy/VenCat.html). I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again.:)

[rg_girlca]

Tracey I am so sorry to hear that Starr is back to square one. Poor baby and poor you.

Prayers and positive thoughts on the way that the new food will help him.

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} for you.

[jennielynn1970]

Poor Starr! I hope that the venison and green pea works. I know we used it at the one shelter for a certain kitty. We also have another kitty that is on the raw diet. She was pooping outside the box and having issues before the switch. She seems to be doing much better on the raw diet.

I hope you'll find something to make Starr feel better soon!! My pooper just poops because of emotional stuff I believe. Even when I moved the box to where he was pooping, he pooped outside of it. Sometimes it's formed, sometimes it's runny. He is supposed to go to the vet... had an appt. the other day but he hid from me for 45mins, and then the power went out for 3hrs, so needless to say, we didn't make it to the vet!

[Kirsten]

Poor Starr! The black, tarry stool got me concerned, too! I'd rather tell the vet about it on Monday.

Hopefully Starr will improve with the new diet! Poor boy!!

Best wishes to him,

Kirsten

[smokey the elder]

For two weeks I have been petsitting for a 13 year old cat with IBD. She was already under control when I got her, on Wellness wet only. I have no clue how long it took to get under control. Her purrents are visiting today, and I can find out her history. Good luck with your Starr baby! He's had more than his share of issues, poor thing.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks again everyone.:) He seems to like his new food but it's a litter bit crunchier than his old food so it makes it a little harder for him to eat. I'm supposed to mix in some of his old food with it for 3-5 days so I really won't know much until he's on the new food exclusively.

Yesterday was a good day with no accidents but sometime between 8-10am this morning he pooped all over the place again.:( It was mushy poo but not black and tarry looking like before so it looked more normal. I had just cleaned out all of the litterboxes at around 7:45am so they weren't dirty. I just don't know if some of this is still due to behavioral problems or health related. Nancy e-mailed me and she'll be talking to Starr in a few days. I hope he's able to let her know what's going on.

I've also noticed that when I give Starr the bene-bac that he seems much better the next day. When I gave it to him 2 days in a row though, this is when he had the black tarry stools so it may have been related to this. I know it may take some time for his system to get under control so I'm trying to stay positive about this new food. Thanks again.:)

[jazzcat]

Just checking in for an update. Hope the new food helps.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Starr didn't really want to eat very much this morning and I thought that he just didn't like the new food. He went to the litterbox a few minutes ago and had very bad diarrhea:( and then a few minutes later he had very runny diarrhea again and he did this on one of my little rugs.:( His tummy must really be hurting him.:(

I called the vets office and left a message with receptionist to let the doctor know that Starr is still having diarrhea. I hope that he'll be able to give me something that will help calm down Starr's colon. I'm also having some minor surgery tomorrow morning so I'll probably be out of it for most of tomorrow so I was hoping that I could get Starr back on trackbefore this. Please continue to send some good vibes his way. Thanks.

[jenluckenbach]

Poor Starr.

Try Metamucil! This was the one thing that helped Lucas with his diarrhea. Also ask about Endosorb. It worked wonders on the babies Chip and Dale when they had diarrhea.

Neither of these things will "fix" whatever the underlying cause, but if it firms the stool, he may begin to feel better.

Is he on antibiotics right now? Could this be causing the diarrhea? Also, you can get (Lactose free) Lactobacillus acidophilus tablets in a drug store. Giving him that would be the same as giving him yogurt.

[jennielynn1970]

Awe... poor Starr!! That little guy must have a tummy ache! I hope you can figure something out at the vet! Gentle hugs for the little guy!

[krazyaboutkatz]

The vet called me at home again and I wasn't home yet. He said to call him tomorrow because he'll be there. I have to be at Kaiser at 8am for my surgery tomorrow and will hopefully be home by 10:30am or so but I'll probably be too sleepy to call him. The only thing I can do is call at 7am and leave another message about Starr and let them know exactly what's been going on.

He said Starr should probably be put on another round of metronidizale or however it's spelled and some probiotics and maybe a diet change. I know he needs a diet change because he's having problems with his current diet. I think his tummy needs to calm down before he starts a new diet. I've read that in cases like this that you should fast the cat for 24-48 hours and then feed them some rice and then slowly start to feed them their diet again. This is what I'm going to try to do. Because I need to rest the next couple of days and I don't need the extra stress of cleaning up diarrhea.

I put Starr in my bedroom tonight while I fed the others. When I let him out he started searching for food. It was so sad to watch him.:( He seems fine now though. Thanks again for all of your advice and well wishes.:)

Jen, Starr isn't on any medication right now. Even before all of these episodes, he's always had mushy stools. It's just gotten much worse lately.:(

[kimlovescats]

Gosh Tracy, I'm sorry to see that Starr is still having tummy troubles! I am also sorry that you are having surgery tomorrow. I hope everything goes well for you, and the vet can get little Starr's problems corrected as well!

Hugs,
Kim

[rosethecopycat]

I've also noticed that when I give Starr the bene-bac that he seems much better the next day. When I gave it to him 2 days in a row though,


Follow the package directions for Bene-bac, I think it call for one tube, then another 3 days later.

I hope he feels better and the vet can find the cause of this.

[gini]

Tracey, I haven't posted recently, but I have been following this thread.

Good success with your surgery and I hope you recover rapidly.

Poor baby Starr - I sure hope that this problem can be solved for you soon.

Hugs - Gini

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) My surgery went well but I've been in a lot pain and felt very nauseated for most of the day. I'm finally starting to feel better.

I had my roommate pick up Starr's meds for me tonight since I wasn't able to drive today. He's on another round of metronidizale liquid 2 times a day and is also taking panacur liquid 1 time a day and I'm putting fortiflora in his food. The fortiflora comes in packets and it's dry and it says to use it once a day. I tried it and there's so much in there that I think I'll give him half of it in the morning and the other half in the evening.

I fed him some rice mixed with chicken broth earlier this evening and then later I gave him a little bit of wet food mixed with the Venison and Green Pea dry food with 1 whole packet of fortiflora. He was so hungry that he gobbled it down but about an hour and a half latter he threw it up. It may have been too much for his system.:(

Nancy the pet psychic checked in with him and she feels his problem is more physical than behavioral. He told her that his stomach feels funny and gurgly and that he has no control at times.:( My guess is that he has colitis or IBD. I'm going to try to feed him small portions of the new food and I also need to buy some of it in the cans so I can mix in the fortiflora. I had to use some of Storm's Royal Canin Urinary S/O this evening and this may have upset his stomach. I just hope that I can get his condition under control and then hopefully he'll stay this way. Please send some more positive vibes his way. Thanks.:)

[shais_mom]

:( My guess is that he has colitis or IBD.:)
You might try talking with Kelly - she isn't online much now due to living with her parents and work but if you have her number, give her a call sometime. Her Micah has the feline equivalent of IBD or Chron's (? not sure which) and she feeds him a raw diet when he has flare ups. He loves it and it reallllly helps him a lot. He is the only cat of her's that gets it and I think only when he has flare ups.

[emily_the_spoiled]

Tanner was diagnosed this summer with IBD. After alot of trial and error I decided to switch him over to a raw diet. In doing so I switched everyone in my house (it would have been too difficult to feed just him different food). He is doing much better and Nancy "talked" with him and she told me that he is feeling fine and his tummy isn't bothering him any more. I decided to keep them on the raw diet permanently because then I don't have to deal with flare-ups and they see much happier with it.

[ramanth]

Chipper can sympathise Starr.

We hope you feel better real soon! *Hugs and headbumpies*

[krazyaboutkatz]

Sorry for the delayed update but I've been very sick for the last few days. I must have picked up a virus either while picking up my meds before my surgery or sometime while I was in the surgery center. I'm just now beginning to feel better.

Starr seems to be doing much better. He sure is acting much happier, perkier, and very goofy.:) He did have an accident yesterday afternoon on my new carpet runner. One of his stools was very firm but the rest were still on the mushy side. He loves his new food and I give him some wet mixed with dry in the morning and evening and this is also when I mix in the fortiflora. His other 2 meals are the dry. Tonight is his last dose of panucur liquid which he hates. I think he still has several more doses of the metronidizale liquid. Hopefully after the meds he'll still continue to do well and also continue to go in the litterbox. Thanks again for all of the advice and concerns.:)

[Taz_Zoee]

That's great that Starr is doing better!! Way to go Starr. :D

[rosethecopycat]

Keep it up, Starr

[catmandu]

Thats About The Best News Ever That Starr Is Doing That Much Better , And The Found Cats Are Praying That Starr Is Completely Well Very Soon.

[Medusa]

I'm so glad to hear that Starr is doing better. But we'll keep the paws crossed until we hear he's back up to speed. Let's get you feeling better, too. Whatever it is that's going around has gotten just about everyone except me so far. And, of course, it had to happen when one of your furkids is sick. A candle burns for you both. :)

Blessings,
Mary

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) I'm still not feeling great but a little better so I've decided to stay home at least one more day and try to take it easy and get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids.

When I was cleaning out the litterboxes this morning I noticed that one of the cats,probably Starr, had some very runny diarrhea.:( It's probably Starr but I have just started giving Pearl,Sky, and Ziggy some of Starr's Venison & Green Pea wet food mixed in with their dry food so one of them may have had a reaction to it. If it was Sky or Ziggy though it would've probably been stuck on their fluffy bottom and I would've noticed it. I'm hoping it's just a reaction to the panucur medicine that Starr was on.

Starr still seems much happier to me but he also loves having me at home all day as do all of my cats. It's going to be hard on them when I have to finally go back to work.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I know you all must be getting very tired of hearing this but when I was cleaning out the litterboxes this evening, I found more very mushy poops as flat as pancakes.:( I know that they're from Starr. Since I wasn't the one to pick the meds for him, I wasn't even sure what the panacur liquid was for so I looked it up on the internet. It's a dewormer. I bet that this is what's causing this. At least I hope this is all it is. I also looked up more info about the fortiflora and it sounds like a very good product for a cat like Starr. I'm not giving up just yet but I hope that he'll continue to poop in the boxes.

[Medusa]

This is what my Puddy was experiencing a couple of weeks ago and she had a terrible time passing those "pancakes", as you put it. Dr. Lee said that when he performed her surgery, her colon was filled w/hardened feces and he pressed most of it out. But she still had more to pass, obviously, and that's what was causing her so much discomfort. And it stuck to the fur on her hindquarters like glue. I tried soapy water to no avail and I ended up having to cut it out. Maybe that's what has Starr in so much discomfort.

Blessings,
Mary

[jazzcat]

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear he is still having pancake poos. :(

I'm in the same boat with you. Rumor has been having it for at least a week and half and this morning when I cleaned the boxes it seemed the majority of the poos there were mushy. Rumor has been on metro...(whatever it's called) since Tuesday night plus I've been giving her Lax'Aire as the vet prescribed but all I notice is she is feeling a little better and acting more like herself and the blood and mucus in her poos are gone yet it is still pancake like. The vet found nothing in her fecal exam and thought it may just be hairball related but it's not looking that way.

Remember when Moxie and Decker had diarrhea so badly a couple months ago? Well they were given two rounds of Albon with a round of Panacur in between (plus a few days of yogurt only diet followed by boiled chicken and rice only for a week) before they got better. Because of all it took to get them over it and nothing showed in the fecal exams my vet was never certain was the cause was. I'm afraid I'm dealing with that again with Rumor. Do you think Starr is having the same thing? Wonder if there is some new hard to find kitty intestinal problem going around?

[jenluckenbach]

Tracey, I am so behind on all the threads.... Have you been able to try using the Metamucil in Starr's food to help firm up the poop??

[krazyaboutkatz]

Tracey, I am so behind on all the threads.... Have you been able to try using the Metamucil in Starr's food to help firm up the poop??
No, I haven't tried this yet. Starr's been on so many different things that I don't want bombard his system. Right now I'm putting the fortiflora in his food so I'll try this for a while but I'll keep the metamucil in mind for later on if nothing else works. How much would I give him?

This morning I didn't find any pancakes so it's been a good morning.:)