I'm wondering....

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

...if maybe CJ was punished in his previous life for being on the bed and/or in the bedroom?

We had gotten his diarrhea under control and for at least the last two weeks his poops have been anywhere from A-1 to 90%-95% good. Until this past week. Then what happened is we had the basement stairs painted. This meant that for two days Crackers was closed in the master bedroom/bathroom suite area and we put Peanut in the guest bedroom, and at night the door to the basement has been closed so they don't walk on the fresh paint. I've put litter boxes and food and water in each bedroom so they still have full access at all times. Yesterday morning, after being closed in for a day, CJ's diahrrea was back in full force, and this morning, after two days being closed in the bedroom, it's even worse....if that's possible.

The reason I wonder about being punished for being in the bedroom or on the bed is because he will not go on the bed. If I pick him up and put him up there, he wants down as fast as possible. He usually won't come in the bedroom at all, but has gotten to the point where he will hide behind the door if I'm playing with Peanut in her box. But he doesn't stay long and stays as near the door as possible. Just being closed in the bedroom shouldn't cause so much stress that it brings the diahrrea back - unless he feels he is not supposed to be in there and had actually gotten punished for being there in his previous life. What do you guys think?

The painting is done - thank goodness - and CJ & P are roaming freely today and the basement door is wide open so they are free to go downstairs. In other words, everything is back to normal today, so hopefully tomorrow his poops will be better again.

Oh, and one more thing that might have contributed is that Terry was out of town (which is why they were closed in the bedrooms during the day). So maybe it's a combination of being closed in and having the male gone reminds him of when he was left alone in the house and only "grandma" came to see him now and then and then she took him to the shelter. Does this sound reasonable or am I making CJ out to be more of a thinker than he is? I guess I'm just trying to figure out why his diarrhea would be back so strongly so quickly after being so good for two weeks. I think he trusts us, but he hasn't even been with us for a full 2 months yet, so it's not the deep trust that comes from being with us for years and years - like Peanut.

Sorry for the novel, but any ideas? Oh, and he's still eating and drinking normal.

[sirrahbed]

That sounds reasonable Debbie - see if the diarrhea clears up quickly. I think our cats ARE very sensitive thinking creatures and that something ingrained in him (like punishment for being in the bedroom) could make him upset enough to get his stress reaction back. Let us know!!

[PayItForward]

We use to have a big problem with Bramble and diarrhea.

Finally the vet thought that Bramble got so stressed when I was away from the house, she made herself have diarrhea.

But we haven't been away in ages so it has not been a problem.

[Cataholic]

Deb,
I think CJ IS as smart as you make him out to be. It sounds like stress related.....Poor guy!

[Laura's Babies]

I agree. There is no telling what kind of life he had before you got him and since cats are prone to having human ailments, I wouldn't be surprise if he has IBS (irritable bowl syndrone).

I have lived with that for over 30 years and stress is one of the key factors. Life on a even keel is what keeps it under control. He could have thought he was being punished for something and uspest that he didn't know what...

It will take a long time for him to fully trust another human but he will, in time. One day at a time, one step at a time, in HIS own time...

[Craftlady]

I agree with the others that CJ is stressed. Give CJ a lots of loves and kisses
RBButterscotch would throw up if we were gone for more than a normal 8 hr day. He got better as we added to our gang.

[catmandu]

I think,that you are right,about Cracker Jack,as Ragnar,wont go,on the bed,or a chair,and sleeps,on the floor,or his favorite,the Koxka Cat Tree ,lover level,in the Sun.

[Vio&Juni]

It does make sense, Deb, and I hope he'll get better soon, as his Pawpaw is back.

[christa]

Sounds reasonable to me! Poor thing sounds pretty sensitive! Definitely sounds like he wasn't allowed on beds where he was before! He sure didn't forget, did he?!?!

Debbie: I was just wondering, what does Cracker Jack eat? Does he get any fiber?

We had problems with Josie & diarrhea for almost the 1st year of her life. We started giving her Purina Feline EN (Gastroenteric) a couple of times a week and noticed a big difference fast! Without the fiber, it seems like her poop is just slightly soft & she's a "butt scooter" . . . as long as she's eating that fiber, her poop is FIRM and there's no butt scooting going on.

[catnapper]

Sounds very reasonable, especially if the former owners had a sick person in the house, and he was "taught" not to get up into the bed to disturb the sick person. How sad he learned his lesson so much that he now fears a bedroom.

[K & L]

It does sound like stress. It hasn't been that long that he was rescued by you. He's probably still a little insecure after all he's been through. Hopefully, with time, he'll see these changes do not mean he's going somewhere else, or being punished!

We have some cats that have nothing to do with our bed. They've never been punished for being up there, they just don't like to be. Then there's those we can't keep off of it! Maybe he just doesn't like being on the bed.

[NoahsMommy]

It sounds stress related to me as well.

We were having the same issues with Jonah. Only, it was the couch and him NOT EATING when stressed.

It took time, but now Jonah will jump on the couch if I'm there and will lay on me. If we're not home, he stays on the cat tree...the whole day.

Give CJ hugs from me. It'll be OK, honey.

[AmberLee]

I was chatting with an acquantance who does animal communications and rescue shortly after I read your post. Something she said reminded me of this and I mentioned it.

She thinks it's highly likely and recommends Rescue Remedy, either a light misting in your room, or a dilute mixture on your hands and massaging CJ.

For what it's worth...

[krazyaboutkatz]

I also agree with everyone and I feel that it's stress related. I sure hope that now since everything is back to normal that CJ will also go back to normal. Please keep us updated.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Thanks everybody, seems the consensus is that it's stress. The thing that confirms it to me is that he was out all day yesterday and not locked in the torture chamber and this morning his poop was 50/50 which is a HUGE improvement over yesterday. So if we ever need to keep him confined somewhere and out of the basement, I have no idea where we're going to keep him, because I won't want to put him back in the bedroom/torture chamber!

Catnapper, I hadn't thought about the bed being for a sick person and that's why he couldn't be on it, but that makes perfect sense. I have no idea how the previous owner died, I just know that he died so it's entirely possible that he was sick for awhile (cancer maybe?). However, I have to say, if I'm that sick, I would want the kitties on the bed with me, but I know not all people are like that. Makes me feel sad for Jack.

But he's on the mend again and his daddy will be home sometime today, so that will make him extra happy. Can't wait to see the two of them snuggling on the couch tonight.