More UT problems for Gatsby

**Prairie Purrs** · 11-01-2009, 07:30 PM

Can't use litter while his incision is healing, so there's shredded paper on top of a puppy pad in the litter box. I'm sure it hurts for him to urinate right now, despite the pain meds, so that's no doubt causing him to "hold it." But holding it can't be very comfortable either.

**Prairie Purrs** · 11-05-2009, 01:13 PM

Gatsby still has to go on a car ride in the carrier before he'll urinate. I've been putting "Yesterday's News" litter in the box instead of the shredded paper, but still no go. I don't want to use his regular (clumping clay) litter while his incision is still healing, and I don't think that would help anyway because he doesn't seem to be holding it for lack of a "proper" place to go. He just doesn't want to go at all. The vet doesn't have any advice other than the change of litter.

Yesterday's car ride to the vet's office brought an unpleasant bonus--Gatsby's first bowel movement since coming home, and an especially nasty one at that. I'm sure that the poor guy just hates to use the plumbing because it's still painful (even with pain meds), but I could swear he's thinking, "Payback!"

He is healing up pretty much on schedule, and the stitches should be ready to come out next week. I'm hoping that completion of healing and a return to normal routine (especially when he can get rid of the cone) will solve the problem, if we're still having issues by then.

**Medusa** · 11-05-2009, 01:16 PM

I sure hope this clears up soon, Penny. This has been going on for far too long, poor li'l guy. Our furkids can't seem to get anything simple, can they, such as a sty in the eye or something. LOL

**katladyd** · 11-05-2009, 01:43 PM

I feel for you and Gatsby. This kind of thing is what I was afraid of when they mentioned surgery for Ming. Thank God he responded to meds, if he hadn't, he would have had surgery, also. I hope Gatsby's plumbing heals quickly and without any more problems.

**Prairie Purrs** · 11-05-2009, 01:53 PM

I do think he'll be OK once the stitches are out, the cone is off, and he can really feel at home again. He's still spending most of his time crated to keep him from trying to jump onto the desk (which he wants to do every time he's out of the crate). I don't think he can make that jump successfully with the cone on, and I can't risk him falling and tearing those stitches.

I've been picking him up and putting him in his box on the desk from time to time (with one arm around him to keep him from jumping off), but he can't get comfortable there with that cone on. So he's frustrated, and he still hurts.

**Prairie Purrs** · 11-07-2009, 11:11 AM

The U of I vet wanted to see Gatsby after I described his dislike of urinating in the litter box. So we took a long car ride to the clinic (featuring a stop to change puppy pads, because of course he had to go in the carrier).

They went ahead and removed the stitches, which surprised me because it had only been nine days since his surgery. But the vet who took the stitches out was the one who put them in, and he said everything was healed up. They didn't find any physical reason why Gats wouldn't use the litter box. He still has to wear the cone for another couple of days, but after that he can go back to his normal routine.

Well, lo and behold, this morning he climbed into the litter box and let 'er go! Guess he finally decided he's tired of the morning car rides.

**Medusa** · 11-07-2009, 03:35 PM

Isn't it funny the things that please us? A cat peeing. Hooray! Seriously though, I'm glad that the great Gatsby is doing better, got his stitches out and has decided to let 'er loose in the litterbox. Hopefully, you've seen the last of this problem.