Chucky, the Cat Bomb

I just love this boy!

Lots of box tops around our house!

WARNING!  TALK ABOUT CAT BATHROOM HABITS AHEAD!

Chucky is not using the litter box anymore for #2.  This is why we have been to the holistic vet, since the 'regular' veterinarian's do not seem to have a handle on it.  However, the holistic vitamins and even a chiropractic adjustment have not changed this fact.  Because he's not constipated nor has diarrhea, we really aren't even sure if he HAS Irritable Bowel; we've just been giving him the meds for it because at one time they worked.

The Hubby and I feel that Chuck is actually AFRAID to go poops.  He holds it and holds it, until he cannot anymore, which is why it's like a cat bomb when he finally 'let's go'.  Often, he's asleep somewhere, and he wakes up in a panic...because he has to 'go' RIGHT NOW!  His recent procedure is this: he poops right where he was napping, then races around as if the demons of h*ll are chasing him, and he leaves a little trail in his wake.  He'll finally settle in a corner or a window sill, breathing hard and looking scared. Chuck is very unhappy when this happens.

For awhile, he would only do this ON SOFT CLOTH, meaning the bed or any towel/blanket.  Lately, he manages to only dirty a box, or the hardwood floor.  This makes cleanup easier, however we are clueless now how to help him return to the litter box.  Is this a behavioral issue, or is he in some kind of pain or discomfort?  We could put diapers on him, and it may come to that.  We have also tried Zoloft, in the hopes he would settle down a bit, but have no positive results.  For about 15 minutes every other day, Chuck goes off like a cat bomb; at ALL other times he is his usual, loving and luscious self.

A long time ago, we kept Chuck inside a large room, with his own litter box, bed, etc.  He went crazy (peed and pooped everywhere!) after a couple of days and we scuttled that experiment. I've even talked to three animal psychics; their information did not help us either.  There is no specific time of day that the bomb explodes, so locking him in a room overnight won't mean anything.  We added a new litter box, and cleaned and sanitized all of them, and filled all with new litter.  He uses them for #1, after all!

It's a puzzlement.

P.S. Angel is eating almost at 100% again, thank goodness!  When I set down the two food bowls this morning, both Angel and Chuck got to eating immediately.  The Hubby made fun of me, saying out loud, "Fat cats make Mama happy!"  Go ahead, joke all you want, but having a cat bomb and a non-eating cat at the same time was testing my ability to keep it together!  Plus having our old veterinarian shut me down yesterday, did not help my mood.

"I'm NOT Hungry!"

"Nope, not one bite!"

Mysteriously, Angel stopped eating Sunday.  She didn't have more than a lick or two on Monday either.  This is very odd, since she is always the one to find food or beg for more.

Of course, I am in panic mode.  The Hubby, however, has a cool refusal to get freaked out.  He has the patience of saint!  Everything that I've read says a cat must have water, or else bad things start happening. Most cats get water from their food, and Angel is no exception. The fact that she was listless and wouldn't even walk over to her food bowl is so contrary to her usual self.  My hand was hovering over the phone, ready to call the veterinarian.  I even smeared some food on her front paw, to get her to lick it off and maybe rekindle her appetite.  She licked, but then napped.

This morning, I woke early to seek her out.  Angel was more lively, and even fought off one of my clinches!  There was litterbox evidence that her system is going what it should.  When I left for work a few hours ago, she still hadn't eaten anything, but she at least approached the bowls to sniff. We haven't called the vet's office yet, as The Hubby promised to find some way of tempting her to eat more, with tuna or catnip or treats during the day today.  I have asked him to call me with updates.

She could have a hairball, or managed to eat a bug that is making her feel sick.  It's been seasonably warm, so it can't be the heat even though we do not have central air conditioning.  My line in the sand is tonight; she eats or we visit the doc on Wednesday.

The Hubby and I have been so laser-focused on Chucky's intestinal issues; watching him as if he were a ticking cat bomb, waiting to explode!  And he does explode, by running around the house then finding a corner to hide in. But we noticed Angel's lack of enthusiasm right away; we rarely EVER have to pick up a bowl with food still in it with Angel around!

Addendum!  The Hubby just called, said there has been no change in the cat situation, since he was out of the house running errands.  Now he plans to work on enticing Angel to eat something.  AND THEN he had the nerve to call me a CAT HELICOPTER MOM!  Well...yeah....duh!