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The litter tray

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Original poster

My cats acting a bit strange...

12 replies

chillisbopper · 20/07/2013 10:50

My male cat, 15 months old, indoor, is very intensely and pretty much constantly 'cleaning' his rear...and when I have looked the last few days, it's not his bum he is licking if you catch my meaning.

I've not seen him clean the rest of himself this much the last week. He wakes up from a nap, starts licking there, lays down for a nap - has a little lick first. Goes to the litter tray and comes out, takes one step, rolls on his back and starts again. If I move him (nudge him off the bed so I can make it for example) he immediately starts that again.

He has been castrated, about 4 months ago, and I have never seen him behave this way in the 15 months we've had him. Also there are very few neighbourhood cats around, mostly dogs. There's a big male ginger that when we first moved in used to paw at the window but he doesn't come around anymore, usually see him at the bottom of the street now if I ever see him. Next door has a female indoor cat but when we spoke about a month ago he was getting her spayed so she could be an outdoor cat. Those are the only 2 other cats I've seen around this street, most of the residents have dogs.

I really don't know what's up with him/why he's behaving this way. And not sure if there's something I should be doing about it Hmm.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
Original poster
chillisbopper · 20/07/2013 10:59

Also, don't know if it means anything here but I've notice he is sort of cuddling his tail when he sleeps. Not every time but enough that I thought it might be worth a mention.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 20/07/2013 10:59

Oops. He could be being ultra-fastidious but he could, alternatively, have discovered that it 'feels nice'. Wink (Assuming that the neutering all went to plan.) It happens sometimes - they usually lose urges but not absolutely always.

Other than distracting him in some way (playing with him, letting him go outside so that he has other things to occupy his mind) I'm not sure what you can do other than hoping he'll get bored with it/grow out of it.

Other posters may be able to suggest a solution.

thecatneuterer · 20/07/2013 11:53

Perhaps it's itchy round that area due to worms. Has he been wormed recently?

tabbycat15 · 20/07/2013 15:17

I was going to say maybe worms too.

cozietoesie · 20/07/2013 16:13

That's a good thought. Here's hoping.

Smile
Original poster
chillisbopper · 20/07/2013 20:19

Thanks for the replies, he was wormed about 2.5 months ago, vet said only to do it twice a year but I read online some people do every 3 months, so I don't know now Hmm.

But I think it's a toilet problem. I've been keeping a really close eye on him today. He hasn't done any business all day!! Blush

He has a hooded litter box and DH handles scooping and changing litter since I got pregnant. He works long hours and it's just a household job in an evening when he gets in so I don't honestly ask him about "how was it?" as we'll be discussing other things.

Anyway I've kept close watch of his movements today concerned he might be unwell, he has been to his litter tray a fair few times and I lifted the flap to look as he spends a while in there each time. Nothing Sad (Fresh litter last night so there's been nothing since last night). I caught him trying to go at the side of his tray, on the dogs bed, under my bed, it's really not like him not to use his tray, so i took the lid off and each time I have put him in his litter tray and he has stayed and tried and done nothing then tried at a different location. He hasn't done anything out of the box either though that I've found so he is just "trying".

He was eating less a few days ago than normal, I put it down to the hot weather as I too was too hot to eat much. But the last couple of days he's been eating loads and he has been drinking plenty. He did a huge pee last night before litter change over (about 8pm) so I don't think he has a complete block.

I gave him a little milk as a laxative about an hour ago.

I've been reading lots on google and I've gotten pretty worried about him, but I don't drive and DH is at work late tonight (like 2300-0000 aprox for expecting him home) so I can't get him to a vet until the morning. He doesn't seem in pain but something is wrong, perhaps this is why all the licking!

Any ideas on what I can do to help him until he can see the vet??
He has water and food always available to him, and there was the milk earlier, which I read online could help.

Also he's not as cuddly, I've not had a hug all day (very unlike him, he's usually glued to me or DH), and when I tried to pick him up he didn't stay long and I noticed he is malting a lot when I stroke him Sad

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 20/07/2013 20:28

Cystitis? Vets tomorrow though.

Original poster
chillisbopper · 20/07/2013 20:33

Yeah I'm thinking cystitis, I can sympathise with him as I get it from time to time too but I know what works to make me feel better, I don't know what will help a cat

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 20/07/2013 20:35

Don't give him human medicine, some of its fatal to cats eg paracetamol.

He'll probably sleep lots if he's ill and just want a bit of peace. Pets at home vets are open tomorrow.

cozietoesie · 20/07/2013 21:27

Cystitis and/or constipation it sounds like now. Good luck with the vet tomorrow.

Original poster
chillisbopper · 22/07/2013 17:25

Thank you for all the replies, I'm happy to report he is now doing much better and is pretty much back to his old self Smile. Back to cleaning himself normally rather than just that one area, cuddly as ever and driving us mad trying to climb the curtains again...bliss Grin Envy

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 22/07/2013 18:34

Now that's good news. Did you get to the vet with him?

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