Stress, excessive grooming & furballs

**Miss Kitty** · 22nd April 2011, 04:35 PM

Due to changes in work, our MC has gone from having someone with him at home at all times, to having no-one at all. Within 4 days of the change, the following happened to our beautiful MC:
* chronic diarrhea (up to 11 times a night) - sometimes a furball would appear in litter
* throwing up furballs (the same night)
* excessive grooming of his coat
* excessive clingy behaviour when we'd arrive home
* started sleeping in our bed at night
* started grooming my hair at night in bed
* urinating in different places

He wouldn't pass a bowel motion for up to 3 days and then he'd have chronic diarrhea and vomiting on the 4th day. This was repeated for up to two weeks.

The vet visits have:
* done complete bloodwork and test on all organs - all fine
* fecal tests showed some inflammation in the bowel
* urine tests were fine

He was given flagyl for 10 days. After it had run it's course, the symptoms appeared within 2 days. He is now back on flagyl until mid of next week and then back to the vets. Vets are thinking it's either time to treat the hairballs or that he may have a food allergy (but has been on RC MC biscuits and fresh kangaroo meat for over a year now).

Any tips on how to deal with stressed cats (when you can't change what is causing the stress). Also - any ideas on how to help the furballs pass more naturally so he doesn't have chronic diarrhea?

THanks! - any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

**Osiris** · 22nd April 2011, 06:01 PM

Hey,
this sounds terrible! Not only for you but you're wee kitty! The only thing I can think of that might help is the feline scent diffuser, its supposed to help them but I have never tried it myself. It may work and calm him down, suppose its worth a shot!

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**jckkerrison** · 22nd April 2011, 06:12 PM

This all reads exactly the same as my daughters MC,it was nothing but stress causing it & if her marriage hadn't gone wrong & she moved out we would have had a cat go to its grave thinking all these things were "Just Her",it all started when they moved to a new house & to begin with we thought it was just the change of enviroment but gradually everything got so bad that in the end was accepted as the norm,now we know it wasn't just the move but at the point where things changed for the worse in daughters life,she now never has diarrhoea,doesn't overgroom so therefore gets hairballs but nowhere so many,can have her toy baskets back because she no longer pees in them or on daughters clean laundry,gone back to normal diet{yep we also thought that was involved & tried changing it} has come back to being the loving cat of the first five years, it is heartbreaking to think that the next five had been so distressing for her.
I think this just proves what sensitive,people loving furries we have in this breed,what can you do,try the old stress buster things like Feliway or Zylkene,could this perhaps have been a situation where one MC is not enough,,,,? Would he perhaps have been happier with a mate for company,have you tried leaving him with music left on & perhaps a bit of your clothing so perhaps he doesn't feel so abandoned.It is good that he has had tests done , the fecal tests were going to show some inflamation with type of motion pattern he has been having anyway,good that Flagyl seems to help but while the cause is still present the problem is sure to return,I haven't yet found anything that eliminates furballs completely but mine have RC hairball biscuits that seem to make them easier to pass either way,this time of year with coat change we do have bouts of suffering them,what else can you do to help your babe,do you have someone who could call in during the day to give him some company to lessen the blow,have you got someone who you could drop him off too on your way to work so he is not alone,starting to sound like taking kids to nursery now but if it is all stress related,don't know which is easiest to cope with here stress or illness being the cause,one you have to find a level that he finds acceptable the other you need to find the right treatment,chicken & egg situation,good luck to you all & I do hope you soon have a situation where life is first class for you all again....x

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 22nd April 2011, 08:46 PM

Poor little fella. Sounds like you might now have your cause Sussex. Zylkene helped Freyja calm down when Wicca moved in, but jackie's question about another mc sounds like it's something to consider. Good luck and keep us posted.

**Miss Kitty** · 23rd April 2011, 03:17 PM

Hi Everyone - they are all great tips and suggestions!! The vet advised to get feliway. We've discussed getting another cat/kitten but wonder if this will add to his stress given his nature/feelings at the moment or if it would be the best thing for him.

Has anyone ever tried laxatone or similiar for excessive furballs?

**jckkerrison** · 23rd April 2011, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Miss Kitty

Hi Everyone - they are all great tips and suggestions!! The vet advised to get feliway. We've discussed getting another cat/kitten but wonder if this will add to his stress given his nature/feelings at the moment or if it would be the best thing for him.

Has anyone ever tried laxatone or similiar for excessive furballs?

I have used Defurr UM paste in the past but gave up when I started including the hairball biscuits in the food,at work we normally gave out Katalax but have changed product now because it became so expensive,I am not out on the desk very often but have a feeling we have moved onto the product you mention,a lot of clients say they have a good response by using the product regularly so you are not going to loose out by trying it.
Just remember if you are going to trial the Feliway that it has to build up & be in an area that he mostly uses to get full effect,I think it tells you the area it will cover,just make sure you keep the windows closed though because if any are opened close by it will loose its efficacy .
I do hope he is soon a happier little fellow...x

**Miss Kitty** · 25th April 2011, 09:38 AM

Today is Chester's second attempt of coming off flagyl. The last time (for the same problems) he tried doing this a few weeks ago, he had chronic furballs and diarrhea within 48 hours... keep your paws crossed everybody that it's going to be better this time!

He is still excessively grooming his coat.

Has anyone else tried RC hairballs/furballs? - any success/help?