My cat may be sick or hurt. Please help.?

Question

I have four cats, one of which is a 1 1/2 year old male named Bones, as well as a new male kitten. About a month ago, I brought home the new kitten, and around the same time, my friend's two dogs came to stay with us while she was on vacation. Bones is a very timid cat and scares easily. While the dogs have come to stay with us before and Bones is somewhat used to them, I think between that and the new kitten, he is having some issues. We recently found two places hidden in our basement where he has been urinating repeatedly. We have been trying to break him of this habit for the last few days since we discovered the problem. Today we found him hiding in odd, dark places like the bathtub upstairs and the stall shower in the basement. he is not acting himself, somewhat lethargic. He does not seem to be in pain, we found no wounds, but he will not purr and has been just laying on the counch, which is abnormal for him because he is the kind of cat who cannot sit still for even ten seconds

Sorry, here's more. Ran out of room.
Anyway, after we discovered him in the bathtub, my hubby picked him up, and soon after found two drops of blood on his jeans. We believe it was from the cat, but cannot be sure because we cannot find any wounds. Also, when I was cleaning the litterbox erlier in the day, I found diahreah, though I can't say for sure it was from him because we have four cats. Also, later, I found a lot of frothy liquid that appears to be urine in the box. I do not know if his spraying and these issues today have anything to do with each other, but I am worried he may be sick or hurt, since I hear cats hide in dark places when they are either sick, troubled or dying. Has anybody experienced anything like this before? And if so, should I be alarmed? I am going to take him to the vet ASAP, but I would appreciate any help in the meantime. Thank you.

The dogs have been gone for weeks now, and the kitten has been in the house for a while, just to give you all a clearer picture. But when we found the areas he'd been urinating in, it seemed like he may have been doing it for a while. This whole hiding this is out of the blue, just today, so I don't think the actual hiding has anything to do with the kitten other than maybe the circumstances that lead up to this possible illness, or else I think he would have been doing this before today.

Answer 1

He needs to see a vet as soon as possible -- the urinating in unusual places may be a sign of a urinary tract infection, the lethargy might be a sign that he's going toxic from the infection. Until you can get him to a vet, keep him contained so you can observe him (either in a cat carrier, or in a small room like the bathroom). But get him to a vet ASAP.

Answer 2

Isolate this kitty and try to get a clean urine and stool sample for your vet. It sounds like he is having trouble with a urinary tract infection or intestinal parasites. When a cat that has consistently used the litter box suddenly starts going outside the box, it's usually because he's got something bothering him.
Is he eating? Drinking? These are questions your vet will ask.
Put him in an area the other cats cannot get to. Get a clean litter box and put some styrofoam packing peanuts in it. (make sure they aren't the kind that are made of cornstarch as they melt when wet and will contaminate the sample). Use a plastic spoon to collect the stool and plop the whole thing, spoon and all into a ziploc bag that you've marked with your cat's name, your last name and the date and time the sample was taken. Refrigerate the sample until you are ready to take it to the vet. The fresher the sample the better. As for a urine sample, the best way to collect it is to draw it up into a clean syringe (without a needle) and put it in another ziploc that has been marked with the above info. Same rules apply, fresh is best and refrigerate if you are going immediately to the vet.
If you can't collect these samples, don't worry your vet can get them but it's a rather undignified and uncomfortable experience for the cat-not to mention the vet.
If you find that your cat has coccidia or some other intestinal problem, ask you vet about treating the other cats. If the dogs had the opportunity to ingest anything from the cat box they may need to be checked also.
And there's more.....! You will need to treat the areas the cat has sprayed. Scrub with soap and water to remove residue and let dry completely. Treat the area with an enzyme formula specific to pet odors (Nature's Miracle is good and readily available). Use a generous amount of the product and let it dry. Retreat if necessary. Cover the area with newspaper just in case the cat (or one of the others) returns to the area. This will make the clean up a little easier. Or you can place a clean litter box wherever he has sprayed and he may use them.
Hopefully he will react quickly to the medication the vet prescribes and will be back to using the box right away. Watch him though, because some cats that start this behavior when they are sick will continue it afterward and it can be difficult to break. I say difficult, but not impossible. So, if does become a problem please talk to the vet immediately and seek advice here to.
A good rule of thumb with cats is that the moment you discover he has suddenly begun to eliminate outside the box-call the vet. More often than not there is a physical problem that needs attention.
Good luck and update your post so we know how it went.

Answer 3

I think the cat may feel strange having all these
unfamiliar guests around.The reason he keeps
urinating in the same place could be because he is setting his territory.This is his way of letting the other guests know to stay away from his spot.Also he may be hiding to try and get away from his unwanted friends.He may not
really like the kitten especially.I remember when I was young we had lots of cats but the adult cats never acted right when a new kitten was brought home.Keep watching Bones though just to make sure hes ok.Warning signs
are him not eating or drinking,panting,major hair
loss,or bleeding in his waste.If you should notice any of these symptoms take Mr.Bones
to the vet as soon as possible.But for now just try and let him get his peace away from the other cats and dogs.I think he will eventually be ok.Good luck and keep an eye on him.


Since I have read the additional details I would think that the blood you found is not a good sign.You should definately take the cat to the vet first thing in the morning.In an emergency
some vets will allow you to bring the cat tonight.
If you think he's acting too strange I would suggest trying to bring him tonight.I hope he will be ok.Good luck.

Answer 4

I think I would hide in the bathtub, too with your current household set up. Cats like routine and hate change.Put the dogs in their own separate space and keep them away from Bones. He is going to going to need to get used to the kitten ...not sure how you "introduced" them but regardless the dynamic should change when the dogs are out of the picture.

Also..if you have brought new nimals into the house and your cat is acting lethargic..you really woule be wise to get him checked with a vet. Tiny chance he has caught something from the interlopers.

Good luck to you all.

Answer 5

my cat, Lucky, who is now 18 years old acted pretty much the same way when we adopted my Grandmother's cat 4 years ago. He peed on EVERYTHING and spent a lot of time in my sister's closet. Pets have feelings too. And Bones is probably not too happy with having another cat in the house. Because it means less attention is going to wards him. If you bring him to the vet, and say he's healthy... when you bring him back home just spend more time with him. it may take a while. Hell, Lucky still isn't used to the other kitty.

and if Bones is only a year and a half... I'm pretty sure he's not dieing... especially if he's an indoor cat. but even outdoor cats live much longer lives than that.

Answer 6

First take him to your vet. Most likely, however, he is telling you that he is not happy with the current situation. Are they all spayed/neutered? Keep the kitten in a separate room so he can't see it, and try spending extra time with Bones. Hopefully this will help.

Answer 7

Sounds to me you have a very sick cat, it may be his urinarey track, the problem is mostly in male cats. My old cat, (Fat Cat), died of the same thing. Get your guy to the vet, we don't need another funeral.

Answer 8

I suggest you take the cat to the vet for a check up.
Possibly may have parvel disease.

Answer 9

Sounds like a urinary tract infection. Bring him to the vet and tell him what you wrote above.

Answer 10

when animals continue to hide they are usually hurt or sick. Take him to the vet