Lately my 4 yo male cat has been lashing out after seeking attn?

Question

THe last 3 nights, he'll act like he wants to be pet, then lash out. He used to be an outdoor cat for most of his life, and has been forced to stay inside now for the last 2 mos., and it's driving him crazy. Also he's been drinking a lot, has gas, laid in his litterbox, and i've noticed a decrease in appetite, acts like he doesn't feel good. Is it behavioral or medical? Should I wait and see how he does before giving his vet MORE money?

Answer 1

Hi Jacqui...it would be in the best interest to have your cat medically evaluated as excessive thirst, decreased appetite, flatulence and laying in the litter box is indicative he's not feeling well and is a red flag signaling something is seriously wrong.

Answer 2

I know it's sometimes hard to justify spending lots of money on pets. I subscribe to the belief that my cats are part of my family and so I tend to spend more than probably the average pet owner on vet care and other not essentials for my kitty.

It does sound like something isn't right with him though. He is not only behaving funny but also showing signs of physical stress. Cats have a very high pain tolerance and they will mask their pain in funny ways. I always watch my cats a little bit closer when their behavior changes since this might be the only outward sign that they are not feeling well.

I'd schedule a vet visit. If your vet is too spendy, look for a less expensive clinic or possibly a teaching hospital in your area. Good luck!

Answer 3

Has he been having good BM's? Are they watery or excessively hard, or do they show signs of blood in them anywhere?

If his BM's are not normal, then collect a sample and take him to the vet. He may have a blockage...possibly caused by hair-balls or another digestive disorder...especially if he's not eating. I wouldn't wait to long to get him into the vet. If you must wait, then try changing his food. My daughter-in-had to do that.

Her cat was constantly vomiting food unless he had more and more and he drinks a lot of water. If he still throws up, the food is mostly not digested and is chunky. The food you give him may not be to his liking. It's a little more expensive, but try low ash, in case there may be a urianry bladder problem. This is something that the vet may not have caught. My cat had the same problem, so I switched her to low ash content food and then to IAMS. She was thinner, but very healthy.

At any rate, any cat that is used to being outside all of the time has a difficult time adjusting to the indoors. It takes some time, but before you know it, the cat will become acclimated to being inside and when the door opens will run, not walk to the next room. Mine did.