Really need some advice from other MC owners!

**Art's Girl** · 15th April 2011, 10:07 AM

I just wondered if you lovely people could have a read and give me some advice.
Its not a nice subject but please have a read.
I rehomed my beloved Arthur at the age of 10 months, about 3 years ago and when i got him the previous owner explained he couldn't eat wet food, as it went straight through him and gave me some tablets from the vet if he ever had problems.
I wouldn't feed him wet food anyway so after much trial and error we settled on Royal Canin MC which he enjoys and keeps the belly under control.
So basically it followed from there that he is fine 90% of the time, but then he has what i have termed "blow outs". As crude as it is, i actually can get woken up at night by him pooping and farting in his tray. It runs out of him like water. I obviously starve him and he has these tablets from the vet to calm things. I can't think of there exact names, but it begins with m!
Anyway vets have tried prescription diets, probiotic pastes etc. They think its cat IBS.
Its just these bouts seem to be more and more common and i'm always trying to think of contributing factors.
I did also think it could be related to his water fountain. Like all Maine coons, he loves his running water. I use a drinkwell fountain which he loves but obviously is a poor alternative to his beloved tap!
I clean that religiously.
My boyfriend and i are at the end of our tether as there doesn't seem to be anything we can link it to and we just want to make life more bearable for him. I am sure he hates having to effectively be bathed everytime this happens as he gets messy "trousers"!
So any advice would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone else have issues with water fountains and dicky tummies? Anyone got a cat with IBS that suffers these "blow outs"?
I don't want to keep taking him to the vet, it stresses himself out and prescriptive diets just don't do it (and cost a fortune to establish that!)
Thanks for reading

x

**WoodsideMaineCoons** · 15th April 2011, 10:28 AM

Doesn't sound like much fun.

First of all, have you had any testing done? It is quite unusual for cats to have problems with wet food so it may be that you just haven't found the right wet food yet. A good one is royal canin sensitivity control and also hills I/d

Is he gaining weight ok and eating well? Although he seems fine in between these bouts, it can't be nice for him or you to have to keep going through it.

Louise

**Art's Girl** · 15th April 2011, 11:13 AM

I really don't think its food related because he can go three months or so without the blow out. I'm very strict with him he only ever gets his RC dry food and 100% chicken breast.
I haven' changed his diet for two years now. I can't pinpoint any precise change to his behavior to even tell when a blow out might be brewing.
Although it does sometimes coincide with him throwing up a hairball.

I haven't as yet had him tested or stool sampled etc because the vet just tells me its cat IBS and i attempt to control it myself.
He is still the same weight, still in prime condition.
Maybe a stool sample is the way forward. As there really is no rhyme or reason to it otherwise.

**WoodsideMaineCoons** · 15th April 2011, 11:16 AM

I didn't realise that the upsets were so far apart. When he has them, does he just do one and then go back to normal next time?

Could just be a bit of IBS as if he tends to suffer from hairballs at around the same time then it could be related to that.

I would still consider a stool test but if he's happy and healthy otherwise and there is quite a big gap in between then I wouldn't worry. My lot get the occasional upset tummy, I guess as humans do if they are stressed, or eaten something they shouldn't have done or even eaten too much sometimes!

**Art's Girl** · 15th April 2011, 11:21 AM

It can be as long as three months between blow outs but recently it can be every couple of weeks.
I'm going to ring my vet and get a stool sample sorted as suggested. At least then i can rule out that and just concentrate on trying to control the IBS.

Its so hard when i just can't link it to anything.

**jckkerrison** · 15th April 2011, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Art's Girl

It can be as long as three months between blow outs but recently it can be every couple of weeks.
I'm going to ring my vet and get a stool sample sorted as suggested. At least then i can rule out that and just concentrate on trying to control the IBS.

Its so hard when i just can't link it to anything.

My daughters cat was the same for four years having violent tummy upset & we blamed diet, it turned out to be stressed related,can you think back or even from now start a diary of anything that happens on that day to see if just something silly that you wouldn't even think of is a trigger factor,we had a cat in at work for years that used to stress & pull out its furr & it wasn't until the owner went a lot longer than normal having a night away for work that it suddenly registered what was causing it,she listed her dates when she was away for that one night we compared them on the computer & they tallied,so simple,her & the hubby could go on holiday & the cat was fine but for some reason that one night caused the cat to stress .....

**Helen & John** · 15th April 2011, 12:31 PM

How can I put this nicely, do you get any creepys in the house?
I ask as we sometimes get woodlice (horrible looking things) in the bathroom and the last of the great white hunters - aka Hector stakes out the bathroom and eats them. The result is always a runny bum.

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 15th April 2011, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by Helen & John

How can I put this nicely, do you get any creepys in the house?
I ask as we sometimes get woodlice (horrible looking things) in the bathroom and the last of the great white hunters - aka Hector stakes out the bathroom and eats them. The result is always a runny bum.

That would be my contribution to the debate too - that's about the only time either of mine get runny bum's now, and if they were allowed in the garden more we'd be seeing the results more often. I've got a morbid fear of spider's so our house is rigged with spider deterrents so the only time they really get the opportunity for bug pie is when they're allowed out.

Whatever the cause is, hope it all works out for you guys.

**Art's Girl** · 18th April 2011, 04:12 PM

I really wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for the advice.
Sometimes the whole thing gets on top of me as i just can't seem to pinpoint.
I will definitely keep a diary maybe because like you say it could be the smallest thing.
As for bugs...... i really don't think they are the issue. We don't get many bugs although Arthur has been known to crash about and throw himself at windows in order to catch a fly!

Really interesting to read that other people have had stress related issues too. Arthur is so cool though, Mr laid back in fact but maybe its all an act! Ideally i know he would like for me to throw my other half out of the house, give up my job and stay at home to entertain him 24/7!