Vlad is acting odd

[ancientgirl]

I just walked into the kitchen and found him laying in the litter box. This last week he threw up his morning meal 3 times, and yesterday he was particularly aggressive towards Oksana.

I made an appointment for him next Tuesday. Their vet is on next week, so I'm going to have them do his wellness exam now instead of waiting until May.

I decided to give them all an extra dish of food because I'm wondering if maybe he's just so hungry in the morning he might be eating too fast so that may be why he's throwing up and that might also be why he's been bullying. I'm hoping adding an extra meal helps.

[Tundra_Queen]

Sorry to hear about your kitty not feeling well. Have u raised his food up 1 ot 2"?

Debbie

[14+kitties]

Vlad is a big kitty. It is possible he needs a little more food than the others do. Laying in the litter box - is it hot in your apartment? Maybe the litter felt cool to him. Kitties sometimes do silly things for what seems to us to be no reason. As for being aggressive - spring fever? Jupiter was being an absolute kitty today. Tried to find someone he could play with but he is so much bigger than most of them he scared them when he tackled them. So he started chasing snow.

[Magicwildwolf69]

Serena does that too where she'll eat so fast she throw it up. And eclipse usually needs a little bit more food cause he's so much bigger. i wish i could add a third meal for my kitties. my husband just says they don't need it cause they have dry lol i'm working on him though! hope all is well with him!

[TeriM]

Hope all is well with Vlad .

[growler~GateKeeper]

Has Vlad seemed constipated or been making multiple litterbox trips to pee?

Lying in the litterbox can oftem be a sign of constipation; urinary tract infection; or as a way to seek comfort - some cats in hospital will do it as that is the only familiar area; with some cats however it can be a sign of dominance as they are trying to control when other cats have access ~ though I would suspect that is not the case now due to his vomiting.

Keep a close eye on his litterbox habits for the next day or two & if anything is amiss (frequent little pees, straining but not producing either pee or poop, meowing during peeing/pooping, making several passes through the box with or without stopping) or if he continues vomiting or stops eating take him in sooner.

[Love4himies]

I agree with Growler, lying in the litterbox means a close watch on him going to the bathroom.

Back in Dec I took Sweet Pea in because she fell in the litter box trying to go to the bathroom and the day before she wouldn't really run outside, stayed hunched over. $400 later, it turned out to be quite a gas bubble giving her pain . She eats her food really fast which is what the vet thinks is causing her tummy issues.

[ancientgirl]

Thanks everyone for the comments.

I did up their food. I added an extra meal right before we went to bed. This morning, he didn't scarf his food down so fast like he usually does.

I'll keep watch on the litter box usage. I know he poops fine, but pee is harder to tell. I'll watch him when I'm home, I'll follow him and check the box after he gets out to see what he does. In the meantime, maybe I should start adding some of the tract-ease I give to Oksana, to his food as well.

I can watch him better tomorrow. I'll be home, I have to drop Czari off to have her teeth cleaned, so I took the day off to be able to watch her once I brought her home. I can watch Vlad too.

[hazelrunpack]

I hope the handsome little dude is all right! It's so nervewracking when you spot a change in behavior but can't tell right away what it means...or even if it means nothing! in Vlad's case it was just hunger!

[ancientgirl]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

I hope the handsome little dude is all right! It's so nervewracking when you spot a change in behavior but can't tell right away what it means...or even if it means nothing! in Vlad's case it was just hunger!

You are so right. I always feel like maybe I'm reading too much into something. I'm hoping the added grub will help with the throwing up. He is a big cat, so no doubt he needs more food than the others. Maks can really put it away, but he's super active, but I've always been afraid of giving Vlad too much.

As for him sitting in the litter. I'll definitely keep watch on that. I hope it was just him reliving his kitty days, when he LOVED sitting in the litter.

[diandpat]

Sorry I can't add anything to help but I do know AG that you are very in tuned with your furkids. If this seemed/seems odd then there is probably something...just hope it is nothing too severe.
that is turns out to be a little nothing!

[ancientgirl]

Originally Posted by diandpat

Sorry I can't add anything to help but I do know AG that you are very in tuned with your furkids. If this seemed/seems odd then there is probably something...just hope it is nothing too severe.
that is turns out to be a little nothing!

Thanks. I'm hoping maybe it was just him feeling funky yesterday.

[catlover2]

Lying in the litter box and crankiness can indicate the beginning of a UTI or bladder problem. Can you isolate Vlad in a room by himself, for a day and night, so that you know for sure if and how much he is peeing/pooping? I like clumping litter as it really indicates how much a cat has peed, and he should be making minimum 2-3/day larger than golf ball size, but not as large as a tennis ball. If he is not peeing a normal amount, take him to a vet for tests. Hope you find out what's changed and Vlad is back to normal.

[ancientgirl]

I can probably do that this weekend. I've got to change their litter this weekend so I can put him in the bathroom on his own Saturday or tomorrow even. I'll get the litter stuff on my way home, and I can just do it tomorrow now that I think about it.