Nature Rarely Calls ......

Thanks so much, Karen. Think I'll get them checked out just to be on the safe
side.

Have a great night ....

On 2003-09-09, Allegra640 wrote:

Many thanks for the post ... one thing: if it was indeed hairballs, i'm
assuming you mean hairballs that haven't been coughed or spit up, right?
Again, my apologies for sounding stupid, but I've never had cats until a year
ago. Of course, now, there's no going back.

I had a cat that got "plugged up" by hairballs. I neither saw it cough up
a hairball nor found a hairball on the floor. I noticed the cat straining
and the vet discovered an impacted hairball. They unimpacted the cat
digitally (not a job I'd want) and used laxatives and enemas to help
the cat. I did more intensive grooming of the cat and gave it Laxatone
(basically flavored petroleum jelly with some vitamin supplements)
a couple of times a week. No more hairball problems.

Constipation can have more ominous causes, though, and should be looked
into by a professional. My cat was obviously in distress. It would paw
and strain, but nothing would happen.

Allegra640 wrote:

I've noticed in the last week or so that my girls have been going for extended
stretches of time without using the litter box. It's beginning to worry me.
Before I take them to the doctor I wanted to ask if anyone else has encountered
this. Do cats just naturally go for longer periods than dogs without having to
"go?"

Depends upon what you mean by "longer periods", and whether you're
talking about urine or feces. Some "premium" cat foods are formulated
to produce less solid waste. (You might also check around and see
whether they've found a spot they like BETTER that the litterbox!)

Are you like sure they're not going somewhere else.......somewhere you
haven't noticed yet?

Positive .........

Cats can, or I should say, some cats can go a long time without using
the litter box. A few years ago I left for a week's vacation, and
accidentally shut Skeeter in my bedroom closet before I left. Luckily,
my daughter and son-in-law decided to surprise me by painting my
bathroom while I was gone. Fortunately, they came the day after I left.
They heard a faint mewing and found Skeeter. She immediately bolted for
the cat door and ran outside. She had been in there for about 30 hours
and had not done *anything* - thank goodness! I'd never have gotten the
smell out of my clothes. A few days after I got home, she got shut in
there again, this time for only a couple of hours. Now I watch
carefully whenever I open and close that closet door, and I always leave
it open a few inches (It has sliding doors) when I go on a trip.

--
Joy

Normal is in the eye of the beholder. -- Whoopie Goldberg

"Allegra640" wrote in message
...
I've noticed in the last week or so that my girls have been going for
extended
stretches of time without using the litter box. It's beginning to
worry me.
Before I take them to the doctor I wanted to ask if anyone else has
encountered
this. Do cats just naturally go for longer periods than dogs without
having to
"go?"

Tracy