older cats

Question:

I have a 15 year old female spayed cat  that is having problems with bowel movements.  I took her to the vet yesterday for an enema.  He gave me Laxatone to give her.  She still has a hearty appetite, but she cant get around too good.  Her hind legs are causing her pain or perhaps its caused by an inflamed rectum.  Just wondering if anyone has had any similar experience with their older cats?            Vol

Response:

> I have a 15 year old female spayed cat  that is having problems with > bowel movements.  I took her to the vet yesterday for an enema.  He gave > me Laxatone to give her.  She still has a hearty appetite, but she cant > get around too good.  Her hind legs are causing her pain or perhaps its > caused by an inflamed rectum.  Just wondering if anyone has had any > similar experience with their older cats?            Vol

Speak to your vet about potassium supplements.  Potassium depletion is common in older cats and can impair colonic smooth muscle and other muscle functions.  Also, kidney function should be monitored in older cats – kidney disease can also cause a depletion in potassium. I’d get some bloodwork done if I were you (CBC, Chem screen) and a complete urinalysis. Good luck. Phil — "Cat people are different, to the extent that they                  generally are not conformists.  How could the be, with a cat running their lives?"                                                          –Louis Camuti     Feline Healthcare: http://maxshouse.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have a 15 year old female spayed cat  that is having problems with > bowel movements.  I took her to the vet yesterday for an enema.  He gave > me Laxatone to give her.  She still has a hearty appetite, but she cant > get around too good.  Her hind legs are causing her pain or perhaps its > caused by an inflamed rectum.  Just wondering if anyone has had any > similar experience with their older cats?            Vol > Speak to your vet about potassium supplements.  Potassium depletion is > common in older cats and can impair colonic smooth muscle and other muscle > functions.  Also, kidney function should be monitored in older cats – kidney > disease can also cause a depletion in potassium. > I’d get some bloodwork done if I were you (CBC, Chem screen) and a complete > urinalysis. > Good luck. > Phil

I did speak to my vet about this (idea of potassium supplements for older cats) when I last brought Debbie (15 yrs.) in to the vet, since it sounded interesting.  While saying that she is open to new ideas, she was quite skeptical about potassium supplements, saying it sounded like it could be very dangerous, & said she’d want to know the original source – & how reliable it was, before contemplating/further researching the idea. Cathy — "Decades gliding by like Indians, time is cheap."   Paul Simon ("Ren

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