My cat won't pee or poop after moving. Is it stress or vet emergency?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Usually about 24 hours is possible. It is very important to make sure that you have a litter box or two available with the type of litter that he likes and is used to. Sometimes this can be observed in times of stress or when adjusting to a new environment. Make sure that you have this available and monitor him for the next few hours and it is very likely that he will go. Good luck!

I'm so sorry that you are having such problems with Kitty. I am imagine how frustrating this is for you. Since these problems started with the move, stress may be playing a role. One option for decreasing stress is to add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. Hover, there are a large number of reasons that a cat will inappropriately urinate and defecate (urinate and defecate outside the litter box) and stress may be only one of the reasons. I am attaching a handout below which discusses this in detail. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=633 The first step in figuring out why a cat is urinating outside the litter box is to have your veterinarian do an examination and get a urine sample to evaluate for a medical reason. If that is normal, then we need to look at other possibilities. The handout above discusses litter box issues that can play a role. Make sure you have at least 2 litter boxes (if Kitty is the only cat), they are not covered or lined, and are cleaned daily. You may also want to try products like Cat Attract Litter (https://www.drelseys.com/shop/cat-attract/). If your veterinarian cannot find a medical reason and all litter box issues have been dealt with, then it may be time to discuss medication with your veterinarian. Medications are also discussed in the handout above. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that you can figure out what's going on with Kitty. Thanks for using PetCoach.

It can be very stressful for cats if they have changes in their house. I would recommend a few different things for Pelly. The first is neutering him, the second is a urine sample looking for a urinary tract infection and the third is behavioral medication that can be prescribed from your veterinarian. thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, some cats have to adjust to their new surroundings and will hold their urine and feces until they are comfortable. If his bladder is small, I would not worry. I would monitor him for straining to urinate or crying out in the litter box. if he is not doing this, he will probably be okay. I would give him some times in his new home to learn he is safe to eat and use the litter box. You can try to palpate his bladder by using one hand and squeezing gentle on his abdomen while he is standing up. The bladder should feel like a water balloon slipping through your fingers. If you feel something round, large and hard, take him to a vet. If it is soft and smaller than your hand, he should be fine. I would also check around his area to see if he has urinated outside the box. Good luck with your new kitty!

I hate to hear that Figgy is so stressed out. I'm not sure what set up you have but for now, all of Figgy's things (food, water, litter box) should all be easily accessible to him. Even put the food and water where ever he is (ie under the bed). You might also try putting him in the litter box. For now, keep the door shut where he is hiding and set up. Do this until Figgy is comfortable about coming out. Keep the environment quiet. Keep the dog away from Figgy's area. Once he is comfortable, you can begin to leave the door open though I would keep a baby gate up and continue to keep the dog out until Figgy becomes comfortable. You can also try using an uncovered litter box (Figgy might be afraid he could be trapped in the box). There are also a few other things that might help. Try enriching the environment. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for play time and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so he can look outside. You may also try clicker training him for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. If he has not eaten, drank or used the bathroom by tomorrow, he needs to go to the veterinarian. For the stress/anxiety, the veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I hate to hear Minks is having this issue and it sounds like you have tried many things. Sometimes if the kitty will not have a BM in the box, it can indicate pain in the bowels. Try changing to food to a diet with a higher fiber content and adding in a higher fiber content canned food as well. You need both the fiber and the water content. There are also prescription diets available for this purpose. The one I like the best is made by Royal Canin and is called Fiber Reaponse. If this doesn’t help, it may be behavioral. Your veterinarian may be able to provide medication that may help. Stress relief is important as you know. Just in case, here are a few things you may not know or haven’t tried. Cats tend to like a large, uncovered litter box that is in a private location where they cannot be trapped by other pets. They also like a clay based clumping litter that is cleaned daily. Cats who have access to climbing areas or can get up high have less stress. If this is determined to be behaviors. There is a prescription diet called Calm which affects the serotonin levels in the brain and may be helpful. Try to set aside at least 30 minutes a day for vigorous play. This can help to decrease anxiety or stress. Lastly, some cats respond well the Feliway, a pheromone diffuser. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I would give Ostin a few days to settle down and get used to being inside. If he hasn't used his litter box, bringing him to it so he can explore it, or bringing in a little substrate he prefers to go potty in (such as some dirt from the garden) and mixing it with the litter may make it more obvious to him where he needs to go. If he continues to act lethargic, doesn't use the bathroom at all, or shows other signs of illness, an exam with your vet is best to make sure there isn't anything else going on.