A very sore tummy :(

[meep]

**WARNING, Graphic content. Do not read whilst eating!**

On Friday night I tried the boys on a new food: Nature's Menu Beef and Heart. Darcy loves their treats, so I thought he might like the food too and it is supposed to be very good for them with no additives or bulking carbs etc. I mixed in 1/2 pouch of NM with a 1/2 pouch of their favourite Felix flavour. Minsky didn't touch the NM, very fussy, but Darcy ate it quite happily. Not overly excited by it, but ate it all the same.

Saturday afternoon - poo as normal.

Sunday morning, very bad toilet Darcy had diarreah (sorry for graphic description). I've seen both of them have soft poos before, but this was different. It was proper diarreah, and really really stank, to the high heavens. I was gagging as I was cleaning it up, and I'm generally not phased at all by these things.

I was really worried for the poor boy. But he seemed fit as a fiddle, just maybe slightly less bouncy as normal. Still purring, still eating his Felix, still eating a few treats when I offered him (just 2 to test him!) But over the course of the day he went (every time in the litter tray) again, about 4 times. The first time was a large amount, but thereafter it went down in volume, until it was just a small amount each time. This morning there was a semi-soft, semi-diarreah small poo in the litter tray, so an improvement from yesterday but still quite icky.

I feel so awful and guilty. I'm not 100% sure, but my guess lies with the NM food. Minsky didn't touch it, and he's fine. Darcy ate both halves, so one whole packet, and pretty much one day later has a really upset tummy. I'm guessing I just shouldn't have given him so much as a new food at once, but should have phased it in more, or it just really didn't agree with him.

I am keeping a very close eye on both him and the litter tray. Like I said, he's maybe slightly more subdued than normal (less playful) but still happy, purring, sleeping happily. I did notice last night that he was licking his bum a lot, and I thought "Oh no, worms!" but really can't think how he would have got them. I'll keep an eye, and see if once the diarreah goes away he's still licking his bum etc. I'm hoping tonight I'll come home to a clean litter tray *fingers crossed* I'm guessing it might be a whole day before he goes for a poo again as he's been kind of cleaned out.

Sorry for sharing this rather graphic story, it's just the first time either have had a properly upset tummy. There's been one vommiting incident, which wasn't bad at all, and a few hairballs, but nothing like this.

Has anyone had similar experience with NM food, or a different new food they've introduced? I am being very cautious and considerate in looking after them, feeding them etc. I guess I just jumped the gun by giving them too much NM, but didn't think to lessen it as Darcy has been eating their treats since I got them, and loves them.

Rant over, sorry for the long post!

[Mags]

Poor Darcy, I hope he'll be feeling better today. He is most likely licking his bottom as it can get quite sore with the diarrhoea.

Any new food should be introduced very gradually over a week or so and in Darcy's case it appears that the Nature's Menu could be the cause of the diarrhoea.

[meep]

Thanks Mags, he really seemed alright apart from frequent litter-tray trips, and bottom licking.

He was in a huff this morning on an unrelated note, as he kept us up last night banging the front door by scratching at it continually. We chose to ignore him and he wasn't happy. He's done it in the past and it's pure attention seeking. I was giving him extra special attention due to his sore tum, but after getting out of bed once at 3am to find him purring the moment I got out of bed, then to have him banging again the moment I got back into bed, I realised he wasn't making a fuss because he was ill but because his pets weren't playing with him when he wanted them too!

I'm keeping him on Felix for the time being. Have ordered Orijen to replace their dry food and once it arrives won't try it for a week or more, until he's completely settled, then will very gradually mix it in.

[angieh]

So sorry to read about Darcy's sore tum (and sore bum too!). Hope he continues to improve. Like me, I expect you won't be happy until you see a "normal" poo. I would bet it was the food especially as you say Minsky is fine and didn't eat it.

[meep]

Thanks angie, I do feel for the poor boy, although I am slightly amazed that he was fine otherwise. He wasn't lacking in energy or grumpy or anything. He was determined to get me up at 3am as well, which is the Darcy I know and love, so he seems to be coping well.

I am on official poo-watch. Out of the two, Darcy does bury his whereas Minsky leaves it in all its glory and doesn't bother to bury it ( ) so it will be easy to tell when he's gone for a normal one. As I said, I'm guessing tonight he may not go at all, but possibly tomorrow? Normally they're both regular as clock-work.

[Elaine]

Poor Darcy, I know only too well what its like to be on poop watch .
My two eat natures menue and havent had any problems, as has been mentioned, maybe a little too much too soon.
Bad mummy

[meep]

I did feel very guilty last night, but couldn't help but laugh when I thought of the song from the show Friends "smelly cat, smelly cat, what are they feeding you?" Poor Darcy, they hate to be undignified!

I will definately avoid this mistake again. My Orijen order arrived today but I'll hold off for a week and mix in a tiny amount with their Go-Cat when the time comes.

[dandysmom]

Poor Darcy! I agree it must have been the NM as Minsky was fine; but how were you to know he'd have such a violent reaction? Bum licking is probably because it was sore as others have said. Ah well, live and learn...chin tickles to both boys!

[LorrH]

To Meep

Have the same problem with my cat, Cactus everything she eats, she either brings up one end or it comes out at the other, I've had to resort to plain fish (cheapest supermarket frozen fish, microwaved) and now trying Royal Canin sensitive wet and dry food.

Cactus is a CP league cat and I'm sure this is why her previous owner threw her out and she was found straying, but I think I'm now on top of the situation, but she does find most commercial pet foods really rich, which is why I've gone down the Royal Canin route, I purchase in bulk and it works out at 50p a pouch, which I don't think is too bad. If you have any problems again the best way is water and a bit of dried food for 24hrs.

[meep]

DM - it was a very violent reaction! When we first got them, the CP lady said they'd fed them a variety of things and didn't give me much guidance on what to feed them. So as we were testing a few things out, they did have occasionaly soft poos, probably from the change in diet etc. But this was entirely different, it really really must not have agreed with him - I just wouldn't expect something so awful, especially from a food that's such high quality. But I've learnt my lesson!

LorrH, thanks for sharing your story. (Cactus is a very cute name by the way!) It's a shame to hear about poor cactus, I'm guessing the vet can't recommend anything? How is the Royal Canin sensitive treating her? Darcy normally isn't sensitive to anything, and in the past it's been my other boy, Stravinsky, who's had a slightly more sensitive tum - so this one food by Nature's Menu must just really have been the wrong thing for him.

Update: When I came home from work yesterday, 5pm, there was a wee bit more diarreah in the litter tray from during the day. But once I cleaned that up, there's not been any since, either last night or this morning - So hopefully he's on the mend!